Laura Freeman's Blog, page 23

Rogue’s Honor

Rogue’s Honor by Brenda Hiatt 2001 Regency

Rogue’s Honor is set in 1816 with Lady Pearl Moreston being pressured to marry by her stepmother who wants her son to inherit all of the Duke’s property. Pearl is waiting until her 21st birthday to inherit Fairbourne where she hopes to try new methods of her own and help the poor. She dresses as a servant named Purdy and runs away with her maid, Hettie, but they are enlisted to work at a party down the street where Pearl meets Luke St. Clair, also posing as a servant. He is the notorious Saint of Seven Dials, a Robin Hood character who robs from the rich and gives to the poor, including himself

When one of the guest thinks she recognizes Purdy as Pearl, she flees with Luke who takes her to his humble abode in the poor section of London. They have immediate attraction to each other but Pearl plays a simpleton and Luke sees himself as her protector. She helps save a little girl who eats poison set out for rats and a little boy who broke his leg, endearing him to Luke more and revealing that she isn’t a simpleton at all.

Luke searches for Hettie to help her and retrieve his stolen loot, which he gives to Flute, a 15-year-old boy who Luke protects and uses to fence stolen goods. He also overhears that the Saint has kidnapped Pearl. During the night Pearl returns home and pretends she was visiting her nurse. Luke disguises himself as Lucio di Santo and stays with his friend Marcus to search the ton parties for a servant girl named Purdy. Instead he comes face to face with Pearl.

The story continues with Pearl helping Luke find out about his past, which he doesn’t want to accept, and Luke helping Pearl escape a match to a boring man after she thinks he hates her. Throw in a murdering uncle, a lost inheritance, and a prison escape and Rogue’s Honor has plenty of action and intrigue to keep the pages turning.

Hiatt has several books published and I recommend trying at least one. I don’t think it will be enough and readers will come back for more of her colorful characters and adventurous plots. It’s a fun read for everyone.

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Devil’s Angel

Devil’s Angel by Marlene Suson 1994 Avon Books

This historic romance is set in 1690 England and has all the familiar scenes in many of this genre but Suson presents them in a humorous and energetic way that makes this a fun read.

Angel Winter is the daughter of the Earle of Ashcott who owned Belle Haven where he wrote about scientific discoveries. He kept Angel and Charles secluded father and son recently died. The Earle left everything to Angel only the will is missing and her mother, who ran off with her lover when Angel was four, has a new husband Sir Rupert Crowe, who is claiming Belle Haven.

This presents the first problem. Angel has nothing unless she can find the missing will.

The second problem is Rupert’s son Horace Crowe who wants to marry Angel’s best friend Kitty Bloomfield and will do anything to have her. They are attending a party to announce Kitty’s betrothal to Lord Lucian, Earl of Vayle.

The third problem is that Lucian isn’t in love with Kitty and is only marring her to impress his father by recovering the family home of Bloomfields which her father owns.

The fourth problem is that Lucian’s best friend David Inge is in love with Kitty, who had accepted his proposal of marriage but now must refuse him. Kitty isn’t in love with Lucian but her father has convinced her the marriage will elevate her social standing. Angel knows from letters that Kitty loves David, but Lucian is ignorant of the pain he causes his friend.

The fifth problem is Lucian’s hardened heart from 14 years ago when his father disowned him after his mother’s death. He will not love or trust any woman.

Angel is woefully ignorant of sex and social situations and asks embarrassing questions to find answers. While dancing, she warns Lucian that someone is plotting against him and asks him about babies.

The plot involves drugging Angel and Lucian and having them found in bed together. Poor Angel admits they slept together, not understanding it takes more to be ruined. Angel challenges Lucian to a duel to defend her honor. If he wins, she’ll marry him without love. He wins and appeals to her sense of honor.

Together they investigate her father’s mysterious death, In return, Angel tries to restore Lucian’s relationship with his father. Lucian want an obedient wife, but Angel doesn’t take orders and wants to be a partner.

