The Wicked Captain


Eve Cramond, widowed wife of a colonel, is pleasantly surprised to find her husband’s captain on her doorstep in the midst of her mourning. Captain Lawrence, affectionately called Lawrie, was injured in battle and is finally well enough to bring Eve a message from her late husband before his death. To both of their astonishment, the message is not simply a note to his wife, but rather a detailed poem. Eve knows her beloved husband has hidden clues to the location of her mother-in-law’s stolen jewels within the poem’s contents, and employs Lawrie to help her solve the mystery. While residing as a guest at Braithwaite Castle, Eve has to put her trust in Lawrie to help decipher the clues, but can she trust him with her still-mending heart?

Mary Lancaster’s charming novel takes the reader into a beautiful tale of love, mystery, and adventure. The characters in this novel shine in every aspect, leaving one falling in love with each one. Eve’s fight within herself is very heart wrenching, as she feels as she should not have feelings for Lawrence, but cannot seem to sway from her obvious attraction for him. The reader can especially appreciate the dynamic set up by the author, as Eve is older than Lawrence, which intensifies her guilt. The adventure that this tale takes them on together is perfectly paced and leaves enough suspicion for the mystery to be effective towards the climax of the novel. Despite this being part of a series, the story in itself is unique and does not rely on reading the previous novels. Readers will adore Ms. Lancaster’s novel until the very last page!

Jen Griffin