Moordym Downs

by Victoria Bastedo

There were legends about Moordym Downs, that the Moor had given up the stones to build the castle, and that sometimes the Moordyms gave back one of their own in payment. People disappeared out in the rugged, untamed distance and were never heard from again. Still, Locke couldn’t seem to resist the call of the undulating landscape. Inside the castle, the walls were steeped in dangerous secrets, but no mystery was as pressing as the blood that ran in his veins. Who was his father, and had he disappeared into the Moor? Soon Locke is running for his life. No more time to find true love with Jinslee, a headstrong young woman from the village who was a doctor-in-training. He might be drawn to disappear into the mysterious Moor forever.

Genres: Mystery

252 pages, Paperback

Published June 1, 2020

About the author

I, Victoria Bastedo, acknowledge the Most High God. He is the One Who gave me the gift of writing. The Father, Jesus His son, and the Holy Spirit. God Almighty is the One I serve, and I am thankful for all of His gifts. Amen

I was born in Kansas City, Mo, in the very early sixties. Called the City of Fountains, one of my favorite memories is when my mom took us kids to play in one of the fountains. We climbed on the horses. Stood on the spewing nozzles. Threw in pennies and dived for them again with our eyes closed. But while my siblings tried to invent crazy near-dangerous fountain feats, I played to the side, my mind busy. I was inventing an adventure, with some high fantasy elements. The journey to becoming a writer has been a fun one for me. God blessed me with an active imagination characterized by the glazed-over-fogged look on my face. I'm a Christian, a wife, and a mother of six and now a proud grandmother.

Kirkus said of my book, Mini-Droids and Tea: "Bastedo (The Time Mechanic, 2018, etc.) generously packs this short, delightfully eccentric novel with drama: Penelope’s tea shop just barely makes ends meet, and she’s doggedly pursued by a creepy stalker who won’t take no for an answer. And Colepepper suspects he’s under surveillance, potentially by a business rival, and that his ever popular devices have been “hijacked.” The author’s story is artfully outlandish—somehow both deeply implausible but also entirely authentic. The quirky plot almost reads like a comic fairy tale—even the names of the two protagonists have a cartoonlike character to them. Bastedo achieves a comic lightheartedness that rises above simple frivolity—Penelope in particular is a complex, layered character, both fiercely independent and earnestly vulnerable. The result is a charmingly readable effort, humorous and tender.

A sweet, spirited tale of love rediscovered."

Here's a recent praise quote of my Young Adult Fantasy, Roots Entwine. (Self-Publishing Review):

'Roots Entwine by Victoria Bastedo is an entertaining and heartfelt young adult fantasy adventure. Young adult fantasy adventure novels, when done well, make for exciting reading. But the good ones offer more. Roots Entwine does just that.



The driver of this story is the plot. Bastedo provides enough twists and turns to keep the reader engaged. As the excitement builds, the reader starts to realize that not everything is as it seems. The major twist at the end leaves hope that the story isn’t over. Could a sequel be in the works?

Roots Entwine is packed with action that will keep the reader’s interest. Young adult readers will cheer for the boy who’d remained hidden for most of his life to finally find his way.'

Reviews

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This mystery will pick you up and take you on a wild ride through castles, moors, and a family dynamic that is not for the faint of heart.

Read full review in the 2020 October issue of InD'tale Magazine.

[Rachel Barnard · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Like the wind comes on purpose to nudge you. You look out into the expanse and you feel like that land knows mysteries you’ve been trying to understand all your life. All you have to do is go out there. Become like one of the creatures that belong to it.” (p. 101).

Every year Locke’s mother insists on going to Moordym Downs. She was always tight lipped about why she went, other than to get her yearly stipend. Locke never much bothered to get to the bottom of this mystery until she has him go in her stead. Locke will discover and uncover more than this mystery as he searches the Moordym family, Moordym Downs, and the moor beyond for answers. During his stay at the castle of Moordym Downs, Locke will uncover truths about his family, fall in love, and become entangled in the secrets of Moordym Downs and the ever present lure of the surrounding Moor.

