Stephanie adores the quaint English village where she is spending the summer, but its sunlit streets lead to two houses that hide secrets. One house belongs to her family, and one is the ancestral home of James Knox.
Can she trust him? This smiling musician has stolen her heart, but her mind is full of doubt. He is a rising rock star, who has captivated her from his first hello, but an old family feud stands between them.
Stephanie's beautiful great-aunt Sophie died suddenly seventy years ago, just before she was to elope with James' uncle. Village gossip about this tragic wartime romance is mingled with whispers of secretive visitors, smuggling and - perhaps - collaboration with the Nazis.
European history reaches forward to intrude on James and Stephanie's modern love. She is driven to find out the truth about her great-aunt, whose lost romance in many ways parallels her own. However great the danger, she must uncover the secrets that lie hidden beneath the ancient roof of Knox Manor.(less)
SL Beaumont is the author of the award-winning Historical fiction novel The War Photographers, art-crime series, The Carlswick Mysteries, the award-winning thriller Shadow of Doubt and the Kat Munro series.
She lives in beautiful New Zealand, which is only problematic when the travel bug bites (which it does fairly often)! Her passion for travel has seen her take many long-haul flights to various parts of the world. Her love of history helps her determine the destination, and the places she visits are a constant source of inspiration for her. Prior to becoming an author, SL Beaumont worked in banking in London and New York and is now a partner in a chartered accounting firm in Auckland.
The War Photographers won the 2024 IRDA Historical Fiction Award, Shadow of Doubt won the Indie Reader 2020 Mystery/Suspense/Thriller Award and was long-listed for the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Novel. Death Count was a semi-finalist for the 2021 Publisher’s Weekly Booklife Prize. The titles in The Carlswick Mysteries series have been awarded honorable mentions at the San Francisco Book Festival and have been finalists in the Wishing Shelf Book Awards.
Along with a remarkable history and some brain-twisting mysteries, S.L.Beaumont's debut novel, The Carlswick Affair is an interesting as well as an intriguing read and to top that with a sweet chemistry, the author has crafted a beautiful and a heart-warming love-story in an English village.
Many thanks to the author, S.L.Beaumont, for sending over me with a copy of her book, in return for an honest review.
The author has introduced us with the concept of "Degenerate art", which is nothing but, it is the English translation of the German entartete Kunst, a term adopted by the Nazi regime in Germany to describe virtually all modern art. Such art was banned on the grounds that it was un-German or Jewish Bolshevist in nature, and those identified as degenerate artists were subjected to sanctions. You can already tell that the plot of the book is pretty captivating and there were so many unknown mysteries to be unlocked.
Before joining her university, Stephanie comes to this quiet, beautiful English village where she has an ancestral home. To pass her time, she starts digging into the past, and finds out the clues to a lost Nazi artifact during the World War II and her great-Aunt Sophie's mysterious death. And Stephanie learns that in the very same village, another family holds the key to her aunt's death. Surprisingly, Stephanie falls for the budding musician, James of that very same mysterious family. Can Stephanie really trust her heart and will she uncover that artifact mystery and will she unravel the family feud between these two families? Read this YA novel to find out more.
The author has skillfully unraveled the hidden mysteries and suspense surrounding the World War II "Degenerate art" through the eyes and brains of Stephanie. The story is so engaging from the very beginning that not even for a single second you'll lose focus from the book. And on top of that the striking characters keep you hooked on to this book. The protagonist of this book, Stephanie, is quite a determined young New Zealand woman who is smart and intelligent and a got quite a strong voice of her own. I really loved the concept of a young girl solving her family mysteries in the past along with a German artifact's mystery. The two stories have been portrayed very skillfully by the author. The chemistry between James and Stephanie is quite sweet and it’s a blend of right amount of hate and love between them and maybe that's trick which made the story flowing smoothly. But it seems the book ends up with a slight cliff-hanger and definitely I'm vouching for the next book in the series.
A perfect summer read and you'll be left mesmerized by Beaumont's choice of words thus making the book more delectable.
Stephanie Cooper is 18 years old and about to begin her studies in history at Oxford. Since she doesn't know when she will have the time again, she decides to spend her summer break with her grandmother at the old family home in Carlswick. While she is there, she meets James Knox, the lead guitarist in an indie rock band, who is also a part of a family that is involved in a seventy-year-old feud with the Coopers. Stephanie and James initially hit it off, but when she sees a painting in the library at the Knox estate that she recognizes as a piece of stolen Nazi art believed destroyed in WWII, their relationship takes a dive leading almost to rock bottom. Things go from bad to worse as she begins to suspect that James' older brother, Alex, is smuggling art, and then matters become worse when she learns that her father is also somehow involved. The Carlswick Affair is a mystery that has potential as it follows Stephanie as she investigates not just the possibility of art smuggling but also into the death of her great-aunt Sophie, seventy years earlier and is somehow related to the painting in James Knox's house. The story starts out slow but picks up pace fairly quickly. The problem that I encountered, and that lost the story a star, was with the characters mostly. As I said, the story itself was good, but would have been much better if Stephanie had been slightly older and the boyfriend, James had been more mature and if the author had had him throwing temper tantrums and sulking all over the place like he was 5-years old.
