From the moment Charity Halliwell steps foot inside Loxby Manor, mysteries abound. A shocking scandal, muffled footsteps creep along the halls, and a friend vanishes into the night. With no one to trust but the man she once loved, Charity struggles to put aside the hauntings of her own past to search for answers.

Branded a coward, Piers Cavanaugh thought never to see Charity again. But now they must work together to find his missing sister. Can they piece all the clues together in time? And can they find a way back to each other again, or has their chance at love vanished forever?

Gothic mystery meets Regency romance in this latest novel from Abigail Wilson. With tight pacing, clever twists, and characters who leap to life off the page, The Vanishing at Loxby Manor will keep readers guessing until the end.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

In The Vanishing at Loxby Manor, Charity Halliwell has returned to England after spending five years in Ceylon with her parents, and she is staying with her friend, Seline Cavanagh, at Loxby Manor. Returning is bittersweet for Charity, as she is glad to be back home in England, but she has returned to find things have changed, most especially with Seline’s brother, Piers Cavanagh. She is thrilled to see her friend Seline again, but before she has much of a reunion with her, Seline mysteriously disappears. Charity, Piers, and Seline’s other brother Avery, begin investigating to try and discover where Seline has gone, but as Charity digs deeper and uncovers more information, she learns that people she once knew may not be who they seem.

I had only read one other book by this author previously, The Masquerade at Middlecrest Abbey, and I loved it, so I had high hopes for this book. I was not disappointed. I thought the story itself was great. All the characters were well-developed. The main characters, Charity and Piers, are likable and relatable, especially in that they both have events in their past that they don’t believe they can overcome and move past. And I also appreciate the way that the story uses connection and acceptance and love as a healing force. Additionally I like that In the end, it all ties together and everything is explained — no loose ends. Overall, I really enjoyed The Vanishing at Loxby Manor. It kept me guessing.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Vanishing at Loxby Manor is a G-rated novel that blends romance and mystery. It boasts a fairly strong storyline that offers up a number of surprises along the way.

At the center of the story are Charity and Piers. Both are running from their pasts, and sometimes those pasts get in the way of them moving forward. These flawed characters are likeable and have a realistic weight to them. The story is told from Charity’s point of view, so she’s more developed. And I can’t help wondering how this story told from two points of view could have turned out.

The Vanishing at Loxby Manor is about 50 pages too long, the author getting mired in some of the languid details. However, that didn’t stop me from reading it in one day. The protagonists are young enough that this has strong YA crossover appeal. This is a good option for fans of Shadow Mountain’s Proper Romance line.

1816 Twenty-one year old Charity Halliwell returns to England and Loxby Manor, the home of the Cavanagh family, from Ceylon, while her parents travel to the Americas. But on her arrival daughter Seline who is on the verge of losing her reputation decides to flee. While it seems that the eldest son, Piers, has disgraced the family. What has really happened. Can Charity determine the truth.
More of a Gothic romance than an intricate mystery but overall an enjoyable well-written story which certainly kept my interest to the conclusion.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

I have read all of Abigail Wilson's novels, and am a huge fan. They are reminiscent of the Victoria Holt books I read as a teen. Like her other books, The Vanishing at Loxby Manor has a darkness to it that is overcome by the light. Charity Halliwell has come back to the home of her childhood friends to recuperate from a tragic event whose effect has been difficult to shake, and to plan for her future. However, her arrival at Loxby Manor is almost immediately met with a series of bizarre and mysterious events, not the least of which is the disappearance of the daughter of the manor.

I completed this book in one day because I truly could not put it down. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Charity and Piers were very close before her family took her with them to Ceylon. Now, years later, she's back in England and at Loxby Manor - and so is Piers. But in the years since they parted, he has been branded a coward and she has endured an assault no one should have to, though it was able to be kept secret. Each feeling shamed, neither is looking for romance. But when Seline, Piers' sister and Charity's best friend, disappears one night, the two must work together to try to find her - and to discover the secrets of Loxby Manor. Will the time spent working closely together convince them both that romance is not truly off the cards? And will they discover the manor's secrets in time?

