The second Ladies of Lantern Street novel from Amanda Quick explores the crimes, passions and paranormal secrets of Victorian London.
Under the plain gray skirts of Miss Beatrice Lockwood’s gown, a pistol waits at the ready. For Beatrice is a paid companion on a secret mission—and with a secret past—and she must be prepared to fight for her life at any moment.
Yet she is thrown oddly off guard by the fierce-looking man who joins her in foiling a crime outside a fancy ball—and then disappears into the shadows, leaving only his card. His name is Joshua Gage, and he claims to know Beatrice’s employers. Beyond that, he is an enigma with a hypnotically calm voice and an ebony-and-steel cane. . . .
Joshua, who carries out clandestine investigations for the Crown, is equally intrigued. He has a personal interest in Miss Lockwood, a suspected thief and murderer, not to mention a fraudster who claims to have psychical powers. The quest to discover her whereabouts has pulled him away from his mournful impulses to hurl himself into the sea—and engaged his curiosity about the real Beatrice Lockwood, whose spirit, he suspects, is not as delicate as her face and figure.
He does know one thing, though: This flame-haired beauty was present the night Roland Fleming died at the Academy of the Occult. Guilty or not, she is his guide to a trail of blood and blackmail, mesmerism and madness—a path that will lead both of them into the clutches of a killer who calls himself the Bone Man. . . .
**
From Booklist
Starred Review As an agent for the Crown, Joshua Gage investigates paranormal cases, but that doesn’t mean he believes in it himself. As far as Joshua is concerned, anyone claiming to be psychic is a fake. When it comes to Beatrice Lockwood, aka “Miranda the Clairvoyant,” Joshua believes the lady is not just a fake but a murderer to boot since she was the last person seen leaving Dr. Roland Fleming’s Academy of the Occult right before the doctor was found dead. Joshua is certain that Beatrice is also blackmailing his sister Hannah, and he is determined to put a stop to the lady’s extortion efforts one way or another. However, once Joshua finally meets Beatrice, he discovers that though she may not be a blackmailer or a murderess, she is the key he needs to locate the real criminal. Whether she is writing as Jayne Ann Krentz, Amanda Quick, or Jayne Castle, no one does high-stakes suspense and high-octane romance better than Krentz. With its evocative Victorian setting, delightfully outspoken heroine with hidden depths (and a hidden garter gun), deliciously complex hero, and a paranormal-infused plot that generates adrenaline and passion, The Mystery Woman will captivate readers from start to finish. --John Charles
Review
Amanda Quick is an exceptional storyteller.
— Los Angeles Daily News
One of the most creative, inventive storytellers in the field, Quick infuses her own addictive brand of breathless, sexy adventure with dashes of vengeance, greed, and violence and a hefty splash of delectable, offbeat humor to spin another mesmerizing paranormal gem.--Library Journal
— Library Journal
“A fast-paced, suspenseful narrative that is also a touching love story.”—The Seattle Times
“Contains all the requisite elements: romance, sex, mystery and clever repartee.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Has the right mix of mystery, danger, paranormal and romance.”—Novel Reaction
“Will captivate readers from start to finish.”—Booklist (starred review)
“Quick delivers everything her fans yearn for: a strong mystery with otherworldly touches; delightful, smart characters; a fast pace and powerful plot; and a story they’ll stay up all night to finish.”—RT Book Reviews (4 ½ stars)
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