The Silver Coin (Coins: Book Two): Andrea Kane

"All her life, Breanna Colby has lived on the precipice of fear, her only joy the recent reunion with her beloved cousin, Anastasia.  With her violent father now locked away in jail, the repressed young woman can emerge from her cocoon and pursue all the joys she's been denied.  But she finds--to her terror--that not all the shadows have lifted, and an evil from the past stalks both her and Anastasia.  When authorities are unable to help with this assassin lurking in the darkness, the Colbys turn to the brilliant, unconventional Royce Chadwick, England's foremost expert on finding people who don't want to be found.

"Hard, detached Royce has always been a loner who operates by his own set of rules.  He has little patience for weakness.  Delicate Breanna Colby is an eye-opener to him, for beneath her fragile exterior lies a core of steel.  As the two face overwhelming danger side by side, Royce discovered a woman he never dreamed existed--one who, despite his cynicism, he is losing his heart to.  But their future together can never be--not unless Royce kills the assassin before the assassin kills them."

Having sped through the first in this two book series, The Gold Coin, I was eager to pick up the second and see what happens in Brianna's story.  Lucky for me, I happened to have this one sitting on my shelf as well!  After such an explosive ending to the Stacie's story, I couldn't wait to see what the aftermath looked like.  What sort of fallout came of Stacie and Breanna thwarting the assassin?  What would life be like for Breanna now that she was finally free of her violent, vindictive father?

The story takes place shortly after Breanna's twenty-first birthday -- just a few months after the conclusion of Stacie's book.  Breanna has been working on organizing the construction of Stacie and Damen's new home on the grounds of Medford Manor.  She excitedly anticipates their return from their honeymoon trip to America where they were able to oversee their new banking venture.  However, the joy is not to last.

A mysterious package arrives at Medford Manor.  It it addressed only to Stacie.  And it contains mutilated dolls which bear an uncanny resemblance to Stacie and Breanna, as well as an explicit threat.  Though Breanna takes the dolls to Bow Street, there is little they can do for her.  They are spread far too thin as it is with a slew of odd murders and disappearances amongst the ton.  Stacie realizes Bow Street will be of no help and she must figure out how to handle the threat on her own.  It seems as if the assassin whose finger she shot off when she thwarted his attempted murder of Stacie has come back to England.  Not only does he seek revenge for his mutilated hand, he wants Breanna to suffer.  A brilliant villain, he knows the best way to do this is to go for her weak underbelly.  He intends to make her watch Stacie die before he then kills Breanna.  The stakes become all the more desperate when Stacie and Damen return from their trip and announce that Stacie is expecting.  Not only does Breanna have to worry about keeping her beloved cousin safe from the assassin's gun, she now has an unborn child to consider.

Ever the devoted husband and soon-to-be-father, Damen is determined to do everything in his power to keep his family safe.  He calls upon an old friend, Royce Chadwick, to help track down the mysterious assassin before he can pull the trigger.  The depth and breadth of the assassin's depravity is astounding.  He is brilliant and fearless...but Royce must be even more cunning if he is to save the life of the woman he has come to love.

What follows is an intense game of cat and mouse which kept me on the edge of my seat.  I swear I was drowning in anxiety the entire time I read this book!  Kane does such a brilliant job with creating palpable tension and moving the plot along.  There was nothing stagnant about this book.  I was as desperate as the characters to see what the assassin would do next, when and where he would strike.  The plot was brilliant and the assassin was terrifying.  It was an impossible situation, especially when Kane did such a great job of closing any loopholes and avenues Stacie and Breanna may have had to escape the fate intended for them.

I enjoyed seeing Breanna come into her own in this story, but she did still seem to remain true to the character we saw in the first book.  She is soft-spoken and seems fragile, but it hides a quick intelligence and strong soul.  This is what causes Royce to fall for her.  He was adamant from the very beginning that he detests weakness and shows of tears.  It is no wonder he is impressed when he meets Breanna and finds no wilting flower.  However.  I will say that this was just about all I could come up with as to why Royce fell for her.  There wasn't much from his perspective in regards to this transition (though we did see inside his mind a great deal more than we did Damen's in the first book), so it wound up feeling like a bit more of a leap than it should have.  In fact, it actually suspended escape into the story quite a bit.  The same went for Breanna's attraction to Royce.  We saw that she was physically attracted to him, but what else was there?  I suppose I wanted a bit more about about why and how they fell in love to make this a tad bit more believable.  It could have been as simple as showing some interactions between them which weren't all about tracking down the assassin.  Their coming together and declarations of love felt far more abrupt than they probably should have been.

I enjoyed seeing more of Damen and Stacie, though I will say that they felt a little bit "hollow."  Damen was reduced to a stereotypical overly-protective husband.  I wanted to see his quick mind and wit.  Stacie was more reserved as well.  I might attribute this to her wanting to protect her unborn child and experiencing the woes of the first trimester, but I can't blame it fully on that.  I realize they were not the center of attention in this book, but I wanted to see the glimmer of their characters here as well.

The chapters from the assassin's perspective were brilliant.  I loved how dark and sinister they felt and I truly enjoyed seeing the way his mind worked.  He really was an evil genius adept in terrorizing his victims to their cores.  Kane shielded him perfectly and I had no idea who he was until the characters did.

The overall plot was extremely complex and far grander than I could have imagined.  This book clearly took an extraordinary amount of work and planning to execute.  For this, I commend Kane.  She wrote brilliantly and kept me interested from the very first page.  I waited for the final confrontation with a tremendous amount of anticipation.  I suppose I wanted a bit more than I was given when it came to revealing the assassin, but I suppose it all worked out for the best.

As a minor note (which I hope doesn't give too much away), I did find the very last chapter to be a tad bit too "Brady Bunch" for my personal tastes.  I'm sure not everyone will feel this way, but I did feel the need to mention it.

Overall, I did like this series quite a bit.  I enjoyed the blend of romance, mystery, and suspense.  I was never bored and, for the most part, I found the characters to be interesting and the style to be captivating.  I made a few notes about the romance between the male and female leads in each of these books, but these are by no means deal breakers.  I recommend this series to any lover of romance who is looking to liven up their reading material!

The Gold Coin (Coins: Book One): Andrea Kane

"As children, identical cousins Anastasia and Breanna Colby swore always to protect each other.  Now that Anastasia's beloved parents have died, she has come to live with Breanna...and Breanna's father, whose raging temper has locked his daughter into a life of fear.  What is more, Anastasia soon realizes that her uncle is involved in a sinister scheme that places both young women in deadly danger.  Fearing most of all for her cousin, Anastasia turns to the only help she can think of, the man who holds the reins to her considerable fortune--the fascinating, enigmatic Damen Lockewood, Marquess of Sheldrake.

"From the moment Anastasia and Damen meet, blazing passion flares between them.  But in the face of overwhelming peril--and threats on Anastasia's life--thoughts of love cannot be indulged.  Not unless the mystery that entraps them is solved will they at last be able to pursue the future their feelings command them to share.  But is the danger stalking them really gone?"

Andrea Kane is a new author on my list.  I've had a few of her books sitting amongst my collection for quite a few years, but this is the first that I've picked up.  I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised.  I don't know if I initially realized that there was more to this story than a romance novel, but it quickly became apparent that there was far more to this book than I'd believed.

We are first introduced to young Stacie (Anastasia) and Breanna as they make their first decision to trade places in an effort to save Breanna from getting into trouble with her father.  Being that their fathers are twins and their mothers, sisters, the cousins' auburn hair and jade-green eyes are so similar that there is no one who can tell them apart -- not even their own parents.  This sparks a pact between them which will much later become an integral part of their survival.  That evening, they are pulled aside by their grandfather and given some very special, very secret gifts:  For Stacie, a gold coin; silver for Breanna.  He tells them that they must keep them safe and never under any circumstances present them to anyone.  Though they are young, the girls take his words to heart.  Little do they know what an impact those coins will make upon their lives.

