The Misbegotten: A haunting mystery of family secrets, passion and lies

Written by Katherine Webb

Narrated by Jacqueline King

Bath, 1821.

Rachel Crofton escapes her unhappy employment as a governess by marrying a self-made businessman. But her new life soon takes an unexpected turn.

Reclusive Jonathan Alleyn is a man tormented by the disappearance of his childhood sweetheart, Alice.

Starling, foundling child and now servant, is convinced that Alice, the woman she loved as a sister, was stolen from her. Did Alice run away? Or did something altogether more sinister occur?

As Starling tries to expose the lies behind Bath's immaculate facades, others want only to forget, and will go to extreme lengths to do so. And the courage both Rachel and Starling need to bring these truths to light will come at a very high price . . .

Read by Jacqueline King

(p) 2014 Orion Publishing Group

• Language: English
• Publisher: Orion
• Release date: Mar 27, 2014
• ISBN: 9781409154198

Katherine Webb

Katherine Webb was born in 1977 and grew up in rural Hampshire before reading History at Durham University. She has since spent time living in London and Venice, and now lives in Wiltshire. Having worked as a waitress, au pair, personal assistant, book binder, library assistant, seller of fairy costumes and housekeeper, she now writes full time. katherinewebbauthor.com @KWebbAuthor

Reviews for The Misbegotten

[khamneithang-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Captivating, delightfully compelling, and just plain fun! A story set in the eighteenth century, of losses, lies and about how secrets can come back to haunt us – that it will always find a way to rise to the surface, and the price one has to pay for it. It is also a story of deceit, passion and courage.

The Misbegotten by Katherine Webb is set in the city of Bath in the south of England and begins in 1803 when a small child is found walking alone from the nearby marshes. Alice, a good-hearted woman but with a secret past of her own took her in and calls her Starling. The two becomes fast companions, almost inseparable.

It is the story of a governess Rachel Crofton, who makes a fast decision to marry into the family of Richard Weekes, a self-made businessman, which is beneath her class. By this marriage of convenience she has high hope for the future. Rachel’s decision is prompted by her loneliness and the loss of her family fortune by her father before his death. Richard also seems to be genuinely in love with her.

It is also the story of a heart-broken and devastated Jonathan Alleyn, a man battered by Peninsula War and deeply tormented by the disappearance of his childhood sweetheart Alice. Jonathan supposedly loves Alice more than life itself. Ever since her disappearance he becomes withdrawn, and leads an almost reclusive life.

Though Starling was told that Alice had run away, she, however, has a different opinion. She believes that Alice was killed by Jonathan and his sins are now tormenting him. Did Alice run away? Or did something more sinister happen to her?

It is a book which I absolutely enjoyed, and you would want to unravel the mystery behind the disappearance of Alice, or how Starling with Rachel took the matter into their hands and bring the truth to light. Totally engrossing, uncovering one secret leads to a darker secret which will keep the reader turning each remaining page with hearts jumping and bloods pumping faster.

An absolute delight to read, The Misbegotten by Katherine Webb is an absorbing tale!