Charlotte's Inheritance
-
-
4.5 • 17 Ratings
-
Publisher Description
This is a fiction crime story. In his love for the woman he had chosen Gustave Lenoble never wavered. He worked for her, he endured for her, he hoped against hope for her sake; and it was only when bodily strength failed that this nameless foot-soldier began to droop and falter in life's bitter battle. Things had gone ill with him. He had tried his fate as an advocate in Paris, in Caen, in Rouen--but clients would not come. He had been a clerk, now in one counting-house, now in another, and Susan and he had existed somehow during the seven years of their married life.
Customer Reviews
Sprawling two-novel story has a great ending!
This title is part two of a long, sinister tale involving an innocent possible heiress and the murderous greed that threatens her. While it is a sequel, it's not a stand-alone novel and continues all the intrigue, mystery and diabolical plots begun in the first novel, entitled The Birds of Prey. While the first book is somewhat slowed down by a rambling genealogical hunt (which I found to be fascinating) -- and really must be read first to understand what is going on -- Charlotte's Inheritance is comparatively tightly woven -- digressing in its first part to reveal the hidden love match that had eluded most of the genealogical fortune hunters and then jumping back to the main characters's story -- cranked up to full danger level for the hapless title heroine. Braddon's psychological portrayals are always riveting; her villainous "birds of prey" are a particularly fun group of shady operators... Some potentially redeemable, and at least one horrifying in his resolve to stop at nothing. Great read; one of Braddon's most satisfying endings; she wraps this one well.
Sequel to Birds of Pray
Be sure to read that one first!
Both are excellent!
This story is by far better than
Lady Audleys Secret
But I give Lady A five stars too!
Good vs. Evil
The mix of charlatans, their victims and their saviors keeps one's interest from beginning to end. Horatio and Valentine prey upon the naive and on those who hope to win wealth without work. Mistreated by her father Horatio Diana is the waif who falls in love with Valentine, herfather's protege only to lose him to Charlotte, the lovely, caring and child-like stepdaughter of the evil Phillip Shelton. His younger brother George is conniving and coldly lives in hope of achieving his brother's status and wealth.
The characterization is the novel's most compelling feature. The reader's interest is sustained by the hopes, fears, happiness and pains of its protagonists and antagonists. The novel closely follows the story line of its time but cleverly is more than the sum of its parts.