Evie's Ghost by Helen Peters
Like any self respecting 13-year-old with an ardent sense of entitlement, Evie Tregarron feels swindled when sent away so her mother can go on honeymoon with her new husband. Evie is further shocked when her so-called guardian leaves her to fend for herself in a rambling old house with no TV, no internet and no food in the kitchen! But these concerns fade into insignificance when a call for help – to free a girl imprisoned in one of the rooms – throws Evie back in time 200 years, to the year 1814.
An angry man bellowing at her to get down to the scullery is Evie’s rude awakening to her time-slip experience…and she must acclimatise fast to these unfamiliar surrounds (not-the-least to the prickly stockings and suffocating corset) if she is to play her part in this strange drama. Evie is put to work as a maid: scouring pots with vinegar and sand, sweeping dust from carpets with old tea leaves and emptying slops from chamber pots.
Suffice to say, Evie finds the conditions of her employment grave and exploitative and learns the meaning of hardship first-hand. This is a captivating read that builds in anticipation to a breathtaking conclusion.
