“The Secret at Sunset Hill” by K.T. McGivens

At a lavish party, pieces of jewellery disappear at an alarming rate. The hosts are appalled. The guests are distraught. What was supposed to be a dignified, old-fashioned reception, where everyone had a role to play and the etiquette formalities to follow, turns into a chase after secrets.

Katie Porter is young and pretty. She comes from a rich and affluent family, which, although having its issues – and what family doesn’t? – still envelops her in the cocoon of love and care. The only thing in life she is expected to focus on is finding a suitable husband, marrying him and starting a family. Yet, it’s not what Katie wants. While she has her privileged upbringing and status oozing out of every pore, she is more than an offspring of an ‘old-money’ family.

First, Katie wants to be a reporter. To get the job, she doesn’t shrink away from using her connections. I appreciated that she did it easily, not getting distracted by unnecessary scruples. Life is versatile, and it doesn’t mean one is noble if one refuses to comply with its rules. Katie completes her first assignment brilliantly and manages to impress her boss so that he gives her a chance to prove herself capable of writing about more serious topics than debutante parties.

And second, Katie has experienced loss and grief. At twenty-one, and despite the luxury surrounding her from birth, she has her rose coloured glasses off. Although unharmed herself, she bears the scars World War II has left on too many people across the continents.

I liked how the story weaved between the mystery of a jewellery thief and the secrets of Katie’s past. The setting was absolutely charming, with sprawling estates, endless fields to ride a horse feeling as if you were out in the wild, and old mansions with a separate room for every inhabitant and every occasion. Also, it would be a crime not to mention that Mad Uncle Henry is a total darling.

“The Secret at Sunset Hill” by K.T. McGivens opens up what I’m sure is a series of exciting and elegant mysteries. After reading the first book, I cannot wait to see what awaits Katie Porter next in her exploits as a reporter and a detective.