This is a little different from the other Kearsley novels that I have read in that the main characters are firmly rooted in the present. We are, however, treated to two fascinating stories of the past in Chinon, France, both involving women named Isabelle, one a queen (circa 1205) and the other a chambermaid (circa WWII).
Emily Braden agrees to take a holiday and meet her historian cousin Harry at Chinon, where he plans to research Queen Isabelle. When Harry, not uncharacteristically, fails to arrive as scheduled at the Hotel de France, Emily joins brothers Paul and Simon Lazarus and violinist Neil Grantham, who are also staying at the hotel, for some sightseeing. She discovers a rare King John coin, her cousin's most prized possession, in a donation bowl at a beautiful deserted chapel and begins to wonder what, exactly, has happened to Harry.
Kearsley's novel begins as a pleasant, if a little bit dated, story that transforms into an intriguing and romantic mystery, weaving together the near and distant past with the present day. I didn't love it as much as The Rose Garden or Mariana, but I definitely liked it a lot! I would recommend it. It might be a bit difficult to find, though!
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