Years pass and Stacie returns to England after having moved to Pennsylvania with her parents soon after that night when she and Breanna had first switched identities.  Both of her parents have died and she returns to the beloved home shortly after her grandfather's own death.  Her uncle, Breanna's father, is now Viscount Medford.  It is clear that he has taken to running his family's company and lording power over his daughter.  With their grandfather gone, Breanna's world had shrunk to the size of Medford Manor.  Both girls are overjoyed at being reunited, but there is a sinister undercurrent at Medford Manor which unnerves Stacie and causes her concern for her beloved cousin.

Her fears grow when she witnesses just how sheltered and locked away Breanna has been all these years.  Part of the reason appears to be that Medford has his eye on Damen Lockwood, Marquess of Sheldrake, as a future son-in-law.  Not only is Damen incredibly brilliant and wealthy, his family is renowned for its credibility and standing in the financial world.  No doubt this has played into Uncle George's desire to bring Damen into his family.  His greed and lust for power was never a secret; in fact, it was one of the things which drove a wedge between the Colby men for many decades.  Though between them lies an even darker secret which Stacie's father carried to his grave, Breanna knows not of, and George has allowed to fester in the dark hole in which his heart should have existed.

It is clear that the new Viscount Medford is furious at being kept away from Stacie and Breanna's inheritances, and that Stacie is now owner of her father's share of the family shipping company.  He hadn't anticipated having a woman as a business associate, let alone one as outspoken and meddlesome as his niece.  He can only hope that Damen, the man wisely named as custodian of Stacie's inheritance, will keep her from making any foolish financial decisions and squandering away the money before Medford can find a way to get his hands on it.

Little do Medford and Damen know that Stacie is far more than she first appears.  Having inherited her sense of business and learned financial savviness from her father, Stacie is thrilled to finally be able to have a part in the family business.  What she hadn't counted on, however, was having to answer to a man such as Damen when it came to spending those funds -- at least until her twenty-first birthday.  At first, she finds Damen to be cold and far too observant.  He thwarts her attempts to invest in what she believes to be a brilliant financial opportunity and she does everything she can in order to realize her dreams.  Her determination is what eventually draws Damen to her.

Damen is far too busy to play custodian to this Americanized young woman, Lady Anastasia Colby.  He has many more pressing matters to attend to, a bank to run, and investments to manage...still, he finds himself spending more and more time with her under the guise of discussing her inheritance.  He doesn't expect her to brazenly approach other potential investors at her coming out party after he turns her down.  He's drawn to her fiery personality, her rapier wit, and her enthralling beauty.  It would seem that she is the only woman in the world who could entice him to mix business with pleasure.

As Damen and Stacie become closer, Medford starts to see the threads of his careful plot begin to unravel. No one realizes the depth of his debt and the strength of his determination to not lose everything.  He will stop at nothing to win everything back.  Even if it means sacrificing what little family he has left.  Greed has blinded him and driven him to the edge of sanity.  It becomes apparent that Medford is involved in something very dangerous, very dark, and very illegal.  His desperation could very well put Stacie and Breanna's lives in jeopardy if he isn't stopped in time...

I found the undercurrent of romance between Damen and Stacie to be quite enjoyable.  It wasn't as overt as a "true" romance novel, but there was just enough to put this solidly in the romance genre.  I liked the progression of it, which flowed rather well with the complex plot.  However, I will say that I felt like I needed more from Damen's point of view.  A vast majority of this book was from Stacie's perspective (or Medford's, but I'll get into that later) and I wanted to know more about how Damen fell so hard and so fast for Stacie.  He was such a logical, methodical character that there had to be something rather extraordinary going on in his mind to make this happen.  We got very few chapters from Damen's point of view, and I would have very much liked to have seen at least several more.  I'm much more used to a more equitable division of perspective.  What was different from the more traditional romance genre was that the characters declared love rather quickly and rather easily.  Once it hit them, they didn't resist or hide it; they accepted it and moved on with plans to make a future as best as they could.  This felt a little bit off to me, but it could have been simply because I'm so used to characters having to work through more issues in their relationship.  Of course, Damen and Stacie had many other obstacles they needed to overcome...

I mentioned that a portion of this book is told from Medford's perspective.  I found this to be an excellent tactic.  It was a great way to create tension and also expose the readers to his descent into desperation and madness.  It was dark and disturbing at times, but it definitely created a great villain for the mystery/suspense portion of this story.  Medford was a selfish, greedy, hateful man -- and we never would have known the depths of his depravity were we readers not privy to his inner thoughts.

I read this book rather quickly despite its length, which I find to be a good testament to its readability.  I liked the strong characters and captivating plot.  Stacie was intelligent and outspoken while Breanna was an excellent foil to her more brazen cousin.  I did enjoy seeing Breanna come into her own as the story moved along and I looked forward to seeing more of her in her own book.  I found Damen to be witty and charming, impressively intelligent and wise beyond his years.  He was an excellent male lead; I just wanted a bit more insight into the workings of his very interesting mind.

I definitely recommend this book to those seeking to branch out a bit from straight "romance."  This can add a bit of variety into your reading without too much culture shock.  The sense of danger fairly dripped from every page and kept me wanting to read more...so much so that I've actually already finished the second book in this pair!

Wait Until Midnight: Amanda Quick

"Gentle Reader,

"It could have been a scene from one of my novels.  As a rule, respectable ladies do not accept calls from Mysterious Gentlemen on business of the most grave importance--but I confess that I was possessed of lively curiosity.  The past three years had been so determinedly dull, I hoped My. Adam Hardesty would offer a tiny respite from it.  Indeed, upon first glance, Mr. Hardesty had such a formidable, thrilling presence, he quickly became the model for the villain in the sensation novel I was currently writing.

"Imagine my shock and distress then, them Mr. Hardesty accused me of being party to a plot of murder, blackmail, and general villainy!  I knew nothing of such occurrences, and proclaimed my innocence.  Unfortunately, Mr. Hardesty left unconvinced, and I had an uneasy feeling over what his search would uncover.  You see, Gentle Reader, though I live a most uneventful life now, my past contained a Great Scandal that would be ruinous if resurrected.  To protect my secrets from Mr. Hardesty's investigation, I concluded that I would need to conduct an inquiry of my own, and if that meant sharing my findings with Mr. Hardesty, so be it.  And my course of action had nothing whatsoever to do with the illicit, passionate feelings that he aroused in me--feelings that propriety would definitely frown upon...

"Yours most sincerely,

"Caroline Fordyce"

Here's yet another one to add to my Amanda Quick kick as I pick my way through my sizable "to be read" pile (or, more aptly, my "to be read shelf" now that my husband has finally gotten around to hanging the shelves in my office!).  According to fantasticfiction.com, this is a standalone novel.  I can see, however, how this could have been a series when you incorporate some of the secondary characters from Adam Hardesty's family.  In fact, I wouldn't be surprised to find several connected stories amongst her voluminous resume.

I have noticed a trend for the supernatural in each of the books I've read by Quick.  While this can be a dime a dozen in this genre, I find her take a bit more refreshing in its realism.  The books seem to have characters fascinated with the supernatural, yet the underlying current is one of skepticism which manages to ground the readers rather than whisk them away on a fanciful cloud.  There's nothing wrong with this cloud, per se, but if that is what you're looking for with Quick, then I must say that I have yet to find it.  Her characters are worldly and far more grounded than others I've found in more supernatural stories.  This lands Quick's works solidly in the middle between realistic and paranormal -- an interesting place to be for those readers who aren't too fond of paranormal or supernatural, and yet they desire something with a bit more intrigue than a typical book of this genre.  Indeed, I feel that her books might even lean toward mystery in that aspect.  Her characters always seem to be on the hunt to uncover a secret, solve a crime or murder, or generally involve themselves in rather risky situations.  This lends an air of excitement to her works; Wait Until Midnight was no exception.  I found the pacing quite good and all of the secondary characters to be well-formed and beneficial to the plot and character development.  The murder, mystery, and nefarious plots moved the story along and kept me interested from the first page.

