The River Knows

January 29, 2007
The suspense begins with the first sentence of this romantic mystery from the pseudonymous Quick (Jayne Ann Krentz uses this pseudonym for her Victorian novels). Gossip spreads fast about the liaison between "unimportant, unfashionable, excessively dull" Louisa Bryce and wealthy, handsome Anthony Stalbridge. In reality, their first kiss was a spur-of-the-moment coverup when the two are caught snooping around Elwin Hastings's mansion. Louisa, an undercover reporter for the sensational newspaper, Flying Intelligencer
, is investigating Hastings's crooked financial dealings, while Anthony seeks the truth about his fiancée, one of three society women who supposedly committed suicide a year ago. Under the guise of their romance, Louisa and Anthony expose Hastings's many criminal schemes. Their relationship isn't all business, however, and Louisa's profession isn't her only secret. Quick's tightly woven tale allows little room for extraneous subplots—every cracked safe and mysterious prostitute plays an important role. Light humor and playful love scenes temper the more gruesome moments for an alluring combination of foggy nights and steamy afternoons.

February 15, 2007
Louisa Bryce works hard at being unnoticed, and with her frumpy clothes and retiring manner, she generally succeeds. But not with Anthony Stalbridge. He knows she's up to something and follows her into the shadowy upper floors of the mansion where they are both attending a ball. An impulsive, passionate embrace is all that saves them from being reported by the guard. It seems they are on the trail of the same man and warily join forces. A daring hero searching for answers, an intrepid journalist heroine with dangerous secrets of her own, and a complex plot involving some of the darker realities of late Victorian society combine with Quick's wicked wit, inviting sensuality, and stellar sense of timing. Another winner for a top writer in the field. Quick ("Second Sight"), a.k.a Jayne Ann Krentz and Jayne Castle, lives in the Seattle area. [See Prepub Alert, "LJ" 1/07.]

Copyright 2007 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 1, 2007
She didn't mean to kill the man who broke into her room. Especially since he was a member of Victorian England's nobility, a protected class that could, literally, get away with murder. Now Louisa Bryce feels compelled to fake her own death and assume a new identity. Her fine writing skills land her a job as intrepid investigative reporter I. M. Phantom, whom everyone assumes is a man. It was so easy for Louisa to feign her demise, she now wonders if two other recent drownings were actually suicides. Anthony Stalbridge is wondering the same thing about his fiancee's drowning. When Louisa and Anthony run into each other while snooping in the rooms of a likely suspect, he gets off on the wrong foot by assuming a woman has no business conducting a dangerous investigation, while Louisa is annoyed and fascinated by his alpha-male behavior. Louisa is the archetypal Amanda Quick heroine, an adventurous woman full of grit, gumption, and determination. And Anthony is the perfect hero, a man with an edge. The incomparable Quick (aka Jayne Ann Krentz and Jayne Castle) has once again penned a superbly tantalizing romantic suspense, replete with smart and snappy dialogue, witty humor, and fast-paced action.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)