The Disappearance Of Lady Edith is the first in a new series called The Undaunted Debutantes, following three young girls as they seek justice for the death of their best friend on her wedding night.
I love Christina McKnight's writing and I've raved about her books before (Theodora, here, The Mistress Enchants Her Marquis, here, and For The Love Of A Widow, here) but for me, this one doesn't quite hit the spot. The premise is fine, I like the protagonists well enough, but the whole thing takes place over just a few days and feels extremely rushed.
On their first meeting, Viscount Torrington catches Lady Edith Pelton spying on his neighbor. On their second meeting, at a ball, he has little opportunity to speak to her. The next time she sees him, she covertly follows him home from the park, ends up in his room where they kiss, and on her way home from there, the titular disappearance occurs.
During the rescue, the hero then realizes he's in love with Edith.
They have met THREE TIMES.
Now, I'm a firm believer in instant attraction, but insta-love is taking things a bit too far. This felt really rushed, and I'm enough of a fan of Ms. McKnight's writing style to feel a bit cheated. Where was the build up, the multiple meetings where only public pleasantries can be exchanged?
In addition, the second book in the series is about Lady Lucianna, and she came across really badly in this book. Frankly, she came across bossy and rude, and I didn't actually believe her account of Tilda's death - mainly because her best friends didn't seem to believe her either!
Much as I like the author's work, I think I'll give the rest of this trilogy a miss.
Three stars.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for review through NetGalley.