
Beautiful young Frances MacFern has come to the Highlands of Scotland in search of the past, to probe the mystery surrounding her grandfather who had fled the ancestral home as a young man. Her uncle and cousins make her welcome at Glenalder House, but behind the pleasant facade Frances senses strange undercurrents of hostility and deception. As dark family secrets come to light, and what has long been concealed is blindingly revealed, Frances finds the answer she has sought -- and with it unexpected romance....
Frances MacFern arrives at the remote Glenalder House in the Scottish Highlands to uncover the truth behind her grandfather's mysterious departure from his ancestral home. Frances seeks to reconcile her family history, but she encounters immediate resistance from the inhabitants of the estate. The narrative follows her investigation as she navigates the social dynamics of her relatives, who maintain a facade of hospitality while concealing deep-seated tensions. The story utilizes a third-person perspective to track the protagonist's discovery of long-buried secrets within the isolated Highland setting.
Readers often note the classic gothic structure of the narrative, which relies heavily on the tension between the protagonist's search for truth and the family's desire to maintain silence. Discussion frequently centers on the effectiveness of the Highland setting as a character in its own right, contributing to the sense of isolation and mystery. Critics highlight the balance between the central mystery of the grandfather's past and the developing romantic elements that emerge as the plot progresses. The pacing is described as steady, allowing for the gradual accumulation of clues that lead to the final revelation of the family's history.
Page Count:
192
Publication Date:
1970-04-06
Publisher:
Arrow Bks.
ISBN-10:
0090030001
ISBN-13:
9780090030002
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