The Absent Thread

by Jennie L. Morris

Dr. Ezra Blackwood, a renowned surgeon, has the respect of his colleagues near and far. A mystery surgical catastrophe leaves him shaken. Uncertain of his skill and path, he retreats to Carlyle Street and to The Albion, a place of refuge where the demands of his profession are far away.

Lost, Ezra finds no solace in the vices that used to soothe him. He is a haunted man. Unable to forget or forgive himself for his failure. Not even the arms of a long-acquainted lover can ease his heart.

A chance encounter with Adelia Barker changes everything. The proud, independent woman sparks a fire in Ezra, long absent. Her fighting spirit reminds him that not everything is easy. Some things require sacrifice.

But how much will Ezra sacrifice for this woman?

Is her heart worth his life?

Book Four of The Albion: 1892 Series. A joint collection between Natalie-Nicole Bates (Perfectly Poisoned Press) and Jennie L. Morris (By Quill and Lantern Publishing).

221 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 4, 2022

About the author

As a self-proclaimed bibliophile and research geek, it's no wonder Jennie L. Morris writes romance and historical fiction with a flair for realism. Her love for learning led her to obtain degrees in Anthropology and Biology, which she often relies upon during writing. Coming from NE Ohio and raised on a small beef cattle farm, life was anything but ordinary growing up.

Jennie now resides in rural Kentucky, among the bluegrass and dazzling horse farms, with her amazing southern gentleman of a husband and their spoiled boxer pup Archie (Archibald Nubbintgon III). When she isn’t reading or writing, she feeds her tea obsession or perfume addiction, letting the scents and flavors fuel her creative fires.

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slow start, but a curious concept. Dr. Ezra Blackwood is a renowned surgeon who is somewhat disillusioned by his day to day routine. He gets great pleasure from sharing his home with his niece/ protege and her husband. But other things are annoyances at best. His world is turned on it’s ear when a routine surgery goes very wrong, although there was nothing he could do to save her the loss of such a young child has rocked him to his core. In response he heads to The Albion a hotel/speakeasy run by an old friend of his. Somehow he gets caught up in a plot to rob hardworking families of their businesses by forcing them to sign off on sales at horrid prices when he interferes with three brutes attacking a widowed baker. Ezra becomes attached even though he swears he’s a confirmed bachelor. To protect her and be near he sets up a free clinic in the back of her shop. That is just the beginning.
Compelling, action packed, at times a bit more detailed (graphic) than I care for but even so it’s fascinating to glimpse medicine of the time. For the first quarter of the book I really thought I would just hate it but slowly a tale of a man set in his ways and a widowed baker two lives that could not be more different weave together in unexpected and enchanting ways. An excellent supporting cast, but this story comes alive when Adelia Barker the widowed baker appears.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

The fourtth book in the Albion: 1892 series. Dr. Ezra Blackwood, widow Adelia Barker and her charge Harriet and his niece Mabel and her husband Henry's story. There is suspense, drama, danger, a villain, and romance. The story was well worth reading. I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.