We are introduced to Adam Hardesty as he examines the scene of a horribly violent crime.  Someone has murdered a woman who proclaimed to be a medium.  In the all the obsession with the paranormal which marked the Victorian Era in England, was this woman murdered by a vengeful spirit from the Other Side, or was a more worldly rage her downfall -- perhaps there was an unhappy sitter at one of her recent seances?  This leads Adam to the home of Caroline Fordyce, noted author of serial sensationalist novels.  Being far more worldly and practical, Adam has not heard of Mrs. Fordyce prior to their meeting; however, he soon realizes that he'll not soon forget her.

Caroline Fordyce is taken in by curiosity as an obviously-wealthy stranger calls on her at an odd hour.  She knows he gives her a false name and his mysterious inquiries and accusations set off alarms in her head.  But there's something about this man which draws her to him.  In fact, she decides to use him as the inspiration for the villain her current novel.  By the time the man leaves, Caroline has realized that something horrible is afoot and, if she doesn't act quickly, the potential disaster could destroy everything she and her aunts had worked toward over the last several years.

Somewhat reluctantly, Caroline and Adam work together to uncover the truth behind the medium's gruesome murder -- and locate the diary which Adam knows contains secrets which could destroy his family and everything he'd achieved to secure them a safe place in the world.  Adam has secrets of his own which he must protect...but he finds himself willing to open up to the enticing, intelligent Mrs. Fordyce in a way that he never has before.

Overall, I enjoyed the plot.  There were many twists and turns which kept it fast-paced and captivating.  As far as the characters, themselves, I liked both Caroline and Adam well enough.  Caroline was interesting because she viewed so much of her world through an author's lens.  Adam felt slightly less-developed.  It wasn't until 3/4 of the way through the novel that it was mentioned how powerful and notoriously reserved he was...but if his name was so well-known then how had Caroline never heard of him?  I realize she didn't travel in the same social circles as Adam and his family, but there was a good amount of indication that he was someone to be recognized and he had a name which was more than a little bit well-known.  It was something I found a little bit odd.  I liked his history, as well as Caroline's past.  I think those lent them each their own unique flair.  As for the romance between them...I missed it a bit.  I don't believe there was enough build up of tension before they acted upon those impulses.  I love a bit of delicious torture, and I found it lacking a bit here in lieu of developing the very complex and mysterious grander plot thread.  There was little to no hesitation on Caroline's part when it came to sleeping with Adam.  There was no reason or explanation given for this either (not even a, "Well, he's hot and I'm not getting any younger!"), nor did she seem shy in the slightest.  I suppose I wanted her to be a bit more demure about it all.  I realize she was not who she claimed to be, but even her internal dialogue missed the mark.  Yet again, I also found the lack of physical descriptions of the characters throughout the book to be a bit sad.  I want to know more about their appearances than their clothing.  What were their features like?  The angle of their eyes, the length of their lashes, the shadow of a beard?  I want something to flesh them out a bit more.

I am still recommending this book, so please don't take my criticisms as a reason to stay away.  I'm merely making some observations and comparisons between Quick and some of the other authors I've read.  I enjoyed the book and cruised through it rather swiftly.  I believe this may be one of the last ones I own by Quick, so there may be an unintentional hiatus before I can obtain more.  Happy reading!

Dangerous: Amanda Quick

"From a magnificent ballroom ablaze with lights to an imposing country house steeped in shadows comes a breathtaking tale go an impetuous miss--and a passion that leads to peril...

"At five and twenty, Prudence Merrywhether knew very well the risks a woman took by visiting a gentleman in the dead of night.  But bearding the notorious Earl of Angelstone in his den was the only way to stop him from engaging her hot-headed brother in a duel.  And that was why she found herself ushered into Sebastian's forbidding presence at three in the morning--and thoroughly kissed before dawn,

"She was a country-bred innocent--and an intriguing experience for a man who dwelt more in the shadows than in the sunshine.  Yet as her boldness drew Prue into one dangerous episode after another.  Sebastian found himself torn between a raging hunger to possess her and a driving need to protect her.  And the reckless beauty would soon need all the protection she could get..."

It has been about 11 years since I last read a book by Quick.  Do yourself a favor and don't go and read my old reviews...I did and they're painfully brief and none-too-detailed.  However, I did seem to enjoy her writing quite a bit.  Reading Quick was like a breath of fresh air after the book prior ended up taking me months to finish (no exaggeration).  I read this book in a matter of only a couple of days!  Basically, this book was everything you could want in a period romance novel.  The characters were fun, the plot was unique and intriguing, and I didn't want to put the book down.

The pacing of Quick's writing was much quicker than some other authors I've read, but it worked out quite well.  This book is proof that one does not need to write about every single event, every single moment, every single conversation the characters have in order to build a story and a relationship.  I thought she was quite clever in the way in which she chose to omit certain days and events and, instead, opted to backtrack a little bit in her characters' musings and conversations as a way to "fill in the blanks."  I think this kept the pacing fun and made the story move along at an interesting clip.  Along these lines, the dialogue was witty and amusing.  I really enjoyed the back and forth between Sebastian and Prue; they were well-matched and entertaining together.

As a male lead, I found Sebastian secret hobby a great depart from the usual "black devil, evil lord of darkness" archetype which occurs so often in this genre.  This gave him more depth and personality than I thought he would have when I first began reading.  I also appreciated the lengths Quick went to develop his backstory and make her readers fully appreciate the depth of the animosity between Sebastian and his relatives.  This was no mere feud, and this was nothing to be taken lightly.

As a female lead, Prue was fun, intelligent, self-assured, and brave.  I appreciated all of these things without her and, had she been underdeveloped in any of these areas, then I probably would not have believed her capable of handling Sebastian as she did.  Her own unique hobby was intriguing and I don't believe it's something I've encountered in one of these books before.  It helped to create some common ground with Sebastian, as well as it made her stand out amongst the crowd.  I liked how well she challenged Sebastian and how she was never ashamed to do what she felt was important or right.  I will say, however, that I think her backstory really fell away after only a few mentions -- even her brother seemed to disappear quite fully.  I think a lot of his had to do with the fact that the perspective shifts much more in favor of Sebastian than Prue.  Readers gain far more insight into his musings and his movements than those of Prue.  She got a bit swallowed up by the enormity of Sebastian's character at the end.  For this, I might deduct very minor points.

Above and beyond the captivating chemistry between Prue and Sebastian, I thoroughly enjoyed the plot.  There was a blend of mystery and the supernatural woven in with the traditional romantic tones.  This kept everything fresh and interesting.  Though there were dark undertones due to the natures of Prue and Sebastian's interests, I was impressed at how the story -- for the most part -- remained light enough to lose myself in enjoyment.  The romance made me enjoy the characters, but the plot and mystery kept me turning the pages much longer into the night than I probably should have.

I have a few more standalone novels for Quick sitting on my office bookshelves.  After the year we've had and my (surprising) pathetic reading track record, I may have to dive right into another one and lose myself in what I expect to be another very entertaining read.

When Maidens Mourn (Sebastian St. Cyr Series, Book Seven): C.S. Harris

"Tales of King Arthur and the Lady of Shalott provide inspiration for this latest gripping installment in the Sebastian St. Cyr mystery series.  Just four days wed, the aristocratic investigator and his fiercely independent bride, Hero Jarvis, become caught up in a twisted intrigue involving ancient legends and a deadly family curse.

