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Elizabeth and Richard Literary Suspense #0.5
The Flame Ignites
October 1984, the New England hillsides are ablaze with redgold autumn. Elizabeth is beginning her academic career and recently widowed Richard is stuck in the family business. They should be able to help each other but their meeting strikes sparks and raises old ghosts, possibly even the ghost of Richard's dead wife. When Elizabeth finds an academic coup within her grasp for her thesis on the beloved American novelist Elswyth Thane, Richard stubbornly throws up barriers, but why? Rudyard Kipling, William Beebe, Charles Lindberg, Edna Ferber and a host of celebrities from an age past fill the pages of Elswyth Thane’s letters, but where is Elizabeth to find clues to the mystery haunting Richard?
A nostalgic return to an earlier, now-vanished time, The Flame Ignites charmingly evokes a long-distance relationship between a young woman just testing her wings and a celebrated American novelist. But what about the smoldering relationship between Elizabeth and Richard?
A nostalgic return to an earlier, now-vanished time, The Flame Ignites charmingly evokes a long-distance relationship between a young woman just testing her wings and a celebrated American novelist. But what about the smoldering relationship between Elizabeth and Richard?
252 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 12, 2015
About the author
Donna Fletcher Crow
67 books128 followersDonna Fletcher Crow loves to give books away. If you would like a copy of one of her best-selling Lord Danvers Investigates series, go to her website: http://www.DonnaFletcherCrow.com
Donna is the author of 50 books, mostly novels dealing with British history. The award-winning GLASTONBURY, The Novel of Christian England is her best-known work, an Arthurian grail search epic covering 15 centuries of English history.
Donna authors 3 mystery series: The best-selling Lord Danvers Investigates Vitorian true-crime series; The Monastery Murders; and The Elizabeth and Richard Literary Suspense.
Donna and her husband have 4 adult children and 14 grandchildren. She is an inveterate researcher and an enthusiastic gardener. You can see pictures of her research trips and her garden, learn more about her books, subscribe to her monthly newsletter, and read her blog at: www.DonnaFletcherCrow.com
Donna is the author of 50 books, mostly novels dealing with British history. The award-winning GLASTONBURY, The Novel of Christian England is her best-known work, an Arthurian grail search epic covering 15 centuries of English history.
Donna authors 3 mystery series: The best-selling Lord Danvers Investigates Vitorian true-crime series; The Monastery Murders; and The Elizabeth and Richard Literary Suspense.
Donna and her husband have 4 adult children and 14 grandchildren. She is an inveterate researcher and an enthusiastic gardener. You can see pictures of her research trips and her garden, learn more about her books, subscribe to her monthly newsletter, and read her blog at: www.DonnaFletcherCrow.com
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
November 30, 2022
I like this novel a lot, though it's a departure from the typical novel, in that it combines some fact with fiction in an unusual way. It's a literary mystery with romance, part of a series of novels, and this is a prequel to the rest of the series. I recommend it for anyone interested in the subject of contemporary romantic literature, who loves a good mystery, or is interested in the US state of Vermont.
What I love most about it is that it takes the reader on a journey to Vermont in the autumn, and the scenery described makes me want to visit there for real. One of the places visited is a house where Rudyard Kipling actually lived for a time. I never knew that he had lived in the US for part of his life. Autumn is my favorite season, and I've always wanted to see Vermont. I love romantic literature, though I had never heard of Elswyth Thane, and of course I love a good mystery.
The story is set in 1984. The protagonist, Elizabeth Allerton, is a young woman working on her doctoral thesis. She's researching the life of deceased author Elswyth Thane (an actual author, covered by this page on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elswyth...), with whom Elizabeth corresponded for years before the author's recent death.
While doing her research, Elizabeth stays with her cousin Susan, an attorney who lives in Vermont, in a town near where the deceased author lived the later years of her life. But within a day of arriving, Elizabeth is accused of leaving the scene of a minor accident in the parking lot of the local market. She had driven her cousin's nephew and his two dogs there, and she doesn't recall nudging the car that was parked next to her, though she was tired and distracted at the time, and driving her cousin's car. Someone apparently witnessed the accident and says it was her. There's red paint smudged on the white car she was driving. Luckily her cousin Susan is an attorney and helps her with the case. But it puts a damper on her visit right from the start and leaves her frazzled.
In church her first Sunday there, Elizabeth hears a man introduced as Richard Cabot Bracken Spenser, whose middle names are recognizable to her at once because they were the names of major characters in Elswyth Thane's novels. Elizabeth speculates that he or his mother knew the author, so she hopes for a chance to pick his brain as part of her research. Then she learns that he's the one who witnessed the accident in which she's accused. He's well-known in the area, a widower who runs a family-owned publishing company.
