The Landlord’s Black-Eyed Daughter
John Randolph Remington leads a double life, one as a nobleman and one as a “Knight of the Road,” a notorious brand of highwayman known for ruthless robberies but who always shares the proceeds amongst the less fortunate of society. While in London, Randolph meets gothic romance writer Elizabeth Wyndham, a woman he swears he has met before. Elizabeth Wyndham believes she has met the mysterious Remington before, too. Neither can recall the circumstances.
Randolph and Elizabeth share a strong fascination with a 13th-century legend. Randolph is exactly like the hero in her latest romance, a medieval knight who died in combat. In fact, she comes to believe they are almost one and the same. Separately, Elizabeth and Randolph search to uncover the truth about the legend and why they both harbor such a fascination with that era.
Alfred Noyes’s famous poem, “The Highwayman,” captured the author’s interest during her childhood, and she recreates its plot in this novel. The characters are likeable, though predictable, and I enjoyed how well they interacted with each other. The storyline of this Georgian-set novel is fast-paced and includes a romance blended with a gothic twist that links back to medieval times.