Stephanie Cooper is eighteen years old and a recent high school graduate. She decides to visit her father and grandmother in the country before starting her university studies. She never expects to become mixed up in art thievery with a side of romance with hunky rocker, James Knox. Armed with the diary of a long-deceased aunt - whose death was surrounded by suspicious circumstances - and her own persistent research, Stephanie uncovers a web of deceit, murder and greed.
The Carlswick Affair is a clever Romeo and Juliet style tale of two young people who meet and fall in love, but are from two families who have been at odds with one another for decades. The first half of the book seemed to concentrate more on the tumultuous relationship between Stephanie and James. It was more "romance" than "mystery" in my opinion. The second half of the book really picked up and delved further into World War II history - specifically Hitler's ban on what he termed "degenerate" art, which he confiscated from owners, publicly ridiculed and often destroyed. As someone who feels strongly that it's important for young people to be educated about history, I loved that the author included so much historical detail in her book. And it's done in a way that is engaging and interesting, so it's sure to hold the attention of readers.
I would recommend The Carlswick Affair for anyone, of any age, looking for an appealing story that combines romance, history, suspense and mystery. Ms. Beaumont's debut novel proves she's an author to follow. I'll be reading her sequel, The Carlswick Treasure next!
Great mystery about degenerate art and Nazi looting! It's a tantalizing combination of romance, history, suspense, and mystery that kept me guessing until the end. It was refreshing to find a smart, puzzle-like mystery aimed at young adults, though it quite appropriate for adults, as well. It's ending leaves plenty of room for more art history mysteries in this series, which I look forward to reading!
A refreshingly intelligent book for teenagers that not only offers an intriguing story-line with suspense and mystery, but that also offers an unfolding and entertaining Romeo and Juliet style relationship between two interesting central characters. Beaumont's debut novel is an outstanding achievement and highly recommended to young adults who seek a truly enjoyable reading experience.
A good premise, but for me it was just a bit too YA. I loved the Nazi art theft part of the story. It was a good, solid cozy with enough "twists" to keep me interested, the setting was lovely. Made me wish I had a rich Auntie in a mansion in England. The romance between Steph and the "cute guy in a band" angle just made it a bit young for my tastes. But not a bad read.
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Wednesday, 8 January 2014Review: The Carlswick Affair by SL Beaumont
Stephanie adores the quaint English village where she is spending the summer, but its sunlit streets lead to two houses that hide secrets. One house belongs to her family, and one is the ancestral home of James Knox.
Can she trust him? This smiling musician has stolen her heart, but her mind is full of doubt. He is a rising rock star, who has captivated her from his first hello, but an old family feud stands between them.
Stephanie's beautiful great-aunt Sophie died suddenly seventy years ago, just before she was to elope with James' uncle. Village gossip about this tragic wartime romance is mingled with whispers of secretive visitors, smuggling and - perhaps - collaboration with the Nazis.
European history reaches forward to intrude on James and Stephanie's modern love. She is driven to find out the truth about her great-aunt, whose lost romance in many ways parallels her own. However great the danger, she must uncover the secrets that lie hidden beneath the ancient roof of Knox Manor.
Paperback, First, 318 pages Published November 14th 2013 by CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Terri's Thoughts:
I received this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
I had requested this based on the synopsis provided as it sounded like just the type of read that I enjoy. What I did not know or validate prior to reading that this would be considered in the YA genre. This was not a bad thing. In fact it was a refreshing departure from the typical paranormal/dystopian reads that are currently dominating this genre.
The storyline was interesting with just enough conflict, angst and action to keep the reader engaged while being a quick and easy read. For the younger audience there were enough fashion references to keep it age relevant and besides what female does not have a shoe obsession? The chemistry between Stephanie and James was great with just the right combination of love/hate to keep the story rolling. Then to top it off just when you think it is a love story add in some life endangering drama and it was a great mix.
I actually found that I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I particularly found the character of Stephanie well written and I truly enjoyed her personality and her quick remarks. I read this in one evening and found myself shocked to finish it so fast. The good news here is that the ending left an opening for a sequel. I'm not sure if that is Beaumont's plan however I truly hope it is.
For her first novel I give kudo's for such an entertaining read
Beaumont must be smiling. In her debut novel she is fascinated with the concept of stolen "degenerate" art, works that Hitler despised, just as such a horde is discovered in Europe and the release of The Monuments Men, starring Matt Damon and George Clooney, which is based on a group of men who sought to save such treasures, is due for release. While this is the back drop of Beaumont's story, the novel is driven along by the love interest of its two main characters, Stephanie and James as they become involved in a mystery that could tear their families, and them, apart. This is a finely crafted novel with many twists and turns. If I was to select one book to give to families and friends this year, this would be it.
