In Farleigh Field, World War II has not troubled them over much. Lord Westerham and his family live in relative peace until a soldier falls to his death from a failed parachute onto the grounds. Not known to anyone there, MI5 operative and friend of the family, Ben Cresswell is tasked in finding out who this suspicious person was and what, if anything, they were up to. Is this person a German spy or something else? In another plus to heading this investigation, Ben would be near Lord Westerham’s middle daughter, Pamela, who he loves desperately. But secrets are entwined around Farleigh Field and as Ben finds himself racing against the clock as he tries to figure it all out and root out the truth…before it all comes down around them.
IN FARLEIGH FIELD is a bit of a departure for me reading wise and I found it to be an intriguing mix of history, mystery and romance that was perfectly balanced within the book. You could tell a lot of research was done by the author for this book as it draws upon the deadly days of the war to be the backdrop of the story. The author does a really good job drawing the reader in and delivering memorable characters to fall in love with.
IN FARLEIGH FIELD introduces the readers to Farleigh Field, the ancestral home of Lord Westerham and his five daughters. Three of his daughters play a big role in the book- Pamela, Margot and Phoebe. Margot is working for the French Resistance, Pamela is works at breaking the German’s codes and Phoebe was the one to find the dead man. The book starts off slow as the author introduces all the characters and sets up the mystery that will leave you guessing till the very end. Once that is done, well the action picks up steam and it’s off to the races as MI5 operative, Ben, digs into this dead man and if he is, in fact, a German spy. There are subplots that weave themselves within this main story that is perfectly done and doesn’t take away from the mystery of the strange man’s death and the author does a great job in keeping that balance of characters and story so one doesn’t out-weigh the other. The story flows smoothly and keeps an even pace. The characters are well written, well defined and an interesting mix that kept my attention. The mystery though was a bit lacking at times but kept me wondering on how it would all play out.
IN FARLEIGH FIELD was an intriguing blend of historical fiction, mystery and a little bit of romance that will intrigue the reader and if you can get past the first few chapters, you won’t want to put it down. As this is a stand alone novel by this author, it’s a good way to get introduced to this author’s writing and see if they appeal to you. If you enjoy this sort of book, then you might find IN FARLEIGH FIELD to be your perfect cup of tea. I am looking forward to seeing what else this author has in their backlist to read after this one.