British lawyer-turned-author Sarah Collins creates an interesting Gothic romance, with a former Jamaican slave as the protagonist, inspired by the classic books written by the legendary Bronte sisters and Jane Austen.
The story begins at London’s Old Bailey on April 5, 1826, where Frannie Langton is being charged with the murder of her master George Benham and his wife Marguerite.
As Frannie contemplates her fate (and indicates her love for one of her victims), she recalls how her life began on a sugar cane farm in Jamaica where she was a house servant for the Langdons (that is how she got her name), how she ended up in London and living with the Benhams, and eventually how she ended up being accused of their brutal murder.
The story goes back and forth between her time during the trial, to the events leading up to it.
The story has a few twists here and there that keep the reader on their toes. Frannie’s relationship with Marguerite is a complicated one, and that serves as a turning point for her.
Then there is Laddie Cambridge, another former slave who had a connection to the Benhams that intrigues Frannie, and who compels her to try to dig deeper.
Collins does not shy away from revealing how people of colour at that time , especially slaves, were treated not only as commodity, but also as bizarre research subjects.
Some of the plot twists are not only surprising, but also heartbreaking.
Through Frannie’s story, Collins also helps open our eyes to a world that is seldom discussed or acknowledged.
Overall, this book is an engaging read, and is ideal for a group discussion.
