Blog Tour: In Farleigh Field
Today is my stop on a blog tour for In Farleigh Field by Rhys Bowen.
Author: Rhys Bowen
379 pages in Paperback
Published: March 1, 2017
Dates Read: February 2-24, 2017
My Rating: 4 Stars
Book Summary from Amazon:
World War II comes to Farleigh Place, the ancestral home of Lord Westerham and his five daughters, when a soldier with a failed parachute falls to his death on the estate. After his uniform and possessions raise suspicions, MI5 operative and family friend Ben Cresswell is covertly tasked with determining if the man is a German spy. The assignment also offers Ben the chance to be near Lord Westerham’s middle daughter, Pamela, whom he furtively loves. But Pamela has her own secret: she has taken a job at Bletchley Park, the British code-breaking facility.
As Ben follows a trail of spies and traitors, which may include another member of Pamela’s family, he discovers that some within the realm have an appalling, history-altering agenda. Can he, with Pamela’s help, stop them before England falls?
Inspired by the events and people of World War II, writer Rhys Bowen crafts a sweeping and riveting saga of class, family, love, and betrayal.
My Review:
Don’t let the length of the time it took me to read In Farleigh Field deter you from reading it. I have been battling kidney stones and at times did not feel like reading or was not able to read. There was nothing wrong with the book.
First, I have to say I loved the cover! I loved seeing Farleigh Place on the cover with the planes flying over it. It gives you an impression of what’s to come in the novel. Even though Farleigh Place is fictional, you have an idea of how huge the home is.
When you first open In Farleigh Field you see a Cast of Characters. When I saw that I wondered what I got myself into as it shows a large cast. Don’t let that list intimidate you, as it is not really necessary, though it did help me and I did reference it from time to time.
Farleigh Place is the main setting of In Farleigh Field with Lord Westerham and his family. Farleigh has become a headquarters for British soldiers. A deceased parachutist is found on the property by Alfie, who is staying with the gamekeeper, and Lord Westerham’s youngest daughter Phoebe. The parachutist is found in a soldier’s uniform but is almost immediately suspected to be a spy, and Ben Creswell is assigned to investigate. Ben is a family friend and MI5 operative. He is also in love with Pamela who is Lord Westerham’s middle daughter, but she loves Jeremy Prescott, whom Ben is also friends with. Who this soldier was and if he was actually a spy is the main mystery of the novel though it is not the sole story:
Unknown to her family, Pamela is working at Bletchley Park which is the central site for British code breakers. Second oldest daughter Margot is living in Paris with her lover Count Gaston de Varennes. She is studying fashion and finds herself stuck between freedom and the Gestapo.
The stories all come together at the end of the novel. The book focuses on the family drama and there is a love triangle involved. This is a character driven novel, so if you are looking for a lot of action this is not the book for you. There is some action throughout the novel, but not as much as I expected with the premise. The last few chapters are packed with action as Rhys Bowen worked towards the conclusion. I found myself reading those last few chapters with anticipation, wanting to know what was going to happen.
You really get to know the characters throughout the novel. I did find myself wanting more of Pamela with her work at Bletchley Park and more of Margot and her life in Paris. I also really liked Phoebe.
Historical Fiction is not a genre I read often, but I will read it if I find the premise of the book intriguing. I have started to read more of Historical Fiction these past few years thanks to my sister-in-law Arleigh. Her website is: http://historical-fiction.com which she has run for nearly 10 years now! I enjoyed reading In Farleigh Field. I find myself wanting to know what happens with these characters next!
In Farleigh Field is recommended.
**I received an e-arc from Lake Union Publishing via NetGalley and an arc via Little Bird Publicity. Thank you so much for my copies!
About the Author:
Rhys Bowen is the New York Times bestselling author of over thirty mystery novels. Her work includes the Molly Murphy mysteries, set in 1900s New York City, and the Royal Spyness novels, featuring a minor royal in 1930s England, as well as the Constable Evenas mysteries about a police constable in contemporary Wales. Rhys’s works have won fourteen awards to date, including multiple Agatha, Anthony, and MacAvity awards. Her books have been translated into many languages, and she has fans from around the world, including the 12,000 who visit her Facebook page daily. She is a transplanted Brit who now divides her time between California and Arizona.