"The Painted Castle" by Kristy Cambron

 


This split-time novel is set in the East Suffolk English countryside. Each of the three stories intertwines at the historic Framlingham Castle.

• Modern day art historian Keira Foley leaves her native Ireland for what should have been a quick appraisal job on items uncovered during a home renovation. She had not intended to take any more art jobs for a while—not after the way the last one ended—but when approached by a suspected art thief who knows way too much about her history, she can't help but investigate further. Especially when the main piece Emory Scott wants appraised could be an unknown painting by Franz Xaver Winterhalter.

• In 1944, Amelia Woods is trying to hold her late husband's estate together and also take in the children who have been sent to the countryside for shelter from the war. Things are turned on their head when the United States Army decides to quarter its officers on her property and in her manor house. Gentle Captain Stevens tries to make the intrusion have as little affect upon her or the children as possible, but there's no denying the friendship that quickly springs up between them.

• In Victorian England, Lady Elizabeth Meade knows she's supposed to be hunting for a profitable marriage partner to save herself and her mother from financial ruin, but she's really only after one thing: finding the man who murdered her father. Elizabeth was there the night he was killed, and she's never forgotten the face of the young man in the alley. When her mother's top candidate for Elizabeth's marriage turns out to be that young man all grown up, she faces a choice about how to proceed.

 

Out of the three books in the Lost Castle series, this one was decidedly my favorite. I had suspected it would be, as I'm more familiar with England and its history than I am with France (The Lost Castle) or Ireland (Castle on the Rise). I actually enjoyed all three of the stories in this novel, though if pressed I might say my favorite belonged to Amelia.

Like the other books, I found juggling three sets of timelines and characters continued to rob each of development and the understanding of motivations. These issues were less noticeable this time, but still present. Split-time just isn't my favorite genre. However, many people enjoy it and this was a rather good sampling of it. It may be just what you're looking for! 

I received my copy of the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.