Suspicion

When Imogen is ten years old tragedy strikes her and her family, a fire takes the lives of her parents and her Aunt and Uncle. An orphan in every sense of the word Imogen's world is turned upside as the smoke clears.

Unable to stay at their English manor after the accident Imogen returns to New

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York with her new guardians and never looks back.

Now seven years later the past shows up at her door and she is forced to step into the shoes that her parents left her to fill. She is now soul heir to Rockford Manor and must return to England to run the estate.

Imogen know's the job of running an estate is not an easy one but she's not at all prepared for the supernatural anomalies that seem to be linked to her, to the manor and perhaps to the strange deaths that took place there.

The only person who might have answers to whats happening, who isn't already dead, is Imogen's childhood friend and crush, Sebastian. Although him having answers and Imogen being able to trust him are two entirely different things.

Filled with suspense and mystery "Suspicion" is a beautiful, breathtakingly, stunning read.

I could not put it down, even at 3am when I had to be at work the next morning I stayed up all night finishing it.

I adored the 'royal' aspects of the story line and of course the supernatural ones as well. And that ending... I never saw it coming, it was truly jaw dropping.

Some books you read and instantly wish you could re-read them for the first time and "Suspicion" is definitely one of them for me.

Add this one to your Christmas list, you won't be disappointed.

Until next time,
Ginger

In compliance with FTC guidelines I am disclosing that this book was given to me for free to review.
My review is my honest opinion.

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Take Daphne du Maurier’s classic Rebecca, throw in a little of Meg Cabot’s Princess Diaries series, and add a hint of the supernatural to get the basis for Alexandra Monir’s Suspicion. There is the girl who unexpectedly becomes titled and heir to the family fortune. She heads back to England

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to an estate filled with memories, mystery, ghosts, and romance. There is even a sinister housekeeper with whom Imogen must learn to work. Not only must Imogen learn everything there is to know about being one step below the royal family, she must also solve the mystery of her cousin’s sudden and questionable death.

Targeted to a younger audience, Suspicion is simple but enjoyable. Imogen spends a lot of time remembering Sebastian, her childhood crush, but she has enough independence to stand up for herself when necessary. Not only that but she takes her new role very seriously, not letting the title or the money go to her head. The supernatural element is interesting but slightly overdone. Imogen already has everything a girl could want, except for her parents, that the supernatural powers she discovers she has is just a bit too much.

Suspicion is a bit too fluffy to appeal to older readers. This is one young adult novel that does not cross over well to readers outside of its demographic. For one, older readers will see nothing exciting about Imogen’s inherited title and the privilege it entails. Then there is the issue with the melodrama that is Imogen’s life in England. She must face media scrutiny, desperate mothers looking for suitable and monied wives for their sons, and the whisperings of those who knew her family better than she did. It is all very “Downton Abbey” to some extent. Lastly, there is the fact that the rest of the story is so similar to Rebecca but without the atmospheric suspense that one would be better served reading Ms. du Maurier’s original heartstopping thriller. Younger readers, however, will appreciate this riches-to-greater-riches tale for its strong heroine, sweet romance, and simple suspense.

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Suspicion by Alexandra Monir
Source: Netgalley
My Rating: 4½/5 stars
My Review:

For the first ten years of her life, Imogen Rockford led a charmed life. She lived in New York with her doting mother and father and every summer she and her family spent time at her father’s ancestral home in England.

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The summer of her tenth year, Imogen stood by helplessly as her mother, father, aunt and uncle died in a horrible fire on the grounds of Rockford Manor. With no explanation as to how the fire started and with only a cryptic message left to her by her father, Imogen has no choice but to turn her back on Rockford Manor and return to New York.

For seven years, Imogen has lived as close to a normal life as is possible for a kid who lost most of her family. She lives with her parents’ best friends, goes to a private school and, has no idea what she wants to do with her life once she graduates from high school. Luckily, Imogen’s life has been mapped out for her and all she has to do is sign the paperwork accepting the inheritance Rockford Manor and the title of Lady Imogen Rockford, Duchess of Wickersham. Though Imogen is justifiably afraid to return to England and take on such immense responsibility, she feels an inexplicable calling.

The moment Imogen sets foot on the grounds of Rockford Manor things begin to change. Within days of her arrival, the grounds look better than they have in years, her personal maid is angry and somewhat sketchy, Imogen seems to be able to do unexplainable things and, she runs into the boy she has carried a torch for most of her life. To say Imogen’s feelings about the whole situation are confused wouldn’t even begin to come close. In the days and weeks that follow, Imogen grows into her role of Duchess, she searches for answers to her mystery abilities, she avoids her maid if at all possible and, she tries to ignore the fact that she still has feelings for Sebastian Stanhope.

