After Imogen Rockford loses her family at 10, she wants to put her past behind her and stay in America with her guardians and best friend, even though she can't seem to forget the strangeness that happened that day or her childhood crush, Sebastian. Seven years later, Imogen is informed that she is the new duchess at the estate in England where she last saw her parents. Forced to return, Imogen has to confront the mysteries of the day she lost her family, a secret family legacy, and the boy she could never get off her mind.

SUSPICION by Alexandra Monir is a dark and intense story that left me with mixed feelings. For the most part, I thoroughly enjoyed the haunting mystery behind Imogen's past and her swoony romance with Sebastian. However, there are so many parts that feel rushed.

Imogen has a strange, magical ability that terrifies her when she is a kid. She tries to push it from her mind, but later in the story when she finds out more about it, it barely fazes her. Her character seems to skip over any conflicting emotion or even more curiosity about what she can do. This sort of parallels with the mystery around the maze. The beginning makes it sound like a huge issue, but the unraveling of the mystery is kind of a letdown. For these areas, it consistently feels like there should be something more there after the big build up.

Even with the rushed parts, I really enjoyed this book. Something about Imogen's story drew me in right away, and I couldn't put SUSPICION down. Alexandra Monir crafts an amazing premise in this story, even though I still wish some areas had more information and nuances. I would definitely recommend this one for fans of the supernatural and English aristocracy.

Book Summary

“There’s something hidden in the maze.”

Seventeen-year-old Imogen Rockford has never forgotten the last words her father said to her, before the blazing fire that consumed him, her mother, and the gardens of her family’s English country manor.

For seven years, images of her parents’ death have haunted Imogen’s dreams. In an effort to escape the past, she leaves Rockford Manor and moves to New York City with her new guardians. But some attachments prove impossible to shake—including her love for her handsome neighbor Sebastian Stanhope.

Then a life-altering letter arrives that forces Imogen to return to the manor in England, where she quickly learns that dark secrets lurk behind Rockford’s aristocratic exterior. At their center is Imogen herself—and Sebastian, the boy she never stopped loving.

Combining spine-tingling mystery, romance, and unforgettable characters, Suspicion is an action-packed thrill ride.