When Lady Elizabeth Fraser and her mother are returning from Lady Elizabeth’s fourth Season in London, their train de-rails, which sets off a series of life-changing events in the young woman’s life. After being rescued and stitched up by a young railway surgeon, Lady Elizabeth steps outside the boundaries prescribed for her by Victorian England and assists the young surgeon in his attempts to save victims of the train crash.

As events unfold, it becomes clear that what happened to the train may not be as simple and straightforward as some would have the powers that be believe. Lady Elizabeth becomes embroiled in unravelling the mystery of what happened on that fateful journey home to her ancestral estate…and what may have led up to it. What is revealed is more horrifying than she could have imagined when generational hate, greed, power, murder and love converge.

This is Ms. Odden’s debut novel and it’s clear what a strong grasp she has of Victorian social and business detail, railway history and how to tell a story filled with mystery and love. The characters are nuanced and fully dimensional, from the main characters to the supporting cast. I look forward to reading her next book.

Five stars!