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She can’t escape her past…
Derbyshire, 1861. Haunted by the events of the summer, Samantha Kingston has found her retreat to the country less restful than she hoped. When a house party reintroduces V.T. Wyatt into her life after a three-month absence, she has mixed feelings. It doesn’t help that they must keep their distance to stop the gossip mill running. But when Samantha stumbles across the body of someone she recognizes and in whose death she fears she may have played a part, keeping their distance becomes impossible.
Working together once again, Samantha and Wyatt must solve a murder that grows more complicated with every clue they uncover. But how does one find a killer who seems to have vanished without a trace?

249 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 27, 2023

251 people are currently reading
266 people want to read

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Emily L. Finch

3 books136 followers

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5 stars
843 (52%)
4 stars
572 (35%)
3 stars
158 (9%)
2 stars
12 (<1%)
1 star
7 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
Profile Image for Merry.
881 reviews291 followers
December 10, 2025
I struggled to get through this book, and it has a 4.4* rating so maybe a case of me not the book. I would rate it 2.75* as I didn't like Samantha's character in this book. She was struggling with the events of the previous book, and I had trouble relating to her. I was bored for the first 40% of the book as the plot moved at a very slow pace. Even when the mystery unfolded, I found it weak. It had a larger cast of characters, and I found some of the interactions to add little to the storyline. A character that I do enjoy is Wyatt. Perhaps I will continue with the series but am not sure at this point as I really enjoyed book 1.
Profile Image for Heatherinblack .
739 reviews9 followers
October 23, 2023
A pretty good mystery

The blame being taken by the lowly person of society was rather horrible. But likely common. A little too heavy on the romance. I was impressed with how Samantha and Wyatt played on their strengths depending on how society for allow them to.
Profile Image for Cheryl Parr.
1 review
July 17, 2023
Love both the book in this series

💘Books are well written and I'm upset that they left me hanging 👉 Will she write a book 3 ?
Annie story needs completion and what about skinny Jim?🤔
Profile Image for Barb.
1,318 reviews146 followers
October 26, 2025
It's been a long time since I've found a series or trilogy that I've enjoyed. the narration is a little on the slow side but I really like the characters and the storyline. Starting number three the same day I finished number two.
Profile Image for Mary.
490 reviews
October 14, 2024
It started as a 4-star book, but as I revisit the books from this year after reading them, I'm reevaluating. It is definitely more of a three because it is pretty average.

Original: This one was definitely a little more boring than the first one in terms of the mystery but once it got into the politics and the Trent affair and everything really started to unfold, it was delightful! I love when historical fiction brings in the real events of the time period. It always has me learning more about the events on my own.
Profile Image for Jen (That's What I'm Talking About).
1,741 reviews312 followers
December 20, 2023
Picking up about three months after the conclusion of the previous title, Ghosts in the Abbey finds Samantha living in the country with new friend Madge and her husband. There have been guests all summer, but with the famous Winter Ball coming, the house is filling with all sorts, including a few men who want to court Samantha for her money and several more people interested in gossip over her whereabouts during the summer which concluded with the scandalous death of her childhood friend. The one person Samantha hasn’t heard from is Wyatt, who has been keeping his distance in hopes of protecting her reputation.

Ghosts in the Abbey is an exciting adventure, with a mystery that kept me guessing until nearly the end. There are two parallel problems at hand. First, Lord Rupert, a self-made industrialist with dreams of integrating with the upper crust of London, tasks Wyatt to discreetly discover what happened to his investors’ gold that went missing from its shipping crate. Second, Samantha finds a dead body on Madge’s property and works with Wyatt to figure out who did it. Both mysteries are engaging and well-written. Clues are inserted throughout the narrative, and you never know which lead to the instigator. I enjoyed following along as the pair tries to solve the crimes. Alternating POVs gives the reader a broader interpretation of the clues and allows for a in-depth thought process while following along.

