The Gilded Cage

by Lucinda Gray

Overview

Murder, intrigue, and a feisty heroine come together in Lucinda Gray's The Gilded Cage, an historical murder mystery and psychological suspense novel for young adult readers.

After growing up on a farm in Virginia, Walthingham Hall in England seems like another world to sixteen-year-old Katherine Randolph. Her new life, filled with the splendor of upper class England in the 1820s, is shattered when she discovers the corpse of her brother George in a lake on the estate—the tragic accidental drowning of a young man, the coroner reports, despite the wound to George's head.

Katherine is expected to observe the mourning customs and get on with her life, but she can't accept that her brother's death was an accident. A bitter poacher prowls the estate, and strange visitors threaten the occupants of the house. There's a rumor, too, that a wild animal stalks the woods of Walthingham.

Can Katherine retain her sanity long enough to find out the truth? Or will her brother's killer claim her life, too?

"A fast-paced, satisfying historical novel with a gutsy heroine and an intriguing 19th-century mystery at its core." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781627791823
Publisher:	Square Fish
Publication date:	08/01/2017
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.20(h) x 0.80(d)
Lexile:	830L (what's this?)
Age Range:	12 - 18 Years

About the Author

Lucinda Gray is the pseudonym of an American novelist who lives in New York.

Reading Group Guide

Magic is the difference between the seen and unseen. Magic is performance. Magic is hard work and practice. But, sometimes, great magicians can make it into something truly mysterious.

The word "magic" has changed over time—first used for centuries to explain natural happenings like earthquakes and illnesses—but we still use it to describe things we see but don't understand. Now, H.P. Newquist explains how (nearly) all the famous tricks work in this nonfiction narrative of magic through the ages, from the legends and oracles of ancient Egypt, to the exploits of Houdini and David Blaine.

Illustrated with photographs and line drawings, this book will have middle-grade readers spellbound.

Editorial Reviews

"A fast-paced, satisfying historical novel with a gutsy heroine and an intriguing 19th-century mystery at its core." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"The heroine’s strong character and the plot twists will appeal even to teens who aren’t normally interested in historical fiction... A worthy choice for YA collections." —School Library Journal

“Fans of the Regency-romance genre will enjoy this capably written tale . . . Katherine’s first-person narration helps readers bond with her somewhat feisty approach to her new life, and the straightforward plot makes it a quick pick for reluctant readers." —Booklist

From the Publisher

06/01/2016
Gr 9 Up—Sixteen-year-old Katherine and her brother George grew up farming in rural Virginia. Their lives are changed forever when an unknown relative dies, unexpectedly leaving George a title and an estate in England. Suddenly farm girl Katherine is a young lady, dressed in finery and trying her best to follow the restrictive rules imposed on her by restrictive 1820s society. Just as they are settling into this new life, however, George dies in what everyone but Katherine believes to have been a terrible accident. Is she simply overcome by her grief, or could there be something to the rumors of a creature lurking in the woods? What follows is a story full of mystery, intrigue, and a little romance that keeps readers guessing as they root for Katherine. The plot advances quickly, building suspense and laying groundwork for events readers still might not see coming. The heroine's strong character and the plot twists will appeal even to teens who aren't normally interested in historical fiction. VERDICT A worthy choice for YA collections.—Sarah Jones, Clinton-Macomb Public Library, MI

School Library Journal