An expertly crafted story - some things were predictable while others weren't, but they were never unreasonable. My attention was held from the start, and I cared about the characters. The gradual unfolding of the mystery of the manor was done well too. All in all, an enjoyable read, if a little dark, and I hope to read more by the author in future.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Abigail Wilson has perfected the historical mystery/romance formula. The Vanishing at Loxby Manor has all the elements that are required: a strong heroine who must overcome her 19th century restrictions, a hero who must overcome his own obstacles, a missing friend, and a secret society. These elements combined with an atmospheric setting, a country manor with it’s own haunted ruins, imbue the tale with a gothic aura.

Piers Cavanaugh’s family is an eclectic group of characters. Each seems to be hiding something, but you don’t know if what they are hiding is sinister or harmless. The same can be said of the group of friends that includes Piers’ brother Avery. Which means, when Seline Cavanaugh goes missing, there is no lack of questionable characters to suspect. And there is no easy answer to the mystery. So many clues, so many plots and sub-plots. Expect to not solve the mystery until very near the end!

As Charity Halliwell tries to find her missing friend, Piers seems to be the only one she feels she can trust. These two have a past which should keep them apart. It is a testament to what can only be described as love that they do trust each other. However, they both have secrets, so trust may be tested.

Heroine Charity Halliwell has impaired hearing, something rarely seen in romance novels. Having someone in my life that suffers some of the same crowed-room hearing issues, I was immediately drawn to Charity and also to Piers, who understands Charity’s difficulties and goes out of his way to make sure she can hear him.

The Vanishing at Loxby Manor takes place in the same era as Ms. Wilson’s other books. There is a teeny bit of overlap between novels – from an historical perspective. But they are completely standalone stories.

I am a fan of Ms. Wilson. I’ve now read 3 of her 4 Regency mystery romances. They are all wonderful!

Through Netgalley, the publisher provided a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Charity returns to her friends home and after they have a quick visit she goes out for a late night interlude and never returns. All is not what it seems within Loxby Manor. Her first love, Piers is no longer that carefree loving man that he was five years ago and she doesn’t know what has happened to change him.
Mysterious meetings are noted at the abandoned abbey late into the night and Charity is convinced that it has something to do with her friend, Selines disappearance.

The development of the storyline keeps you interested, but it is expectable in certain circumstances what is going to happen. I know it’s not a all outright mystery book, but incorporates romance as well.

I would recommend this book.

I received a free advanced copy from NetGalley and these are my willingly given thoughts and opinions

Abigail Wilson always crafts intriguing Regency books with equal parts romance and mystery. I adore all her novels and totally devoured The Vanishing at Loxby Manor.

This story has everything I love in a novel. An intelligent heroine, a wounded hero, and a mystery that throws them together. And I have to mention the gorgeous prose! With deliberate and precise word choice, this author sets the tone of each page, making me flip flip flip through the chapters. The plot twists and turns with an amazing finish that I didn’t see coming. Totally loved it. Loved it all!

**I received a copy from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

After five years abroad, Charity Halliwell finally returns to Loxby Manor, the home of dear friends—and her lost love. No longer a young girl, she is now haunted by a painful secret and the demise of her dreams. Instead of the healing and happiness she hopes to find, she encounters a darkness lurking in the shadows of the once-familiar house. When her friend, Seline, disappears the very night of her arrival, Charity is determined to uncover the truth.

Her only hope is the man who broke her heart.

Branded a coward, Piers Cavanaugh has lived the last five years as an outcast far from his family home. When his sister presumably elopes with a stable hand, Piers joins forces with an unlikely partner—the one woman he thought he’d never see again. Together they launch an investigation that leads to strange nightly meetings in the ruins of an old abbey and disturbing whispers of a secret organization. The more they learn, the more desperate the situation becomes.

The house seems determined to keep its secrets.

As they struggle to piece together the clues, Charity and Piers also endeavor to rebuild their friendship. One cryptic letter changed everything between them. To find happiness they will have to overcome the grief and shame keeping them apart. But first they must discover why Seline vanished and confront the growing fear that she may never return.

Charity returns to Loxby Manor for a year long visit with her friend Seline. Upon her arrival Seline is caught up in a scandal. Then she disappears in the middle of the night. Charity doesn't believe that Seline eloped with a stable hand. Here the mystery starts. What happened to Seline. It seems everyone knows something. But nobody wants to talk. Piers, her love of five years ago, doesn't hardly want to acknowledge her. This is a great mystery that isn't revealed until the very end. I recommend this to all who enjoy a good mystery.

I was given this book by Thomas Nelson Publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in any way.