The reasons for keeping secrets in this story are very logical and make the misunderstandings and frustrations of the characters believable. They make love but Lucian won’t say he loves her. They also fight about a man having a mistress although Lucian doesn’t know Angel knows about his mistress, Selina. In an unusual twist, Selina helps Angel gain popularity in society.

The ending has even more danger and confrontation. A lot has been packed into this novel. The villains continue their evil deeds until the final chapter, including making Lucian think Angel has had an affair and run off with her lover. Will he overcome his prejudice and mistrust of women before it’s too late?

The writer has foreshadowing the future problems and delivers on them. She also gives the hero a major flaw that impacts his decisions and causes problems for the heroine. Without flaws, the hero and heroine are boring and have nothing to overcome. Think of the biggest obstacle in your story and give your characters a flaw that will make it difficult for them to overcome their challenges. The reader will be rooting for them.

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The Viscount and the Vixen

The Viscount and the Vixen by Ava Devlin 2019 Regency

Rose d’Aubrey has been engaged twice with both future husbands dying before the wedding day and she is now heading for spinsterhood in her fourth season where she is companion to her cousin, Gloriana Blakely, who is hysterical her father has agreed to a betrothal to Viscount Gideon Somers.

Rose knew Gideon from her first season but he was shy and reserved and still is. He is in need of a respectable bride because his sister, Heloise, is pregnant and about to disgrace the family name, something his father already has done. What she doesn’t know is that Gideon has always been in love with her but his father’s death and her other suitors prevented him from declaring his intent to marry her.

Gloriana begs Rose to help her prevent Gideon from proposing so she can enjoy her first season to the fullest. Rose meets with Gideon at Gloriana’s first ball and agrees to elope with him. They travel to Scotland to wed and then onto Somers’ estate where Heloise and Gideon’s brother, Alex, are waiting to solve the problem of Heloise’s pregnancy.

In the past a romance began with boy meets girl, boy loses girl, and boy finds girl and they live happily ever after. This is a different plot of boy and girl meet, they are promised to others or there is a family problem but they get together about half way through the story. The rest of the story is about them overcoming difference and solving the initial problem introduced at the beginning of the story and ends with them declaring their love.

It is also a series and the minor characters are left with unfinished business in this story which will likely be resolved in future books.

I enjoyed the shy hero and the determined heroine, but I think they were up to more challenges. I didn’t get to spend enough time with them.

Lessons I didn’t learn in Sunday School – Lazarus, Martha, and Mary

Most Christians are familiar with the most popular stories taught in Sunday School. But as adults, what can we learn from those lessons?

The story of Lazarus being raised from the dead is a common Sunday School story and takes place in John 11 shortly before the crucifixion of Jesus, but we meet Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus, early in the ministry of Jesus in Luke 10 where Martha receives Jesus into her house. While Martha is serving the food, Mary sits at the feet of Jesus and listens to his teachings. Martha complains to Jesus that Mary should help her serve.

Jesus says, “Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things; But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

Luke does not reveal what happens next. Does Martha go back to serving? Does Mary help her? Or do both sisters sit and listen to Jesus teach? I think that Martha joins Mary and listens to the teachings of Jesus because of what is revealed in John 11.

John tells the reader that Lazarus, Martha, and Mary live in Bethany, which is just under two miles east of Jerusalem. John identifies Mary as the woman in Matthew and Mark who anointed Jesus with precious ointment and wiped his feet with her hair soon before his death. This happens after Lazarus is raise from the dead.

In chapter 3 Lazarus is sick and Mary and Martha send word to Jesus that “he whom thou lovest is sick.”

In chapter 5 it states that Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus after stating in chapter 4 that “this sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.”

Jesus waits two days before traveling to Bethany. He tells his disciples Lazarus is sleeping and he will awaken him, but then clarifies that Lazarus is dead. He is performing the miracle to convince his disciples he is the Christ. His teachings for the past three years are coming to an end, and the disciples still have trouble understanding his message.

Lazarus has been in the grave for four days. This is important because the body was inspected for three days after death. This is why Jesus waited to prove Lazarus was dead and not in a coma-like state. The timeline appears to indicate that Lazarus may have died the same day the messenger told Jesus of his friend’s illness.

