Title: The Tutor’s
Daughter
Author: Julie Klassen
Pages: 405
Year: 2012
Publisher: Bethany
Julie
Klassen is a new author to me so I wasn’t sure what to expect upon my reading
of the first of her novels for me. I
certainly wasn’t disappointed. The story
is set in 1817 England. There are many
supporting characters that round out the well-written, suspense/romantic
storyline.
The
main character is Emma Smallwood, daughter of John Smallwood, a tutor who runs
a school for boys. Due to depression
from the death of his wife, he has not been out drumming up business so there
are no longer any students for his next term of the school year. In an effort to gain new students, Emma
contacts a former pupil’s father regarding sending his remaining two younger
sons to her father’s school. He offers
instead for them to come live with him for a year and tutor his boys at home. Emma doesn’t want to leave their home, but
for the first time in months her father seems excited about something. So sets in motion the story. They arrive at the Weston home and settle in
to a routine of teaching the younger Weston boys. Emma dreads running in to the eldest Weston
son, Henry, as he used to play pranks on her while he was at her father’s
school as an adolescent boy. She would
much prefer to spend time with his younger brother, Phillip, who was always
nice to her while he was at school. Emma
wakes up one morning to find that someone has been in her room during the
night. This happens on more than one
occasion and things begin to go missing.
Is Henry up to his old school boy tricks again? But Henry doesn’t play the piano, especially
in the middle of the night, so who could that be? Emma tries to sneak down to discover who it
is, but by the time she reaches the music room, the player is gone. Other mysterious things happen. Can Emma trust Henry? Has he really changed since boyhood? She can’t really be feeling any sort of
affection for Henry, can she?
Henry
Weston is the eldest son and has taken over the responsibility of running the
manor from his father, who has gotten them in some financial trouble. His second wife, who is not the mother of
Henry or Phillip, is not happy having the Smallwoods underfoot. Henry is glad to see them. He regrets the pranks of his youth and really
wants Emma to like him and trust him, but can she after all he has done to her
in the past? Henry knows there is
something mysterious going on at his home, but he can’t put his finger on it. Will he be able to discover the guilty party
before someone gets seriously hurt, maybe even killed? He has suspicions, but no proof. He is determined to find out who is harassing
Emma. As life becomes more dangerous for
them, Henry discovers Emma no longer prays or has a close relationship with
God. He shares with her and encourages
her to get right with God.
My
rating is 4 stars.
Note: I received a
complimentary copy for an honest review of this book. The opinions shared in this review are solely
my responsibility. Other reviews can be
read at http://seekingwithallyurheart.blogspot.com/. Also follow me on Twitter @lcjohnson1988,
FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/lisa.johnson.75457
