Review: Suspend Belief
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 06 17, 2013
One has to suspend belief with this story.  Hugh Castle, the Earl of Monnow, survives a ship wreck which he finds to be the result of sabotage.  He decides to return to his home disguised as a servant to investigate in secret.  I find it hard to believe that neither his aunt nor any of the long time servants will recognize Hugh Castle, the Earl of Monnow, simply because he has grown a beard.Helen Archer had lost the famous Peckham necklace at a ball at the Monnow estate.  Rather than simply ask if it has been found she too returns disguised as a servant to see if she can find it herself.  I suppose she doesn't realize that servants would have cleaned up and put things away after the ball and if the necklace were there someone would already have found it.Aside from that, it is a light-hearted read with interesting looks into the different aspects of Regency life.  One can have empathy for the protagonists and also Ned, the earl's nephew who has fled the home of his harsh aunts to run away to sea and also ends up as a servant in the earl's home.  Aside from the mystery of who sabotaged the earl's boat, one is also wondering about how the protagonists are going to explain their actions when they reveal themselves as to who they really are.  It can be a fun read with good dialogue and descriptions if one brushes aside the unrealistic plot contrivances.