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Diving straight into book two sees staff and students returning to St Brides after the half-term break. Gemma Lamb feels much more confident in her ability to teach now, and is looking forward to Catching up with her Year 7 girls as well as her colleagues � some more than others. So when a stranger with a rather familiar face turns up, no one expects his arrival to cause such a fuss. However, the stranger introduces himself � in an American accent � as Earl Bunting, the only surviving heir of their benefactor Lord Bunting, and he’s come to claim his inheritance.
While his resemblance to Lord Bunting cannot be denied, there’s something about him that neither Gemma nor her co-workers, and particularly the girls do not like. He may seem to be the soul of generosity by insisting the school continue as it is, but bit by bit he usurps the headmistress’s authority until his true intentions can no longer be ignored. The governors seem happy with his credentials yet Earl � which is actually his given name and not a title � may have thrown his weight around a little too much in the village. That he imagines stories of his weird behaviour won’t get back to the teachers is his first mistake: dropping his accent for one thing, taking out books on inheritance law from the bookshop, dying his hair, and building up a large unpaid tab at the pub only give Gemma cause to suspect he’s not all he says he is.

When it looks like the school’s very existence may be at stake, everyone joins forces to invalidate his claim. However, it’s not so straightforward since he possesses a journal that does link him to the Lord. So how can they get dispute his claim on St Brides ?
It’s time to look closer at the man and in particular at his snazzy vehicle. To do this, Gemma relies heavy on Max who looks after the security of the school and its inhabitants. Max has a habit of popping up at the most unexpected times by virtue of the tunnel network created by Lord Bunting, this gives him the perfect opportunity to watch the comings and goings of everyone at St Brides. Put this way, if there’s something dodgy going on, Max will be on the case, and he and Gemma make the perfect double act in uncovering the true identity of the pretender to the estate. But will their evidence be enough?

My only criticism of this story is Earl Bunting's constant, irritating habit of getting everyone's name wrong. Calling Miss Lamb everything from Kidd to Lamp (and it wasn't just her name he got wrong) made me dislike him even more. If he did this to rile people, well... he succeeded!!

Rant over, the mystery in this book is much stronger, the story is fast-paced, and combined with great touches of humour - courtesy of she pranks played on the interloper by the students and the cat! - this is a most enjoyable read.

Thank you to the author, Boldwood Books and Netgalley for my ecopy which I have reviewed of my own volition.