Cuckoo's Child

by Marjorie Eccles

A gripping historical mystery, set in the north of England - Yorkshire, 1909. When Laura Harcourt accepts a position in Wainthrope, home to a prosperous wool mill and its respected owner, Ainsley Beaumont, she does not dream that it will change her life forever. But she arrives to find the Beaumont family still torn apart by the death of Theo, Ainsley’s son, in a disastrous fire twenty years ago; and the Beaumonts have secrets ­– secrets that DI Charlie Womersely, investigating a body found floating in the mill dam, must uncover if he is to find the truth . . .

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Historical, Historical Mystery, Fiction, British Literature, Ebooks

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Aka Judith Bordill, Jennifer Hyde

Marjorie Eccles has written several romantic and crime novels, which have been published both in the UK and in the US. Many of her book shave been translated and serialised around the world. She has one grown up son and now lives in Hertfordshire

Reviews

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really enjoying the book until I got to the end. As another reader described in her review - it just didn't have the bang you were expecting at the end, I felt the same. Good reading until the end and then "oh, was that it....".

[Kb · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, based on the few dates actually given in the book, I calculated that it was set in 1907 rather than 1909, but I guess that's not really a salient point. The historical elements and the setting of the story were intriguing, and I learned a lot of things I didn't know about the textile industry (the terms "mungo" and "shoddy", for example), so those aspects of the book were good.

Unfortunately, as a mystery it was rather disappointing for its lack of coherence. A mystery must deliver the seeds of the answer starting at the beginning. The author should not, as this author has done, introduce relevant facts only at the point they are needed to further the story. My overwhelming feeling as the mystery progressed was always some version of "Oh! Good of you to tell us that now. Why has it never been mentioned before?" But if, as a reader, you are able to overlook that, and the rather lackadaisical ending, it's a book worth reading.

[Nina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Somewhat mediocre British mystery novel. I liked the setting best: a 17th century country mansion where one wing that had burned out was left untouched and never spoken of. In the early 20th century, a young woman from London is specifically recruited to organize the home's library that no one uses. She has no qualifications and is as mystified as everyone else as to why the old man wanted her for a job that doesn't really need to be done. She knows herself to be adopted and finds out the truth of her past and what she is really there for. The old man is murdered, and naturally there are several people in town who could have done it. An old police officer and his eager young sidekick (reminded me of the Midsomer Murders investigators) move into the small town to sort things out. The book was "just OK."

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aaah, this is just what I needed. A very enjoyable and interesting novel that includes some murder, some mystery, some romance, some 1909 Yorkshire village life, a diverse assortment of characters, and without the unnecessary offensive graphic situations that create so much stress as to detract from the pleasure of enjoying the story.
I will look for more books from this author who is 97 and has already given us many more novels.

[Nancy Cook-senn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Part mystery, part romance, part family saga, it never coheres into one good story nor memorable character.

[Susan Elizabetha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book browsing the library e-book selections. Great read and a new author to enjoy. Highly recommend.

[Kathleensakal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good twisting plot but with many characters to follow

[Linda Derr]

I enjoyed this older style of Victorian mystery/romance. Reminds me of Victoria Holt and other Victorian authors. I intend to read other books of Marjorie Eccles.

[Denise]

I just couldn't seem to get into the story line.

[Pat · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eccles has written a multi-volune series of police procedurals featuring Supt. Gil Mayo, an English copper. In recent years, however, she has moved to stand-alone thriller type novels. This one is set in 1909 and begins with the main character, Laura, being hired by rich woolen mill owner in northern England to "catalogue" his collection of books. The story proceeds with the elderly mill owner's death, ruled suicide. At the reading of his will, he has left a substantial legacy to Laura as well as the bulk of his estate to his twin children, Gideon and his sister.

I would describe the book primarily as suspense with some romance. There are several twists toward the end, but I saw a couple of them coming. For me, the strongest feature of the book was the sense of place, something which I always enjoy in a book. I still prefer the Mayo procedurals, but this one was also a good read.

[Cheryl A · Rating 3 out of 5]

Laura Harcourt accepts a temporary position in Yorkshire to catalog the library of mill owner Ainsley Beaumont. Laura, from a fine family herself, is drawn into the lives of the Beaumonts, especially the twin grandchildren, who are of the same age as Laura. When a body is found floating in the mill damn, secrets of the Beaumont family and the village are exposed, changing Laura's life.

As is Eccles' Gil Mayo series, the mystery takes a backseat to the lives and relationships of the characters. The added benefit to her recent non-series books have been the settings - time and place are truly brought to life. Just as each character is indicative of the time period and their social position, so to are the wool mills of the early 1900's, the suffrage and workers rights movements and the changing views of the upperclass.

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the first I have read by this author. Life around Yorkshire in this time period sounded very bleak to me. There was a little too much in depth description of the textile mills for me.

The plot was good but the beginning was confusing. I want to read more by this author so I can compare. It was worth reading.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was as close as current writers get to good old-fashioned romantic suspense. In Yorkshire prior to WWI a young woman leaves London to go to a remote estate to catalog a collection of books only to find she has a closer connection to the family than she ever dreamed.

[Veronica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel began as a Harlequin romance but then suddenly turned into an excellent and well crafted mystery. The characters were all realistic and the plot was puzzling enough to make you read to the end to find the murderer.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started out really good but the ending didn't have the bang I thought it would. I thought it was a let down.

[Susie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an engaging historical mystery, one of my favorite genres. It was a quick read, a little romance, a mystery, and a great sense of place..

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable though it kinda didn't go anywhere at the end.

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad read with a good story line.

[Roshni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad if predictable read. The description of the women's suffrage movement make it a more interesting read with respect to the historical context

[Raine]

Interesting. Nice to see that Marjorie Eccles has a few more for me to read.

[TienvoorNegen · Rating 3 out of 5]

an easy, amusing read. although sometimes utterly predictable, the mysteryplot surprised me.