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Regency #1
Tainted Angel
A Deadly Game of Deception
Notorious and beautiful, Vidia Swanson works as an "angel," trying to coax incriminating secrets from powerful men who may or may not be traitors of the Crown. Her latest target is suspected of stealing gold from Wellington's troops, but matters take an alarming turn when Vidia realizes that her spymaster thinks she is the one who is tainted—a double agent working for Napoleon.
Backed into a corner, she can only hope to stay one step ahead of the hangman in a race to stop the next war before it destroys her—and destroys England. Tainted Angel offers up a compelling game of cat and mouse in which no one can be trusted and anyone can be tainted.
"Espionage and passion—Regency style—burning up the pages from chapter one."—New York Times bestselling author Raine Miller
"A world of spies and traitors where no one is quite what they seem and the truth is only true for a moment...a thrilling take that will keep you guessing until the very last page."—Victoria Thompson, author of Murder in Chelsea
Notorious and beautiful, Vidia Swanson works as an "angel," trying to coax incriminating secrets from powerful men who may or may not be traitors of the Crown. Her latest target is suspected of stealing gold from Wellington's troops, but matters take an alarming turn when Vidia realizes that her spymaster thinks she is the one who is tainted—a double agent working for Napoleon.
Backed into a corner, she can only hope to stay one step ahead of the hangman in a race to stop the next war before it destroys her—and destroys England. Tainted Angel offers up a compelling game of cat and mouse in which no one can be trusted and anyone can be tainted.
"Espionage and passion—Regency style—burning up the pages from chapter one."—New York Times bestselling author Raine Miller
"A world of spies and traitors where no one is quite what they seem and the truth is only true for a moment...a thrilling take that will keep you guessing until the very last page."—Victoria Thompson, author of Murder in Chelsea
367 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2013
30 people are currently reading
1294 people want to read
About the author
Anne Cleeland
36 books473 followersAnne Cleeland writes a contemporary Scotland Yard mystery series that is featured in the Amazon top 100 best sellers. She also writes a historical series of stand-alone books set in the Regency period. A member of International Thriller Writers, The Historical Novel Society, and Mystery Writers of America, she lives in California and has four children. www.annecleeland.com; @annecleeland.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
July 3, 2013
This is a nonstop Regency thrill ride. There's not a single dull moment in any of its pages.
Vidia is a spy...and she appears to be a double agent...or pretending to be. England or France? Where does her loyalty lie? Her "agency" has come to suspect her and has even gone so far as to send a fellow agent to seduce her, get her secrets, marry her, etc. And the entire book has a reader wondering just who is playing who.
I LOVED this heroine. Vidia is a woman not ashamed of who she is, not afraid to go after what she wants, be it sex or money. She has survived a horrid past and rather than seek sympathy for it, she's kicking butt and taking names. The sex was tasteful. There wasn't page after page of it. It gives you just enough. It tells us what we need to know. I especially enjoyed the humorous bits of conversation between Vidia and her maid. These parts had me LOLing.
"It is time to being in the heavy artillery," she told Maisie, who was hovering in Vidia's room. "The man is being too polite."
"He does seem very kind," offered Maisie, bringing out Vidia's nightdress. "He probably just doesn't want to throw ye about--not just yet."
"Bet that as it may, I am dying to throw him about, so please make yourself scarce."
At first, I was perturbed by something about this novel. Even the reader never knows what's going on. What is Vidia up to? What's she hiding? IS she a double agent? She drops hints that something big is happening, that she does do this and that..has spoken to this or that person, but I was sitting here not knowing myself. Normally, a reader knows the 411 and reads to the story merely to see if the plan is carried out and if the hero/heroine gets caught. This book doesn't even let us in on the secret...but this, in the end, totally worked in the story's favor.
I was riveted and I must say it takes a truly talented author to pull off that little trick. Anne Cleeland is it. If I were to list a single complaint about this book it would be that at times it refers to things in the heroine's past that we don't get to really experience.
Fave quotes here: http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/2013/...
Vidia is a spy...and she appears to be a double agent...or pretending to be. England or France? Where does her loyalty lie? Her "agency" has come to suspect her and has even gone so far as to send a fellow agent to seduce her, get her secrets, marry her, etc. And the entire book has a reader wondering just who is playing who.
I LOVED this heroine. Vidia is a woman not ashamed of who she is, not afraid to go after what she wants, be it sex or money. She has survived a horrid past and rather than seek sympathy for it, she's kicking butt and taking names. The sex was tasteful. There wasn't page after page of it. It gives you just enough. It tells us what we need to know. I especially enjoyed the humorous bits of conversation between Vidia and her maid. These parts had me LOLing.
"It is time to being in the heavy artillery," she told Maisie, who was hovering in Vidia's room. "The man is being too polite."
