Book Review and GIVEAWAY: Suspicion, by Alexandra Monir, ends 1/5/15

I should have remembered what I learned firsthand years ago - that it only takes one night to transform a place; that a single event can crumble a stalwart structure and strip a home of a decade's worth of happy memories. But I never imagined it would happen twice. I let myself be taken in by Rockford once again, and even now, as I long to escape, I'm no match for the land. It pulls me under, seeping into my skin, until I don't know where I end and it begins. Maybe that's what it means to tie your identity to a place: it can betray you, shatter your illusions - and yet you can't stay away.

This novel is based on the book Rebecca, which I haven't read, but I very much enjoyed Suspicion. The reviewers on Goodreads have been rather harsh on the book so far, but I liked how it combines supernatural/paranormal elements with an awesome setting (England) and has a Princess Diaries flair to it (a "commoner" becoming a duchess).

Official synopsis:

Mysterious. Magnificent. Creepy. Welcome to Rockford Manor.

"There's something hidden in the Maze." Seventeen-year-old Imogen has never forgotten the last words her father said to her seven years ago, before the blazing fire that consumed him, her mother, and the gardens of her family's English country manor.

Haunted by her parents' deaths, Imogen moves to New York City with her new guardians. But when a letter arrives with the news of her cousin's untimely death, revealing that Imogen is now the only heir left to run the estate, she returns to England and warily accepts her role as duchess.

All is not as it seems at Rockford, and Imogen quickly learns that dark secrets lurk behind the mansion's aristocratic exterior, hinting that the spate of deaths in her family were no accident. And at the center of the mystery is Imogen herself--and Sebastian, the childhood friend she has secretly loved for years. Just what has Imogen walked into?

Combining a fresh twist on the classic REBECCA with a spine-tingling mystery and powerful romance, SUSPICION is an action-packed thrill ride.

There's a twist at the end of this book that I suspected, but it still made it a great and fast-paced read. Imogen used to summer with her family at the family's "country manor" - her parents technically have titles (Lord/Lady) but she does not. After a tragic accident, Imogen is adopted by her best friend's parents, and she resides permanently in NYC.

Seven years later, though, she hears more tragic news, and it turns out she is the only heir left to the Rockford estate. She returns to England only to find something strange is afoot; and she must figure out what's going on before more bad things happen.

I could not put this book down once I started it. It's not particularly unique (it combines a few different plot themes) but it's written very well, and the story is easy to follow. I liked that it took place in England, too - even though Imogen used to spend summers there, she's not acclimated to British fashion or society, and she has a personal "social secretary" to help her navigate this new world, too.

I'd recommend this book for anyone who likes a good mystery story, with a bit of romance, history, and intrigue thrown in.

4.5 stars out of 5.
{Click here to buy}

GIVEAWAY:

TWO of my lucky readers will each win a hardcover copy of Suspicion!

Enter via the widget below. Giveaway will end on Monday, January 5th, 2015, at 11:59pm EST, and winners will be notified via email the next day, and have 24 hours to respond, or an alternate winner(s) will be chosen.

U.S. residents only, please.

Good luck!

Suspicion book