BUTTERFLY PALACE (COLLEEN COBLE)

MY REVIEW:
Thomas Nelson|January 20, 2014|Trade Paperback|ISBN: 978-1-59554-783-5

Elegance and wealth. Privilege and politics. The extravagance of the Butterfly Palace overwhelmed Lily's senses and nearly smothered her painful memories. She pushed away her misgivings...She was perfectly safe in this huge house.

Austin, Texas--1904: Abandoned by the love of her life and still mourning the loss of her mother, Lily Donaldson has turned her back on the pain and come to Austin for a fresh start, working for the Marshall family as a kitchen maid in their luxurious mansion, the Butterfly Palace. The tasks before her are legion, and her mistress less than pleasant, but at least Lily's new life will be, if nothing else, distracting.

But one night, while serving at a dinner party, Lily recognizes the man who abandoned her, Andy, her liaison from the livery stable, the blacksmith's son...sitting among the distinguished guests. Though he recognizes her, Andy does not acknowledge her aloud, and Lily is left reeling, flabbergasted, and irate.

But before she can get an explanation, the path of the Servant Girl Killer swerves very close to the Butterfly Palace, sowing terror among the maids. Having come to Austin to start anew, Lily suddenly feels trapped in a spider web. How can she know who to trust in a house where lies come dressed in fine suits and deceit in silk gowns the colors of butterfly wings?

If you love historical fiction, you'll love BUTTERFLY PALACE. I couldn't put it down and promised myself that I'd pace my way through to make it last longer but I just couldn't do it. Before I knew it, I was turning the last page!

There was so much mystery, suspense, intrigue, and guesswork throughout this entire novel and I thought for sure I had the culprits pegged several times but I was dashed every single time. This was an excellent novel that is highly recommendable.