A Vanishing at Loxby Manor: A Regency Mystery

Written by Abigail Wilson

Narrated by Laura Kirman

A story of second chances and secrets, this mysterious Regency romance will transport you to nineteenth-century England where a young lady reunites with her childhood love to find his missing sister.

Her friend is missing.

After five years abroad, Charity Halliwell 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. She hopes to find a place of healing and happiness, but instead she encounters a darkness lurking in the shadows of the once-familiar house. Then her friend, Seline, disappears the very night of her arrival, and 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 must 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.

Settle in, because once you start The Vanishing at Loxby Manor, you won’t be able to put it down.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson
• Release date: Jan 26, 2021
• ISBN: 9780785233152

Abigail Wilson

Abigail Wilson combines her passion for Regency England with intrigue and adventure to pen historical mysteries with a heart. A registered nurse, chai tea addict, and mother of two crazy kids, Abigail fills her spare time hiking the national parks, attending her daughter’s diving meets, and curling up with a great book. Abigail was a 2020 HOLT Medallion Merit Finalist, a 2017 Fab Five contest winner, and a Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence Finalist. She is a cum laude graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and currently lives in Dripping Springs, Texas, with her husband and children. Connect with Abigail at acwilsonbooks.com; Instagram: @acwilsonbooks; Facebook: @ACWilsonbooks; Twitter: @acwilsonbooks.

Reviews for A Vanishing at Loxby Manor

[Brittany · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Vanishing at Loxby Manor is the first book that I have read by Abigail Wilson and I am very excited to read more by this author now. I thoroughly enjoyed this mysterious story from start to finish.

I listened to the audio book version and overall I enjoyed the narration. The author changed voices for the different characters and occasionally I wasn’t fond of a couple of the voices, but the main characters were voiced very nicely and I was definitely drawn into the story right from the beginning.

The mystery of Seline’s disappearance and the feeling that things were not quite right at Loxby Manor truly drove the story. I loved that Charity and Piers came together with a second chance at friendship and perhaps something more as they worked to uncover the strange happenings going on in the area. The overall mystery kept me guessing for most of the book and I found the second chance romance delightful.

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

[Sarah Herr · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved the twists and turns of the story-I love that’s it’s clean romance and the voice of the narrator is awesome

[Kay Elam · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The characters are so amazing— real and believable, the plot is completely engaging. The best book I’ve read in a long time!

[Monica Mullane · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was an interesting mystery with well differentiated characters. I will try another by the same author.

[jorgeousjotts · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was my first by this author and I would read another. It held my attention and entertained me, but still felt a little bit lacking in heart or soul or something. Kind of like a Nancy Drew mystery. Not terribly clever or intricate, and the characters and their relationships didn't grip me, but it was okay, and I liked them well enough, and I was curious how things would play out. A few times the characters were entirely surprised over something that should have been plain already (and I was surprised that they were surprised), or they wandered into danger, but not too bad. There were some sweet things about the relationship in the story, but overall it felt a little mild. I'm happy to have read it, but I'm not likely to ever reread it. Though, like I said, I would consider reading an additional book from this author.

[bookworm_lisa · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a pretty intense suspense novel. It had a very gothic feel to it. There is a manor with secrets, secret societies, and the disappearance of one of the characters. The overall feel was a little dark. It is a great book to read during this Halloween season!The mystery feels like it is slow to come to a conclusion, but there are a lot of sleuthing and situations that occur. The progression felt very natural to me. I enjoyed the characters as I tried to sort out who was good and who was bad. Honestly, nothing is as it appears to be.

[vesper1931 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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

[melissa_o-399736 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Let me start this review by saying that historical is not my go to genre. However, if they all had the suspense of an Abigail Wilson novel, I would be reading all the historical all the time. This is only my second book by her, but I will definitely be reading more. This story has it all. It is complete with deeply buried secrets, a mysterious vanishing, duels, a secret society, and many other strange events. I really like the way she writes depth to her characters and the added layer that Charity and Piers were childhood friends. And can we talk twists and surprises for a second? I am an avid reader of suspense and often have at least part of the ending figured out. Not this time!! I was totally shocked at the end! If you couldn’t already tell, I highly recommend this one!!

