Katherine Randolph and her older brother George are swept from their family farm in Virginia to a new home in Regency England. As newly rich members of society, the two are guarded and guided by their cousins. But after their introductory ball, George Randolph is found dead.
The locals insist her brother is a victim of the Beast of Walthingham, while her cousins assert it was a terrible accident; Katherine believes George was the victim of foul play. George is not the first or the last victim of Walthinghams's mysteries and the local magistrate encourages the young woman to drop her concerns in exchange for accepting the simplest answer.
Katherine tries to further investigate but is held back by resistance from her cousins and the household staff. One footman does seem to want to help his young mistress, but Katherine's cousins don't approve of the friendship or any dealings between the two. When the footman, John, is shot during the annual hunt a note amid his belongings seems to wrap up the mystery of George's death, but Katherine is skeptical.
With the trauma of her stay in England has wrought Katherine is ready to return to her foster family in Virginia. On the eve of her planned departure, Katherine's cousin proposes marriage and Katherine is stunned. She had hoped for a love-match and cannot fathom a marriage to the man her new friend obviously fancies. Katherine goes to her friend who refuses to believe Katherine has not plotted against her or that her plans for the future are thwarted by the man himself.
Her entire life is upended when Katherine discovers there is more to the proposal, the history of Walthingham, and her cousin than meets the eye. Will Katherine survive the mysteries of Walthingham or will her insistence that something is wrong spell her own ending? In this modern take on the Gothic Romance readers are transported to 1820's England and the social strictures which dictated life at the time. The Gilded Cage is better suited to teen readers with elements of mature romance and flagrant violence (Spoilers: the dog dies).
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