“The Perfect Poison” by Amanda Quick

“The Perfect Poison” by Amanda Quick
2009, G.P. Putnam’s Sons
ISBN: 978-0-399-15580-2

“The Perfect Poison” by Amanda Quick. Brisk. Perky. Lovely psychic stuff. Mystery. Love with the unlikeliest of people. Handsome and yet not too handsome, beautiful and yet not the fashion at all. These are all elements of the stories by Amanda Quick. But, when she signs her name as Amanda you’ve got a mystery set in the 1800’s.

Lucinda Bromley has the ability to be able to detect poison. She occasionally helps the police with cases, but she herself is viewed with horror by polite society. This is because her father was accused of killing his business partner and then committing suicide. Then, her fiancé was poisoned and it was commonly felt that she did the poisoning. She didn’t do the dastardly deed, but that is beside the point. Society thinks she did.

The bad trouble starts when she detects a very rare fern stolen from her greenhouse several months earlier had been used in a poison used to kill someone in high society. She told the police officer she works with that the person had been poisoned. What she didn’t tell him was that she suspected that the poison might have been made from her stolen fern.

Lucinda went to Jones Psychic Detective Agency and hired Caleb Jones to help her track down her fern and then to find a murderer. When Lucinda and Caleb meet the sparks begin to fly.

The psychic stuff comes in with a bunch of stories called The Arcane Society Novels. I love when the heroine doesn’t understand the subtleties just like they can often fly by me occasionally. Still, at the age of 54, I can learn from these characters on how to bounce back with aplomb from a faux paus.

It’s not just a story. It’s a box of chocolates.

“Dangerous” by Amanda Quick

“Dangerous” by Amanda Quick
1993, A Bantam Book
ISBN: 0-553-29317-6

I have read “Dangerous” by Amanda Quick many times. I can’t tell you exactly how many, but it’s been a lot over the years. Amanda Quick is Jayne Ann Krentz’ pen name for when she’s writing historical novels. All the copies I have are thumb worn from so much reading.

Amanda Quick always, always has quirky, courageous heroines and Prudence Merryweather is no exception. She’s very interested in investigating spectral phenomena and is available to investigate all sorts of problems people have with ghosts that come her way.

The ton, the upper crust of British society, is taken with this novel young lady and she becomes known as an Original. Lots of folk want to talk to her and one whose attentions are not welcomed by Prudence’s brother is from Sebastian, the Earl of Angelstone. He is known as a foreboding and forbidding man and when Prudence is asked to dance by Sebastian and is engaged in lively conversation with him her brother Trevor takes offense and challenges Sebastian to a duel.

Prudence knows that Trevor who is five years younger than herself is only trying to protect her. Their parents died 3 years before and it is the two of them against the world. Unfortunately, Trevor is sort of hot headed and Prudence figures that Sebastian, an experienced and mature man would injure or kill her brother if a duel should take place. So, she figures that the only way out is to get Sebastian to apologize and she takes it upon herself to convince him of this foolproof plan.

It’s falling in love at first sight.

Anyway, Sebastian has a secret hobby of solving mysteries and with Prudence’s interest in spectral phenomena they team up.

This is a really, really great love story. It’s historical for those who love them and it’s a mystery too.

And, the best part? Amanda Quick wrote it. I guarantee you’re going to love this book. I know I’ll be reading it again sometime.

“Reckless” by Amanda Quick

“Reckless” by Amanda Quick
1992, Bantam Books
ISBN: 0-553-29315-X

“Reckless” by Amanda Quick gets five stars from me. Every time I read this book it is just as fresh and wonderful as the first time I read it years ago. Quick’s trademark with her historical novels are quirky heroines and heroes. They just don’t fit in with the rest of society around them and manage to eventually find each other.

This one is about Phoebe Layton, youngest daughter of a wealthy family who just didn’t fit in. They all worried about her, but she set her sights on being a publisher. She had to do this in secret because her family would never understand or approve. But her first writer is Gabriel Banner, the man of her dreams. However, there she has a problem and she’s decided that he is the only one who can help her with it. It involves an old friend who, coincidently, is an enemy of Gabriel’s. He does not, though, know that she is his publisher and is not particularly inclined to help her. Letter after letter she sends to him and finally, creates enough interest or irritation for him to agree to meet with her.

Plans unfold. She finds herself in danger. They fall in love. It may be the same old love story, but Amanda Quick always finds a fresh new way to tell it.

I read this as I moved through the irritating sickness of a summer cold. It was just what the doctor ordered, even better than chicken soup.