"He does seem very kind," offered Maisie, bringing out Vidia's nightdress. "He probably just doesn't want to throw ye about--not just yet."
"Bet that as it may, I am dying to throw him about, so please make yourself scarce."
At first, I was perturbed by something about this novel. Even the reader never knows what's going on. What is Vidia up to? What's she hiding? IS she a double agent? She drops hints that something big is happening, that she does do this and that..has spoken to this or that person, but I was sitting here not knowing myself. Normally, a reader knows the 411 and reads to the story merely to see if the plan is carried out and if the hero/heroine gets caught. This book doesn't even let us in on the secret...but this, in the end, totally worked in the story's favor.
I was riveted and I must say it takes a truly talented author to pull off that little trick. Anne Cleeland is it. If I were to list a single complaint about this book it would be that at times it refers to things in the heroine's past that we don't get to really experience.
Fave quotes here: http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/2013/...
July 26, 2019
Twists and turns abound in this exciting Regency adventure. Anne Cleeland meticulous attention to historical details brings the reader fully into the world of spies, traitors, and espionage against the backdrop of Regency historical fiction. The setting is Regency England in the time of the Napoleonic war. Our heroine Vidia, is a spy and she is one of the most intriguing, dynamic characters that I have ever read about. Vidia is in service as an “angel” a woman who uses her beauty to lure secrets from powerful men. She more than holds her own when she goes up against the powerful men she meets.
Now, Vidia has been accused of being “tainted,” or a double agent and it is not until the nearly the end whether it’s known if she is an agent for England or France. Intriguing adventures and revelations along the way but Vidia’s strategic mind and sharp instincts keep her two steps ahead of her accusers. Along the way, love and intrigue intertwine yet she cannot trust him with her true purpose. As it turns out, no one is who they appear to be. As the story progress towards its breathtaking and surprising conclusion, I was rooting for Vidia all the way. Overall, Tainted Angel is a fast paced, well-written, facinating read.
Now, Vidia has been accused of being “tainted,” or a double agent and it is not until the nearly the end whether it’s known if she is an agent for England or France. Intriguing adventures and revelations along the way but Vidia’s strategic mind and sharp instincts keep her two steps ahead of her accusers. Along the way, love and intrigue intertwine yet she cannot trust him with her true purpose. As it turns out, no one is who they appear to be. As the story progress towards its breathtaking and surprising conclusion, I was rooting for Vidia all the way. Overall, Tainted Angel is a fast paced, well-written, facinating read.
June 5, 2013
My thoughts:
This was a spy/mystery/romance/historical. A nice little mix and I thought I knew, but I had no idea at all ;)
Vidia was an enigma. Her fellow spies believes she is tainted and I was unsure. She was way too comfy around her mark. So I kept wondering about her and her benefactor. In the end I wondered about everyone. You can't really trust anyone in this book and first at the end I could relax and trust people, trust them to know what they were doing.
That is the whole thriller/mystery parts. She has some explaining to do and the heat is on. In comes the hero (who I did not know what to make of either). Their relationship becomes, oh you just has to read it. It's a cat and mouse game and it kept me on my toes. Then there is the whole dead wife thing too to think about. But, nah I will not say one thing more. This was just a book were mysteries slowly were revealed.
One thing though, at times I was, not confused just..troubled. I felt that I should be able to trust someone at least and pages seemed to flow by without me noticing it and not in a good way.
Conclusion:
An thrilling spy novel with romance to offer too.
This was a spy/mystery/romance/historical. A nice little mix and I thought I knew, but I had no idea at all ;)
Vidia was an enigma. Her fellow spies believes she is tainted and I was unsure. She was way too comfy around her mark. So I kept wondering about her and her benefactor. In the end I wondered about everyone. You can't really trust anyone in this book and first at the end I could relax and trust people, trust them to know what they were doing.
That is the whole thriller/mystery parts. She has some explaining to do and the heat is on. In comes the hero (who I did not know what to make of either). Their relationship becomes, oh you just has to read it. It's a cat and mouse game and it kept me on my toes. Then there is the whole dead wife thing too to think about. But, nah I will not say one thing more. This was just a book were mysteries slowly were revealed.
One thing though, at times I was, not confused just..troubled. I felt that I should be able to trust someone at least and pages seemed to flow by without me noticing it and not in a good way.
Conclusion:
An thrilling spy novel with romance to offer too.