The Vanishing at Loxby Manor is a captivating gothic mystery full of intrigue, suspense, and romance. This 19th century Regency romance will completely entrance you with complex enduring characters and secrets that unfold chapter by chapter.

Charity Hariwell returns to Loxby Manor after being away five years to find secrets and mystery surrounding the Cavanaugh family. The disappearance of her dear childhood friend, Seline, on the very night Charity returns to Loxby begins a series of events that leave Charity not only questioning who she can trust, but also working closely with her former love, Piers Cavanaugh, to find his sister.

Throughout their journey to find Seline, both Charity and Piers realize they must face their own pasts from the last five years. They have to deal with the things life has thrown at them individually and what happened to them at the end of their relationship five years ago.

This book is masterfully written to keep the reader from being able to put the book down. The mystery keeps unfolding as the story progresses to keep you guessing until the end with just the right apart of romance is entwined throughout. I hated to see this one end.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are completely my own.

Charity returns to visit her childhood friends at Loxby Manor after 5 years away. While her parents are away she is to stay with the Cavanagh family. Upon arrival though nothing and no one is how she remembers. Something she knows a thing or two about as she isn’t exactly the same as she once was her time away changing her. And the sudden disappearance of her best friend Seline the very night she arrived seems to be the beginning of something more sinister. Because though Seline may be a bit silly and she had done ridiculous things, one such thing earlier that day, but she would never do something like this... right? Run off to marry a stable hand? But she left a letter so that has to be what happened... right? As time wears on and things don’t add up it seems that there is far more going on than Charity could have ever expected.

The family whom she once thought of as practically her own aren’t the people she remembers. Piers the oldest of the Cavanagh siblings was once the love of Charity’s young life. But his letter of disinterest sent shortly after her move all those years ago suggests that distance did not make the heart grow fonder. She’s put the heartbreak in the past and though she hadn’t expected him to be at home his timely arrival is a good thing. They agree to put the past behind them and they agree that something is not right. In their years apart Piers has become a different person having had a big of a scandal that prompted his decision to isolate himself from society at a remote estate these past few years. Avery, the other Cavanagh sibling appears the same on the surface his general jovial ways and charm are the same as always. But something is different about him, he’s hiding something but what? And does it have something to do with his missing sister? What were he and his friends up to that night? Even Mrs. Cavanagh doesn’t seem quite so enthusiastic about Charity’s long stay, despite what she’s been told. And Mr. Cavanagh having suffered an injury is quite changed.

So what happened to Seline? Did she leave of her own accord or was she taken? If so why? Why would anyone make Seline disappear? And what exactly had she been up to? Everybody has their secrets, even Charity herself does. And maybe nobody is ever who you think they are. Even your closest friends could be strangers. What has any of this have to do with the ruins of an old abbey?

So many secrets and mysteries around and very few answers. What is going on at Loxby Manor?

I do love a good mystery that keeps you guessing and this one did not disappoint. I liked Charity and Piers and was hoping that they might get things between them settled once and for all.

The Vanishing at Loxby Manor by Abigail Wilson is a historical romance with a mystery and suspense hint. Wilson has created a gothic romance filled with great characters and a mystery that unfolds at a slow, steady pacing that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat.  The perfect blend of mystery, family relationships, lost years, and star-crossed love. Once I started reading The Vanishing at Loxby Manor, I could not put it down!

Mystery surrounds a family, a ruined abbey, and a sudden disappearance making a young guest and friend of the family fearful about her visit. The atmospheric suspense, attention to the historical setting, and complexity in the characters made The Vanishing at Loxby Manor, the latest release by Abigail Wilson, a must-read.

Charity Halliwell once thought to marry the oldest Cavanagh son, Piers, until her family’s sudden move to Ceylon and his letter ending their prospects left her bereft and vulnerable. An attack in the dark of the tea plantation has left her disgusted at her naiveté in venturing outside on her own and quelled her spirit as well as her dream of ever marrying and having a family. Now, when her parent’s journey to join her brilliant chemist of a brother in America, Charity longs for her old neighborhood and friends as a comfort. She knows from Selene’s letters that Piers will not be there as he lives away from the family.

The first night of her visit to the Cavanaghs is enough to convince her that she made a mistake seeking solace in the past. Mrs. Cavanagh isn’t exactly welcoming and mischievous Selene sneaks into Charity’s room to admit that her mother wanted her to leave Charity to her own devices. However, Selene has been a hoyden kissing a groom and flirting with others. She wants the only man in a neighborhood with a title, but she will toy with the others. On this night, she mentions a secret plan to have her way and then whisks off into the night with Charity’s dark cloak about her never to return.

