"Terrific gothic romantic suspense thriller"

Desperate Darcie Finch arrives at the East London brothel seeking help. The Madam Mrs. Feather sees Darcie's revulsion when the first male inspects her. Mrs. Feather gives Darcie some money, tells her to never return and sends her to see Dr. Damien Cole for work. Darcie hugs her sister, who warns her to keep away from Cole's secrets.

While heading to Cole's Curzon Street address, she is almost hit by his horses. He hires her as a maid but she turns squeamish because inside his carriage is a dead man. Still she needs work and upon seeing her artistic skills he promotes her to the position of his drawing assistant. However, the Cole residence seems sinister as Darcie learns that a maid has vanished without a trace and another employee has strangle prints on her neck, and creepy resurectionists arrive with fresh corpses all the time. As Darcie falls in love with her employer, she wonders if he is the serial killer terrorizing London or is he just someone hiring thugs who kill to insure fresh bodies for Cole's medical research.

This is a terrific gothic romantic suspense thriller in which the audience will feel the fears enhanced by the foggy somewhat gloomy atmosphere. Darcie is a classic sub- genre female wondering if the dark brooding man she loves is a killer while his home especially his lab serves as the typical mansion. Though the story line adheres somewhat to the sub-genre standard, Eve Silver provides a precious Victorian tale that grips the readers from the moment the heroine's sister the Madam sends her to Cole and never losens its grasp until the air is clear.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted October 29, 2005