June 6, 2013
Recommended for: people who like romantic spy adventures, Regency/Georgian/Napoleonic period
When starting a new book, context plays a big part of getting into and staying into a story. So without detracting from the importance of a killer opening paragraph, it probably doesn't bode well that I kept wondering if I was reading a sequel of a series where a lot has already happened. Let me make this easier on ya'll who are looking at this fresh: this is a stand-alone where the characters have a lot of common backstory that you won't ever really know in full. Armed with this knowledge, the many references to the Flemish mission can be just so much chatter in the background. In addition to not being a sequel, Tainted Angel doesn't appear to be a beginning of a series either, so you can sink into the plot knowing the resolution is within reach. It's a refreshing change from all the trilogies and endless series that every new author seems obliged to put out.
Vidia Swanson is very, very good at her job as an "angel". Angels are covert agents, usually female, whose purpose is to inveigle secrets via pillow talk and the like. (Others in the spy genre call them valentines, honeytrappers or femme fatale.) Her assignments for the British Crown make the most of her insanely good looks so all business she conducts is high-profile. Her current target is a financier who is playing a double cross game with the help of Vidia. Another agent, Carstairs, seems to be caught in the crosshairs and Vidia feels a net closing in - a net she can't bring herself to resist. The plot pretty much revolves around whether, how, and why Vidia is playing that double or triple or quadruple cross. Her spymaster believes she has been compromised, or "tainted", and someone is either right behind her to arrest her for treason or is a step ahead of her anticipating the next move that might show her hand. Stakes are high when the mere appearance of guilt means the gallows.
It is no chore wading into Vidia's adventures. Our heroine is supremely confident but unfailingly human. She is unapologetically strong and effortlessly charming. It sounds Mary Jane-y, but she totally isn't. Vidia is a wonderfully feminist and wonderfully feminine character - a very rare bird. Her sympathetic character owes a lot to her self-awareness and sense of honor. Sometimes she seems a shade too loyal and tolerant at times to survive in the high stakes game of espionage. She decides to trust a man that she admits she shouldn't. She also treats her fellow agents better than a pro in her position would. This situation, like nearly every plot point in the book, is she-knows-they-know-that-she-knows-that-they-know. Occasionally your head will feel like it's taking a spin but Vidia is a natural gamester. She is always just ahead of her pursuers, with a wink and a smile. Also, like any good card shark, she plays a close hand with her secrets. Unfortunately, sometimes the author drops hints that pretty much takes away the element of surprise for some key events. It's not clumsily done, but it detrimentally relaxes the narrative tension after a good build up of action. One enormous plot point drove me nuts in both its foreshadowing and its improbable timing, but it is only one in a book full of plot points.
Plots thicken abundantly in this story. It's clear Vidia's past burdens her and allusions to it wind around the narrative like English ivy. Her history is indeed harrowing and warrants justice, but the revelations and her motives for this job become unnecessarily tangled in the end. I felt like the author lost her train of thought and tied a couple important threads around the climax after laying all that groundwork for multiple, unrelated revenges. Rationally and broadly speaking, a single wrong is righted so that one comes out in the wash, but on an emotional and personal level it doesn't ring true - unless the author is planning to use that unresolved vendetta for another book. (Yes, please! I know I said this is a stand-alone novel, but I would revisit Vidia forthwith.)
While the conclusion is a little wrong-footed, getting there presents no such issues. Anne Cleeland has a deft touch with words. Her style is descriptive but straightforward and nicely succinct. The book leads off well and the pace hardly falters. Paragraphs, chapters just breeze by, but still reads satisfyingly. The pace is brisk without being frenetic, which is a nice demonstration of the author's control over a sprawling plot and a lot of smart moving pieces. In fact, the book improves on re-reading when the previously random information slides nicely into place. It's not common to find a lovely, entertaining book that stands up to repeat readings - and that may tell you everything you need to know about this book.
When starting a new book, context plays a big part of getting into and staying into a story. So without detracting from the importance of a killer opening paragraph, it probably doesn't bode well that I kept wondering if I was reading a sequel of a series where a lot has already happened. Let me make this easier on ya'll who are looking at this fresh: this is a stand-alone where the characters have a lot of common backstory that you won't ever really know in full. Armed with this knowledge, the many references to the Flemish mission can be just so much chatter in the background. In addition to not being a sequel, Tainted Angel doesn't appear to be a beginning of a series either, so you can sink into the plot knowing the resolution is within reach. It's a refreshing change from all the trilogies and endless series that every new author seems obliged to put out.
Vidia Swanson is very, very good at her job as an "angel". Angels are covert agents, usually female, whose purpose is to inveigle secrets via pillow talk and the like. (Others in the spy genre call them valentines, honeytrappers or femme fatale.) Her assignments for the British Crown make the most of her insanely good looks so all business she conducts is high-profile. Her current target is a financier who is playing a double cross game with the help of Vidia. Another agent, Carstairs, seems to be caught in the crosshairs and Vidia feels a net closing in - a net she can't bring herself to resist. The plot pretty much revolves around whether, how, and why Vidia is playing that double or triple or quadruple cross. Her spymaster believes she has been compromised, or "tainted", and someone is either right behind her to arrest her for treason or is a step ahead of her anticipating the next move that might show her hand. Stakes are high when the mere appearance of guilt means the gallows.