They meet days later, and there's an immediate attraction, though he seems cold one moment and interested in the next, and she's left unsure what to think of him. She learns that Elswyth Thane was his godmother.
Well, I won't give any more away. It's a fascinating story, with its mixture of literary history and fiction, and the mystery is intriguing, and provides some suspense, although the romance isn't resolved within this story, and I felt there were a few loose ends left in the mystery as well. Just a few, though. There is a solution, and it's a humdinger. I enjoyed this book a great deal, enough to want to read the next in the series.
The most fascinating element to this story is that not only was Elswyth Thane a real author, but the author of this book, Donna Fletcher Crow, actually corresponded with her, just as the protagonist of her novel did, and she used real letters of theirs in the story. It's an unusual way of combining fact and fiction, and I think it lends a particular edge of realism to the story.
https://msv.gaiastream.com/wp/2022/11...
What I love most about it is that it takes the reader on a journey to Vermont in the autumn, and the scenery described makes me want to visit there for real. One of the places visited is a house where Rudyard Kipling actually lived for a time. I never knew that he had lived in the US for part of his life. Autumn is my favorite season, and I've always wanted to see Vermont. I love romantic literature, though I had never heard of Elswyth Thane, and of course I love a good mystery.
The story is set in 1984. The protagonist, Elizabeth Allerton, is a young woman working on her doctoral thesis. She's researching the life of deceased author Elswyth Thane (an actual author, covered by this page on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elswyth...), with whom Elizabeth corresponded for years before the author's recent death.
While doing her research, Elizabeth stays with her cousin Susan, an attorney who lives in Vermont, in a town near where the deceased author lived the later years of her life. But within a day of arriving, Elizabeth is accused of leaving the scene of a minor accident in the parking lot of the local market. She had driven her cousin's nephew and his two dogs there, and she doesn't recall nudging the car that was parked next to her, though she was tired and distracted at the time, and driving her cousin's car. Someone apparently witnessed the accident and says it was her. There's red paint smudged on the white car she was driving. Luckily her cousin Susan is an attorney and helps her with the case. But it puts a damper on her visit right from the start and leaves her frazzled.
In church her first Sunday there, Elizabeth hears a man introduced as Richard Cabot Bracken Spenser, whose middle names are recognizable to her at once because they were the names of major characters in Elswyth Thane's novels. Elizabeth speculates that he or his mother knew the author, so she hopes for a chance to pick his brain as part of her research. Then she learns that he's the one who witnessed the accident in which she's accused. He's well-known in the area, a widower who runs a family-owned publishing company.
They meet days later, and there's an immediate attraction, though he seems cold one moment and interested in the next, and she's left unsure what to think of him. She learns that Elswyth Thane was his godmother.
Well, I won't give any more away. It's a fascinating story, with its mixture of literary history and fiction, and the mystery is intriguing, and provides some suspense, although the romance isn't resolved within this story, and I felt there were a few loose ends left in the mystery as well. Just a few, though. There is a solution, and it's a humdinger. I enjoyed this book a great deal, enough to want to read the next in the series.
The most fascinating element to this story is that not only was Elswyth Thane a real author, but the author of this book, Donna Fletcher Crow, actually corresponded with her, just as the protagonist of her novel did, and she used real letters of theirs in the story. It's an unusual way of combining fact and fiction, and I think it lends a particular edge of realism to the story.
https://msv.gaiastream.com/wp/2022/11...
November 14, 2015
THE FLAME IGNITES brings you back in time to the beginning of the Elizabeth and Richard Mystery series. Here we learn how the relationship started and get a welcomed back story into the lives of these interesting characters.
Autumn in the New England, the year 1984, Elizabeth embarks on academic research documenting the life of accomplished historical fiction writer, Elswyth Thane. Through a lengthy correspondence with Thane, Elizabeth takes us on an amazing tour into the lives of many literary giants. But an eerie coincidence is revealed. There's a link between the death of Richard's beloved wife Mary Ilona and the research Elizabeth is now conducting. Mary Ilona was conducting the same type of research at the time of her death. Here's where the mystery begins... is there a connection? What did Mary Ilona stumble upon?
THE FLAME IGNITES is a moveable feast in literature in more ways than one. Not only does it provide the reader with a great piece of literature, it also offers a fascinating lesson in literary history.
The main characters, Elizabeth and Richard, are finely developed through action and word. The suspenseful plot rises in crescendo and brings us to an ending that truly surprises. Elegant writing, vivid descriptions, past ghosts with past obsessions, and enough mystery to keep you guessing, make this novel a hugely entertaining read. It sets up the next book in the series brilliantly.
