Publishers Weekly
If not exactly a taut thriller, Quick’s second Ladies of Lantern Street installment (after 2012 ‘s Crystal Gardens) is a breezy, fast-moving Victorian whodunit. Our intrepid heroine, the attractive and resourceful Beatrice Lockwood, is an agent for the private inquiry firm of Flint & Marsh, a sort of prefeminist detective agency staffed by women with extrasensory abilities. Through a series of deft plot twists, Beatrice’s powers are brought to bear on solving the murder of her boss, finding a blackmailer, and stopping a mad scientist from using an Egyptian artifact to resurrect the dead. Quick applies the fantastical elements with a light touch as Beatrice explores her growing romance with Joshua Gage, a formidable, legendary ex-spy with whom she finds herself allied and magically connected. The dialogue throughout rings true and is often clever. Some weak spots in the plot might dismay hard-core mystery fans, but the novel as a whole is likely to delight fans of romantic period fiction. Agent: Steven Axelrod, the Axelrod Agency. (Apr.)
From the Publisher
Amanda Quick is an exceptional storyteller.
— Los Angeles Daily News
One of the most creative, inventive storytellers in the field, Quick infuses her own addictive brand of breathless, sexy adventure with dashes of vengeance, greed, and violence and a hefty splash of delectable, offbeat humor to spin another mesmerizing paranormal gem.—Library Journal
— Library Journal
“A fast-paced, suspenseful narrative that is also a touching love story.”—The Seattle Times
“Contains all the requisite elements: romance, sex, mystery and clever repartee.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Has the right mix of mystery, danger, paranormal and romance.”—Novel Reaction
“Will captivate readers from start to finish.”—Booklist (starred review)
“Quick delivers everything her fans yearn for: a strong mystery with otherworldly touches; delightful, smart characters; a fast pace and powerful plot; and a story they’ll stay up all night to finish.”—RT Book Reviews (4 ½ stars)
Kirkus Reviews
A woman with psychic powers and a man who believes only what he can see make a formidable pair. Miss Beatrice Lockwood worked with Roland Fleming at the Academy of the Occult until he was brutally murdered. After fleeing the scene, Beatrice was fortunate to find a job with Flint & Marsh, a pair of talented women who provide paid companions with paranormal talents. While serving as a companion to a lady who's been targeted by a fortune hunter, Beatrice is approached at a ball by handsome, mysterious Joshua Gage, aka Mr. Smith's Messenger. Gage, who carried out assignments for the government before he was badly hurt, has come out of retirement to aid his sister, who's being blackmailed by someone, with all signs pointing to Beatrice as the culprit. Despite his suspicions, Gage is immediately attracted to Beatrice, who agrees to go with his sister to a house party at Alverstoke Hall, where the blackmailer has set up a meeting. The blackmailer is found murdered, and Beatrice is nearly kidnapped by the assassin known as the Bone Man, the same man who killed Fleming. Realizing that Beatrice is the target and the blackmail just a scheme to lure her into a dangerous situation, she and Gage flee, posing as a married couple until they can return to London. There, they mount a desperate campaign against an unknown enemy who will do anything to get what he wants. The second in the Victorian Ladies of Lantern Street series, though not the best of Quick's popular romantic mysteries (Crystal Gardens, 2012, etc.), still contains all the requisite elements: romance, sex, mystery and clever repartee.