Now that the reader has gotten to know both Samantha and Wyatt, the author takes time to delve deeper into what makes each tick. Samatha is dealing with nightmares and questions her own intuition after Charles’s betrayal and murder. She has trouble trusting Wyatt, especially after he’s stayed away all fall. I loved seeing Samantha deal with her fears and gain back her fortitude. I adore the friendships she’s build with Madge and Lord Aston (Bingo). And for all my romance fans… Wyatt realizes he’s fallen for Samantha and doesn’t know what to do. I adore how Madge always gives it to him straight.

Narration: The story is shared via the alternating third person POVs of Samantha and Wyatt. Lee uses what I would call a proper English accent for the narrator, using the same feminine voice for both POVs. She continues with that voice for Samantha, but alters all other dialogue based on gender and age. Each main character and significant supporting characters are unique and identifiable. I am not an expert on accents, but to my ears, the narrator does a good job altering the voices to suit the social class of each character. Lee also does wonderful job of infusing emotion into to her performance.

Ghosts in the Abbey is a delightful, standalone mystery balance with a personal connection to the MCs; however the series-arching plot regarding Charles’s murder remains open. And with how this one ended, I am eager for the next title to be released.

Ratings:
Story: A-
Narration: A-

Review copy provided by publisher
Originally posted at That's What I'm Talking About
86 reviews
November 22, 2024
Such a fun series! Wyatt and Samantha work well together, using their strengths and talents to solve the crime. There’s drama, humor, and fun twists and turns. It’s an easy read that has me turning the pages to find out what’s next.
Profile Image for Shalini M.
480 reviews39 followers
August 21, 2023
I must say that I am very impressed by the author. As per GR, this is only her second book, and I have enjoyed both. Suspense/mystery/thriller has been my favorite genre all along, and I have recently been reading quite a few of them set in the Regency/Victorian era. This is one of the best series I have come across in this setting. It is very well written, fast paced without losing nuances, and ends in a real nail-biting finish. The suspense and the romance are both given sufficient focus, and the tension in both the aspects of the story is great.

I really like the MC - Samantha and Wyatt, and many of the side characters, especially Madge and Lord Aston. The development of their relationship, with all the camaraderie, attraction, fear and doubt is wonderfully done. Though the solution to the mystery was hinted a little earlier than the typical suspense novel, it had enough going on to keep the interest while it reached the conclusion.

Overall, a really engaging story and with the unanswered questions and the cliffhanger it ended on, I am eagerly looking forward for the sequel(s).
10 reviews
July 14, 2023
I enjoyed Finch’s books and hope there will be more!
Profile Image for Shelby.
267 reviews4 followers
November 9, 2025
Wishing this was not going in the episodic direction but once again idgaf five stars anyway
126 reviews
December 9, 2023
What a great Book 2

I began this book hesitantly as many times the second book in a series is not quite as enthralling as the first. This Book 2 held my attention and I read through it in one day. Many if the same characters from book 1 and a host of new ones. I did struggle a bit with the identity of the house party guests and their relationship to each other. Going from last names to first and I somewhat lost track of who was related to whom and how. I will reread the book much slower and I’m sure
I will pick that up. A mystery, theft, and
Political confrontations of the time add
To the reality of the characters. Loved
This book. Can’t wait for #3…
120 reviews
February 12, 2025
A Good Read

I read the first book of the series several years ago, and have forgotten most of the details. With that said, this book can be read without reading the first book.

The author does a great job of providing just enough backstory for the characters that I never really felt lost. I learned enough about Charles and the death of Samantha‘s aunt and uncle to be able to follow the plot without any difficulty.

The characters are well developed. The plot is presented in a linear fashion, which I appreciate; some authors try to use flashbacks much to the detriment of the story’s structure. I was a little frustrated with Samantha‘s preoccupation with the past, but in that the worst of her experiences are only several months old, I suppose her reactions are relatively realistic. Wyatt is also a well developed character; we are afforded his point of view as well, able to understand his thinking and his motivations. Certainly neither Samantha or Wyatt is presented as perfect, which is much appreciated.

