A Ring of Truth is a passable period romance
A Ring of Truth
A Henrietta and Inspector Clive Novel
by Michelle Cox
She Writes Press
Historical Fiction, Mystery & Thrillers
Pub Date 04 Apr 2017
Review
A Ring of Truth is not a mystery novel. It is a period romance with only the tiniest touch of mystery (a stolen ring). Most of the novel is devoted towards class related angst as Henrietta fears her family’s poverty and lack of education make her an inappropriate bride for Inspector Clive. While the novel is well written, the whining tone makes it difficult to bear. Henrietta is a sweet heroine, innocent and good intentioned. We see far less of Inspector Clive. He is more two dimensional. the prince to Henrietta’s Cinderella. I rolled my eyes a bit when I discovered Henrietta’s mother was actually an heiress who ran away, giving up her inheritance. It appeared to be engineered solely to justify Henrietta’s status and to elevate her family. It definitely wasn't realistic.
A Ring of Truth will appeal most to fans of class conscious period dramas, such as Downtown Abbey. It isn’t a book I would recommend to mystery aficionados despite it being labeled a mystery.
3/5
I received a copy of A Ring of Truth from the publisher and netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
—Crittermom
Description
Newly engaged, Clive and Henrietta now begin the difficult task of meeting each other’s family. “Difficult” because Clive has neglected to tell Henrietta that he is in fact the heir to the Howard estate and fortune, and Henrietta has just discovered that her mother has been hiding secrets about her past as well. When Clive brings Henrietta to the family estate to meet his parents, they are less than enthused about his impoverished intended. Left alone in this extravagant new world when Clive returns to the city, Henrietta finds herself more at home with the servants than his family, much to the disapproval of Mrs. Howard—and soon gets caught up in the disappearance of an elderly servant’s ring, not realizing that in doing so she has become part of a bigger, darker plot. As Clive and Henrietta attempt to discover the truth in the two very different worlds unraveling around them, they both begin to wonder: Are they meant for each other after all?