Autumn in the New England, the year 1984, Elizabeth embarks on academic research documenting the life of accomplished historical fiction writer, Elswyth Thane. Through a lengthy correspondence with Thane, Elizabeth takes us on an amazing tour into the lives of many literary giants. But an eerie coincidence is revealed. There's a link between the death of Richard's beloved wife Mary Ilona and the research Elizabeth is now conducting. Mary Ilona was conducting the same type of research at the time of her death. Here's where the mystery begins... is there a connection? What did Mary Ilona stumble upon?
THE FLAME IGNITES is a moveable feast in literature in more ways than one. Not only does it provide the reader with a great piece of literature, it also offers a fascinating lesson in literary history.
The main characters, Elizabeth and Richard, are finely developed through action and word. The suspenseful plot rises in crescendo and brings us to an ending that truly surprises. Elegant writing, vivid descriptions, past ghosts with past obsessions, and enough mystery to keep you guessing, make this novel a hugely entertaining read. It sets up the next book in the series brilliantly.
January 19, 2018
Review to come
September 6, 2023
FREE on Kindle
Sept 5, 2023
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I read this on #KindleUnlimited
Sept 5, 2023
https://amzn.to/3Z5H6Lb
I read this on #KindleUnlimited
June 4, 2018
How did it all begin? Before Elizabeth and Richard’s terror-filled mystery week in the Rocky Mountains . . . before murder accompanied their honeymoon . . . before the life-changing English summer when death stalked the Jane Austen trail . . .
October 1984, the New England hillsides are ablaze with redgold autumn. Elizabeth is beginning her academic career and Richard is stuck in the family business. They should be able to help each other but their meeting strikes sparks and raises old ghosts.
Elizabeth has an academic coup for her thesis on the beloved American novelist Elswyth Thane within her grasp. Until Richard Spencer blocks her way. Is it possible that the death of Richard’s beloved Mary Ilona really resulted from the fact that she was researching the same subject? Rudyard Kipling, William Beebe, Charles Lindberg, Edna Ferber and a host of celebrities from an age past fill the pages of Elswyth Thane’s letters, but where is Elizabeth to find clues to the mystery haunting Richard?
A nostalgic return to an earlier, now-vanished time, The Flame Ignites charmingly evokes a long-distance relationship between a young woman just testing her wings and a celebrated American novelist. But what about the smoldering relationship between Elizabeth and Richard?
October 1984, the New England hillsides are ablaze with redgold autumn. Elizabeth is beginning her academic career and Richard is stuck in the family business. They should be able to help each other but their meeting strikes sparks and raises old ghosts.
Elizabeth has an academic coup for her thesis on the beloved American novelist Elswyth Thane within her grasp. Until Richard Spencer blocks her way. Is it possible that the death of Richard’s beloved Mary Ilona really resulted from the fact that she was researching the same subject? Rudyard Kipling, William Beebe, Charles Lindberg, Edna Ferber and a host of celebrities from an age past fill the pages of Elswyth Thane’s letters, but where is Elizabeth to find clues to the mystery haunting Richard?
A nostalgic return to an earlier, now-vanished time, The Flame Ignites charmingly evokes a long-distance relationship between a young woman just testing her wings and a celebrated American novelist. But what about the smoldering relationship between Elizabeth and Richard?
August 23, 2020
Interesting!
Nostalgic read for me as I read Elswyth Thane's novels many years ago! The characters are all great, real personalities,with an enjoyable story evolving! Ending as a surprise--- setting up for a sequel!
Nostalgic read for me as I read Elswyth Thane's novels many years ago! The characters are all great, real personalities,with an enjoyable story evolving! Ending as a surprise--- setting up for a sequel!
September 15, 2023
Clean Romantic Suspense
I enjoyed reading this story about a young woman researching a local author in New England and meets the grandson of said author. I look forward to reading more by this author.
I enjoyed reading this story about a young woman researching a local author in New England and meets the grandson of said author. I look forward to reading more by this author.
June 13, 2019
I was expecting a genteel or cosy mystery type of book instead there are too many names and literary references to make it as engaging as it could have been.
September 17, 2020
Feels like a prequel. The mystery almost is non-existent, and the ending is almost disturbing.
May 7, 2023
Great story
This is a great romantic story with a hidden mystery at the core of it. The suspense is intriguing and adventurous and the characters are fantastic.
This is a great romantic story with a hidden mystery at the core of it. The suspense is intriguing and adventurous and the characters are fantastic.
November 22, 2025
Oddly melodramatic.
February 28, 2020
Really good book
I read the Williamsburg series many years ago and when I saw this book had something to do with Elswyth Thane I had to read it. The story was interesting and I liked the characters enormously. The letters were a lovely addition and made the book flow. Highly recommended.
I read the Williamsburg series many years ago and when I saw this book had something to do with Elswyth Thane I had to read it. The story was interesting and I liked the characters enormously. The letters were a lovely addition and made the book flow. Highly recommended.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews