The Seduction of Phaeton Black

February 27, 2012
Erotic romance? Paranormal thriller? Sherlock Holmes pastiche? Steampunk adventure? Stone (An Affair with Mr. Kennedy) wants it all, and the results, while mildly entertaining, don’t convince. Phaeton Black, occasional detective for Scotland Yard and lodger in 1889 London’s most notorious brothel, is chasing a supernatural killer in between amorous bouts. He is startled and intrigued by the brazen advances of America Jones, self-described “high yellow Cajun Louisiana,” fleeing the pirates who stole her father’s ships. Since she’s also a witch, she has more than sex to trade for Phaeton’s assistance in recovering the ships—though the sex is included, of course. The pair pursue their ill-assorted goals through a colorful assortment of locations and a remarkable number of explosions. A description of Jack the Ripper as “naughty and dangerous” captures the book’s main weakness: lightness of tone shading into juvenile flippancy. Agent: Richard Curtis, Richard Curtis Associates.