Martha hears Jesus is coming and goes out onto the road to meet him.

In verse 21 Martha says, “Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.”

Martha doesn’t appear to be blaming Jesus as some interpretations imply. She is simply stating facts. If Jesus had come before Lazarus had died, Jesus would have been able to heal him. Martha also reveals her faith with verse 24. “I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

Jesus replies in verses 25-26, “I am the resurrection, and the life; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”

Martha says in verse 27, “I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.” This shows Martha’s faith, which is greater than the disciples. This is why I believe she also listened to the teachings of Jesus with Mary and believed.

Martha declares her faith and then goes to Mary and tells her secretly that Jesus called for her. She goes to Jesus where Martha had met him on the road. Mary also tells Jesus that Lazarus wouldn’t have died if he had been there, which reveals her faith. This is a family of believers and their actions reveal their faith.

Mary is weeping and the other mourners are weeping. Jesus reacts “he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled.”

The death of Jesus is imminent and this compassion reveals the why of his sacrifice. He saw the pain of death and felt the loss personally. They go to the grave and in verse 35, “Jesus wept.”

Lazarus is in a cave with a stone upon it. This is similar to the grave Jesus was placed in after his death. Jesus asks for the stone to be removed and then prays so others will believe that God sent him. “He cried with a loud voice, Lazarus come forth.”

Lazarus comes out bound hand and foot in burial clothes and has to be loosened. The hands and feet were wrapped to keep the small bones together as the body decayed. The jaw was also tied to the skull and Lazarus has a napkin covering his face.

This miracle proves that Jesus can raise people from the grave. It is also a foreshadowing of his own resurrection. We also see that salvation is personal. Martha and Mary profess their own faith. They don’t have to go through Lazarus or a priest or a saint. They go directly to Jesus and he promises them life eternal.

After this event, the pharisees plot to put Jesus to death. He travels to Ephraim with his disciples to avoid capture, but the priests and pharisees know he will attend Passover and order anyone who knows where Jesus is to tell them so they can arrest him.

In John 12 Jesus returns to Bethany six days before the Passover, and he has supper with Lazarus and Martha serves. Mary takes a pound of expensive perfume, spikenard, and anoints the feet of Jesus, and she wiped his feet with her hair. The house if filled with the scent of the ointment. Judas Iscariot wants to know why the ointment wasn’t sold for money and given to the poor. But John reveals the heart of Judas who kept the money bag and stole from it.

This reveals the motive for Judas to betray Jesus. Money was more important than understanding who Jesus was or even defending him as one of his disciples.

This same incident is mentioned in Matthew 26: 6-7 when Jesus goes to Bethany and is in the house of Simon the leper. But we know Mary and Martha are there. Jesus is eating, and Mary pours ointment over his head. Judas is upset because as treasurer he wanted the money they could have received from the sale of the ointment. Jesus rebukes him and says the ointment is for his burial and people will remember Mary for this act.

John also reveals that the priests wanted to put Lazarus to death because many believed in Jesus because he raised Lazarus from the dead.

Think about this. They know Lazarus died and Jesus raised him from the dead but they want any evidence destroyed, including Jesus and Lazarus. They want to preserve their own religion no matter what the costs.

Is it good or bad to defend your beliefs?

Should someone be open to new teachings?

How does someone determine what beliefs are the truth and what may be lies?

A Quiche Before Dying

A Quiche Before Dying by Jill Churchill 1993 Avon Books Cozy mystery

This is a Jane Jeffry Mystery series and like a lot of women, I identified with Jane easily. She has three teenagers and has been a widow for nearly two years. He was killed in a car accident while leaving Jane to join his mistress. I haven’t read the first book, but it made me wonder if Jane had been a suspect in his death.

Her two sons are away, Mike looking at colleges, and Todd visiting his paternal grandmother. That leaves Jane with her daughter, Katie, and mother, Cecily, who bond over the length of the book. Jane has solved crimes before with her best friend and neighbor Shelley.

