The Disappearance of Miss Sarah Oswald

Captain Lacey #4.7

by Ashley Gardner

A short story set in 1817 London involving Captain Gabriel Lacey, originally published in the Spring 2000 issue of Over My Dead Body mystery magazine. Included later in the anthology, "The Necklace Affair and Other Stories", and also with The Gentleman's Walking Stick (Captain Lacey #4.6).

Finalist for The Short Mystery Fiction Society's 2001 Derringer Award, Best "Short" category (1,201–10,000 words).

Genres: Mystery, Historical Mystery, Historical Fiction, Novella, Regency, Short Stories, Mystery Thriller

4 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Ashley Gardner is the pseudonym for NY Times bestselling and award-winning author Jennifer Ashley and nationally bestselling and award-winning author Allyson James. Her award-winning Captain Lacey Regency mysteries have garnered top reviews and an enthusiastic following. These books are now available as digital editions. More about the series can be found at http://www.gardnermysteries.com

Reviews

[Merry · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing. Why bother. Very short story.

[Jordan · Rating 3 out of 5]

None of these three short stories seemed very interesting or special to me. I don't necessarily regret reading them, but I also could have easily skipped reading them and not been worse for it.

[Jeannine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Per the author’s note, this was the first Captain Lacey story, published in a magazine. It’s been reworked to fit between books 4 and 5 in the series. A quick, fun read.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

London in 1817, and Miss Sarah Oswald went missing 8 months earlier. Her father asks for help from Lacey as a last effort in finding her, though the only possible options are that she has died or lost her reputation.

[Mary Hart · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Volume 1

[Leah Chalmers · Rating 2 out of 5]

Though I enjoyed these mysteries for me this was unnecessarily dark without enough enjoyment of solving the mystery due to the short story format. It felt just like a smack in the face.

[Laurla2]

published in the gentleman's walking stick
kindle version, was more than 4 pages.

lacey is asked to find a family's missing daughter, though they dont really seem to want her found.

"i did not think sarah's family wanted her back. they were upright, middle class people who would view shame as a fate worse than death - best to sweep it far away and out of sight."

[Eileen Lynx · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a kindle addition that included the other short stories. Wasn’t quite as good as the full length novels.

[Kuzi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well that was just depressing

[Ingie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review written April 14, 2016

★★★☆☆ #4.7-The Disappearance of Miss Sarah Oswald

See my review for the novella audiobook box The Necklace Affair and Other Stories

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

The very first story featuring Captain Gabriel Lacey, in which he is asked to look into the disappearance of a young girl 8 months earlier by her father, although the rest of the family seems perfectly happy to assume she's dead as the alternative would likely be even worse in the eyes of society.

[Angel Ludwig · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very early versions of her wonderful characters, great grasp of the 1800s, OK plot, well written, and moderately well edited (some blatant bloopers like he'd had and blue eyes that eyes sparkled). not quite as fleshed-out and wonderful as her novels, but still worth reading!

[Michele bookloverforever · Rating 3 out of 5]

sad story...but well written

[Ashley Gardner]

You can find this short story in the e-book collection: The Gentleman's Walking Stick, and in the print collection: The Necklace Affair and Other Stories.

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

So short it's hard to review effectively. It didn't have much of an impact on me.
Got it bundled with The Gentleman's Walking Stick (Captain Lacey #4.6).

[Raine · Rating 4 out of 5]

No wonder these stories sold!