Sebastian Stanhope is from an equally impressive family line, is now a handsome and incredibly popular polo player and, is the ex-boyfriend of Imogen’s now-deceased cousin, Lucia. Sebastian knows many, many things about Rockford Manor and Lucia and as Imogen begins to dig deeper into the mysteries of the manor she has to rely on Sebastian and his help to figure everything out. With every twist and turn of the plot, Imogen and Sebastian are drawn deeper into a centuries old mystery that includes paranormal powers, a long-dead Duchess of Wickersham, the Rockford Manor maze and, the answer to how and why Imogen’s family has been eliminated one by one. Like a dog with a bone, Imogen refuses to let go until she understands exactly what it is that Rockford Manor wants from her. What Imogen and Sebastian uncover involves more than one murder, some seriously awesome powers, one faked identity and, a whole lot of mayhem and shenanigans.

The Bottom Line: Oh, hello!! I thoroughly enjoyed this read!! Suspicion is the right kind of YA novel with a fantastic blend of mystery, young love, paranormalcy and, history. Though Imogen is young she is smart, capable and, determined. Since she left Rockford Manor at age ten a whole host of awful has occurred and now that she is back, she is ready to set the situation right again. Setting things to right involves a great deal of research, discovering who she truly is and, uncovering the truth of her family’s deaths. Had Imogen been written as a weaker, less confident character, she never would have been able to pull off everything Imogen accomplishes. Part of the appeal of this read is Imogen’s strength and her dogged determination to uncover the truth. Adding to the appeal of Imogen is the budding romance between her and Sebastian. Sebastian is not the easiest character to warm up to but once he begins to spill his secrets he becomes far more interesting and enjoyable. For as much as I enjoyed the characters it is the backstory/history that I found truly enjoyable. Delving into the history of the Manor and the Duchess who started this whole mess is terribly interesting and creates one of my favorite things in literature, a collision of the past and the present. In all, I found Suspicion to be an excellent read with every aspect being completely appropriate for all YA+ readers.

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What to say about this book..it's left me feeling befuddled. I wanted to like this book and I would have if it was it was just solely a murder mystery but alas, it wasn't. It's review from Amy Plum has it right about one thing, it's definitely a Princess Diaries story that's combined with The

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Parent Trap mixed with some magical nonsense thrown in there for good measure. I'd have to say that Alfred Hitchcock (Jessica Brody's review) would have focused more on the murder mystery aspects of this book (which it should have) and not add in the magical parts that is so under-detailed that it seems more like an afterthought the author added in to give the book a little extra umpf but it doesn't work. I can't say that the story itself was bad. There was some definite potential. It held my attention all the way through, it had a nice pace, and it wasn't badly written but it definitely failed in its execution. The storyline is a bit choppy and the instant love made me want to gag. Although there are some interesting twists it ultimately has a lot of plot elements that were overdone and unnecessary.

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I would like to thank Random House Children's & NetGalley for granting me a copy of this e-book to read in exchange for an honest review. Though I received this e-book for free that in no way impacts my review.

Goodreads Teaser: A modern-day twist on the classic thriller, Rebecca, with a dash of the

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supernatural, a powerful romance, and a deadly family mystery.

“There’s something hidden in the maze.”

Seventeen-year-old Imogen Rockford has never forgotten the last words her father said to her, before the blazing fire that consumed him, her mother, and the gardens of her family’s English country manor.

For seven years, images of her parents’ death have haunted Imogen’s dreams. In an effort to escape the past, she leaves Rockford Manor and moves to New York City with her new guardians. But some attachments prove impossible to shake—including her love for her handsome neighbor Sebastian Stanhope.

Then a life-altering letter arrives that forces Imogen to return to the manor in England, where she quickly learns that dark secrets lurk behind Rockford’s aristocratic exterior. At their center is Imogen herself—and Sebastian, the boy she never stopped loving.

Combining spine-tingling mystery, romance, and unforgettable characters, Suspicion is an action-packed thrill ride.

A creatively crafted tale with some interesting characters. Between the action, emotional roller coasters, and the paranormal aspect this story has the right ingredients to become a spectacular read. Unfortunately for me it never quite made it to that level.