"Regency England, August 1812:  Sebastian's plans to escape the heat of London for a honeymoon are shattered when the murdered body of Hero's good friend Gabrielle Tennyson is discovered drifting in a battered boat at the site of a long-vanished castle known as Camlet Moat.  A beautiful young antiquary, Miss Tennyson recently provoked an uproar with her controversial identification of the island as the location of Camelot.  Missing and presumed dead are also Gabrielle's two young cousins, nine-year-old George and three-year-old Alfred.

"Still struggling to define the nature of their new marriage, Sebastian and Hero find themselves occasionally working at cross-purposes as their investigation takes them from London's medieval Inns of Court to its grimy back alleys, and from a newly built country estate to a rural enclave where ancient Celtic beliefs still hold sway.  Probing deeper, Sebastian discovers dark secrets at the heart of the Tennyson family and an enigmatic young French lieutenant who is concealing mysteries of his own.

"As Sebastian and Hero race to unmask a ruthless killer and unravel the puzzle of the missing children, they soon realize that both their lives and the growing love for each other are at risk, threatened by powerful men in high places...and by a tall, dark stranger who may hold the key to Sebastian's own parentage."

This is, unfortunately, another severely delayed review.  I finished reading this book in August of 2019 and, as I mentioned in another review I just posted, I was so frustrated with myself for having accidentally deleted a rather lengthy review that I simply stopped reviewing my books as I read them (that, and I was extremely distracted because we were also purchasing a new home and I was 6 months pregnant in August!).  *Edit:  I was able to figure out how to backdate my review to post on the correct date that I finished this book; the review was written on May 19, 2020.

This was a fitting installment in the Sebastian St. Cyr series of period mysteries.  As always, Harris did not disappoint with her rich, captivating narrative and complex plot.  She remained true to her brilliant, headstrong characters and darkly twisted mystery.  I was exited to see Arthurian mythology playing a prominent role in this particular story.  As a bit of a British literature and history buff, I don't think we see much of an acknowledgment of this in popular literature (unless someone blatantly chooses to write about it with characters and plots specifically set within said mythology).  I even once wrote an entire presentation on the importance of the Arthurian legend in British culture -- specifically how King Arthur makes a resurgence in times of need and strife.  He represents a very specific brand of nationalism (and this happens to tie in perfectly with the plot of this particular book!).  I loved how much this came into play - not only with Gabrielle's claims that Camlet is THE Camelot, but with the mystery surrounding the circumstances of her death.

The plot takes you in a winding journey from suspect to suspect - each seemingly more guilty than the last.  All the while, the simmering tension and desire between Sebastian and Hero is at war with their respective desires to be "in charge."  Each is brilliant in his/her own right, yet they cannot seem to let go of the longstanding battle of wills that stands between them.  As they attempt to work together to solve this mystery, they discover the growing strength of their own relationship and fresh marriage.  This presents a nice undertone to the mystery and tragic murder of Hero's friend.

In this case, solving the murder is not enough.  There is still the matter of the missing boys.  Who has the means and motive to kill the intelligent young woman and kidnap her cousins?  What role does the dashing Frenchman play in all of this?  Could a jealous relative be behind the murder, or is there something much larger at play here?  Could Hero's father have been behind it all along?  If so, what does that mean for the relationship between Hero and Sebastian; or Hero and her father, for that matter?

Another undercurrent in this book is the mystery surrounding Sebastian's true parentage.  We encounter a very intriguing stranger who may just have all the answers -- if he was willing to talk...

The multifaceted nature of this story (in fact, the entire series) makes for a very compelling read.  The period nature of this plot creates a dark and gritty (almost gothic) setting, perfect for those of us who have an interest in period literature.  The characters are all richly crafted and the mysteries are complex and keep you guessing until the very end.  Overall, I am still thrilled with this series and look forward to moving to the next one.

Where Shadows Dance (Sebastian St. Cyr Mystery, Book Six): C. S. Harris

“Regency London, July 1812:  How do you set about solving a murder that no one can reveal has been committed?

“That’s the challenge confronting C. S. Harris’s aristocratic soldier-turned-sleuth, Sebastian St. Cyr, when surgeon and anatomist Paul Gibson illegally buys the cadaver of a young man from London’s infamous body snatchers.  A rising star at the Foreign Office, Mr. Alexander Ross was reported to have died of a weak heart.  But when Gibson discovers a stiletto wound at the base of Ross’s skill, he can turn only to Sebastian for help in catching the killer.

“Described by all who knew him as an amiable young man, Ross at first seems an unlikely candidate for murder.  But as Sebastian’s search takes him from the Queen’s drawing rooms in St. James’s Palace to the embassies of Russia, the United States, and the Turkish Empire, he plunges into a dangerous shadow land of diplomatic maneuvering and international intrigue, where truth is an elusive commodity and nothing is as it seems.

“Meanwhile, Sebastian must confront the turmoil of his personal life.  Hero Jarvis, daughter of his powerful nemesis Lord Jarvis, finally agrees to become his wife.  But as their wedding approaches, Sebastian can’t escape the growing realization that not only Lord Jarvis but Hero herself knows far more about the events surrounding Ross’s death than they would have him believe.

“Then a second body is found, badly decomposed but bearing the same fatal stiletto wound.  And Sebastian must race to unmask a ruthless killer who is now threatening the life of his reluctant bride and their unborn child.”

This installment in the world of Sebastian St. Cyr mysteries was one of my quicker reads by Harris.  I thought the plot twists and sheer number of suspects did a very good job of keeping the truth behind the murder of Alexander Ross well hidden from the readers, as well as ensuring a good pace to the plot.

Sebastian is called to Gibson’s surgery after the anatomist discovers a very suspicious wound inflicted upon a corpse which he obtained through dubious means.  Little does Sebastian know that investigating the hidden murder will not only reveal massive secrets within the government, but it also puts Sebastian’s own life at stake, and that of those he cares about.

Still struggling to come to terms with the fact that Hendon is not his true father, Sebastian remains firm in his resolve that he’ll not allow his own child to suffer the stain of illegitimacy – he finally convinces Hero Jarvis to accept his hand in marriage, much to the chagrin of both their families at odds over politics and personal vendettas.  Unfortunately for Hero, tying her name to a well-known aristocratic sleuth means she becomes a target for those trying to dissuade and distract Sebastian from his meddlesome crime-solving.  Sebastian must manage his perceptive, nosy, hesitant-bride-to-be all while ensuring his own hide is kept safe as he skillfully maneuvers between social and political circles.  Diplomats, shipping magnates, ambassadors, military notables, foreign spies, and even the Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs all rank somewhere amongst his seemingly-endless list of suspects.  He discovers there are far more lies, subterfuge, and exchanges of gold and secrets taking place within the Regency government and between England and other Continental nations during this tumultuous wartime.  But which of his suspects is the most likely to have wanted Ross – a seemingly well-liked gentleman professional, loyal to both his government and his lovely young betrothed – dead?  And what do the United States have to do with all of it?  Whoever it was nearly got away with the murder…had it not been for Gibson and his body-snatching contacts.

As the bodies begin to pile up, Sebastian must determine which – if any – of them are related…and figure out just how many killers are out there before time runs out.  The ensuing manhunt risks Sebastian’s life and the stability of his own country’s government.

I found this book to be intriguing and entertaining.  It is, of course, another murder-mystery, so it is certainly not without its gruesome gore.  This is another book that’s not for the faint-of-heart or weak-of-stomach.  The violence and death aren’t gratuitous, just a present aspect of this series and genre – I just wanted to provide fair warning so you’ll know what you’re getting into!  I didn’t see the ending until it exploded right in front of me.  The twists and turns kept the author’s aim well disguised and made me want to keep on reading.  The only shortcoming to this was that I don’t feel like I really, truly appreciated Sebastian’s brilliance in this book.  The beauty of the other books was watching his mind work out the murders and leads.  It’s clear that Harris is capable of revealing just enough to keep the readers guessing because this is what she managed to do with the other books in this series.  For this book, all the pieces seemed to fall into place after the fact, so it almost felt too convenient or the thought process too hidden to actually appreciate from my standpoint.  This means that this book was not my favorite one in this series, though I did still enjoy it.  I like the rollercoaster I experience while reading these books and following Sebastian’s investigations, but I wanted to feel more “involved” than I did while reading this installment.

