Title: Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark
Author: Donna Lea Simpson
ISBN: 978-1402217913
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Publisher’s Address: www.sourcebooks.com
Genre: Historical Romance and Mystery
Pages: 373
Rating 4.5
Reviewed by: Amy J Ramsey; www.trinagon.blogspot.com
Lady Anne Addison is well-known for her keen sense and extreme persistence, but due to her plain features and cleverness (qualities most men find unappealing), her mother had feared Anne would never gain the attention of potential suitors. Her mother decided to raise her in the edicts of “Lady-Like” behavior and instructed Anne to downplay her intelligence until she was married. After catching the interest of a young man, her engagement came to a devastating end. Her fiancé was killed in battle. Anne vowed never to let the restrictions of marriage interfere with displaying her true personality. She is completely satisfied with living the life of a spinster, waiting for Mr. Right to appear.
In response to a startling letter from a dear friend, Lady Lydia Bestwick, who pleaded for Anne’s assistance, Anne wasted no time in traveling north to Darkefell Estate. Assuming from the information Anne gathered from Lydia’s letter, she was concerned that her friend is being mistreated by her newly married husband, John Bestwick. Also, Lydia expressed a terrifying mystery involving rumors of a werewolf roaming the lands, frightening young women and slaughtering livestock. Since Anne has always been intrigued by a challenging mystery, she was eager to investigate these sightings.
It was just a short time before Anne stumbled across her first murder scene. Hearing a blood chilling howl in the dark, followed by a petrifying scream, that was later identified as Lady Lydia’s maidservant, Cecilia Wainwright. Among the chaos and confusion that ensued over the murdered woman, Anne had a chance to be introduced to the Darkefell Family and their inhabitants. Using this opportunity, she began her interrogation, but was constantly interrupted by the Marques of Darkefell, who made it a habit o interfering with her plans. It almost seemed as though the Marques is concealing some deep dark secret from her. Could he be the murderer?
Lady Anne is faced with several challenges and multiple mysteries. She is determined to continue her investigation at any cost, but what she did not foresee was her growing attraction towards a man who is known for his arrogant, self centered and egotistical ways. How will Anne be able to resist the Marques’s handsome features, dark, sensuous eyes, and lean, masculine build, without straying from her quest? Will she be able to solve the curse behind Darkefell Estate before the werewolf claims its next victim?
Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark is a charming and delightful read. The witty nature between Lady Anne and Lord Darkefell is fascinating and will hold the attention of the reader all the way through the story. Donna Lea Simpson has managed to write an inspiring, creative and pleasurable tale, with appealing characters and an intriguing plot that will have the reader guessing until the very end. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who is fond of historical romance and mystery genres.
Donna Lea Simpson is a nationally bestselling romance and mystery novelist with over twenty titles published in the last ten years and over 400,000 copies sold. Donna believes that a dash of mystery adds piquancy to a romance title, and a hint of romance adds humanity to a mystery story, Donna lives in Canada.