LOVE'S HERITAGE

Author: Louise Pakeman ISBN: 9780709083276 8/2007 CONTEMPORARY/SUSPENSE Publisher: ROBERT HALE LTD.

Maggie Townsend is on her way to England in response to her mother's dying request. Tucked into her wallet is the address of a grandfather she barely knew existed. It is only when Tim Fenton, a fellow Australian she meets on the journey, insists on giving her his contact details in London that she begins to have qualms. She is grateful for his concern when she finds her relations, rather grander and stranger than she had imagined. Her grandfather's refusal to acknowledge her is her first shock, but there are other sinister undercurrents in the house hold. Tim, and the aunt he is staying with, prove to be true friends when events spiral out of control.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

I found LOVE'S HERITAGE by Louise Pakeman to be a contemporary mystery with a strong gothic feel. Its dark suspense-filled storyline gave it an eerie edginess that lasted until the very end. It is this that kept me anxiously turning the pages, wanting to get to the truth behind the secrets that haunt this story.

A large cast of wonderfully developed characters with strong and sometimes disturbing personalities, brought out a wide range of emotions. These emotions worked to draw me further into the story. Their sometimes bizarre behavior had me wondering about their motives. It is obvious from the beginning that they have a reason not to want Maggie around, and I found myself watching each character closely for clues to the reason why.

Maggie is a sweet and likeable character. Her mother's last request sends her to England to meet her mother's family for the first time. She is a young woman alone in a strange country, surrounded by people she does not know and mourning the death of her mother. I found it heartbreaking that she receives less than a warm welcome from them. She is the type of character that quickly makes you want to protect her from danger.

The one person that offers to help Maggie is a complete stranger named Tim. Because of the way that her family acts around her, I found myself questioning even his motives. It is hard to tell if Tim is just being helpful or if he is attracted to Maggie. There definitely seems to be some chemistry between them. In the end I found myself wishing that a little more time had been spent in developing a relationship between these two.

LOVE'S HERITAGE by Louise Pakeman was a suspense-filled story with a surprise ending. The characters were fascinating and their behavior kept me guessing what they would do next. Readers that enjoy a mystery are sure to find LOVE'S HERITAGE an entertaining read.

Anita Hartsell