The Avenging Maid

by Janis Susan May

Book Overview

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1941520111
• ISBN13: 9781941520116
• Release Date: September 2014
• Publisher: Sefkhat-Awbi Books
• Length: 310 Pages
• Weight: 0.68 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.0" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Entertaining and fast-paced

I liked this book--it was very easy to get into. The writer's style is nice, with good, believeable dialogue, no stupid lines, and just the right amount of narration to bring more spice and understanding to the ensuing scenes.I did not find it as philosophically deep as the previous reviewer, but I agree that this book is very good and very fast-paced in it's plot development. It is an entertaining read, with likeable, intelligent main characters and satisfyingly evil villains.Phillipa's younger brother dies mysteriously while at a boys' school, and while grief-striken and drunk, her father mumbles indiscreetly about what his friend had written to him about suspicious goings-on there. When Phillipa is unexpectedly supplied with a convenient alibi, she determines to go there to investigate herself.The transition from lady to maid is difficult, to say the least--the hard labor, abuse, and occasional persecution from the bullying masters shocks her and tests her mettle, but Phillipa is made of stern stuff. In the midst of her bewildering and exhausting first days, she meets and falls in love with the history master, who protects her from a dangerous master and seems to care for her, as well.But Phillipa is NOT a maid, and she is anguished that the woman he falls in love with is NOT her true self. But what she doesn't know is that her tall, dark history master is not himself, either. She KNOWS he is playing a deep game...the problem is that she just doesn't know what it is...After the episode at the boys' school (with a dramatic ending to that in itself), Phillipa is off to London for her third Season...but she meets too many familiar characters there...The description of Phillippa's time as a scullery maid is gratifyingly more realistic than I had expected, with emphasis on the hardships involved. I had expected a more unrealistic situation where a high-born lady masquerades as a proud, outspoken scullery maid and no one notices or remarks on the maid's very unservile behavior...but the author surprised me, and the plot moved well and believeably.The ending especially is rife with misunderstandings and near-misses and coincidences. The book moves well in the midst of all these twists, and is not too frustrating for the reader, with an easily followed storyline. I think it is a more extensive and complicated plot than many more recently published Regencies I've read--there are more supporting characters than on the average--but I tend to like that better. Too few characters can sometimes make the storyline dry and the plot scenes too predictable.Characters are consistent throughout the book, which is something I personally appreciate. It was also very nice to have intelligent main characters to follow, rather than characters who ignore the more obvious clues and muddle in ignorance while the reader writhes in frustration!A pleasant read for a rainy day. It's a keeper for my shelves, at least. I'm looking forward to any more of this auth

May plots 1812

Lady Phillipa Frederick leaves her sheltered existence to investigate the death of her dear brother at an exclusive boys school. Phillipa takes an alias, gets a job as a maid and sets about her work, both as scullery and snoop. She meets a diverse cast of characters, one of the most important being Florrie. In their short-lived relationship, Phillipa gains not only a roommate, but is able to hear in Florrie a voice in her own blood. Phillipa soon falls for teacher Paul Ludlowe but since she is incognito as a maid, their mutual attraction-at first-pushes against and beyond all societal boundaries. May begins her tale of intrigue slowly and steadily but by page 130 - after readers have learned to follow her cerebral plot threads - is moving at break-neck speed! May's book proves most interesting as a philosophical comment on the use of aliases. Through Phillipa's travails, we learn that the use of an alias displays not merely the situation in which a real person exists shrouded by a hollow appellation. May teaches us how the use of a pseudonym enables one to contrive a distinct new identity which meshes with the chosen name. This book shook me to the depths.