I look forward to watching the characters’ various relationships develop:  Sebastian and Hero, Hendon and Sebastian, Sebastian and Lord Jarvis, even Sebastian and Kat (who was, for the most part, very absent from this book).  One of the greatest successes of this series is Harris’s ability to weave together hints of romance and very personal emotions with the murder-mystery.

Happy reading!

What Remains of Heaven (Sebastian St. Cyr Mystery, Book Five): C. S. Harris

“The latest request for help from Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin—from the Archbishop of Canterbury, no less—is undeniably intriguing:  The bodies of two men have been found in an ancient crypt, their violent deaths separated by decades.  One is the Bishop of London, the elderly Archbishop’s favored but controversial successor.  The identity of the other seems lost in time, although his faded velvet attire marks him as a gentleman of the eighteenth century.

 

“To Sebastian’s consternation, the last person to see the Bishop alive was none other than Miss Hero Jarvis, a woman whose already strained relationship with St. Cyr has been complicated by a brief, unexpectedly passionate encounter.  Not only that, but it soon becomes obvious that her powerful father had reasons of his own for wanting the Bishop out of the way.  In an investigation that leads from the back alleys of Smithfield to the power corridors of Whitehall, Sebastian amasses a list of suspects that ranges from some of the Prince Regent’s closest cronies to William Franklin, embittered son of famous American patriot Ben Franklin.

“Then the second corpse is identified, and Sebastian finds himself confronting the well-guarded secrets of his own family’s history.  Now each step he takes toward the killer brings him closer to a devastating truth that could ultimately force him to question who – and what – he really is.”

Here's my last belated May review!  It feels so good to be caught up again!

I seem to be on a bit of a C.S. Harris kick lately – not that this is a bad thing, but I typically try to “mix it up” more than I have been.  I think I’m going to have to force myself to branch out and find some more reading materials and new authors.  If I’m smart about it, I’ll start compiling a list of new and interesting books and authors because I will be going on maternity leave in a few months (yay!) and there’s a chance it could be sooner with my medical history, so I’ll have to find a way to occupy myself so I don’t go stir-crazy waiting for baby boy to arrive.  What better way to pass the enforced downtime than putting my feet up and enjoying the escape into some amazing books?

Now, to the review:  As usual, C.S. Harris enthralls and entertains with her dark (and sometimes disturbing) Regency murder-mysteries and her captivating hero, Devlin.  Still mourning the loss of his love, Kat, Sebastian struggles to come to terms with his new existence – little does he know that life as he knows it is about to be dealt an even more crippling blow as he dives into the investigation of the murders in a country crypt.

I feel I must issue a warning.  While all of the books in this series involve horrible murders and some gruesome autopsies, I admit that I found this book to be particularly off-putting when I attempted to read it during my lunch breaks at the office…  The repeated descriptions of the mummified cadavers in the crypt – while brilliantly done in vivid detail – were stomach-turning (and I really cannot blame it on my slightly weakened pregnancy tummy).  All I mean to say is that you should be forewarned.  This book is not for the faint of heart or weak of stomach (and I like to think I’m not particularly squeamish).  If you can get past this, then the rest of the book is quite interesting.

As usual, Devlin is a fascinating, intelligent investigator.  He doesn’t allow threats to deter him from his mission, no matter that his own life may be at risk.  His inquiries seem to take him all over London and the countryside as he tracks a seemingly endless list of suspects.  His investigations uncover the hidden past of a seemingly-Godly bishop, the depravity and general dislike toward the man who is now the murdered corpse in the crypt, and a dark secret from Devlin’s own family history.  Aided by Paul Gibson and his urchin-turned-tiger, Tom, Devlin doggedly follows his leads, all while dodging a man from his past who seeks vengeance against Devlin for a perceived slight when they were both in the army.  He also (somewhat reluctantly) seeks out the assistance of Hero Jarvis, though he knows doing so might very well endanger the investigation when her own father is on his list of suspects.  Doing so brings him closer to Hero…and to the realization that she may be keeping a very, very big secret from him.

What Devlin discovers about the murders involves old family secrets, the American Revolution, and the determination to keep those secrets hidden, no matter the cost.  What comes to light not only changes Devlin’s life, but the lives of those around him in irrevocable ways.

I enjoyed the suspense and the many twists and turns of this story.  Devlin, as per usual, is a captivating lead.  He’s intelligent, intense, flawed, and charming.  His sense of right and wrong is like his religion, something he seeks out with such fervor that it spurs him on when other, weaker men might have given up or refused to continue on.  The settings are vivid and the story is fast-paced and wildly interesting.  I didn’t see the ending until it hit me in the face.

Not to give away any spoilers, but I am pleased that Devlin finally learned about his family’s big secret – we readers have been privy for some time now and I am extremely interested to see where this takes Devlin.

Where Serpents Sleep (Sebastian St. Cyr Mystery, Book Four): C. S. Harris

“London, 1812.  The brutal slaughter of eight young prostitutes in a house of refuge near Covent Garden leaves only one survivor—and one witness:  Hero Jarvis, reform-minded daughter of the Prince Regent’s cousin, Lord Jarvis.  When the Machiavellian power broker quashes any official inquiry that might reveal his daughter’s unorthodox presence, Hero launches an investigation of her own and turns to Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, for help.  Still struggling to come to terms with the loss of his lover, Kat Boleyn, and the resultant estrangement from his father, Sebastian is at first reluctant to agree.  But the callous violence of the murders—combined with the opportunity to provoke his archenemy, Jarvis—prompts him to act.

 

“Working in uneasy alliance, Hero and Sebastian focus their efforts on one particular victim of the carnage:  Rose Jones, the terrified nineteen-year-old girl, with the unmistakable accent of a gentlewoman, who died in Hero’s arms.  As they unravel a dangerous thread of lies and deceptions, Hero and Sebastian follow a trail of clues leading from the seedy brothels and docksides of London’s East End to the Mayfair mansion of a noble family with dark secrets of its own to hide.  Risking both their lives and their reputations, the two must race against time to stop a killer whose ominous plot threatens to shake the nation to its very core.”

This is another May read that I'm finally getting around to posting...

Here we have yet another installment of the Sebastian St. Cyr Mysteries, and this one definitely did not disappoint.  This book takes place several months after the conclusion of Why Mermaids Sing and we find Devlin still grasping to come to terms with the life altering revelation at the conclusion of the last book.  His life and his love are forever changed and he isn’t sure how or if he can move on from the woman he was so certain he would marry – the woman he’d loved for years.  He’s taken to living the life man who has nothing for which to live.  He drinks himself into a stupor, eats and sleeps very little, and has become a shade amongst men.  To add to this, he is unable to face or forgive his father for his secrets and Devlin blames him for the demise of his hopes and dreams.  It seems that nothing can wrench Devlin free of his despair…until Hero Jarvis, daughter of Devlin’s enemy, seeks out his assistance.

