A Storme’s Christmas Legacy (The Storme Brothers)

There is a rift between the Storme cousins ever since their uncles, the seventh Earl of Hadleigh and his brother had a falling out. The cousins never know what happened, but Andrew Storme, the eighth Earl of Hadleigh, is determined to heal the rift and make the Storme family whole again by having a Christmastide house party. This is difficult, because each of the Stormes live with their own personal demons: Andrew is exceedingly anxious, Finn is in a bath chair, and Brand lost an eye. The cousins also have trials. Cousin Caroline has just been released from an insane asylum. When all but a few have arrived, Cousin William announces he has found letters addressed to him and Andrew from their deceased fathers. The letters are clues to a treasure, and so a treasure hunt ensues with the cousins working together, curious to find this hidden treasure.

“A Storme’s Christmas Legacy” is written around a superb plot. Ms. Sookoo delicately treats each character’s disability or character flaw. The details of the treasure hunt are brilliant as the families search hither and yon in the mansion for the final treasure the patriarch wants their children to find, and ultimately, help to mend the rift they caused. All the characters are well developed except Cousin Caroline whose few details sparks one’s curiosity. Ms. Sookoo ingeniously builds passion in this piece, displaying a myriad of emotions from most of the characters, making the reader feel as though they are in the middle of the conflict while it is being sorted. A lively story that gives the feeling of true Christmas magic.

Belinda Wilson