It is no chore wading into Vidia's adventures. Our heroine is supremely confident but unfailingly human. She is unapologetically strong and effortlessly charming. It sounds Mary Jane-y, but she totally isn't. Vidia is a wonderfully feminist and wonderfully feminine character - a very rare bird. Her sympathetic character owes a lot to her self-awareness and sense of honor. Sometimes she seems a shade too loyal and tolerant at times to survive in the high stakes game of espionage. She decides to trust a man that she admits she shouldn't. She also treats her fellow agents better than a pro in her position would. This situation, like nearly every plot point in the book, is she-knows-they-know-that-she-knows-that-they-know. Occasionally your head will feel like it's taking a spin but Vidia is a natural gamester. She is always just ahead of her pursuers, with a wink and a smile. Also, like any good card shark, she plays a close hand with her secrets. Unfortunately, sometimes the author drops hints that pretty much takes away the element of surprise for some key events. It's not clumsily done, but it detrimentally relaxes the narrative tension after a good build up of action. One enormous plot point drove me nuts in both its foreshadowing and its improbable timing, but it is only one in a book full of plot points.
Plots thicken abundantly in this story. It's clear Vidia's past burdens her and allusions to it wind around the narrative like English ivy. Her history is indeed harrowing and warrants justice, but the revelations and her motives for this job become unnecessarily tangled in the end. I felt like the author lost her train of thought and tied a couple important threads around the climax after laying all that groundwork for multiple, unrelated revenges. Rationally and broadly speaking, a single wrong is righted so that one comes out in the wash, but on an emotional and personal level it doesn't ring true - unless the author is planning to use that unresolved vendetta for another book. (Yes, please! I know I said this is a stand-alone novel, but I would revisit Vidia forthwith.)
While the conclusion is a little wrong-footed, getting there presents no such issues. Anne Cleeland has a deft touch with words. Her style is descriptive but straightforward and nicely succinct. The book leads off well and the pace hardly falters. Paragraphs, chapters just breeze by, but still reads satisfyingly. The pace is brisk without being frenetic, which is a nice demonstration of the author's control over a sprawling plot and a lot of smart moving pieces. In fact, the book improves on re-reading when the previously random information slides nicely into place. It's not common to find a lovely, entertaining book that stands up to repeat readings - and that may tell you everything you need to know about this book.
January 29, 2015
I didn't love this one, but it had great potential. The "distracting" beauty of Vidia was continually mentioned through the entire book and was, quite frankly, distracting. I didn't believe that she was a capable spy because she seemed so caught off guard in so many situations.
I really wish that this was a sequel. Cleeland gave so many glimpses into past missions and character relationships, and I think they would have made a great read. Because of the sequel-feel of this book, I always felt like I was scrambling to catch up with the characters. I didn't buy the relationships between the characters and I didn't feel invested in their fate.
I really wish that this was a sequel. Cleeland gave so many glimpses into past missions and character relationships, and I think they would have made a great read. Because of the sequel-feel of this book, I always felt like I was scrambling to catch up with the characters. I didn't buy the relationships between the characters and I didn't feel invested in their fate.
February 23, 2017
Vida is absolutely gorgeous. And absolutely dangerous when she wants to be. Now Vida finds herself tangled in conflicting loyalties and unsure of how best to proceed.
Vida herself is a fun interesting woman character. I love the wit and power she displays at times throughout the book. Unfortunately, I thought the story itself didn't live up to her as a character. The story was very flat at times and the ending was very disappointing. And the love story was really frustrating as just didn't match the rest of Vida's character.
I really wanted to like this book as I loved Vida. But sadly the plotline was just ok and the story felt undeveloped at moments.
Vida herself is a fun interesting woman character. I love the wit and power she displays at times throughout the book. Unfortunately, I thought the story itself didn't live up to her as a character. The story was very flat at times and the ending was very disappointing. And the love story was really frustrating as just didn't match the rest of Vida's character.
I really wanted to like this book as I loved Vida. But sadly the plotline was just ok and the story felt undeveloped at moments.