[thequietreader · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

While her family travels to America, Charity Halliwell remains behind. She goes to family friends, eager to reconnect and to search out a position as governess. The evening she arrives, she quickly learns that things are not as they appear when her friend vanishes. While she tries to forget a traumatic event in her past, can Charity learn the truth about her friend or will the danger lurking in Loxby Manor catch her?Well. I am caught between giving this one four stars or three. it's not awful. The gothic tension and mystery is written very well. From the start, it is clear that there is a secret hidden in the manor and everyone is hiding something. Even Charity herself. So it was good in that sense.But it is not the romance it was marketed to be. While there is some attraction and Piers, it felt superficial. They both proclaim no interest in marriage and in the end they come together because there is no one else there. At least, that was how it felt to me. As characters, neither was truly memorable, and I didn't love either one. I didn't really care if they fell in love.The plot took a much darker turn than I was expecting. Especially when the reader learns what happens to Charity's friend. (A friend, I might add, who didn't act like a real friend, and I never understood why Charity kept saying they were close.)Overall, while they wrote it well, it was just an ok read for me. I doubt I would reread this one, and it doesn't make me eager to search out anything else written by this author.I'd recommend it to a reader looking for a gothic, historical mystery. I received a free copy from NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own.

[hes7 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

When I pick up a book from Abigail Wilson, I always hope to be captivated by gothic intrigue. I am glad that The Vanishing at Loxby Manor did not disappoint.When Charity Halliwell returns to a place from her past, Loxby Manor, it does not offer the comfort she hoped to find. Instead, her dear friend Seline goes missing, the man who broke her heart returns, and disturbing secrets and shadows abound. Still, maybe working with Piers to uncover the truth behind Seline’s disappearance is exactly what Charity needs to overcome the hurts of the past and embrace the possibility of the future—of course, not without a few twists and turns first.I so enjoyed the experience of reading The Vanishing at Loxby Manor. A wonderfully haunting atmosphere permeates the telling of this story as the truth comes out—the truth about Seline and Loxby Manor, as well as the truth between Charity and Piers. The mystery is interesting, the romance has a lot of heart, and I just loved it all. I definitely recommend this book to readers of historical mystery.I received a complimentary copy of this book and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

[tcjrogers · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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.

[bookscookslooks · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Charity has come back to England after having left after a scandal to spend time away. Now her family is bound for America and after an incident with a rogue she has determined she will never marry. So she has returned to England to visit her friend Seline and then find a position as a governess. Problem is her friend’s brother is the man she loves but now she feels she is ruined.When Seline goes missing after seeing a mysterious light in an old abbey Charity works with Piers to try and find her. What they find will lead them down a path of secret societies, lies and murder.I was pulled in to this story from the beginning. Charity is the kind of character you want to root for despite being what those in her time would call “damaged goods.” She is strong and a faithful friend. There is nothing in this book that covers new ground but the mystery is well plotted, the characters are engaging and the romance is charming.I spent a wonderful afternoon in England trying to unravel the vanishing at Loxby Manor and it was a very satisfying way to spend the day. A little mystery, a little romance and a secret society – what more could you want?

[eyes92c · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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

