Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark

February 23, 2009
Simpson (Awaiting the Moon
) launches her Lady Anne historical mystery series with flair, though at times its daring heroine seems more Victorian than Georgian. Lady Anne Addison, a clever, capable bluestocking, arrives at Darkefell Castle after receiving a distress-filled missive from her flighty best friend, Lady Lydia Bestwick, about werewolf sightings. Walking the last few miles to the castle, Anne hears screams and discovers a dead woman along the way. Lydia's concerns extend beyond the paranormal, and soon Anne becomes embroiled in gothic goings-on that clumsily point to the overbearing marquess of Darkefell, Lydia's brother-in-law, who aggressively pursues Anne despite disliking her independent nature. A slave trade subplot works well, and romance fans will love the witty byplay if not the decidedly unromantic conclusion.