September 11, 2020
I've been a fan of Anne Cleeland since I began reading her Scotland Yard series, set in current time. "Tainted Angel" is the first of her historical fiction books I've read. Set in the time of Napoleon, we meet Invidia (or Libby, or Lina) a spy for England, or is it France? Hard to tell throughout the book. Her cohorts are also questionable. Are they with her, or against her? When the handsome, recent widower, Lucien Carstairs sets his sights on her, she can't resist. But is he only doing it to gain secrets, or does he really care? This confusion continues throughout the novel, finally resolving in the last pages. Having read most of her Scotland Yard series, I found it interesting that many of the expressions her British characters use were also used by the characters in "Tainted Angel." Since expressions are a reflection of the time they're in, and their locale, I considered this to be a flaw in this book. If you like historical fiction, and don't mind spy/counterspy stories, you would probably like this one. I think I'll stick to her Scotland Yard series.
June 6, 2013
Double and triple talk, threats and counter threats, plots and counterplots. Games of cat-and-mouse, crosses and double-crosses, lies, lies and more lies. Nothing is as it seems in TAINTED ANGEL by Anne Cleeland, a complex tale of spy and counterspy in Regency England.
Vidia is no stranger to the double-dealing, underhandedness and betrayal of the espionage world. As a so-called angel, her job is to use her considerable beauty and charm to ferret out secrets from powerful men. But now, someone has fingered her as a possible traitor, and her own organization is out to trap her. She also harbors secrets of her own that she doesn’t want her employers to discover.
Lucien, also a spy, has been Vidia’s partner on occasion and has always been stunned by her beauty. Recently widowed, he can now pursue her. Or can he? He has secrets, too, ones that can tear him apart.
TAINTED ANGEL is that welcome rarity, a Regency adventure story. Ms. Cleeland’s page-turner grips you from the start and yanks you along at breakneck speed into a maze of dizzying twists and turns where nothing and no one are what they seem. The surprises keep coming right to the end as the author reveals bit by tantalizing bit the secrets everyone in this novel protect.
I love adventure and spy stories, but most of them focus on the man, who does all the heroics, with the woman as an afterthought. Not here. Vidia is smart, sharp, beholden to no one and fights back. She takes care of herself, and is a match for anyone. I like her very much. I would love to see more heroines like her.
I also like Lucien. He operates under as deep a load of secrets as Vidia, but manages to navigate through them as he does his job and also helps her. A true hero. And he’s blond. I do like my blond heroes.
I stayed up well into the night reading this book. You will, too.
ARC provided by Sourcebooks
Vidia is no stranger to the double-dealing, underhandedness and betrayal of the espionage world. As a so-called angel, her job is to use her considerable beauty and charm to ferret out secrets from powerful men. But now, someone has fingered her as a possible traitor, and her own organization is out to trap her. She also harbors secrets of her own that she doesn’t want her employers to discover.
Lucien, also a spy, has been Vidia’s partner on occasion and has always been stunned by her beauty. Recently widowed, he can now pursue her. Or can he? He has secrets, too, ones that can tear him apart.
TAINTED ANGEL is that welcome rarity, a Regency adventure story. Ms. Cleeland’s page-turner grips you from the start and yanks you along at breakneck speed into a maze of dizzying twists and turns where nothing and no one are what they seem. The surprises keep coming right to the end as the author reveals bit by tantalizing bit the secrets everyone in this novel protect.
I love adventure and spy stories, but most of them focus on the man, who does all the heroics, with the woman as an afterthought. Not here. Vidia is smart, sharp, beholden to no one and fights back. She takes care of herself, and is a match for anyone. I like her very much. I would love to see more heroines like her.
I also like Lucien. He operates under as deep a load of secrets as Vidia, but manages to navigate through them as he does his job and also helps her. A true hero. And he’s blond. I do like my blond heroes.
I stayed up well into the night reading this book. You will, too.
ARC provided by Sourcebooks
May 14, 2014
I love a good spy book and this story really kept me in the dark, like a stranger overhearing conversations and not understanding what is really happening.
During the Napoleonic war, the English home-office would sometimes recruit young women, with no connections, as “angels”, special agents who would use their powers of seduction to extract important information from the enemy. Vidia Swanson is one of these agents and her current mission is to spy on a very wealthy man, named Brodie, who has bought lots of English bonds and, therefore, has the power to cause England´s financial ruin if he decides to cash them in. And to make things worse, shiploads of English gold have disappeared and many think Napoleon has his hand in this, although he is still locked up in Elba. But, getting back to Vidia Swanson, a false accusation makes her spymaster and fellow spies think she is tainted and working for the French. She denies, of course, but her actions don´t seem in tune with her words and a true cat and mice game begins, with each side trying to outmaneuver the other… and the reader is left not knowing whom to believe!
This is what really got me hooked on this book. Everyone seems to be hiding crucial information, not giving it away; and when you think you know what a character is going to do next he/she shuffles the cards again and does something that leaves you saying – “what on earth?”.
A very addictive read, with many plot twists.
