If she did kill him, no one could really blame her. He had been obsessed with power, marrying the daughter of a Venza master and spending their marriage psychologically torturing his new bride. It's not until the end of the book when she admits the truth one way or another, but what's true is the fact that her husband was not a good man. Scandal has followed the heroine for some time as everyone is sure that she murdered her husband. Hopefully the series will end on a high note with the final book.

The climax and resolution are exciting though and the secondary characters are sweet, especially Madeline’s aunt and Artemus’s steward.Īll in all, not one of Quick’s better stories.

The twists and turns in the suspense plot are predictable as is the identity of the villain and the motive. As it is, what little chemistry they have feels forced and their sex scenes are awkward rather than sensual. This would not be a problem if their romance were more believable. That said, the Vanza theme is too similar to the Arcane society from her later books and it is particularly excessive, repetitive and tiresome in this installment.Īrtemus and Madeline are virtually identical to every other Quick hero and heroine. As Artemus and Madeline work together to resolve the mystery, they realize that the threat to their hearts is as dangerous as the threat to their lives.Īmanda Quick's books are always light and entertaining. Her only recourse is to seek the assistance of Artemus Hunt, the reclusive master of arcane Vanza talents. What does concern her is the disappearance of her maid and the possibility that she is being haunted by her dead spouse. Madeline Deveridge cares little about the whispers and rumors that she murdered her husband.

Wicked widow amanda quick