About 3/4 of the way through the book I felt pretty certain who the “culprit“ was but it is only apparent if the reader pays attention to the smallest details. And that is what makes the book a worthwhile read. There are questions, there is intrigue, and the specifics of the crimes involved span a much greater area of concern than the reader might first imagine.

I very much enjoyed the author’s limited descriptions of clothing and landscape. Too much detail interferes with getting to the heart of the story, and Emily Finch seems to know better.

All the questions are seemingly answered by the end of the story. However, the story does not end on the last page. The author presents a new mystery to be addressed in the last several paragraphs of the book, preparing us to jump into the next book of the series, which I intend to do right away.

The writing is good; the characterization is good. The scheming involved in the plot is interesting. The only character that I did not feel was fully “addressed” by the story’s end was Miss Thorpe. One can only hope that this takes place in the next book of the series.

This is worth the time to read. The characters are likable. I would recommend this book to those who like the Lady Julia Gray and Lady Emily mystery series. Perhaps this is not as sharply written as they are, but the story holds its own.
Profile Image for Genevieve Grace.
976 reviews117 followers
June 2, 2024
This second installment of the Samantha and Wyatt mysteries introduces a new murder for the pair to solve, while continuing to flesh out their characters and relationship.

It doesn't wholly lose the thread of the first book's plot, dropping a few more details and clues here and there, but it spends most of its time on a new problem. Samantha has been staying with Madge and her family in the country, recovering from the events of the first book and preparing to deal with her inevitable new role in society as a prominent and wealthy woman. Wyatt and several other families join them for the Winter Ball, and that's when events take a turn for the mysterious.

There's a murder, a haunted abbey, and a heist of gold bars, all of it texturized and tied into real historical details. I always appreciate when authors use the real events of the time, and this book weaves in current Victorian events in a way that enhanced the story without being overly heavy-handed. Solving this case with Wyatt and Samantha was very enjoyable.

It did take me probably half the book to really get invested in what was going on. The beginning was a little slow, dwelling on Samantha's ruminations and daily activities and how repeatedly awkward she and Wyatt both were whenever they interacted as they both tried valiantly to pretend they didn't LIKE like each other. However, after the case got going and they both began to actually grapple with their feelings and communicate more, things got interesting.

The Samantha and Wyatt second act conflict at first frustrated me. It's incredible that he decided to Bold, yet entirely tone-deaf! Samantha's reasons for her choice, however, grew more compelling the more I digested them. By the end of their argument I was entirely in agreement with her, especially with some of Wyatt's behavior in the first book. I very much liked the way this went, and the potential left for both Wyatt's and Samantha's growth as people before they finally, actually get together.
Profile Image for Bridget Love to read Lewis.
2,447 reviews28 followers
December 27, 2024
4.5 stars
We have Samantha Kingston heiress of a fortune and V.Y.Wyatt both intelligent problem solvers bond by more than the mystery of Samantha slain aunt and uncle!
To protect her reputation Wyatt arranged for her to stay at his cousin Madge estate who has a Sterling reputation in the Ton to put down further gossip and innuendos about her time spent on the run from criminals!
Wyatt has been asked to investigate a delicate matter of missing gold! Samantha has her own case involving secrecy and love letters so the reunion is trying to solve cases but not looking too closely at how their relationship has changed!
The old abbey holds secrets much deeper than ghosts and someone won’t stop at murder to keep hide them!
There are things that pull both of their cases in 1 direction! It becomes clear that they are bizarrely related and the culprits must be at the house party! When more clues involving Charles are revealed to Wyatt he makes a decision he later regrets!
Wyatt has revealed secrets to Samantha and she is currently afraid of trusting her own judgment!?
This case ties up several loose ends and reveals more as it ends on a cliff hanger! Definitely will want to read the next one and the continuing evolving romance between my two favorite characters! Bravo well done!
16 reviews1 follower
August 22, 2025
This book is the sequel from Emily L. Finch’s “The Samantha and Wyatt Mysteries” and I truly enjoyed it. This two-book series so far has been a delightful discovery for me. I can honestly say I enjoy Emily L. Finch’s writing style. It is compelling, full of passion, and sensitivity. Her plots are enveloping and her characters are gripping. I simply can’t put her books down. Both her books have a lot of suspense, mystery, action, romance, and highlight/address the social issues and inequalities both socially and gender based that people/women had to deal with in that time period.

