Susan Marlene
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THE SECRET OF PEMBROOKE PARK by Award-winning Author, Julie Klassen

9/10/2021

1 Comment

 
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London, England, May 1817


From the opening line to the very last—all the way to the end of the epilogue, Julie Klassen bound me to the pages. Her winsome and dark characters drew me into the situations, concerns, and mysteries that each one held secret from each other and from the readers for a time.

THE SECRET OF PEMBROOKE PARK is steeped with mystery as Abagail Foster and her father arrive to inspect their possible temporary home, due to their recent financial woes. My brain immediately tried to figure out why the former family left teacups on the table and their possessions unpacked and in their closets. I’ll bet that you would love to know too!

The characters’ concerns played perfectly into the plot. Abagail and Louisa Foster are sisters whose integrity and goals are revealed to be completely different from one another. Their longings, as well as the curate, Mr. William Chapman, and distant relation, Miles Pembrooke, kept me turning pages to find out what would happen next! Even the least important characters took on life and seemed full-bodied!

A book review just doesn’t do such a book justice. I highly recommend this story to historical fiction lovers. If you’ve not read THE SECRET OF PEMBOOKE PARK, I suggest that you do! 

This was not my first time to read this historical mystery, but it held me with the same strength and interest. This is a story about relationships and riches and the treasures people pursue. THE SECRET OF PEMBROOKE PARK should become a classic! In my estimation and on my bookshelf, it already is.

QUESTIONS FOR JULIE:
 
Have you traveled to England, and is or was western Berkshire an actual location? (What inspired you to write about this town and storyline?) I’m delighted that you did! 

Thank you! Yes, while Pembrooke Park is a fictional estate, Berkshire is a real county in England, west of London. I feel blessed to have traveled to England several times now and have even hosted two group tours there. Lord willing, I will be able to return one of these days.
 
The mystery throughout the story is superb! What inspired you to write this story? 

The idea was inspire by something from my childhood. In the countryside where I grew up, there was a wooded area about a half-mile behind our home. Among the trees was an abandoned house with three walls still standing. I was fascinated to look upon its crumbling walls, the sagging piano, and the tattered blue dress on its hanger. I tried to imagine what had happened to the people who once lived there and why they left so suddenly without their belongings. I found it very satisfying to weave this real-life mystery into The Secret of Pembrooke Park.
 

Who is your favorite character in this mystery? Why?

I enjoyed several characters, but if I had to pick a favorite, it would be the young clergyman, William Chapman. He is handsome and humble, godly and kind, but also a man’s man—athletic, good-humored, and hardworking.
 
Where do you feel most inspired to write? For example, home, coffee shop, or a hidden cabin in the woods? 😊
 
A lot of my ideas are inspired by traveling and research, but for purely focused writing, I am happiest in my little turret office overlooking the lake.
 
Is there anything you would like to add and tell your readers?

If you enjoyed the mystery elements of this novel, I think (hope!) you will also enjoy my next release, Shadows of Swanford Abbey (December 2021).   
 
What is your favorite way to hear from your readership? 
I enjoy interacting with readers through social media (Facebook and Instagram), and receiving emails at julie@julieklassen.com always makes my day. Thank you!
 
You can find Julie Klassen at: https://julieklassen.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJulieKlassen
https://www.instagram.com/julie.k.klassen/


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1 Comment
Susan Marlene link
9/12/2021 05:36:09 am

I believe that I have pre-ordered SHADOWS 0F SWANFORD ABBEY and this Christmas season I'll read Julie Klassen's An Ivy Hill Christmas!

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    Susan Marlene is the author of Sisters & Friends, HEARTS FOREVER FAITHFUL and SHORT STORIES, Some Fanciful, Some True, A Collection from Various Time Periods & Adventurous Tales, as well as ​Splashes of Hope, A Trio of Short Stories.

    She has published in these venues also. 

    www.ChristianDevotions.us and in Splickety Love Magazine, The Novice, and  newspapers. She writes devotions, fiction, and nonfiction. She is a member and co-founder of Pens of Praise Christian Writers 
    Group.  She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW).

    ​She speaks at writers' groups and prepares devotions and teachings often for Pens of Praise Christian Writers,  and was a former member of Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild. She is a wife, mother, grandmother, and Alternative Education Teacher’s Aide. She loves  antiques and misses  her Leonberger, but loves her Boxer who fills their lives with love and laughter. Her cat was the queen of the household and is also dearly missed. 

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"Hope" is the thing with feathers That perches in the soul, And sings the tune without the words, And never stops at all,​  by Emily Dickinson


susan@susanmarlene.com

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  • GLIMPSING HISTORICAL TIMES