Lillian's vow or, The mystery of Raleigh House

About the book

Gilbert Leigh is attacked by a man desperate to recover a memorandum-book containing evidence of wrongdoing. Journalist Jack Lyndon intervenes too late to save him, leaving Leigh's daughter Lillian to face both bereavement and the mystery of his death. Her resolve to identify the murderer carries her into the orbit of the wealthy Raleigh family, where dependent employment offers little protection from arrogance or unwanted attention. Collins joins the investigation to a melodrama of unequal power, jealousy, and threatened reputation. The fashionable household's outward security conceals anxieties as troubling as those faced by its vulnerable employees. Lillian's vow gives the story a continuous purpose as apparent hauntings, social encounters, and private suspicions complicate her effort to distinguish danger from assistance.

• Filial loyalty
• Class and dependence
• Concealed wrongdoing

Why read it

The stolen notebook links the opening violence to professional and social secrets that extend beyond a single household.

English George Munro's Sons Sweetheart Series text, retaining the 1889 work copyright and 1898 cover copyright