Locke wants to pave his own path but it seems fate wants to give him a choice between two predetermined paths. He has to figure out what he wants in life and if he will follow one of these paths or rebel altogether. He struggles throughout the book with these choices and his apparent lack of choice in the matter. I could feel his frustration and relate to feeling helpless to his societal and familial expectations. Though this setting is unique from our own world, I could very much relate to Locke’s anxiety and stubbornness. He just wants to live his own life and be his own master, not relegated to the role others have in store for him.

The intro of this book took a bit longer to get to the inciting incident than most books I typically read and I kept putting the book down after a few pages until the exciting first bit of action and mystery took place. After that, the pacing increased and the mystery was a whirlwind that kept me fascinated and I couldn’t put the book down. Be sure to stick through the set up.

The continual play on the ‘long corridors’ of Moordym kept making me chuckle.

I wanted much more of Sintion! He seems like a really interesting character and could have his own novel to tell his story.

Though the two intertwined mysteries in this book were not as elaborate, the novel reminded me of the movie Knives Out. Each family member had a distinct voice and personality and there were quite a few of them!

[Heather Barksdale · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Moordym Downs” introduces you to Locke, a young man who knows little about his past, family, or his father. Locke’s mother usually travels to Moordym Downs each year by herself, but this time Locke goes instead. He arrives shortly before his twenty-first birthday and finds himself in the middle of a family mystery.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book. I thought the development of each and every character, but especially Locke, was well done. His reactions, emotions, and budding relationships were believable and added to the dimension of the book. The mysteries were intriguing, but I thought a little obvious. I was hoping for a revealed family secret that would knock my socks off, but instead found a well written and pretty straight forward mystery. Don’t get me wrong, I loved following Locke on his journey and enjoyed unraveling the mystery with him. I could picture the Moordym Downs castle, the grounds, and the village and could feel the love of this family throughout the book.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange of a fair and honest review.

[R G Olson · Rating 3 out of 5]

While no great feat of literature, Moordym Downs was a quick enjoyable coming-of-age story about a young man sent by his mother to visit a wealthy family living in an English castle. As the story unfolds, Locke Daly discovers his relationship with the people and the land so foreign to what he and his mother's simple life had been for all of his 20 years in a distant village. The young man must quickly come to terms with the new connections and forge his own identity out of both the former and possible futures. I found the main characters likeable and easy to follow. My biggest criticism is though the story takes place in mid 19th century England, the characters all speak like mid 20th century Americans! The plot flows well, but the writing is fairly bland, only occasionally reaching moments of crisp dialog and high descriptive exposition.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mysterious Moors

I've always been fascinated by the moors since Sir Arthur Conan Doyle introduced them to me through Sherlock Holmes. This story was a wonderful addition to the intriguing mists and fogs of the moors. The eventual resolution of two major mysteries was well done; one thing that I somehow missed was which time period the story was set in. Initially I thought it was a modern setting, but as I continued to read I realized it was "further back" in time than I originally imagined. If there had not been some issues with homophones and incorrect contractions, I would have given the story 5 stars. Overall, I still Ioved the story. Very clean read with a sweet ending.

[Joan Buell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this tale of life on the moors, and especially liked getting to know such a truly good and honest family. Integrity and fairness were uppermost in their values, and they demonstrated love and acceptance to their family members, including the "surprise" one. They were also kind to their servants and the villagers, and practiced hospitality to a fault. Each character was developed well, and the plot unfolded at a good pace. A few faults: needed better editing, as there were misused homophones and skipping of words. Also the unclear time setting was confusing, as sometimes conversations and behaviors seemed anachronistic All in all, A very good book!

[V.E.H. Masters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Locke uncovers the riddle of his birth and in the process meets a huge extended - and suspicious - family. He's by no means certain he wants any part of them anyway, especially after he comes under attack from an unknown source. An intriguing mystery where the vast castle of long corridors and huge rooms, and the wild moor outside which calls to the unwary, are as much a part of the action as the characters.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Read

This book pulled me in immediately with intriguing characters, believable relationships, and lovely descriptions of the fascinating settings. I read it in two sittings and throughly enjoyed it.

[Karl Binz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book review

This tale has many twists and turns. I gave it four stars because there should always be room for improvement. The ending is in keeping with the characters in the story. I can totally see them behaving in this manner.

[Toni Simpson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Story

What an exciting adventure Locke had when he finally went to Moordym Downs and met his family as an adult. Lots of action and surprises.