Sl Beaumont's debut novel, The Carlswick Affair is by far the best I've read. There is plenty of suspense and the book keeps you second guessing yourself on every page. Any teenager who is looking for something good to read, The Carlswick Affair is the book. I recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys mystery and a bit of romance.
I didnt quite like this book at the beggining but the more pages i read of the book the more it started to grow on me and bam i just fell in love with it. It was a super fun read and did combine the whole mystery and romance , Highly reccomand this book to everyone
As someone who has never really been interested in WWII, I found this interesting and helpful to read. I had no idea that Hitler had declared many artists to be degenerate because they didn’t create art that was to his liking. Or, was it that he was jealous of their talent compared with his own. I also really liked the fact that Stephanie demonstrates some decent techniques of doing research using both primary sources and secondary sources. Because this is a very readable book, I wonder if it would be useful in teaching students the importance of the different was to do research?
Engaging, entertaining and informative. Loved the characters, plot and editing. If you are looking for an enjoyable historic mystery, don’t miss this one.
The Carlswick Affair is an interesting book;a cross between a mystery, history and a romance. Maybe it is because of this compilation of the types that it at times seemed to drag in the middle, seemed to get caught up in description, just for description sake.
All this being said I like this author, S.L. Beaumont left me begging for more at the end of the book. I am anxiously awaiting the sequel and will buy it as soon as it comes out. I truly cannot wait to see what occurs between the romantics and the "bad guy."
The modern day setting with the hints at past events play out as real life and keep you coming back for more. The main character of Stephanie is a cross between heroine and vulnerable damsel in distress, a character I could relate to on a personal level. The romance was subtle which is the type of book I love, I like the G rated books I can reccomend to anyone from my mom to my pastor.
All in all, this was a good book I would reccomend to those who love mystery romance.
Fast paced, exciting, kept me wanting to read more right up until the very end. This is obviously all the things that make up a very good book, and that is exactly what this is (actually this this an excellent novel!). I have not read very many mysteries so I am no expert, but, after reading The Carlswick Affair I may have to change that (which is not something I ever thought I would find myself saying). Throughout the whole book I went back-and-forth with Stephanie, trying to decide if James could be trusted or not. I felt every emotion that she did, often forgetting that I was actually reading, and those were in fact not my emotions. And no matter how hard I tried guessing who the painting thief was, or who killed Stephanie’s great aunt Sophie, and why there was a feud between the cooper family and the Know family, my guesses were always completely wrong.
I was excited when I read the description for this book, and couldn't wait to pick it up to read. I'm happy to say that I really enjoyed The Carlswick Affair. The story following Stephanie and James as they get wrapped up in a decades old feud amongst their families is a nice mix of romance, drama and mystery. Stephanie is a great lead character to follow. I really liked how she kept following the pieces and I liked her building relationship with James. The secondary characters all worked great with the story as well. I look forward to continuing Stephanie's journey in The Carlwsick Treasure.
Honestly shocked I was able to finish this book. It wasn’t exactly bad, but i didn’t really care about any of the characters. They’re all over the place when it comes to emotions and their actions and i just was not having it with any of the drama that was happening CONSTANTLY. The writing was fine, but also not great. Just not my type of read. I didn’t care about the mystery or the romance because both characters are so fickle it just didn’t seem worth it. Everything was rushed and not fleshed out whatsoever. Not enough descriptive content. I’m sure that others would enjoy this, but was just not my cup of tea.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
There’s nothing quite like reading an intriguing mystery on a stormy night so it was fortunate for me that it happened to be bucketing down outside as I read part of The Carlswick Affair, by S.L. Beaumont, a young adult romantic suspense novel. At the heart of this novel, the protagonist Stephanie investigates the origin of an old Romeo and Juliet style family feud, and ends up stumbling into the world of stolen WWII artwork.
This is a sweet romance complete with historical intrigue and drama. I also like the fact that the heroine has gumption and does not rely on anybody to save her .... except herself. Her love/hate relationship with James is a hint of more passion to come between them, I think. A delightful cozy mystery. I gave the book 3 stars because it took awhile to catch my interest and get to the "meat" of the story so to speak. But well worth the read. The author is from New Zealand. I hope to review more of my books by New Zealand authors as I continue to read them.
This book has it all: mystery, romance, sexy musicians, historical backstories, and a shady art dealer. This book grips you from the beginning and keeps you turning pages. The reason of the feud between James and Stephanie's families is only the tip of the iceberg and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by the ending. A really great read.
Unappealing narcissistic protagonist. Gave up after 4 chapters. I couldn't take one more catty remark or horrified "her skin was patchy because she was near James." Unfortunately this might work for preteens (horrible role model), but certainly not for adults.
I won those book through Goodreads giveaway. I recently finished it, and thought it was an amazing book. It had the romance that all YA novels have, and the exhilaration of a mystery tied in with World War I history. I would definitely recommend this book to others. I loved it!
At first I didn't think I was going to like this story but as it went along it got better. I would have liked to learn more about the art that was saved during World war II from the Nazis.