Jane, Shelley, and Cecily are participating in a week-long class about writing a memoir. One of the classmates, Agnes, has already completed an entire book and thinks she should teach the class instead of Missy, a published romance novelist. Other classmates are introduced by Agnes screaming at them. Humor is introduced in tolerating Agnes.

She is hated by everyone but invites them to her home the following night. Everyone brings a dish to share, but only Agnes dies. Her maid nearly dies when she eats leftovers from Agnes’ plate. The maid had to eat half-eaten food? That was repulsive and sad. The woman worked 40 years for Agnes.

Detective Mel VanDyne reappears into Jane’s life and a timid romance begins between them.

As Jane and Shelley visit the other classmates, they hope to uncover clues about the crime. Instead we learn about interesting back stories that help to flesh out each suspect/character. This is a good technique for helping the reader dig deeper into the characters. Especially when Jane finds out things that she didn’t want to know and have nothing to do with the murder.

Jane discovers an extra copy of Agnes’ manuscript and asks the other classmates if they have their copies. She then finds a bamboo bird cage on her patio table. The final clue comes in the form of flowers delivered to her doorstep in a vase. Mel tells her they aren’t from her.

Churchill also gives us a creepy encounter at the store between Jane and a man who wants to ask her out. It’s every woman’s worst nightmare about unwanted dating.

Jane, who is a budding gardener, begins to put the clues together and calls Mel to put him on the right track to finding the killer.

Churchill can take the ordinary life of the suburbs and make it interesting. Jane goes to the PTA, Council meetings, and is raising three kids, but she has time for adventure and romance. It’s every middle-aged woman’s dream, and Churchill delivers with humor and sympathy.

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Highland Deception

Highland Deception by Meggan Connors

This highland story takes place in 1725 with the Mackay holding where Laird Malcolm is dying. He summons his twin, Kenneth, who is a Jacobite and outlaw for the last 10 years. He’s wanted for murdering Lord Somerfield.

Malcolm and his best friend, Angus Grant, want Kenneth to take Malcolm’s place to prevent his wife, Isobel, from inheriting and marrying one of the rival lords who covet the Mackay land. He agrees but falls in love with Isobel, who hates Malcolm, who preferred his mistress Siobhan. They made an agreement to pretend to be man and wife but Isobel longs for more. She gets it from Kenneth.

Connors does an excellent job of bringing these two people together. Isobel can’t forget the hurt Malcolm caused by choosing his mistress over her but sees that Kenneth is different and wants a new beginning. Kenneth discovers Mackay lands are in debt because of Malcolm and rejects Siobhan when she visits. By helping his people and Isobel when she becomes ill, he shows he’s the better laird. A magical ring ties their romance together and future books.

About midway, Isobel and Kenneth consummate their love but we know that someone is going to uncover his secret, which he has not shared with Isobel. Connors delivers on the exposure and more to keep the second half of the book moving at highlander speed.  

Connors delivers on romance, highland intrigue, and an interesting twist involving twins. She resolves the problems of deception and the past crimes with a satisfying ending.

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The Raider

The Raider by Jude Deveraux 1987 Pocket Books

This a book in the series of the Montgomery family set in 1766.

Alexander Montgomery has befriended the Nicholas Ivanovitch, an arrogant Russian aristocrat who helps him return to his father’s home in Warbrook (modern Maine) because there is family trouble. After his wealthy father is crippled in a riding accident, his sister, Marianna, married John Pitman, who has taken over the family business and is using his power to take ships and property from the other residents.

When Alex arrives in Boston, he fights with British soldiers, but Nick pays off the officials to free him. Alex sees soldiers bothering a girl and dresses all in black with a mask as the Raider. He is shot in the shoulder but Nick takes him to his ship and home. Everyone is looking for the Raider so Alex dresses as a fat, pampered aristocrat with padded belly and legs and an assortment of powdered wigs. Nick poses as his servant.

