Hex and the City, Audio Edition (2005/2008) Simon R Green narrated by Marc Vietor The fourth Nightside book finds John Taylor taking a case to look into something he always wanted to know: the origin of The Nightside. Unfortunately, neither his enemies nor the current authorities want John looking into the past of the Nightside–or […]
Let Me Be The One (2002,2015) Jo Goodman Set in England in 1818. Elizabeth Penrose is a spinster, and quite happy about it. She spends times with her friends, and helped prepare the rout at Battenburn castle. But those around her seem to want her wed–whether she wants or no. “Louise is trying her hand […]
Nightingale’s Lament, Audio Edition (2004/2008) Simon R Green narrated by Marc Vietor Because I like to make things difficult for myself, while Michael and I are listening to the Felix Castor series in the car, my exercise / baking / cooking series is Simon Green’s Nightside. Both have a smart-ass protagonist who wears a long […]
Vicious Circle, Audio Edition (2006/2008) Mike Carey narrated by Michael Kramer Since Felix is not longer comfortable doing exorcisms, he’s been acting as a consultant for the Met–reading murder scenes to see if he can get an idea of what happened. After reading a particularly brutal murder, he then has to go to the Stanger, […]
An Indecent Invitation () Laura Trentham Lily Drummond’s father is missing. Her brother returned from the war damaged, and she is navigating her first season. Gray Masterson is a spy for the crown. His childhood best friend is a broken man, and in an attempt to draw him out, the wagered on a saber duel, […]
Lord of Scoundrels (1994) Loretta Chase Set in France and England in 1828. The book opens in 1793 with the marriage of the Marquess of Dain to Lucia Usignuolo, a wealthy Florentine aristocrat. The marriage is a disaster, and the result of that union is disdained by his father, and left basically alone after his […]
A Dangerous Liaison with Detective Lewis (2012) Jillian Stone Set in England and Scotland in 1887. There were so very many things wrong with this story, I can’t even list them all. But I’m going to try my damnedest to give you a sound accounting. Fanny Greyville-Nugent’s father has died in a horrible industrial accident. […]
Clean (2012) Alex Hughes I started this, dropped it, started it again, dropped it again, had it as my lunchtime book and then finally got into it. I found this book troublesome. On the plus side, I really liked the world building. I generally despise dystopias, but this wasn’t really a dystopia, but more along […]
An Excellent Mystery (1985) Ellis Peters Set in England in 1141 The war between Stephen and Maud continues, leading to the burning of much of Winchester. This causes two monks to appear at the abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, seeking refuge and shelter at their brother abbey. But one of the brothers had […]
The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue (2017) Mackenzi Lee Set in Europe in the 1700s Henry “Monty” Montague is a rake. He was kicked out of Eton, is constantly in drunk, and is the despair of his parents. He is also in love with his best friend, Percy. In a last ditch attempt at […]
Unmasked by the Marquess (2018) Cat Sebastian (Regency Imposters) Set in Regency England, mostly London. Alistair, Marquess of Pembroke has been struggling to rebuild his fortunes after his father left the estates in ruin, spending much of his money on his mistress and the children he had with said mistress. He also wants to see […]
Agents Of Light And Darkness, Audio Edition (2003/2008) Simon R. Green narrated by Marc Vietor Angels have come to the Nightside searching for the Unholy Grail–the cup Judas drank from at the Last Supper. Before the entire Nightside is destroyed, John Taylor is hired to find the Grail so it can be taken to the […]
Wicked Intentions (2010) Elizabeth Hoyt Set in England in 1737. Lazarus, Lord Caire, has a reputation such that only his title keeps him from becoming a disgrace. Temperance Dews is a widow, and with her brother Winter, runs the foundling home started by their father. But after the death of their patron, the two are […]
The Pilgrim of Hate (1984) Ellis Peters Set in England in 1141 It’s been four years since the Abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul brought the bones of Saint Winifred (or so they thought) to Shrewsbury, and the abbey is holding a festival for her, with pilgrims coming to pray for miracles. While to […]
A Week to Be Wicked (2012) Tessa Dare Set in England in Scotland in the early 1800s. Colin Sandhurst, Lord Payne is a dissolute rake. His cousin is trying to reform him, but it’s not working particularly well, and in a few months, Colin will have access to his own funds when he comes of […]
Dead Man’s Ransom (1984) Ellis Peters Set in England in 1141. The war between Stephen and Maud still flares across the countryside, and in one of the battles Gilbert Prestcote, the sheriff of Shrewsbury, is wounded and taken prisoner by the Welsh. Meanwhile, a band of Welsh raiders have been attacking the countryside, and one […]
The Richmond Thief (2017) Lisa Boero Set in London in the early 1800s. The widow Lady Althea Trent–a woman of scientific bent and interest in insects–and her sister-in-law Jane are traveling to London, so that Althea might experience London, and so she and Jane can visit with their cousins, the Levanwoods. But things are not […]
Spectred Isle (2017) K.J. Charles Set in London in 1923 Archaeologist Saul Lazenby was disgraced during the war, and the only work he has been able to find is working for a retired Major with an interest in finding historical places and items with supernatural significance. Saul believes none of this, but is glad for […]
Unfit to Print (2018) K.J. Charles Gil is the son of a wealthy man and that man’s housemaid, but unlike many, Mr Lawes claimed his son. Gil had spent his childhood here under his father’s carelessly affectionate eye. The old man might have played the fool, or the knave, with his housemaid, but he had […]
The Raven King, Audio Edition (2016) Maggie Stiefvater narrated by Will Patton Alas, I finally finished this story. We learn a lot about the psychics at 300 Foxway. They were so close to the situation that it was difficult to tell whether or not they were the situation. “I don’t believe in the concept of […]
Venetia (1958) Georgette Heyer Set in England in 1818 (guessed from death of the queen) The first meeting of the two is problematic–Damerel grabs Venetia and kisses her. He does stop when he resists, and it’s not like such things were uncommon, but… it’s distressing to modern sensibilities. Aside from that, I quite liked it. […]
The Ruin of Gabriel Ashleigh (2015) KJ Charles (Society of Gentlemen) Set in London in 1818. This is the prequel to the previous three books, a short story about two somewhat minor characters who appear in the other books: Gabriel Ashleigh, brother to Lord Maltravers, who is, at best, a knave. Gabriel has lost everything–literally […]
A Fashionable Indulgence (2016) KJ Charles (Society of Gentlemen) Set in London in 1819 As I continue to read backwards through this series, we come to the story of Justin and Harry. Harry’s father was disowned by his family, and took his wife’s name, Gordon. The family ended up on the continent when they were […]
The Reluctant Widow (1946) Georgette Heyer Set in Regency England Elinor has set out to take a position as a governess–her father’s ruin and death left her to make her own way in the world–at this point hiring out as a governess. Unfortunately, Lord Carlyon believes her to have answered her advertisement, which is not […]
A Seditious Affair (2016) KJ Charles (Society of Gentlemen) Set in London in 1819 This is the second book, in the series I am reading backwards. I read the first chapter a couple months ago, and put it down, because I wasn’t comfortable reading about BDSM. I mean, reading boinking passages in romance embarrasses me. […]