“The Third Circle” by Amanda Quick

“The Third Circle” by Amanda Quick
2008, Penguin Books
ISBN: 978-0-399-15484-3

I got all tingly when I saw this in my library. Amanda Quick is one of my favorite authors and I have never once been disappointed by anything she’s written. “The Third Circle” was especially delightful. Ms. Quick has a tendency to show characteristics that show up in her characters from one genre to another. She writes under different names for the different time periods. When she’s writing about futuristic stuff she writes under the name of Jayne Castle. What happened in “The Third Circle” was that the paranormal stuff going on in the future is shown to be first happening in Victorian times.

I just love it. Especially as I’m a psychic and can relate to this stuff presented as far out author’s license and imagination or not. It happens. And, I’m thrilled to know of these things on another level too. Amanda Quick just takes it all that extra step beyond to where the normal reader is going to say, “Oh, man, this is just so far out, but I’ll buy into it for this story.” I love these characters anyway. I love how they relate to each other. I love the suspense of the stories. Another Amanda Quick book? Yeah, I want to read it now!”

The requisite romance, meeting of unmatchable hero with unmatchable heroine and the sparks fly. If you’ve never read Amanda Quick check out your local library. They’re sure to have one by her. And, if you’re really lucky you’ll get to check out, “The Third Circle”. And, Jayne Ann Krentz is such a prolific writer whatever book you pick out of hers to read I can absolutely guarantee, if you are a fan of the romance and suspenseful story, you will love it.

“The River Knows” by Amanda Quick

“The River Knows” by Amanda Quick
2007, GP Putnam’s Sons
ISBN: 978-0-399-15417-1

Nothing pleases me more than to have an Amanda Quick to read. What really rocks my boat is to find one I hadn’t read before. “The River Knows” by Amanda Quick is a delightful Victorian Who-Done-It. The quirky heroine Louisa has changed her name and carved out a new life for herself as a journalist disguised as a lady’s companion. The quest for truth is what brings her into contact with Anthony Stalbridge who is in the middle of a mystery himself. What compounds the association is that it turns out they are questing after the same bad guy. What is delightful is that they fall in love.

With all the twists and turns that a good murder mystery takes this book will keep you glued and at the edge of your seat until the end.

Her heroines are delightful and the men they love endearing, obstinate, but endearing. You won’t take long to finish this book; it’s that good.

“I Thee Wed” by Amanda Quick

“I Thee Wed” by Amanda Quick
1999 Bantam
ISBN: 0-553-57410-8

“I Thee Wed” by Amanda Quick will captivate you from the first page. I can’t say that I’ve ever read a book by Amanda Quick that failed to do that.

This is an historical romance and plucky heroine Emma Greyson finds herself drawn to Edison Stokes to solve a mystery. It is these tried and true techniques that are used in many of the books Amanda Quick writes and in each and every one of them they are fresh and wonderful and I cannot put her books down once I’ve started reading one.

The secret gardens of Vanza figure into this story and Edison Stokes, the hero, is well matched by Emma Greyson, the heroine, who has her share of intuition. It is interesting to see just how very usual the unusual can become to folks who are accustomed to such things. It reminds me of my own channeling. After awhile it’s just who you are and what you do.

I love how Amanda Quick takes folks from the 19th century and shows how they really aren’t all that different from how we are in the 21st century. Have plans this weekend? Sorry, you'll need to cancel them. You won’t be able to put this book down once you’ve started it.

A note to this review. It is September, 2009 and I have read, "I Thee Wed" again. Just as good this time as it was before. One of the advantages of getting old is in being able to enjoy a book many times over. If you have a copy of this keep it. There may come a day when you want to read it again. It's like having cravings....if it is not exactly chocolate then nothing else will do and for me an Amanda Quick book was on my menu.

“Mystique” by Amanda Quick

“Mystique” by Amanda Quick
1995, Bantam
ISBN: 0-553-57159-1

Medieval knight, Sir Hugh the Relentless is feared by all. All except Alice, a saucy green eyed, red haired woman, who would seek to bargain her way out of an intolerable situation for herself and her brother. Alice is a healer and is as effective at it in medieval times as any physician in our own. She combines known medical knowledge with keen powers of observation to help heal the pain Hugh has borne since he was a boy.

Amanda Quick has themes that run through many of her books. I never tire of them. She is like an artist who seeks to capture just that one beautiful moment when the light streams into a meadow. And, she paints it over and over again. So, too, with “Mystique” do the themes of powerful self-esteem not only for women, but for everyone come through, but so does confidence.

Of course there is mystery and intrigue in this story. There is a legend to live up to and the requisite happy ending that is a must for me. Most importantly, this is the story of love that happens, that blooms, that grows and that matures with time between a strong and unyielding knight and his resourceful and practical lady wife. And, as with all of Amanda Quick’s books there is a vein of humor that runs throughout. I guarantee that you will laugh and that you will cry reading this book. I know I have all the many times I’ve read it through the years. “Mystique” is truly a treasure of a book.

Amanda Quick is the pen name Jayne Ann Krentz uses when she writes her historical romances.

