Book seven in the Mackenzies & McBrides series centers on Sinclair McBride, a tough, Scottish barrister working and living in London with his two motherless children. Sinclair's wife, Daisy, died seven years ago, and his daughter and son have run off every governess he has ever hired. But when East Ender Bertie Frasier picks his pocket of the watch his late wife had given him, Sinclair meets the woman who will change his life forever. Bertie becomes the children's governess even though she hasn't had much formal education; the kids like and mind her, which is what Sinclair needs immediately. There is also the mystery of the sinister letters that he continues to receive from an unknown enemy threatening to expose Daisy's past and put his kids' futures in jeopardy. Is the author someone he has successfully prosecuted or Daisy's own brother, who hates Sinclair and wants to take away the children? Or could Bertie's abusive father be behind the threats?
This was another winner from Ashley, whose descriptions of London, Scotland, and the book's many characters were vivid and realistic. Sinclair is a broken, depressed man who continues to mourn his late wife at the expense of everyone and everything else in his life except his work. Bertie is a strong, forthright, and honest heroine even though she has been forced into crime by her awful father and his cronies. The mystery added a nice touch, and it was great to see the many Mackenzies and McBrides from the previous books. 306 pages.
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