Initially Imogen, the protagonist, comes off as something of a milksop, or at least the adult version does, but by the story's conclusion she has thankfully not only grown a spine but developed a much stronger personality. However her growth alone was not enough to sustain my interest in her. And Sebastian was also something of a pushover in my mind, afraid to stand up for himself or what was right. Instead he allowed Lucia to dictate his actions, even after he uncovered some of her truths.

Granted the ending was interesting, but again it wasn't enough to pull this book out of OK and into the realm of amazing. However it does leave a question unanswered, and it's a rather large question, one upon which part of the book is predicated. So should there be a sequel it would be interesting to see how much growth the author has made as a writer, and how that comes across in her writing.

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Okay, so I’ll admit the main reason I gravitated towards Suspicion, by Alexandra Monir, was the absolutely gorgeous cover. But, a cover alone isn’t enough to warrant a read — the synopsis itself is what sealed the deal. Tales of class intrigue are always fun, then add to that the unexpected

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inclusion of the paranormal, and it’s an easy sell.

Suspicion starts near the end of the story with an incident involving the police wanting to question main character Imogen Rockford, newly crowned Duchess of Wickersham. Overcome with emotion, Imogen relives the past seven years of her life — beginning with a tragic accident that claimed the life of not only her parents, but her close cousin’s parents as well. Wrought with guilt over the death of her parents, Imogen left her remaining family – including newly orphaned cousin – behind and moved back to America, locking away any memory of her life before the devastating fire. Circumstances changed when Imogen finds herself on the cusp of adulthood and was thrust back into English society, coming face to face with the past she sought to forget.

Monir does an excellent job threading together memories of the distant past with more recent recollections. Every piece of information Monir uses in the story serves to propel the narrative forward. Clues are sprinkled throughout the story hinting at what will happen, at what has happened, yet placed so gingerly that the reader barely gives it a second glance. Once the mystery is solved and the twist at the end revealed, all of the breadcrumbs sprinkled earlier in the story come together. Even characters that seemed extraneous (hello Zoe) had their purpose, and ofttimes more than one reason for existing.

My sole complaint would be that, for all of the serious themes it touches, Suspicion felt too light of a book. I would have loved a deeper look into the characters, a greater sense of darkness or fear from the events. However, given it is meant for a tween/teen audience, I definitely can understand the limitations and still found it enjoyable.

Suspicion is a great, fun read, especially for those interested in YA. I definitely would love to see a follow-up.

// I received this title for free in exchange for an honest review //

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Before anything else, can we please all take a moment to exclaim in delight over this cover? I can't pinpoint exactly what prompts it, but this cover makes my Fantasy loving heart all aflutter. I won't even attempt to deny that my choice to read this was a serious case of cover lust. In fact, I

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only skimmed the synopsis for this before I started. Honestly? I think that was the perfect way to go. Everything that came next was a surprise.

All my love goes to Alexandra Monir for bringing to life a world of wealth and opulence. The beginning of this story grabbed my hand, and led me into Imogen Rockford's life. A life filled with sprawling mansions, elegant libraries, and enough hidden secrets to keep me wanting to read on. I loved the disconnect between Imogen and Rockford Manor. Monir artfully keeps our heroine away from everything until she's older, which makes for a much more in depth look into the secrets her family hides. I felt like, despite the fact that this is set in current times, it was almost an older tale of sorts. The kind that lies hidden until someone is ready to uncover it.

In fact, Imogen is a rather likable character overall. I never found her pompous, or overbearing, despite her family's wealth. Imogen is the exact opposite of all that. She sees the people around her for what they are. Simply, people. As she navigated the ins and outs of the British peerage, I couldn't help but be amused. Imogen's view of the whole thing was candid and enjoyable. It made for a nice balance between her observations of her wealth, and the unfortunate circumstances surrounding the way she obtained it.

Where the story fell apart, in my opinion, was near the ending. Up to that point, you would have gotten nothing but love from me if you asked how I was enjoying the book. Imogen and Sebastion were stellar characters, the world they inhabited was lavish, and the history they were uncovering intriguing. The problems started when the twist near the end of the book hit. It wasn't what I was expecting, to be sure, but moreover it left so many things untouched. I can't really explain what I was hoping for without spoilers, but I can say that I genuinely hope that there are more of these books. I absolutely must know more about the Rockford family.

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Contemporary gothic with a slightly predictable ending, made all the more unbelievable by being set in the 21st century. What works is the paranormal mystery, and Imogen's naivete about the world into which she's thrust. What doesn't work, is, as I said, the twist. No, there isn't a madwoman in the

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attic, but it's as improbable. Still, it's worth a read for that eerie gothic atmosphere that Monir captures so well. (Provided by publisher)

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