During the Napoleonic war, the English home-office would sometimes recruit young women, with no connections, as “angels”, special agents who would use their powers of seduction to extract important information from the enemy. Vidia Swanson is one of these agents and her current mission is to spy on a very wealthy man, named Brodie, who has bought lots of English bonds and, therefore, has the power to cause England´s financial ruin if he decides to cash them in. And to make things worse, shiploads of English gold have disappeared and many think Napoleon has his hand in this, although he is still locked up in Elba. But, getting back to Vidia Swanson, a false accusation makes her spymaster and fellow spies think she is tainted and working for the French. She denies, of course, but her actions don´t seem in tune with her words and a true cat and mice game begins, with each side trying to outmaneuver the other… and the reader is left not knowing whom to believe!
This is what really got me hooked on this book. Everyone seems to be hiding crucial information, not giving it away; and when you think you know what a character is going to do next he/she shuffles the cards again and does something that leaves you saying – “what on earth?”.
A very addictive read, with many plot twists.
November 19, 2013
Although this is a spy story, it has intrigue, suspense and romance with a twist. The action takes place in Regency England during Napoleon’s war. England is on the brink of financial disaster. The twist is a strong beautiful woman who is a successful spy with years of experience.
This most interesting and dynamic woman can successfully understand and undermine the powerful men she meets. I cannot stress enough her strategic powers and how she is able to meet and beat her aggressors. Her great beauty is a help and a hindrance, especially when she needs to be hidden and yet be safe.
She is accused of being ‘tainted’ a traitor. Is she a double agent, for. whom . . England or France? As a spy during her duties, she has fallen in love with another spy she had worked with previously. Unfortunately, she is unable to trust her true love. He is devious and committed to his work and country.
She is totally guided by her instincts which serves her well and keeps her alive, just ahead of her accusers. Her wit and quick thinking adds so much insight to how she is able to handle her situations. The love, intrigue and cleverness of this strong woman will keep you in suspense as the story progresses to a breathtaking conclusion.
This most interesting and dynamic woman can successfully understand and undermine the powerful men she meets. I cannot stress enough her strategic powers and how she is able to meet and beat her aggressors. Her great beauty is a help and a hindrance, especially when she needs to be hidden and yet be safe.
She is accused of being ‘tainted’ a traitor. Is she a double agent, for. whom . . England or France? As a spy during her duties, she has fallen in love with another spy she had worked with previously. Unfortunately, she is unable to trust her true love. He is devious and committed to his work and country.
She is totally guided by her instincts which serves her well and keeps her alive, just ahead of her accusers. Her wit and quick thinking adds so much insight to how she is able to handle her situations. The love, intrigue and cleverness of this strong woman will keep you in suspense as the story progresses to a breathtaking conclusion.
September 13, 2013
I'm telling you straight away, if you like Michelle Diener and her 19th century spy historical novels, you'd really enjoy Anne Cleeland.
She calls Tainted Angel "regency Mr. & Mrs. Smith" but I'd say, add "Ocean's Eleven" to this mix. Tainted Angel is a delightful regency heist with some pretty phenomenal banter between its main characters. I loved it!
Vidia is a British spy who is suspected of double-dealing. Enter Lucien Carstairs, who is sent to determine if she is indeed a "tainted" angel. What you don't expect is that both have more layers than you can count and that both are deliciously wily. They also have insane chemistry between each other, and that chemistry works against all their plans and is perhaps the only genuine emotion in this whole affair.
Expect quick thinking, tricks and treachery, twists and turns, pretend drama and non-stop action in this absolutely delicious regency spy mystery. Vidia was a delightful minx, and Lucien had some cards up his sleeve as well. The secondary characters were well rounded and also unexpected in their depth, so please don't discount them and their own little games.
Overall, a must read, clever and charming.
She calls Tainted Angel "regency Mr. & Mrs. Smith" but I'd say, add "Ocean's Eleven" to this mix. Tainted Angel is a delightful regency heist with some pretty phenomenal banter between its main characters. I loved it!
Vidia is a British spy who is suspected of double-dealing. Enter Lucien Carstairs, who is sent to determine if she is indeed a "tainted" angel. What you don't expect is that both have more layers than you can count and that both are deliciously wily. They also have insane chemistry between each other, and that chemistry works against all their plans and is perhaps the only genuine emotion in this whole affair.
Expect quick thinking, tricks and treachery, twists and turns, pretend drama and non-stop action in this absolutely delicious regency spy mystery. Vidia was a delightful minx, and Lucien had some cards up his sleeve as well. The secondary characters were well rounded and also unexpected in their depth, so please don't discount them and their own little games.
Overall, a must read, clever and charming.