Though we lose Kat as a foil to Devlin’s point of view, we gain Hero’s unique perspective.  She is, in fact, the catalyst for the investigation contained within this plot.  Reform-minded Hero is busy working on a theory that most prostitutes do not pursue their lifestyle willingly or out of some lack of morality, but, rather, that extenuating circumstances force them to sell their bodies or risk death or injury.  She’s busy interviewing a woman who has sought refuge in a home set up by the Quakers as a way to help get women off the streets and train them for a new way of life.  While performing her interview, the home is invaded and the women are killed.  Hero and the woman she knows as Rose are able to escape to the alley, but Hero is the only one to leave alive.  Hero knows there is more to the attack than it seems.  When her father brushes off her concern and makes her promise not to go to Bow Street, Hero realizes there’s only one man to whom she can turn.  She seeks out Devlin and, using his animosity toward her father to her advantage, she convinces him to assist in her investigation.  Though reluctant at first, Devlin finds some solace in the familiarity of investigating the brutal murders.  What he discovers involves deep dark secrets of a noble family, a woman who was not who she seemed to be, and a nefarious plot against the government which could have horrible consequences.  He quickly recognizes the asset he has in Hero’s quick mind and determined nature.  Though they are at odds most of the time, both know they have a powerful ally in uncovering the motive and murderer(s) in one another.  It becomes apparent that the person who committed these crimes is willing to continue to kill in order to cover his trail and Devlin knows this means Hero’s life could be in grave danger.  She refuses to heed his warnings, determined to crack the case and see justice.  This, unfortunately, brings both Devlin and Hero to a point where neither of them may see the light of day again.  And, if they happen to survive by some miracle, their lives will forever be changed.

This fast-paced plot was well-written with a ton of twists and turns.  Each time I thought Hero and Devlin were moving forward in their investigation, there were still more layers to come.  Though the plot wasn’t my favorite in the series – I didn’t find it as captivating, though I’m uncertain why – I thought the interplay between Devlin and Hero was particularly interesting.  They never got along well, so asking them to work so closely together provided some entertaining repartee.  Hero is a strong woman determined to remain self-sufficient and undeterred by the pressures of both her father and society.  She is headstrong and very intelligent, which makes her a very good foil for Devlin.  Though he’s always recognized these qualities in Hero, even Devlin seems surprised with just how much she’s able to contribute to the investigation.

Together, they slowly unravel the mysteries of “Rose” and the complex underworld of London’s prostitution houses.  The network of cutthroats and chillingly calculating proprietors, lies and secrets make for a difficult journey for these two investigators.  Their jobs aren’t easy and a multitude of traps and danger lie in wait for them.

The conclusion was explosive and one I could not predict.  I really look forward to seeing how this will influence upcoming books in the series.  I ardently hope that we’ll get to see more interactions between Hero and Devlin!

Why Mermaids Sing (Sebastian St. Cyr Mystery, Book Three): C. S. Harris

“It’s September 1811, and someone is slaying the wealthy young sons of some of London’s most prominent families.  Partially butchered, with strange objects stuffed in their mouths, the bodies are found dumped in public places at dawn.  When the grisly remains of the eldest son of Alfred, Lord Stanton, are discovered in the Old Palace Yard beside the House of Lords, local magistrate Sir Henry Lovejoy turns to Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, for help.

“Ranging from the gritty world of London’s docks to the luxurious drawing rooms of Mayfair, Sebastian confronts his most puzzling—and disturbing—case yet.  With the help of his trusted allies—his young servant Tom, the Irish doctor Paul Gibson, and his lover, Kat Boleyn—Sebastian struggles to decipher a cryptic set of clues that links the scion of a banking family and a lord’s heir to the son of a humble Kentish vicar.  For as one death follows another, Sebastian starts to believe that the murderer has both a method and a purpose to his ritualized killings, and that the key to it all may lie in the enigmatic stanzas of a haunting poem…and in a secret so dangerous that men are willing to sacrifice their own children to keep the truth from becoming known.

“As she did in What Angels Fear and When Gods Die, C.S. Harris once again employs her dazzling command of history and her rich storytelling to draw us into a dark and glittering world.”

This was a May read that took a long time to finally review and post.  Sorry for the delay!

The twists and turns in Harris’s well-crafted world of Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, keep on coming in this fast-paced, tension-filled installment.  She has a knack for creating an undercurrent of suspense that makes you loathe putting down the book.

Picking up shortly after the prior book finishes, Devlin is sucked into yet another mysterious slew of murders – this time, of sons from very prominent families, their bodies left mangled in gruesome public displays.  Someone has a tremendous amount of hate for these young men – or, perhaps, their families, as Devlin suspects – but why?  What could make someone commit such horrific and, seemingly unprovoked, atrocities?  What could their message possibly be?  As he performs his inquiries, Devlin finds himself once more entangled in the life and past of the powerful Lord Jarvis, which seriously deepens the danger.  What could these murders have in common?  More importantly, Devlin knows there will be more…but who and when?

I was particularly pleased with this story’s ability to keep me guessing.  I truly didn’t know who was at the heart of the mystery until Devlin revealed it at the very end.  This is one of the highest compliments I can give a writer, because I pride myself on not being particularly easy to fool.  I enjoyed the twists and turns along with the vibrant characters Devlin encounters as he attempts to follow the murder’s twisted path.  The truth he discovers is far more sinister than he ever could have imagined, and it’s a secret over which more than one man is willing to kill over.  Not only is Devlin’s own life at stake, but that of his lover, Kat Boleyn.  As usual, the undertone of his romance with Kat provides a logical sounding board for his inquiry, as well as a pleasant reprieve from what might otherwise become far too dark a book.  I’ve always been a fan of Harris’s ability to interweave gruesome mystery with the romance between Kat and Devlin – it works surprisingly well.  However, a secret revealed at the end of this book could ruin that forever!

The settings were, as usual, highly descriptive and captivating.  I thoroughly enjoy the seedy, grimy underbelly of London Harris portrays – so different from what I am used to reading.  It suits her stories and her characters perfectly.  She has a way with crafting these vivid settings which aid in creating a complimentary tone for the story to go along with the plot.

This installment fit in perfectly well with the rest of the series thus far.  It has set up the potential for a volatile continuation with the surprise ending and I look forward to seeing what lies in store for Devlin – especially as it concerns his future with Kat.

The Couple Next Door: Shari Lapena

“HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW THE COUPLE NEXT DOOR?  OR YOUR HUSBAND?  OR EVEN—YOURSELF?  PEOPLE ARE CAPABLE OF ALMOST ANYTHING…

“A twisty roller-coaster ride of lies, betrayal, and the secrets between husbands and wives…  How far would you go—if pushed to your limit?

“Anne and Marco Conti seem to have it all—a loving relationship, a wonderful home, and their beautiful baby, Cora.  But one hot summer night they were invited to a dinner party next door, and a terrible crime is committed.  Suspicion immediately focuses on the parents.  But the truth is a much more complicated story.

“Inside the Contis’ curtained house, an unsettling account of what actually happened unfolds.  Detective Rasbach knows that the panicked couple is hiding something.  Both Anne and Marco soon discover that the other is keeping secrets, secrets they’ve kept for years.

“What follows is the never-racking unraveling of a family—a chilling tale of deceptions, duplicity, and unfaithfulness that will keep you breathless until the final shocking twist.”

Here’s the last of my delayed reviews!  Hopefully I do a little bit better the rest of the year.  This one comes courtesy of a recommendation from a friend of mine.  She told me she had a hard time putting this book down so, naturally, that piqued my interest.  It took me a while to finally get my hands on it and I’m pretty happy that I did.

What starts out as a seemingly insignificant night out turns into a family’s worst nightmare.  Anne and Marco Conti live in a beautiful townhouse and seem to have everything they could hope for.  Anne comes from a great deal of money.  She left her job in an art gallery to be a stay-at-home mom to her beautiful new daughter, Cora.  Her husband, Marco, runs his own business.  One evening, they’re invited to a dinner party by their immediate next door neighbors.  They contemplate canceling when their babysitter backs out, but Marco convinces Anne that they’ll only be next door – in reality, just on the other side of the wall from Cora.  They take the baby monitor and check on Cora every half hour.  When they finally return home in the wee hours of the morning, something doesn’t seem right.  The unthinkable has happened:  Anne discovers Cora is missing from her crib.

