This is the type of historical fiction mystery romance with gothic elements that would have been my typical guilty pleasure reading as a teenager. Originally published back in 1991, there isn't anything overly original or spectacular about the story, the characters, the writing or the plot development. More of a formula piece of writing than anything else - Young, naive and beautiful heroine? Check. Dashing and brooding landed gentry rescuer/love interest? Check. Crumbling castle? Check. Mysterious noises to be heard at night across the moors? Check. Legends of a family curse? Check.

Heather is your typical annoying female heroine who always manages to find herself in trouble and Sir Byron isn't much better as the leading man. The story is rather lackluster for romance, mystery and gothic. I finally came to the conclusion that this one is a historical fiction mystery with romance and gothic elements and should really only be treated as a bit of escapism reading, or in my case, listening.

One redeeming quality of the audiobook I listened to that I must mention here is great job the narrator, Nadia May, did in creating the different voices of the characters and communicating some of the atmosphere of the story as she read.

Overall, a fun bit of escapism, but nothing special. ( )