This book, “Ghost In The Abby”, like the debut book “Masquerade in London” is very well written, fast paced without losing nuances. The suspense and the romance are both given sufficient focus. I was very pleased with the character development of both main characters (Samantha & Wyatt) with all the friendship, attraction, fear, doubt and complexity each character brings to the story. It was wonderfully done.

Overall, a really engaging story. I am eagerly looking forward to reading the third installment of this series.
994 reviews10 followers
October 20, 2024
HOPPING A LILY PAD OF DRAMA, 5 STARS

Emily L Finch has created a huge writer's pond full of fast paced mysteries that create the need for the lily pads of drama that served up those needed puzzels that required Wyatt & Samantha use of their particular problem solving intelligence.

This is an awesome exceptional storyline chock full of murder, physical attacks by strangers, thief of gold bars from an ocean going shipping vessel, attempted treason with the attempt to support one side of the American Civil War over the Other, and plenty of drama mystery left from page 1, book 1 still left up in the air.

AND......Skinny Jim finally sends his message & it's brutal! Til next time, we find out more about Madge & Husband, Lord Aston, of course more in the lives & relationship of Samantha & Wyatt, and all the characters in the book we the readers think about like, Annie.

RECOMMEND
29 reviews
August 11, 2023
I really enjoy this author’s work. She’s very talented and both books are a reflection of that.

This book begins where the last ended. Not only does it address the unfinished storyline about Annie but also Skinny Jim. It continues to build upon the significance of those characters and their influence on Samantha. Overall, the mystery is engaging, there is considerable character flaws, growth & development in both Samantha and Wyatt. I particularly enjoyed the honest and vulnerable conversations between them (a rarity not often seen in mystery romances) & the forward progression in their relationship. And absolutely love Lord Aston - he’s the friend everyone wants!

Also, there is no unnecessary repetition or fillers to draw the book out. Wonderfully done!
Profile Image for Ann Kingston.
138 reviews1 follower
August 19, 2023
Don't stop now!!!😃

This second book was fantastic!!!😁 Please hurry with the third in the series!!!
I actually learned quite a lot by reading this. I liked that real historic figures were introduced and I was fascinated by the people who were included!!! I had fun with my kindle, as I was able to research things while I read. (As an ironic aside, we had just watched "Queen Elizabeth" and I had been very taken by her love for Prince Albert... then for me to find him in the book I was reading was truly weird!!!😯😉)
I have really enjoyed both of your books and your writing style. I am very impressed by the incredible amount of research you had to have put into this last book!!! I am eagerly awaiting your next book, so please don't stop now!!!!😁
9 reviews
March 25, 2024
Excellent CLEAN Suspense!

I was getting a little bored with the typical regency and Victorian romances, and was looking for some really good suspense, and this was it! I’m super particular about my books- first of course, good writing, pacing, structure, description, character arch, etc. I also like clean books, minimal to no bad language, romance and a little steamy, but not to far, no porn. Books I can share with my teenagers. This series checked ever box and was such an awesome read! Characters were amazing big, I love how the author takes time to develop the characters and their relationships. It doesn’t feel rushed, but also not too slow, writing style is excellent, and the historical points made for a learning knew things. Looking forward to the next book!
Profile Image for Tracy Richard.
345 reviews1 follower
January 27, 2025
As you can read in my “Samantha and Wyatt” mystery book #1, I quickly hurried on to book#2, “Ghosts in the Abbey”. This book picks up where book #1 left off. Though you could read it as a stand alone, I think you’d miss a lot of comments or innuendos. This book adds more characters and continues on with the relationship between Samantha and Mr. Wyatt. This has its own murders that need solving completely separate from book #1.