"With This Ring" by Amanda Quick

"With This Ring" by Amanda Quick
1998, Bantam Books
ISNB: 0-553-5409-4

Once again I'm reviewing a book I've read a dozen times. I'm not kidding. This is a keeper and, "With This Ring" is one of my favorite Amanda Quick books. The heroine is a writer of horrid novels. The hero can't stand them. They come to love one another and accept the quirks that, at first, rubbed them the wrong way about each other. It's a theme that runs through many of Amanda's books. And, it's a theme that I love to read again and again.

A mystery, a women past her prime with all thoughts of love gone finds love again to a man in the same boat. It's not just the young ones who can have a great love story. Leo Drake, the Mad Monk of Monkcrest teams up with Beatrice Poole, writer of horrid novels to find the rings that will unlock the mystery of the stature of Aphrodite. And, like all of Amanda Quick's books the ending is just the sort that satisfies me.

I heartily recommend that you purchase this book. If you're like me you'll be reading it again and again. Enjoy.

P.S. Did I say I read this one often? Here it is now 3/16/09 and I've just finished it again. Just as terrific this time as it's been all the other times I've read it. I know you'll enjoy it.

“Wicked Widow” by Amanda Quick

“Wicked Widow” by Amanda Quick
2001, Bantam
ISBN: 0-553-57411-6

“Wicked Widow” by Amanda Qiuck counts up there with my favorite books. Actually, I’ve never read anything by Amanda Quick that I didn’t like. Jayne Ann Krentz’ uses the pen name Amanda Quick when she writes historical romances.

Saucy, eccentric, and always, always funnier than spit are the characters that populate this book. Madeline and Artemis are thrown together because of their Vanza connections. Vanza, too, is the mysterious organization that is worked as a thread through so many of Amanda Quick’s books. This one is no different.

Something else I like about Amanda Quick’s books are that her heroes and heroines are generally past their prime. Like me. I can identify with them.

Madeline approaches Artemis Hunt and demands, not asks, not pleads, but demands that he help her. Already, she has caught his attention and I’m no different than Artemis.

The highest accolade? I cried at the end. This is a book I had to have read at least 10 times and I cried at the ending again. Yup, this is a keeper. I highly recommend this book as a really good historical romance mystery novel.

"Ravished" by Amanda Quick

"Ravished" by Amanda Quick
1992, Bantam Fanfare
ISBN: 0-553-29316-8

It wasn't enough that I read just one book by Amanda Quick. No, I hadn't had enough. It is generally that way. I am a fan.

"Ravished" will not disappoint you. Another quirky heroine who flaunts all the rules society would lay upon her and, who, more importantly is not in any way afraid of the hero. Harriet and Gideon's dance through this story will enthrall you.

There is generally a rhythm to stories; for me they are like waves in the ocean swelling up and down, but the climaxes within this story were better than usual. At several points I felt we were moving toward the BIG climax only to realize I was holding more than half of the book yet to be read. That, in itself, is like eating a really delicious, really big cream puff. The book just kept going on and on.

I read these books on my lunch hour too. I had to move quickly through the sex scenes and get them done before I left for work yesterday morning. I knew if I was going to sit at my desk with my baloney sandwich while Gideon swelled and Harriet thrilled I wasn't going to present more than an image of a sweaty secretary.

This is another terrific book by Amanda Quick. Do have a look at her blog too.

"Scandal" by Amanda Quick

"Scandal" by Amanda Quick
1991 Bantam Books
ISBN: 0-553-28932-2

Amanda Quick is one of my favorite authors, no matter which pen name she writes under. When she is writing historical romances she writes as Amada Quick and, “Scandal” is as terrific a book as any other she’s written. I have to tell you that I’ve been a fan of Amanda Quick for years and I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve read her books. “Scandal” is one that I can safely say I’ve read more than 5 or 6 times. It wouldn’t surprise me that I’d read it 10 times.

What is delicious about how Amanda Quick writes is she has these character traits that seem to follow all of her heroines around. They are quirky. They sometimes wear glasses, though in the historicals they are referred to as spectacles. They, many times, don’t listen to authority figures and make up their own minds about what they want to do and above all they love adventure. And, she does the same thing with her heroes. They are always unapproachable and mysterious and at center have a heart of gold.

In, “Scandal” vengeance is the keyword as a woman who is not afraid of dragons takes on the one person who desires most of all to wreck her family and bring every one of them to their knees. Emily Faringdon goes where others fear and brings the dragon (Lord Blade) nearer to the warmth of her heart where everybody lives happily ever after. So, even knowing there’s a happy ending getting there is all of the fun with, “Scandal”

This isn’t the first time I will read this book, nor will it be the last.

Read more about Amanda Quick at her website and under her "real name" of Jayne Krentz