February 18, 2025
I am a big fan of Cleeland’s weirdly compelling Acton and Doyle modern British police procedural series, and I love Regency romances, so this book seemed just the ticket. Set during the Napoleonic Wars, it features a beautiful and clever woman who may or may not be a double agent, and the handsome agent she loves who may or may not be double-crossing her.
Honestly, I could not even begin to follow the intrigue, so I stopped trying. There are cloaks upon cloaks and daggers upon daggers. Way too complicated for my tastes.
Main character Vidia, who becomes Lina later in the book (don’t ask, part of the intrigue) is too attractive and too clever to be likable or relatable. Everyone she meets falls for her. Carstairs is not quite as irresistible but he also is a little too perfect and handsome and capable.
Vidia is like an early draft of Doyle, calling people “my friend” in a similar manner and overusing the word “fine.” There is even a reference to “beaux yeux,” as there is in the first Acton and Doyle book. In many ways this read like a practice run at Acton and Doyle. I won't be looking for book 2.
Honestly, I could not even begin to follow the intrigue, so I stopped trying. There are cloaks upon cloaks and daggers upon daggers. Way too complicated for my tastes.
Main character Vidia, who becomes Lina later in the book (don’t ask, part of the intrigue) is too attractive and too clever to be likable or relatable. Everyone she meets falls for her. Carstairs is not quite as irresistible but he also is a little too perfect and handsome and capable.
Vidia is like an early draft of Doyle, calling people “my friend” in a similar manner and overusing the word “fine.” There is even a reference to “beaux yeux,” as there is in the first Acton and Doyle book. In many ways this read like a practice run at Acton and Doyle. I won't be looking for book 2.
July 6, 2013
I'm only on chapter 9, 21% and the book is real confusing. You don't know whos side she is n or who the people around her are. There is a lot f back story that is talked about, but not enough to understand. I am hoping that it becomes more clear as the book progresses.
I have to say that half way through I ended up giving up in this book and just skimming through the last pages to find out what happened in the end. There is such a huge back story that it makes it soooooooo confusing for the reader and that sucks. Also, the book is all dialogue and I just don't see where all the suspense is about. I LOVE historical fiction, especially mysteries and books about the French Revolution, but thus one was a colossal waste of my time.
I have to say that half way through I ended up giving up in this book and just skimming through the last pages to find out what happened in the end. There is such a huge back story that it makes it soooooooo confusing for the reader and that sucks. Also, the book is all dialogue and I just don't see where all the suspense is about. I LOVE historical fiction, especially mysteries and books about the French Revolution, but thus one was a colossal waste of my time.
March 7, 2014
I give it five stars. When I started reading it I had a very hard time putting it done. I wanted to keep reading it. I love how the story is woven and how it ends up. In the beginning I did question if she was a double agent or not and enjoyed the ups and down of the story. It was an incredible read that had me guessing till the end. Which is hard because most books don't. I also was sitting on the edge of my seat because it plays on all emotions. I love reading books that are exciting and this was a definitely exciting book. If I was you and you like regency, and action then you should try this book. I promise you won't regret it.
December 24, 2013
I could hardly keep up with the intrigue; who was after whom. Romance, intrigue, spies, in a historically lush environment. I now want to know more about what went on during the time of Napoleon.
Trust is a big issue, on all sides. And trust saves the day, though it is hard-won. I enjoyed enough to read it within 24 hours. That fact is the reason I give it five stars. Not many stories will keep me going, like this one.
Trust is a big issue, on all sides. And trust saves the day, though it is hard-won. I enjoyed enough to read it within 24 hours. That fact is the reason I give it five stars. Not many stories will keep me going, like this one.
April 14, 2016
I love Anne Cleveland's heroines. They're smart and sassy and boy do they keep the men hopping. Vida is a spy with more than one master. How she keeps them guessing about her loyalty will keep you on the edge of your seat. This is a fun adventure, love story, and mystery. You'll love it.
March 16, 2015
An excellent read. Vidia is a wonderful character. Intrigue, spymasters, love, revenge and a master dupe. What's not to like?
December 21, 2024
Not for me.
Three things I didn't like: Kept making references to previous missions that made it seem like this was the second book in the series even though it isn't.
Was confusing to keep up with who is playing who. Who is actually tainted? Who is lying to who? Double agent? Double cross? Can't trust anyone in this book and it makes you feel lost
My other gripe is how many times its mentioned how beautiful Vidia is. How many heads she turns. Every man all the time is constantly struck by her beauty. Got very annoying.
Three things I didn't like: Kept making references to previous missions that made it seem like this was the second book in the series even though it isn't.
Was confusing to keep up with who is playing who. Who is actually tainted? Who is lying to who? Double agent? Double cross? Can't trust anyone in this book and it makes you feel lost
My other gripe is how many times its mentioned how beautiful Vidia is. How many heads she turns. Every man all the time is constantly struck by her beauty. Got very annoying.
