In 1812 London, Camille Iverness runs her father's curiosity shop. Jonathan Gilchrist is in London working as an apothecary when he is called back home to the family estate, Kettering Hall. His father, once a wealthy lord, is now in financial dire straits and has recently discovered that a prized item in his oddities collection, the Bevoy Ruby, has been stolen. Gilchrist Sr. makes it clear he does not want the police involved. Though the relationship between Jonathan and his father is strained to say the least, it's put upon him to find the ruby and return it to Kettering Hall if there is to be any chance of saving the family fortune. Jonathan has no desire to help his father, but he understands that not trying to restore the family fortune could mean a life of financial strife and social ruination for his sister.
Jonathan travels back to London to call upon his late brother's best friend, Henry Darbin, now a private investigator. Darbin's initial investigating leads the two to suspect the Bevoy Ruby may be an item in the Iverness curiosity shop, Camille's father having a reputation around town for being a bit of a shady businessman. Camille and Jonathan meet when he comes to her aid after a cloaked man attacks and stabs Camille. Convinced that it's not safe for her to stay the night at her home, Jonathan convinces Camille to come to the London residence he shares with his sister, Penelope.
At first, Camille only means to stay the night, but when a threat to her very life is revealed, it is decided that she will travel with Jonathan and Penelope back to Kettering Hall. P.I. Darbin doesn't like how close Jonathan is keeping Camille, but Jon reasons that she is the closest link they have to discovering the location of the ruby --- though she repeatedly insists up and down that she has absolutely no information about this gem. Jon also notes that, having recently been attacked, she is a woman in distress, so he is compelled, as a gentleman and a medical professional, to be of assistance where and when he can.
Jonathan and Camille get to know each other a little better once she sets up residence in his childhood home. On his suggestion, Camille applies for work at a nearby school. The Gilchrist family have long been patrons of the school, and Jonathan hopes to use his influence to nab her some sort of position on the staff there, even though she has minimal experience in that environment. Jon comes to see Camille --- at least in some small way --- as a kind of kindred spirit, mostly in the fact that they've both struggled with strained relationships with their respective fathers, a fact made undeniably evident when Jonathan witnesses James Iverness throw his daughter out on the streets the day after her attack.
Aside from the attack near the beginning of the story and some intrigue near the end, when certain characters reveal a secret side to their personalities (as well as secrets surrounding the Bevoy itself being revealed), very little in the way of action happens in this story. It's pretty much kept to a scene change or two punctuated by numerous slow, quiet conversations.
The dialogue has an odd flow at times. It was particularly noticeable with Penelope. Though, yes, she is a woman of "high breeding", as they say, her words from time to time came off a little stiff and overly formal for the company she was addressing, especially since her character is a young woman, not an elderly, stuffy dame type.
Jonathan is an admirably stand-up kind of guy, with a good moral code, despite his family's objections to him working in a "lowly" profession. The proposed romance between him and Camille was certainly under-developed. It was a good friendship at best, considering they hardly spent any "alone time" together, and the time they did spend in each other's company was strongly platonic in nature, hardly any signs of flirtation ever.... beyond the occasional slight grin across a room. There's some opportunity for them to grow close at one point when Camille works as Jonathan's assistant during a scarlet fever outbreak, but even then we see only the faintest roots developed for the bond one might expect to lead to forever love.
All in all, a mystery set up to be potentially captivating... and while entertaining, the plot ultimately suffered from being built on several underdeveloped points that never quite hit satisfactory fruition.
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. Learn more
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Join or create book clubs
Choose books together
Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
![The Curiosity Keeper (A Treasures of Surrey Novel Book 1) by [Sarah E. Ladd]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51HFeA83swL._SY346_.jpg)
Follow the Author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.
| Price | New from | Used from |
|
Audible Audiobook, Unabridged
"Please retry" |
$0.00
| Free with your Audible trial | |
|
Paperback, Illustrated
"Please retry" | $7.89 | $1.59 |
|
Audio CD, Audiobook, CD, Unabridged
"Please retry" | $16.99 | $6.96 |
- Read with Our Free App
-
Audiobook
$0.00 - 78 Used from $1.59 18 New from $7.89
- 3 Used from $6.96 1 New from $16.99
All 3 for you in this series
See full series
Books In This Series (3 Books)
Complete Series
Page 1 of 1Start OverPage 1 of 1
Customers who viewed this item also viewed
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
About the author
Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Top reviews from other countries
Amazon Customer
Great intrigue and romance
Reviewed in Australia 🇦🇺 on July 31, 2018
