I loved the setting of the book, and was initially drawn to the dual storyline that connected the hundred-year-old mystery, but I didn't love the book in the end. I found the pace was mostly slow, but there would be certain points where the plot events made the pace speed up a bit -- there were a lot of repetitive scenes that could have been edited out to keep the pace of the book more even and move the story along. I also struggled to like any of the characters except Beatrice, and was very annoyed by Hetty because she was a weak woman who lacked conviction and self-confidence for most of the book. The mystery at the heart of the story was intriguing, but as the plot progressed, I found it very easy to guess the truth.