I was listening to this book because I enjoyed the narrator, Polly Lee. I like that the books are not too short and not too long. Unfortunately this one ended with a cliffhanger so I imagine I’ll be on to book #3 soon.

These are fun, thought through murder mysteries worth the time!
76 reviews
July 10, 2023
Emily L Finch is wonderful!

I read this book in a day. Now I’m wishing I had stretched it out but that was impossible. It’s so refreshing when you stumble upon an author who is writing a series she already had a dozen ready to read. The characters are like old friends you can’t wait to together entangled with over and over and share in the next adventure. Emily, I’m holding my breath for the next one. I hope you never get tired of these characters, central and secondary. Keep them coming.
Profile Image for Carrie ✨ The Blinging Bibliophile✨.
688 reviews38 followers
March 30, 2025
I'm SPRINTING to book 3.... really into this series.

Halfway into the book, I set is aside to stalk Emily Finch's website and socials for a hint of the next release but alas, I found nothing. DYING.

I absolutely loved the character development in this book and the fact that Samantha is loyal to herself first and is growing into a strong, capable woman despite the societal pressure of the era. The murders occur off page and the book is "clean", a cozy mystery, it isn't fluffy. Did I say I can't wait for Book 4 and I haven't even started book 3?
Profile Image for Timc.
159 reviews
October 14, 2025
A disappointment from the first instalment. Found my mind wandering and had to rewind several times.
I enjoyed Samantha's character in the first book, however her feminist attitude struck me as juvenile and pretentious in this story. I certainly would not want to spend too much time in her company, and could not understand Wyatt's growing attraction to her.
The audiobook narrator is passable. However, her characterization of Wyatt is so irritating. He sounds creepy, and I would steer clear of any man with that voice LOL.
I'm not invested anymore and will skip the remaining books.
Profile Image for Valerie Cortes.
182 reviews
October 15, 2025
Book 2 of the Samantha and Wyatt mysteries.
This one takes place mostly at a country manor house at the annual winter ball.
Wyatt is asked by his Aunt to look into the family of the girl her son is intending to propose to.
He is then asked by the girls father to solve the theft of a shipment of gold that has disappeared from one of his cargo ships.
As Wyatt is looking into the theft a man from the village is found bludgeoned to death. Samantha gets involved in the investigation and the pair is coming to terms with growing attractions to each other.
Profile Image for Leslie.
156 reviews2 followers
August 6, 2023
Enjoyable Read

I greatly enjoyed the first two books of the Samantha and Wyatt Mysteries. Great characters, clear representation of the confining roles of women at the time, and discussed seriously as opposed to alluding to it. The historical information was interesting.

The story was engaging and kept my interest and I greatly enjoyed how the endings are segues to the next book. Looking forward to Book 3.
3 reviews
August 27, 2023
Great Characters, Great Story!!

I thoroughly enjoyed the dynamic between the 2 main characters Samantha and Wyatt. The original premise of Book one in this series leading to Book two was original, and I am looking forward to Book Three. The supporting characters are just as well written, and the emotional interludes amusing and unexpected. The accuracy of historical details is well appreciated.
Profile Image for Kirsten.
561 reviews2 followers
April 28, 2024
Great historical mystery and slow burn romance. This author delivers a well thought out mystery usually woven through the political intrigue of the time. Add in an intelligent hero and heroine who dance around their interests in each other and you have an intriguing book which the reader feels compelled to continue reading. And an ending that has you scrambling for the next book? This is a great series!
Profile Image for Julie Press.
35 reviews7 followers
July 5, 2023
Hooked from book 1

I so thoroughly enjoyed book 1 that I grabbed book 2 the day it was released. The writing is engaging and suspenseful, the characters clever and bold. I've grown so fond of Samantha and Wyatt that I will happily follow their adventures wherever they lead. Eagerly awaiting book 3.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews

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