From the start, the Contis are a source of great suspicion.  The lead detective has seen his share of missing children and strongly believes the Contis are involved in some way.  Clues like a loosened lightbulb in a backyard motion-detecting spotlight, a silent car seen driving down the alley at the perfect time, and Anne’s diagnosis of postpartum depression all serve to cast doubt upon Marco, Anne, and their story.  The media vilifies them as horrible parents who left their infant unattended – that they got what was coming to them – while their marriage falls on rocky ground as Anne wonders what really happened to her missing daughter.  Could someone they know be involved?  What could their motivation be?  If it’s money, they’re willing to offer up any amount to have their daughter back.  However, when the ransom is paid and Cora still isn’t returned, they realize something much darker and more complex is taking place.

What ensues is a story filled with all the great twists and turns of a successful tale of lies, suspense, and hidden motives.  This book will make you question your own morals and ask yourself just how far you would be willing to go to save your family.  This story really does beg the question of how well you really know your neighbors, the people you consider friends, and even the members of your own family.

A captivating read, this book was very difficult for me to put down.  I found the pacing quite well done and the story, exciting.  I definitely recommend this book to lovers of mystery and suspense.  It has a twisted, complicated plot that will keep you guessing and fascinated right up until the very end.

Happy reading!

The Girl on the Train: Paula Hawkins

“THERE SHE SITS, THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN.  WHAT SHE SEES, GAZING OUT THE WINDOW, WILL CHANGE EVERYTHING.

“EVERY DAY THE SAME

“Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning and night.  Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple breakfasting on their deck.  She looks forward to it.  She’s even started to feel like she knows them.  Jess and Jason, she calls them.  Their life – as she sees it—is perfect.  Not unlike the life she recently lost.

“UNTIL TODAY

“And then she sees something shocking.  It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough.  Now everything’s changed.  Unable to keep it to herself, Rachel goes to the police.  But is she really as unreliable as they say?  Soon she is deeply entangled not only in the investigation but in the lives of everyone involved.  Has she done more harm than good?

“Compulsively readable, The Girl on the Train is an emotionally immersive, Hitchcockian thriller and an electrifying debut.”

Here’s another delayed review (sorry!).  I’d been meaning to read this book for a while now, especially after I’d been told by people who weren’t avid readers that this was worth the read.  I still have not seen the film adaptation, but I’m now definitely looking forward to watching it.

I think what really makes this book the Rachel’s unreliability as a narrator.  A majority of the book is told from her perspective with interjections from other characters – most of which take place prior to Rachel’s experiences.  At first, Rachel seems stable, employed, and – though she’s upset about her divorce – she seems to have tried her best to move on.  As the story progresses, however, we learn the depth of Rachel’s inability to cope, the lengths to which she goes to hide her life from her flat-mate, and how she simply cannot let go of her ex-husband and former life.  She paints a relatively rosy picture of her former married life; one with a loving husband, a home she adored, and the possibility of a future.  As she opens up more to the readers, we learn how much her own dysfunctionality played a part in the downfall of her marriage and her husband’s affair and subsequent marriage to his mistress.  I was torn between feeling sorry for Rachel and getting the sense that she was more than a little to blame for all of it.  Her drinking began during her marriage and only intensified afterwards.  We learn that she cannot wait for her drinks on the train ride home – that she practically lives for them.  Her other obsession is watching a beautiful couple with their (she believes) idyllic life on her train ride into the city.

Each morning, Rachel spies the couple breakfasting in the sunshine.  She imagines lives and hobbies and romance for them.  She pictures the perfection of their life in their trackside home and feels as if she truly knows them.  Surely they must be the epitome of happiness?

Rachel lives for the little ray of sunshine spying on them brings to her miserable existence.  It isn’t until she sees something very unexpected in their back garden that the story seems to spiral out of control.  What shows up on the news shortly thereafter convinces Rachel of the importance of what she witnessed…

Who do we believe?  Rachel, the woman who drinks and cannot recall what happens during her all-too-common blackouts?  The snippets of information we are given from the points of view of the other characters in the months leading up to the incident?  When she cannot take it anymore, Rachel goes to the police with her suspicions and her information.  They largely appear to dismiss her – especially when they learn of her volatile history and habits of contacting and harassing her ex-husband and his new family where they live several doors down from her idyllic fantasy couple.  Could Rachel have had something to do with what happened?  How can anyone trust her – how can she trust herself – when her memory is filled with a large black void during with absolutely anything could have happened?  Frustrated, Rachel takes some drastic measures and entangles herself in a web of lies as she tries to do what she believes is right.  As the story unfolds, however, she wonders if she’s done the right thing – and whether or not she’d just jumped head-first into dangerous waters.

The dark twists and turns of this intense story will keep you on the edge of your seat.  The unreliable narrator makes you second guess your own opinions and assumptions.  The surprise ending will leave you breathless.

I definitely recommend this book for any fan of suspenseful fiction.  The characters are raw and real; that reality is very slowly unveiled, making you question what you thought you knew about them.  Hawkins is a talented author with a knack for keeping her readers in the dark until just the right time (even though I did end up guessing the surprise ending, I still give her props for disguising it so well).

A Simple Favor: Darcey Bell

"A Simple Favor is a feverish and expertly plotted tale of psychological suspense--a twisting free fall filled with betrayals and reversals, secrets and revelations, love and loyalty, murder and revenge.  Darcey Bell exposes the dark underbelly of female friendship in this taut, unsettling, and completely absorbing story that holds you in its grip until the final page.


"It starts with a simple favor--an ordinary kindness mothers do for one another.  When glamorous Emily asks Stephanie to pick up her son after school, Stephanie happily says yes.  Emily has a life that would make any woman jealous. She is the perfect mother with a dazzling career working for a famous fashion designer in Manhattan.  Stephanie, a widow with a son in kindergarten, lonely in their Connecticut suburb, turns to her daily blog for connection and validation.  Stephanie imagines Emily to be her new confidante and is shocked when Emily suddenly disappears without a trace, leaving her son and husband with no warning.


"Stephanie knows something is terribly wrong.  Unable to keep away from the grieving family, she soon finds herself entangled with Sean, Emily's handsome, reticent British husband.  But she can't ignore the nagging feeling that he's not being honest with her about Emily's disappearance.  Is Stephanie imagining things?  How well did she really know her 'best' friend?

"Stephanie begins to see that nothing--not friendship, love, or even an ordinary favor--is as simple as it seems."

My friend and I wanted to see the film adaptation of this book when it came out a short while ago, but we never got around do it.  When I finally saw a copy of the original book on the shelf at my local library, I knew it was something I had to check out.  The promos made the book look deliciously twist and suspenseful.  After beginning my journey into this book, I was not disappointed.

We open with Stephanie's blog posts -- a blog she writes to reach out and connect with other moms out in the world, for kinship, validation, and friendship (whether or not she even truly realizes the last).  She and her son, Miles, make their lonely way through life after the death of Stephanie's husband, Davis, and her brother, Chris, in a tragic car accident.  Stephanie, perhaps, doesn't realize how lonely she really is until she finds what she believes to be a true and honest friend in Emily, the mother of her son's favorite playmate in school.  They bond over shared secrets and wine, as well as the challenges of raising sons in their Connecticut suburb after leaving the bustle of New York.  Stephanie is very quickly enamored of Emily and her lifestyle, her seeming perfection and elegance.  Having no one else to turn to, Stephanie quickly turns to her blog when Emily doesn't show to pick up her son from Stephanie's house after school one evening.  At first, Stephanie believes she may have misheard Emily or perhaps Emily's emergency had pulled her away for longer than anticipated.  It's only when Emily's continued unresponsiveness and days pass that Stephanie's concern blossoms into true fear.  She reaches out to Emily's husband, Sean, while he's on a business trip overseas.  At first, Sean's lack of concern and knowledge of Emily's hectic schedule makes Stephanie feel like a worrier.  It isn't until Sean returns to the States and Emily still hasn't returned that the two of them find a shared bond over their fear for Emily's safety.  Where had she gone?  Why had she left?  Was she still alive?  As more and more evidence is uncovered, more questions seem to pop up rather than answers.  What happened to Emily?  These questions seem to be answered...but there were far too many pages left in the book for this to be tied up in a nice, neat little package -- I always find this terrifying; when everything seems to work out, but then there is too much book left for this to actually be the case.  What on earth can the author have in store for me?!  This was absolutely the case with A Simple Favor.