"She had already noted that the innkeeper and the ostlers had shown little interest in her, which was at odds with how the vast majority of the male populace normally behaved"
May 15, 2022
2.5 stars
I read this without wanting to DNF but it is not a good book. The characters have so much potential, the storyline had so much potential, but the reader never really knew what was going on and so there was no tension in the interactions of the characters. No tension meant no excitement - characters just did things without the reader knowing motivation, goal or conflict.
I also couldn't believe that the male love interest would be so. He was easily manipulated by the heroine, who was easily manipulated by him in turn and the spy master was by far the more interesting male character to challenge the heroine.
I read this without wanting to DNF but it is not a good book. The characters have so much potential, the storyline had so much potential, but the reader never really knew what was going on and so there was no tension in the interactions of the characters. No tension meant no excitement - characters just did things without the reader knowing motivation, goal or conflict.
I also couldn't believe that the male love interest would be so. He was easily manipulated by the heroine, who was easily manipulated by him in turn and the spy master was by far the more interesting male character to challenge the heroine.
July 18, 2017
I have to admit, this book made me really confused at the beginning. I was starting to think that I was reading the second book by mistake, but then it all turned out well at the end.
I enjoyed reading this book because it had a little bit of everything. Mystery, romance, badassery ( on the female side :D) and a weird kind of friendship circle they had going on LOL.
All in all, I would recommend this book as a comfortable read, and let's just say I enjoyed it (most of it, anyways)
Peace.
I enjoyed reading this book because it had a little bit of everything. Mystery, romance, badassery ( on the female side :D) and a weird kind of friendship circle they had going on LOL.
All in all, I would recommend this book as a comfortable read, and let's just say I enjoyed it (most of it, anyways)
Peace.
November 7, 2017
Took me a few years but I’m now able to write a review for this book that I won in a giveaway! Cleeland is a new author to me so I didn’t set that high of a bar, but even then, she did pretty good! I loved the strong female leading role and her inner conflicts that she had! It reminded me of a female version of James Bond almost! Very well done and great read for anyone interested in spy books/movies!
December 30, 2022
Another great regency read from Anne Cleeland.
Vidia Swanson is what today would be called an undercover agent. During her time, she works as an "angel", seducing secrets from men who may or may not be traitors to the crown. But something has gone wrong, and she is suspected of being a double agent.
She becomes involved with a fellow agent, but their relationship is jeopardized by her precarious status and her pregnancy makes her job moot regardless.
Vidia Swanson is what today would be called an undercover agent. During her time, she works as an "angel", seducing secrets from men who may or may not be traitors to the crown. But something has gone wrong, and she is suspected of being a double agent.
She becomes involved with a fellow agent, but their relationship is jeopardized by her precarious status and her pregnancy makes her job moot regardless.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 15, 2017
Wow! What a thrilling, twisty spy novel. Almost impossible to determine the loyalties and alliances between all the characters. Fascinating history after the first Napoleonic war and rich back stories of the main characters. This is also a love story and has a tough, clever heroine. Great read!
December 12, 2024
Complex mystery with many moving parts. Intriguing back stories, spies, lies and difficult paths paint a complex rig. Financing war is never easy or simple. Hang on for this rocky ride, fast changes and subterfuge.
August 15, 2017
This was nothing special, the intrigue was rather convoluted and the romance overblown. Meh.
June 23, 2018
I found the characters a bit flat. However the plot did make up for the lack of in depth characters. It was a good read but I do like Cleeland 's modern police procedurals.
February 9, 2020
Tainted? Angel
A must read for all Cleeland fans . Cleveland devises tightly woven plots and this one is no exception. I got whiplash from the plot twists and turns.
A must read for all Cleeland fans . Cleveland devises tightly woven plots and this one is no exception. I got whiplash from the plot twists and turns.
April 9, 2020
I liked it. I had to pay close attention to the story, it had a lot of twists and turns.
May 17, 2020
So, not a historical mystery
Like I thought it was. Instead it's a wonderful historical spy caper (which is obviously a superior genre.) Witty, romantic, and full of hijinks.
Like I thought it was. Instead it's a wonderful historical spy caper (which is obviously a superior genre.) Witty, romantic, and full of hijinks.
July 13, 2021
Excellent
Oh the twists! Oh the drama! I love this story. Vidia and Lucien Carstairs are such a great couple. Neither can trust the other. Secrets galore! Romance! GAHHHH!!! There is adult content alluded to but not descriptive.
Oh the twists! Oh the drama! I love this story. Vidia and Lucien Carstairs are such a great couple. Neither can trust the other. Secrets galore! Romance! GAHHHH!!! There is adult content alluded to but not descriptive.
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