Like feisty Irish
heroines? Love a good mystery? Don’t miss
Dangerous Indenture
(A Historical Mystery-Romance)
By Kelli A. Wilkins
Hi everyone,
Imagine this scenario: a young woman moves to a new
town to work for a family. She is on her own and has to adjust to her
employer’s rules while adapting to life in a new environment. After she arrives,
she discovers the job isn’t exactly what she thought it would be and realizes
she has gotten herself into a troubling situation. All seems lost until she
meets a handsome young man…
This premise could be the basis of any number of
romances: a Victorian-era story about a governess moving to a remote estate, a
contemporary tale about a physical therapist or teacher relocating across the
country, or, in the case of my historical romance, Dangerous Indenture, an
Irish indentured servant leaving everything behind to start a new life.
Dangerous
Indenture is set in Pennsylvania Colony
and blends a sensual romance with mystery and suspense.
Right from the start, readers (and the heroine, Shauna) are warned about Stewart
House: “It’s got more haunts than the Tower of London.”
Here’s the book summary and links:
DANGEROUS INDENTURE
Indentured for five years… how long can Shauna resist her
master’s son?
Desperate to escape her past in Ireland, Shauna Farrow
signs on to become an indentured servant to Joshua Stewart, a wealthy man in
Pennsylvania Colony. But a life of servitude quickly turns to drudgery, and
Shauna’s hopes for starting over and creating a better life for herself are
waning—until she meets her master’s roguish son, Ashton.
Ashton needs to redeem himself in his
father’s eyes and earn the respect he has always longed for. Meeting Shauna
turns his life around, and he sets out to win her heart. Torn between propriety
and passion, Shauna struggles against her growing attraction to Ashton as long
as she can.
But amidst their flirting, something
dark stirs. Shauna soon discovers why no other servants wanted to work for the
strange Stewart family.
Stewart House has an unsavory
reputation: a previous servant died there under mysterious circumstances. When
another servant goes missing in the middle of the night, Shauna is convinced
that a member of the family is responsible.
Shauna’s investigation leads her close to the truth, and
yet, she’s not sure who she can trust. Events take a deadly turn when she confronts
the murderer and discovers the mystery of the Stewart family.
Will Shauna be rescued
before time runs out, or will she meet with the same fate as the other
servants?
Available here:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PJVQ7XJ
All other platforms: https://books2read.com/u/3JyROP
***
When I wrote the book, I wanted to evoke a sense of
danger and mystery around every corner. This wasn’t going to be a typical
romance with the hero and heroine from different classes falling in love and
having a forbidden affair. Nope.
The romance is almost a sub-plot of the book, and when
the story begins, finding love is the last thing on Shauna’s mind. She’s more
concerned about doing a good job than getting involved with Ashton (even if he
is handsome).
I liked creating the incredibly dysfunctional members
of the Stewart family. They all have secrets and practically have dual personalities.
Joshua (the patriarch) is a big bear of a man who comes across as gruff and
insensitive, yet at times can be caring. Colin (Joshua’s son) appears to be a respectable
married businessman, but underneath his proper exterior lurks a dark and
dangerous manipulator (among other things).
Colin’s beleaguered wife, Minerva, is mentally
unstable and trapped in a terrible marriage. Readers and the other characters in
the story aren’t sure if she’s truly mad or not. And she might be a murderess…
Our hero, Ashton Bailey, is flawed and has
a lot of problems to overcome. For starters, he’s the black sheep of the family
and has been sent home in disgrace. He drinks too much, womanizes too much, and
has nearly given up on life. He’s a failure in his father’s eyes and wants to
redeem himself, but isn’t sure how. Ashton knows that Stewart House is a
terrible place and vows to protect Shauna while she’s working there.
This cast of characters and their interactions (fighting,
name-calling, secrets, and lies) carry the plot. Everyone has an agenda, and
readers learn that not everyone is telling the truth… or is exactly what they
seem. Ashton wants to become respectable, Colin wants him disowned, Minerva
wants Shauna gone, Shauna wants to stay out of trouble, and Joshua just wants
some peace.
Writing the twists and turns of the mystery was a lot
of fun. When the new servant, Lila, goes missing in the middle of the night,
Shauna is convinced someone in the house killed her. But who? Shauna is a
clever amateur sleuth, and when she starts to solve the mystery, she realizes
that she’s in danger.
The book has a “Dark
Shadows” feel to it. A mysterious house, a strange family, everyone has
secrets… In fact, several of the character names in the book (Colin, Joshua,
and Minerva) appeared in the original “Dark Shadows” series.
Readers and reviewers love the mystery elements, too.
Here are a few kind words:
“5
stars! This novel will keep you riveted from start to finish! I was hooked from
page one and did not put it down until I finished it. I cannot say enough
wonderful things about this novel. If you love romance with mystery then pick
up a copy of this one today and get lost in the story. I certainly did. It’s
perfectly written to keep you turning page after page, and I promise, you won’t
be able to guess the ending! If you’re looking for a great romance story with a
whole lot of action, drama, and mystery then this is your book!!! Definitely a
MUST READ!” - April P., Reviewer, My Book Addiction & More
“Combining
mystery with romance, this novel keeps the pages turning. Shauna and Ashton are
well-developed characters readers can root for. Overall, a great beach read.” -
Emily Thompson, SUNY-Oswego, Library Journal
“Kelli
A. Wilkins delivers a colonial-era mystery that will appeal to mystery and
romance readers alike.” - Lisa Marie Wilkinson, author.
"4
stars! This book was a thrill a minute! No leisurely stroll through the gardens
in this romance, but non-stop danger and drama. A flawed hero and heroine fight
for their lives and their relationship to get to their HEA." - Paula,
Amazon Reviewer
I can’t add anything to that!
I welcome comments and questions from readers. Be sure
to follow my blog for the latest updates and visit me on social media. I also made
a Facebook page for my historical romances: https://www.facebook.com/Historical-Romances-by-Kelli-A-Wilkins-1703805359922371/
Happy
Reading,
Kelli A. Wilkins
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kelli A. Wilkins is an award-winning author who has
published more than 100 short stories, 20+ romance novels, 7 non-fiction books,
and 5 horror ebooks. Her romances span many genres and settings, and she likes
to scare readers with her horror stories.
Her latest novel, In Another World, was
released in early 2022. This contemporary mystery/romance is set
in the world of the paranormal.
She also released two horror shorts, More
Than I Bargained For and Silent Sentinel in 2021.
In 2021, Kelli published Journaling Every Week: 52 Topics
to Get You Writing. This fun and innovative guide to
journaling is filled with hundreds of thought-provoking prompts designed to get
you writing about your feelings and emotions.
Kelli posts on her Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKelliWilkins
Visit her
website/blog www.KelliWilkins.com for a full title list and to find all her social media
links.
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