In Warbrooke, the Taggerts were poor but multiplied like rabbits. Eleanor and Jess Taggert take care of their younger siblings, Nate, Sally, Sam, Patirck, Henry, and Molly. They live in a shack and Jess has a small boat, the Mary Catherine, she uses to catch fish, lobster, and clams to sell to others. She dresses like a sailor but is the most beautiful woman in town. She has turned every man down because none of the want her siblings in the bargain.

Jess goes to greet Alex, who is only a few years older, but tormented her when she was little. She admires his older brothers Adam and Kit, which makes him angry. She makes fun of his floppish appearance and the whole town laughs at him. She overhears him asking for 25% from Pittman and confronts him about cheating his father. He explains he now knows how much Pittman is making.

When Ben Sampson smuggles illegal tea, the Raider distracts the British and kisses Abigail. He then dunks Jess in a tub of water. She goes to Alex’s father, Sayer, and cries. The story continues with Jess attracted to the Raider, who kisses her and makes love to her without her knowing who he is. She also befriends Alex, but treats him like a helpless child, frustrating him.

Jess is headstrong and fights for the people of the town personally instead of waiting for the Raider to do something. She warns him of a trap. Also Alex prevents Pitman from burning down the Taggert’s home. Alex uses both identities to test Jess.

Admiral Westmoreland arrives and orders Jess to wear a dress. A comical disaster results and Westmoreland orders her to take a husband. The Raider tells her he can’t marry her but can be her lover after she marries Alex, who is too ill to be a husband. Jess refuses to commit adultery, vexing the Raider and Alex.

Devereux uses the secret identities to the fullest to keep the characters apart. She introduces an older lover to the story to make Jess jealous. Then when Jess realizes Alex and the Raider are the same person, she teaches him a lesson. Duel identities and twins have often been used in novels but new twists can be found to make the plot fresh.

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Aged For Murder by Fiona Grace

Aged For Murder by Fiona Grace is listed as a cozy mystery but the murder doesn’t occur until half way through the story. The first half has Olivia Glass complete an important ad campaign for Valley Wines, which she knows is an inferior wine and makes her feel guilty about promoting. She rushes to a fancy dinner date with her live-in boyfriend, Matt, who is the only one who notices a run in her stocking. She announces she wants to quit her job and Matt tells her he is breaking up and going to a conference with his personal assistant, Leigh. A friend, Charlotte, invites her to Tuscany for the summer where she is renting a house after ending her engagement.

All these life changing events fits the definition of Women’s Literature as the main character goes through a journey to find herself. I liked this part of the story better than the mystery section. Olivia has gumption and even though she makes decisions on the spur of the moment, they are the right decisions for her. Much of the book is spent with her agonizing over what she should do next, including finding a job and whether to make up with Matt when he tries to win her back.

The cozy murder part follows the genre with the person murdered someone everyone hated. Olivia is the main suspect since she had reason to hate him the most and had the best opportunity to hit him over the head with a bottle of wine. She is inept as a detective and implicates herself more than proves her innocence. The author adds a goat who follows Olivia around. A cozy requires a cat or cute animal and Erba fits that bill. I would have liked more time spent on the murder investigation. It was more of a subplot than the genre of the story.

In spite of the split genre, the story was well-written and held my attention. I liked Olivia from the first page and rooted for her throughout the book. I believe she will be in more books in the series and that is something to look forward to as her character is involved in more murders in exotic locations.

Many authors are choosing to mix genres and this one is better for that. The writer has to decide which genre will dominate though and focus on it for most of the book. Writers can either split the genre down the middle like this one with the heroine focusing on herself the first half of the book and the mystery the second half or weave them together throughout the story.

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The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax

The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman 1966 Fawcett Crest Books Thriller mystery

Widow Virgil Pollifax, in her 60s and without anything to do but volunteer, goes to Washington, D.C. to spy for the CIA. Agent Bll Carstairs needs an ordinary tourist to pick up a package in Mexico and decides Mrs. Pollifax is perfect for the part. She is instructed to go to the Parrot Bookstore on Aug. 19, ask for “A Tale of Two Cities” and pick up a package. Unknown to her, it has information on agents gathered by Agent Tirpak.

