Mischief

Starred review from June 3, 1996
Hell's teeth! Readers will no more be able to put down Quick's 12th Regency romance than Imogen Waterstone can fend off the delicious advances of Matthias Marshall, Earl of Colchester. From page one, Quick's contract with the reader is clear. Nothing is as it seems, and the plot teases until the happy ending. Of course, the earl known as "Cold-bloodied" Colchester will turn out to be a lamb and a love. Of course, the woman dubbed "Immodest Imogen" is a virgin beneath her heaving bosom. And there's no doubt that the two shall marry, for they make a great business of announcing all the reasons why they can't. But even if the romance is a sure thing, there's suspense enough. At great peril to themselves, Matthias and Imogen must unravel the identity of a pair of cunning murderers who have infiltrated high society. Quick, who is Jayne Ann Krentz writing pseudonymously, has created another golden link here in her long chain of bestsellers (Mystique, etc.). Her alchemical formula? Feisty yet feminine women, sublimely ironic men, amusing chat, hot sex and a sprinkling of period vocabulary and details--but not enough to make it feel like a history lesson. Major ad/promo.

As its playful name suggests, Quick's lively confection has everything: coffins, dark nights and darker characters, mystery, and the wonders of Zamarian sexual techniques. When two scholars of this ancient civilization meet, the fun begins. One never reneges on a promise, and the other is full of promises. Walter has just the right sugary tones; her slight lisp maintains a kind of innocence in the wicked world of dire plots and duels. From the breathlessly determined Imogene to the gruffly blaspheming Matthias, scheming villains, and timid virgins, her voice bubbles frothily. Music pops up at odd moments, adding color and emphasis. Altogether, the production, a gem of its kind, offers delicious divertissement. S.B.S. Winner of AUDIOFILE Earphones Award (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine