"The Splendour Falls," by Susanna Kearsley

This was Kearsley like I've never read her before.  I am a big fan of hers, so I was more than excited when this showed up at my local library.  After reading her more recent books, most of which I now own, I tried to find some of her older ones (including this book) without success.  Thankfully, her newer books have been a hit so this book and Mariana are now easy to get your hands on.  :)

If you have read her newer books, they do tend to fall into a familiar pattern (sort of).  This one is an exception.  Yes, there's a touch of romance --it wouldn't be a Kearsley book without romance! --but it's a mystery.  And a good one!

Emily Braden, our heroine, travels to Chinon, France, to meet up with her cousin, Harry, after he talks her into taking a much needed break.  He has a reputation of being quite unreliable, so she wasn't surprised to arrive in Chinon and find Harry was missing.  As she settles into her hotel, she gets to know the people staying there along with a few of the locals, and as she begins to uncover the hidden history of the castle, she discovers that her cousin may be in danger, and that she may be in danger herself.

This book is a fun and easy read… all in all, I quite enjoyed it.  :)