Burning Lamp

Starred review from February 15, 2010
Bestseller Jayne Ann Krentz, writing under her historical fantasy nom de plume, turns in a top-notch performance in the second Dreamlight novel. Crime lord Griffin Winters rules a vast underworld empire in Victorian London, but he fears the descent of a familial curse of madness brought on by an ancestor's alchemical experiments. Only a powerful magical artifact, controlled by a woman of rare power, can save him. Magically gifted orphan Adelaide Pyne, recently embarked on a crusade to save women from prostitution, could be that woman, and a psychic connection soon draws Adelaide and Griffin into a dangerous partnership. Fast-paced and cleverly constructed, the tale perfectly balances lively adventure, passionate romance, and the paranormal against an elaborate and refreshingly original background. Arcane Society fans will be thrilled, and new readers will find this stand-alone story very accessible.

April 15, 2010
A match between a powerful crime boss and an activist social reformer out to save the city's working girls hardly seems the thing. Yet, when shadow energy talent Griffin Winters and dreamlight reader Adelaide Pyne connect in Quick's latest Victorian paranormal sizzler (second in the "Dreamlight Trilogy," eighth in the larger "Arcane Society" series), the psychic sparks light up the sky and the dangerous dreamlight flares into action. London's clandestine criminal culture provides the chilling, vividly rendered setting as Griffin and Adelaide struggle to outwit a prostitution kingpin, a power-mad killer, and other assorted villains in a complex, highly suspenseful tale that answers a few more "Arcane" questions and keeps this trilogy on target. VERDICT With quirky humor and typical flair, Quick has penned another riveting, fast-paced adventure that drops more "Dreamlight" puzzle pieces into place and will leave readers anxious for the final installment, Jayne Castle's "Midnight Crystal", coming in September. Quick ("Perfect Poison") lives in the Seattle area. Note: This series is written by Jayne Ann Krentz in all three of her writing personae; her "Fired Up" is the first in the series.

Copyright 2010 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 1, 2010
If Griffin Winters, one of Londons most powerful crime lords, wasnt already going mad, annoying social reformer Adelaide Pyne would certainly drive him crazy. Unfortunately for him, she possesses both the Burning Lamp and the ability to work its dreamlight energy. So if there is any hope of avoiding the Winters curse, he needs to cut a deal, and the sooner the better. Griffin has already achieved the second of his paranormal gifts, and with the arrival of his third talent comes total descent into madness. But he isnt the only one who wants the Burning Lamp, and if he doesnt find a way to convince the infuriatingly stubborn Adelaide that they need to join forces, both of them could end up dead. A gifted literary alchemist, Quick (Jayne Ann Krentz) continues to perfect her unique recipe for romance in the second installment in her captivating Dreamlight trilogy (Fired Up, 2010) by deftly matching a delightfully sharp-witted and sharp-tongued heroine with a deliciously dark and sexy hero. Quick neatly tempers her paranormal-flavored, danger-infused plot with just the right dash of acerbic humor, and the result is another 24-karat read from one of the genres best.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)