Review: Silent On The Moor by Deanna Raybourn

In Grimsgrave Hall, enigmatic Nicholas Brisbane has inherited a ruined estate, replete with uncanny tenants and one unwanted houseguest: Lady Julia GreyDespite his admonitions to stay away, Lady Julia arrives in Yorkshire to find Brisbane as remote and maddeningly attractive as ever. Cloistered together, they share the moldering house with the proud but impoverished remnants of an ancient family: the sort that keeps their bloodline pure and their secrets close. Lady Allenby and her daughters, dependent upon Brisbane and devastated by their fall in society, seem adrift on the moor winds, powerless to change their fortunes. But poison does not discriminate between classes….A mystery unfolds from the rotten heart of Grimsgrave, one Lady Julia may have to solve alone, as Brisbane appears inextricably tangled in its heinous twists and turns. But blood will out, and before spring touches the craggy northern landscape, Lady Julia will have uncovered a Gypsy witch, a dark rider and a long-buried legacy of malevolence and evil.

Silent on The Moor by Deanna Raybourn is the third installment of the Lady Julia Grey mystery series (following Silent In The Grave and Silent In The Sanctuary), and it is my FAVORITE thus far. Please stop reading this review right now if you can’t handle minor spoilers.

In this installment, we see Lady Julia journeying to the wilds of remote Yorkshire moors just to see if there is anything between Brisbane and her. Propriety be damned. You see, Brisbane is restoring a manor in Yorkshire, as he has just become Lord over this bit of land. The manor is basically in shambles. Also, the former residents are still taking up space there. Basically, it is a hot mess. SO under the guise of ‘providing a woman’s touch’ to re-doing the house, Julia and her sister, Portia head out to the moors. Ya’ll there are SO many threads in this book, plus we got a healthy dose of crackling chemistry. IT.IS.AWESOME.

Silent On The Moor is a bit of a departure from the previous books, in that I felt the overall mood and atmosphere was slightly darker. I haven’t exactly read Wurthering Heights (holler atcha SPARKNOTES), but if I had to venture a guess at what wuthering looks like, it would totally be Yorkshire. It’s constantly raining and dark and muddy and there are sheep. I mean, goodness, a pot of tea would have been in order while reading this book, because Raybourn has such a way of describing the atmosphere that you cannot help but be chilled to the bones. Now, as for darker, the crux of the mystery and the outcome of the mystery is quite chilling.

However, with the darkness, we also have some moments which relieve them. As with the previous books, the relationship of Julia and Brisbane continues to grow. We see Julia demand honesty. She wants a legitimate relationship and clarity from Brisbane. No mind games/guessing games for her. From my modern day vantage point, I have to say that is wonderful. Seriously, I have so many friends who are all, omg he texted me ‘hey what’s up’ WHAT DOES IT MEAN. None of this forthrightness, and well, I think we can learn from Julia’s example. Don’t abide bullshit, and ask for a straight up answer. It’s not worth torturing yourself over.

However, as I mention Julia’s almost modern day attitudes, it is of note that Julia’s social status may have allowed her to maintain those ideals. She’s not quite as constrained. Her family is wealthy and of very old blood. ALSO her family is quite liberal in their actions. I mean, honestly, her father encourages her affair with Brisbane and essentially tells her she needs to get laid. Clearly, not many families I would imagine would have behaved in such a fashion during the era that this book is set in (The Victorian Era). I doubt Julia would have had as many opportunities or doors open to her, had she not been obscenely wealthy.  It’s interesting to consider how well Julia would have actually fit in with actual denizens of her time.

As stated above, there are many threads within Silent on the Moor by Deanna Raybourn, however they are rarely confusing. I found myself utterly engrossed while reading and quite charmed. While the mystery played an important role, it is not the entire book. I like that it was a linchpin, but that there was more to the book.

Finally, a few quotes I LOVES:

‘Have you not yet learned that it is easier to pull a star down from the heavens than to bend a woman to your will? The most tractable of women will kick over the traces if you insist upon obedience and, in case it has escaped your notice, your sisters are not the most tractable of women.’  – pg. 13-14

“My father had once famously stated in Parliament that religion was as intimate as lovemaking and ought to be as private.” pg. 69

‘I smiled at her. “I think that is a very polite way of saying I am curious as a cat. And we all know what happened to the cat — curiosity killed her.”

Rosalie took the last slice of cake onto her plate. “Yes, but you forget the most important thing about the little cat,” she said, giving me a wise nod. “She had eight lives left to live.” pg. 141

Well, I have a few more quotes highlighted, but I think that is enough.

Disclosure: Purchased copy.

Other Reviews:

Janicu’s Book Blog
Book Magic
See Michelle Read
Angieville

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April (Books&Wine)

April is in her 30s and created Good Books And Good Wine. She works for a non-profit. April always has a book on hand. In her free time she can be found binge watching The Office with her husband and toddler, spending way too much time on Pinterest or exploring her neighborhood.

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