Imagine you are a 19th century woman who thought you knew all you needed to know about your past. You were about to leave to find work elsewhere. The school where you lived since a young child would close soon. But then, as she lay dying, the headmistress told you she's held onto a letter for two years with details that shatter that peace. You’re confused, heartbroken, and angry. She lied to you all this time about your earliest beginnings.That’s the opening to this novel, a satisfying tale of mystery and romance I’ve waited to read for the last two months. Jane Denton deathbed confession, a letter from mysterious sender, Robert Clark, upend the life of young Catherine Hale in Sarah E. Ladd’s “The Letter from Briarton Park.” The revelations lead Catherine to embark on the solo trip to Briarton Park with the monetary provisions in the letter. Quite brave for a lone woman living in 1811’s England. But Catherine wanted answers. She had a desperate hope to find her family. The journey would also steer the course ahead for her future.Ladd is one of my most favorite writers. I know her for her faith-based, historical fiction with a focus on the Regency period. Her writing looks like she lived during the Regency period. Her novels are clean. No bodice-ripping. No outright cursing. Just great stories with action, heart, intrigue, wholesome romances, faith-shaking-and-stirring character moments, and mystery…glorious mystery.Her characters hit the ground running and always have a mystery to solve. That opening scene plunged Catherine into trouble straight away. As she tried to piece her past together and look to the future, she found herself confronted by forces that didn’t want her to succeed. At times, she appeared alone and exposed with a contact, but no family. People in the story commit crimes to try to prevent her progress!It’s a story that will not “go gentle into that good night,” stealing a line from poet Dylan Thomas.I couldn't help thinking the library my local branch borrowed this book from mislabeled this one. On the spine of the book, someone placed a hot pink sticker with the words: GENTLE READ. Hm…. Really? Here, it is "a term used to describe books that contain little or no sex, violence or profanity. Often—but not always– the books have Christian themes or elements." OK, I'll allow it. lolThis novel is the first in Ladd’s new series, “Houses of Yorkshire.” Some of the texts I remembered while reading were Gaskell's "North & South" and Jane Austen's "Emma." Ladd’s vicar, Vincent North, reminded me a bit…a very little bit…of Jane Austen’s Mr. Elton. Keep him in mind as you read. I recalled every story I’ve read or drama I’ve watched that has an estate with secret passageways. I love a good secret passageway, especially ones found after the sale of an estate like this story.Ladd doesn’t always directly connect the books in her series. She makes her books somewhat standalone, which I like; however, she often will mention an earlier novel’s characters to tie into the present novel. It will be interesting to see if any of these characters make a reappearance in her next books. But I very much enjoyed this book. Worth the wait.