The youngest Cavanagh, Avery, is sent to search for Selene on the road to Gretna Green and Piers returns to support his family trying to ignore the spark between Charity and himself that he purposefully extinguished. She has since learned that he challenged Selene’s lord to a duel and then didn’t show which had him branded a coward and ostracized from polite society. Charity has her own reasons for keeping her distance from any man let alone Piers, but she is certain that Selene never ran off with the groom she kissed and she is equally certain that Piers is no coward whatever the reason he didn’t show to that duel. She will stand by the family and help get to the truth even if she must brave a mysterious shadowy enemy.

The Vanishing at Loxby Manor is a delicious gothic-flavored romantic suspense in the old style. The narrative is all from the periled heroine’s perspective and offers a personal as well as an external conflict to show her what she is made of and bring about some startling reveals.

Charity has been assaulted and feels guilt-ridden for her part in it, but also considers herself soiled goods in that day and age when reputation is everything to a woman and whether it is her fault or not, she becomes tainted. She also wanted to protect her heart after Piers squashed it like he did. I was thoroughly taken with Charity and was impatient for her to work out the truth of it all and work out what was quite obvious to me as the reader when it came to her and Piers.

The mystery of Selene’s disappearance was cunning, and the reader has to follow it through to the end before discovering the dark, gritty truth behind it all. There are enough ambiguous players who all keep something back so that the truth is long and hard in coming. I confess to wanting to kick Avery in the britches for the longest time because he was the most obvious of those who were lying. Did he not want to find his sister??? But, later, I learned it was complicated.

I found that as the story was building to those final stunning reveals that there was the middle ground that felt somewhat dragging to me. There was a great deal of waiting for something significant to happen and I got impatient. However, I did the story a disservice because in the end, I saw how all that set up and slow going added together. So, fortify for that slow-go of the middle of the book, future readers!

In summary, this was a splendid and suspenseful romantic historical that will tantalize readers with its gothic flavor and mysterious tone. I recommend it to those who enjoy sweet historical romance and mystery.

I have only read two Abigail Wilson novels. The two that I have read, The Vanishing at Loxby Manor and Masquerade at Middlecrest Abbey, have both had a slightly gothic feel to them with a nice mystery that keeps you guessing. Ms. Wilson excels at giving you just enough information to keep you interested without giving you too much. I always like her main characters and the mystery is never what I am expecting. And bonus, this story is a second chance romance, one of my favorites!

In The Vanishing at Loxby Manor, I was completely surprised at how the mystery of the story unfolded. It was not what I was expecting at all. There was also a surprise near the end that I did not see coming, well actually two of them. I really liked Piers and Charity together, although I wish there had been a bit more romance throughout the story. I immediately liked Piers, but when we found out why he did something that made him sort of an outcast, I liked him even more!

This story is filled with mystery, intrigue, a gothic feel, and history, and it will keep you guessing all the way through until the very end!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I would give this book more of a 3.5 if I could. It was a intriguing read and I could not put it down. I loved the mystery and the twist were expected yet unexpected. My major issue with it was that some parts seemed rushed while others were drawn out. I was also confused with how much time had passed during the story. I did enjoy the story and would pick up other titles by this author.

After five years abroad, Charity Halliwell finally returns to Loxby Manor, the home of dear friends—and her lost love Piers. No longer a young girl, she is now haunted by a painful secret and the demise of her dreams. Instead of the healing and happiness she hopes to find, she encounters a darkness lurking in the shadows of the once-familiar house. When her friend, Seline, disappears the very night of her arrival, Charity is determined to uncover the truth. Her only hope is the man who broke her heart. Branded a coward, Piers Cavanaugh has lived the last five years as an outcast far from his family home. When his sister presumably elopes with Miles a stable hand, Piers joins forces with an unlikely partner the one woman he thought he’d never see again. Together they launch an investigation that leads to strange nightly meetings in the ruins of an old abbey and disturbing whispers of a secret organization. The more they learn, the more desperate the situation becomes.
The house seems determined to keep its secrets.
As they struggle to piece together the clues, Charity and Piers also endeavour to rebuild their friendship. One cryptic letter changed everything between them.
This is the second book I’ve read by the author & it’s another well written different Regency story, it's dark & there's secrets & a mystery to solve, frothy ballrooms it certainly isn’t. It took me sometime to get into the book but after a couple of chapters I was hooked & was trying to guess who the villain was, which I didn’t do & it came as a surprise. I liked both Piers & Charity but I didn't love them, however I thoroughly enjoyed how they worked to overcome their distrust. I look forward to reading more books by the author
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

The Vanishing at Loxby Manor is a gothic historical novel with some romance and lots of mystery. It had all the right elements of intrigue and suspense, with a clever heroine, a lost love, nighttime escapades, a missing person, and a dark and mysterious manor surrounded by spooky woods. Don't you just love that cover?