The many twists and turns of this dark and suspenseful story kept me guessing.  I was so sure I knew what was coming right from the very beginning, but I admit that I changed my guess several times over until the truth was finally revealed.  The complex plot and multifaceted characters made for a psychological thriller that was difficult to put down; the tension never really abated.  The first lines of the book ring true throughout:  no one tells the truth and everyone has secrets.  Sometimes even the most innocuous of individuals have the deepest, darkest secrets of all.  Can you ever really, truly know someone?  This book definitely plays off of insecurities about opening up to one another, and the possibilities that people we hold dear are not actually who they seem to be.

At first the narration bounces back and forth between Stephanie's blog and her point of view (which is far more honest and revealing than her public online posts).  This is the first clue that there is a lot more to all of the characters than we see.  Gradually, more is revealed about Stephanie's past and she's not the perfect woman/mother she portrays on her blog -- then again, is anyone really as perfect as the profess to be on social media?  We realize the depth of her relationship with Emily and why Stephanie felt the two of them were so close.  This sets up the tension surrounding Emily's disappearance quite well.

Eventually, we become privy to the points of view of a couple of the other characters.  This adds even more depth and complexity to the plot.  What secrets have these characters kept?  Are they even telling us, the readers, the truth?  What are they choosing to omit and how much will it impact the story?

This is a book that will well and truly keep you on the edge of your seat.  I finished it in the matter of a few days and found it difficult to stop reading.  There are so many violent turns and rapid twists that I couldn't see what was coming at me around the next bend.  This is the mark of a good suspenseful psychological thriller, is it not?  The characters had layer upon layer of personality and secrets.  It was nearly impossible to trust any of them, even when you really wanted to do so.  I was captured right from the start and drawn into this mysterious world of secrets, lies, and questions.

I'm definitely even more interested in seeing the film adaptation of this book.  I wonder how true to its dark nature they will keep.  From what few previews I've seen, I think the casting was done well, given the descriptions in the book.

I recommend this for those of you who like darker psychological thrillers.  Fans of Gone Girl will really enjoy this one as it makes you question reality and the reliability of the very characters themselves.

When Gods Die (Sebastian St. Cyr Mystery, Book Two): C.S. Harris

“The young wife of an aging marquis is found murdered in the arms of the Prince Regent.  Around her neck lies a necklace said to have been worn by Druid priestesses – that is, until it was lost at sea with its last owner, Sebastian St. Cyr’s mother.  Now Sebastian is lured into a dangerous investigation of the marchioness’s death – and his mother’s uncertain fate.

“As he edges closer to the truth – and one murder follows another – he confronts a conspiracy that imperils those nearest him and threatens to bring down the monarchy.”

*I wrote this review on 1/21/19.  We're only in February and I've already messed up my monthly reading count for the year!  We've, unfortunately, had a lot of tragic things going on lately and they've yanked me away from any of my simple pleasures in life -- my reading and reviewing being among the most important.  A few weeks later and I'm finally getting around to actually posting this review.  I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did.  I think it's a great addition to the Sebastian St. Cyr series and an excellent segue from the first installment.*

This is the second installment in the Sebastian St. Cyr Mystery series and it fits in quite smoothly with the beginning of the series.  We encounter Sebastian, Viscount Devlin, a few months after the conclusion of his first investigation (and the clearing of his name).  While life has returned to some semblance of normal for Devlin – he’s taken on Tom as his tiger and he’s begun a comfortable (if somewhat secretive) relationship with the love of his life, Kat Boleyn – it cannot last.  While in attendance at a party thrown by the Prince Regent, the guests are thrown into chaos when Prinney is discovered with a beautiful, young, dead woman in his arms.  There are those who would suspect that Mad King George’s insanity is catching – that his heir is just as twisted and addled – but those behind the monarchy do their best to deflect suspicion by insisting the marchioness died by suicide.  By knife.  In her back.

Given the suspicious circumstances, Jarvis invites Devlin to examine the situation and the body; it quickly becomes apparent to the intelligent, observant viscount that the death is not all that it seems to be.  As the investigation begins in earnest, it is obvious that suicide was not the manner of death…and that Devlin’s past may very well have come back to haunt him.

Similar to the first installment, this book is filled with twists and turns that keep you guessing pretty much up until the very end.  The plot is multifaceted and complex, making for a well-paced and exciting read.  The suspects were continually changing and shifting.  I would bet that Devlin was right in his suspicion of someone only to have my mind changed in a chapter or two; then, I would believe someone innocent only to have new, damning evidence come to light.  It was a rollercoaster of a book filled with intrigue, subterfuge, and a nefarious subplot.  Could the Prince Regent have lost his mind and killed a woman who didn’t accept his advances?  Or is there something more sinister afoot – a plot attempting to discredit the monarchy and be rid of the lush, unsteady Regent?  Set against the backdrop of a tumultuous England unsure whether the virus of revolution will spread from France, these are troubled times where danger lurks around just about every corner.

In addition to Devlin (of course), this book also sees the return of Kat and Tom.  Devlin has made Tom his tiger and the boy has taken to his role.  It’s clear how much he admires and appreciates Devlin, and witnessing Devlin’s attachment to the quick-witted lad is touching and humanizing.  He doesn’t play as large a role in this book, but he does manage to help with the investigation – and land himself into some peril.  The romance between Kat and Devlin has blossomed once more in the months between the first book and the second.  I enjoy the degree to which their relationship features thus far in the series.  There’s enough to make us realize the depth of their attachment and passion – to see just how they can be true helpmates to one another – but it doesn’t take over the plot or turn it into a romance novel.  I enjoy their dynamic and the diversity of their backgrounds.  Devlin doesn’t care what society will think of their relationship, while Kat, on the other hand, isn’t willing to risk Devlin’s future by marrying him – not to mention she has a dark secret of her own, one she doesn’t believe he’ll ever be able to overlook.

Overall, I found the plot exciting and fast-paced.  The rapid twists and turns kept me guessing, which, I suppose, is the best anyone can hope for in a book of this genre.  The setting (mainly London) is vivid and richly-crafted, playing to all of your senses, often engulfing you in Devlin’s world and experiences.

One comment I do feel I must make is that Devlin is chased quite a bit in this book.  And by “quite a bit,” I mean “a lot.”  Almost to the point of excessive.  I feel like he made a run for it every couple of chapters.  It wasn’t quite to the point of being inauthentic and I do realize that the plot involved a complex network of some very bad men who would do anything to protect their aim, but it did seem to take up a good amount of the story.  It went something like, “Oh, Devlin is going for a night out.  Oh, no!  Someone is after him.”  A few chapters later:  “He’s following another lead and…he’s being chased again!  Hope he makes it out okay!”  A few chapters later, “He’s off again!  And…he’s being chased.  Again.”  Catch my drift?  Additionally, there was another murder mentioned in this book.  I may have missed something, but it felt very unresolved and almost forgotten by the conclusion.  Maybe it was a set up for another book?  We’ll just have to wait and see!

Overall, this was a very good book.  It has mystery, history, intrigue, murder, complex plot twists, subterfuge, and a touch of romance.  While I will admit that I found the end of the book came on rather suddenly, I still find the book worthy of the read.  I’m particularly excited to see what some of the discoveries mean for Devlin’s own future – and past.  This is worth the read for fans of period books, mysteries, and those who aren’t too squeamish (since this book does deal with a grisly murder and the darker sides of London’s underbelly).