About this item
Highlights
- When Henry Ireland dies unexpectedly from what appears to be a riding accident in August 1863, the failed landowner leaves behind little save his high-strung young widow, Isabel--who somehow ends up in the home of Ireland's friend James Dixey.
- Author(s): D J Taylor
- 480 Pages
- Fiction + Literature Genres, Mystery & Detective
Description
About the Book
Madness, greed, love, obsession, Machiavellian schemes, and a great train robbery--all are interwoven in this wonderfully imaginative novel that reinvents Victorian life and passions with dazzling skill and wit.Book Synopsis
When Henry Ireland dies unexpectedly from what appears to be a riding accident in August 1863, the failed landowner leaves behind little save his high-strung young widow, Isabel--who somehow ends up in the home of Ireland's friend James Dixey. A celebrated naturalist, Dixey collects strange trophies in his secluded, decaying manse and has questionable associations with rather unsavory characters--including a pair of thuggish poachers named Dewar and Dunbar. Dixey's precocious, inquisitive young servant, Esther, cannot turn a blind eye to the suspicious activities surrounding her. While in the crime-ridden streets of London, a determined captain of Scotland Yard follows the threads that may well link a daring train robbery to the disappearance of a disturbed heiress as well as to the possible murder of Henry Ireland.
D. J. Taylor's Kept is a gorgeously intricate, dazzling reinvention of Victorian life and passions that is also a riveting investigation into some of the darkest, most secret chambers of the human heart.
Review Quotes
"...a genuinely fascinating reading experience...a powerful contribution to the changing practice of historical fiction." -- Philippa Gregory, Sunday Times (London)
"A tour-de-force in the style of Dickens. The eccentrics and Victoriana are...captivating." -- Kirkus Reviews
"Intriguing." -- Charlotte Observer
"Taylor has captured the essence of the Victorian novel and weaves it through his gripping narrative." -- Library Journal
"A gripping tale, crafted with passion and intelligence, and an honorable addendum to the golden age of the English novel." -- Simon Baker, New Statesman
"A smartly satisfying novel...Intricate and vividly realized...a pin-sharp recreation of 19th century life....a playful reimagining of history" -- Robert Douglas-Fairhurst, Telegraph
"Kept is a great read. It intrigues, diverts and delights. It is clever and intricate and huge fun." -- Susan Hill, Guardian
"It is unlikely that many such offerings will equal, let alone surpass, D.J. Taylor's Kept" -- Francis King, Literary Review
"A marvel of intricacy and ingenuity. Dickens and his peers would surely have approved." -- Washington Times