Dark Angel

Dark Angel (1994) Tracy Grant

Set in 1813

Adam Durward is the son of a English father and an Indian mother, and as such has never felt comfortable anywhere, but does have the ability to blend in throughout Europe as needed, which serves him well as a spy.

Caroline is a spoiled and irritating woman who turned down Adam for a safer and more conventional marriage to the more wealthy Jared Rawley. When Jared is accused of treason–by Adam–Caroline goes to Adam to beg him stop.

I like Adam, who has had a hard and complicated life.

“How can you laugh about it?” Caroline demanded. “How can I do anything else?” Adam said.

But I think I prefer Emily (four) two either of the two grownups.

Emily, who had sat by quietly, tugged at Caroline’s sleeve. “How did Adam’s blood get mixed?” she whispered.

“Elena’s going to make me look like a lady,” Emily said. “Then we can play marbles.”

Caroline’s redeeming quality is that she will bend heaven and earth for her daughter. I’ll cut her a lot of slack for that.

Interestingly, I quite liked the secondary romance, between Hawkins and his love–it was complicated, but for very good reasons.

What was good about this story was the mystery. Every time a new discovery is made, it makes the mystery even more complicated, even when you consider cui bono.

Interestingly, this story reminded me very much of the Diana Gabaldon novella “Lord John and the Haunted Soldier” which also deals with exploding cannon. The period between the American revolution and Napoleon’s final defeat was a fascinating one, full of intrigue (and also lots of records, which authors can plumb to make their stories even more realistic). Pretty fascinating stuff–at least to me.

So, a pretty good mystery, despite some of the characters being irritating.
Rating: 7/10

Published by NYLA

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