Charity Halliwell returns after five years to Loxby Manor, where she spent happy years with her friend Selena and fell in love with her brother Piers, who later breaks her heart. The night Charity arrives she reunites with Selena who then dashes off into the night after spotting a light in the hills near the abbey ruins. Piers then shows up and Charity must put her feelings aside to help the family find Selena who has vanished after she left that night.

The story kept me turning the pages as I was trying, along with the heroine, to find out what happened to Selena. I didn't guess who the villain was until the very end. Well done. I must admit it took me awhile to warm up to the characters because it was hard to determine who was friendly and who wasn't. They all seemed to glare, flick their fingers and cause Charity to feel icy prickling in her body. The writing style irritated at time with metaphors that detracted rather than enhanced the story, making me reread certain sentences to make sure I understood.

Apart from these foibles, The Vanishing at Loxby Manor had my attention throughout. The romance between Charity and Piers was about a second chance at love and took second place to the mystery thriller. It's a clean novel, a quick read, and a good story for lovers of gothic regency novels.

Mystery and romance--an excellent combination!

Kent 1811, a fall from a horse, a missed duel, who could have guessed the impact these two separate occurrences would have not only for Piers Cavanagh and Charity Halliwell but their companions. The deep friendship along with that of their siblings and other neighbors goes back years. However time moved forward, Charity to Ceylon with her family, Piers to a marriage planned for him from birth.
Forward to Kent 1816. After five long years away from those she'd grown up with, Charity has decided to return to Loxby Manor and her old companions for a year rather than going to Boston with her family, before turning her life towards other horizons.
She arrives at Loxby Manor in the evening. No sooner has she been shown to her bedroom, when her friend and daughter of the house Seline greets her, borrows her cloak and sneaks out of the manor after a mysterious light that has become visible amongst the darkened nearby ruins.
What happens then is both disturbing and puzzling. Seline disappears, thought to have eloped with a groomsman. Something is off with that diagnosis as far as Charity's concerned. Charity finds the rest of her former companions troubled. She receives a disturbing letter from her brother. Piers, who is out of favor it appears, leaves his London home and takes up residence in the Manor. And Charity it seems is not the only one carrying a heavy secret. Mrs Cavanaugh is definitely an odd fish, bent on squashing scandal, with requests made to Charity puzzling and often countering each other. Dangerous secrets abound. I did not foresee what was happening 'til the very end. As Charity works through her own fate, shrugs off the fear she's felt, and allows the old 'Capitan Halliwell' as her friends termed her, to make a hard fought reappearance, things start to change and happenstances begin to pile up on each other in a seemingly frenzied rush.
A nicely entwined romance and deadly Intrigue!

A Thomas Nelson ARC via NetGalley
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

This was my first time reading an Abigail Wilson book and I loved it! I don't often give out 5 stars unless it really stands out, and this book did just that.

Charity returns to the neighborhood where she grew up after five years of being away. The house where she is to stay for the year is the home of her childhood love- she does not expect him to be in residence, but the disappearance of his sister brings him back. He had written a letter to Charity shortly after her leaving in which he broke off their romantic relationship and, while she initially doesn't know why, it soon comes to light. Personal struggles of her own have led her to a place where she feels she can never marry, and these internal conflicts lead to a lot of growth in the characters.

The mystery of Charity's friend's disappearance is so layered! Charity is the last to have seen her before she left the house, but it's obvious that she is not the last one to have seen her before she disappeared. I don't want to spoil any of the surprises, but Abigail Wilson did a great job slowly peeling back layer after layer to get to the heart of the mystery. I was wrong about what happened and who had a hand in it.

Definitely recommend! It was a great mystery and showcased a love that persevered, waited, and grew- not just a couple falling head over heels in love. Beautiful.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.