Pollifax is enjoying her vacation but worried about finding the bookstore, she locates it and passes it several times before she decides to buy a book on Aug 17. She meets the owner Jose DeGamez and his parrot and they talk about family, traveling, and solitaire. He gives her a book on 77 different ways to play solitaire and tosses her a box of cards as she is leaving. She spends a lot of time playing solitaire to pass the time. 

Two days later she returns for her assignment but Jose isn’t there. A man claiming to be the owner offers her tea and drugs her. She and agent Farrell, who was lured to the bookstore, are prisoners of General Perdido who is known for torturing prisoners. Pollifax’s easy assignment has just gone south.

Gilman plays the danger straight as Pollifax and Farrell are taken to a mountain prison in Albania where the Chinese have replaced the Russians and are developing a missile site. Farrell tries to jump to his death and breaks his leg and his shot. Pollifax demands medical supplies and takes care of Farrell, which Perdido agrees to, knowing he can’t torture him if he dies.

While Perdido is away, Pollifax befriends the guards with friendly chatter, a back massage, and daily walks. Lulash, a native of Albania, loans her a book which has a map of the country in it. Farrell copies it as Pollifax begins to plan their escape. She communicates with a prisoner in the neighboring cell and distrusts the new prisoner, Nexdhert, who is spying on them while Perdido is away. She gathers bullets, guns, a knife, a crutch for Farrell and rocks to knock out the guards.

Nexdhert is a Russian spy reporting about Perdido and helps them escape. They free the prisoner in the next cell and take him along, calling him Genie because of his appearance. The escape takes several twist and turns, a few surprises, and a dangerous shoot out. Pollifax won’t be bored with her life, if she survives. 

Pollifax is a great older heroine, who use her common sense, experience from life, and perseverance to keep going no matter what happens. Her personality makes the story enjoyable. The wisecracks between her and Farrell are fun and balance the danger. Her open trust and honesty with her prisoners wins them over and makes you believe they’re rooting for her escape.

What’s fun is that Gilman wrote a whole series of Mrs. Pollifax books. Enjoy.

 More reviews can be found at www.authorfreeman.wordpress.com

Pilfered Promises

Pilfered Promises by M. Louisa Locke – mystery set in 1880 San Francisco 2016

This is the fifth book in a series. I had no problem following the story but the hints of past cases made me want to read the previous books. When writing a series, add a few memories in the current story to entice the reader to read them all.

This historical mystery captures the time period with just enough information to show the detailed research of the author. A historical novel needs the setting, events, and characters to reflect that time period. Locke succeeds at this and is a good example to look at for writing a historical novel.

Annie Dawson has led a full life and works as an accountant and is married to lawyer Nate Dawson. She was married to an abuser who committed suicide. After working without pay for his relatives, she inherited a boarding house in San Francisco where she has several interesting boarders. She was once Madame Sibyl in order to give financial advice to others and has worked with the police in previous cases. This allows her to play detective in this story.

Locke gives her characters rich backgrounds and introduces us to a lot of people in this story but she keeps them clear in her storytelling. She also has done her research and anyone who wants to write in this time period of 1880 should read her books and become familiar with the clothing, transportation, and other items used by those in this decade.

Other historical mysteries can have a dark side but Locke begins with a shoplifting incident by a relative and is hired by the Silver Strike Bazaar owner to investigate missing merchandise. She enlists family and servants to help with the investigation that has plenty of suspects. She also has several subplots going on at the same time with Nate helping a woman obtain a divorce and custody of her children from an abusive husband.

When a woman, who designed clothing for the store is murdered, Annie must figure out who had a motive to kill her. She interviews each suspect and eliminates them one by one until the only one left is revealed. All sex and the murder are done off stage like a cozy mystery and everything works out in the end which gives this mystery a PG rating.

Many social subjects are mentioned like abusive husbands, worries about pregnancy, working wives, and race but handled without being preachy. Although the main characters are more open-minded than most people in the 19th century, they acknowledge the difficulties for some people in unfortunate situations.

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