[barbararogers-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is my second book by this author, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed both of them. The book has a bit of a gothic feel to it – dark, brooding, and mysterious with secret societies, betrayal, and murder. Both of the lead characters have troubles from their pasts that still haunt them and they also have a past with each other. All of the threads – past and current – have now come together in a well-written, exciting, story that will have you on the edge of your seat. While I figured out who the villain was early on, I doubt most will – I just have a twisted mind. One of my favorite things about the book was that there wasn’t a Duke, Marquess, Earl to be found. There was a Lord Kendal, but we didn’t learn if he was titled or was just a second, etc. son of a title.Charity Halliwell grew up near Loxby Manor and her along with the other kids from neighboring estates were all the best of friends. There were the three Cavanaugh’s – Piers, Avery, and Seline as well as Hugh Daunt, and Tony Shaw along with Charity, who were inseparable. That is, they were all inseparable until Charity’s parents, when she was sixteen, decided to immediately move to Ceylon, and then before long Piers was branded a coward and had to move to his grandmother’s old cottage outside Liverpool. Charity and Piers were in love with each other. How could they maintain their relationship with thousands of miles between them? Subsequent events caused them to be lost to each other.Piers returns to Loxby Manor after his sister creates yet another scandal for the Cavanaugh’s. Seline was caught kissing a stable hand – OH! MY! Seline is desperately searching for a way to contain the scandal on the evening Charity arrives from Ceylon for a visit. Charity wants to do what she can to help, but Seline is very secretive about her quickly conceived plan. Piers arrives to find the love of his life visiting – and his sister missing.Things at Loxby Manor aren’t what they seem to be. There is a tension and pervasive darkness about the place that hadn’t be there before Charity left. What vile things must have happened there? Charity doesn’t know – and nobody will share the information – if they know.Piers and Charity soon determine they can’t trust anyone other than each other as they try to figure out what happened to Seline. Where has she gone? What about the other strange happenings? What is this secret society they keep hearing about? Is it real? Is it harmless? OH! You’ll just have to read the book to find all of the answers.I thoroughly enjoyed the read, solving the mystery, and seeing Piers and Charity rekindle the love they have for each other. I love that both Piers and Charity manage to overcome their pasts and move toward a future together.I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[rafram-951185 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Vanishing at Loxby Manor is the standalone by Abigail Wilson, published by Thomas Nelson. The story is set in Kent, England 1816, and is about gentlewoman Charity Halliwell who has returned from Ceylon to stay as the Cavanagh family’s guest. She finds them terribly distraught because their daughter has misbehaved and disappeared and keeps seeing lights from the nearby Abbey. Locals are scared and keep away from it while some mysterious activity seems to be going on. She gets help from her close friend and heir to the Manor, Piers Cavanagh, to investigate what has happened to his sister and if the disappearance is part of a lager mystery. Main character is gentlewoman Charity Halliwell seems a vulnerable woman who has suffered a blow to her selfworth she tries to keep secret. She is relatable and I feel for her, but she also frustrates me as she keeps things hidden and gets in her own way. She seems a well developed character who is easy to like and is my favorite of this story.Supporting character is heir to the Manor Piers Cavanagh who is a botanist. Having been ostracized from Society following rumors of cowardice, he seems a really good person. Circumstances have not been on his side and he has suffered the harsh, unfair judgment of The Ton. Main dramatic element of this story is the mysterious disappearance which makes Charity and Piers investigate local matters left alone for years. Rigging of horse races is an interesting element I have not read about before. The writing has a deliciously dark and mysterious vibe which I love to read this time of year. Charity lands in kind of an investigator role. A“Miss Marple Light” if you will. Charity and Piers have strong feelings from five years ago before Charity went to Ceylon. I enjoyed the process as complications in their relationship get a chance to be straightened out and feelings rekindled. This is my favorite part of the story.The faith element is weaved into the last part of the plot as Charity and Piers have to trust God to help them with their struggles.The ending to this story deserves a few sentences of its own as it was surprising beyond belief. I had my eye on several of the characters, but never the actual culprit. I really loved that.This is the second book I have read by Abigail Wilson and I have loved them both. She is firmly on my radar now and I am eagerly awaiting what she comes up with next. Readers of Historical romance and Historical mystery I’m sure will enjoy The Vanishing at Loxby Manor. Fans of Abigail Wilson will definitely love it.Similar authors to explore might be Sarah E. Ladd or Michelle Griep.Thank you to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for this opportunity to share my honest review. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.Conclusion: The Vanishing at Loxby Manor is the intriguingly mysterious historical which includes disappearance, murder and the rekindling of lost love. All tied together in an enjoyably unexpected ending.