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1 of 1 copy available
As if a head for business and a nose for trouble aren’t enough to distinguish fiercely independent Lavinia Lake from the other women of London’s fashionable Claremont Lane, there is one more feature to set her apart. Lavinia is also well versed in the practice of mesmerism, an extraordinary gift that far surpasses mere charm and physical appeal. Nobody knows this better than the usually coolheaded Tobias March, who seems to have fallen hopelessly under her spell. Fortunately for all, however, Lavinia uses her powers for good. And ever since a tragedy involving one of her subjects, she has even retired them in favor of her work with Lake and March, a joint venture providing “discreet private inquiries for individuals of quality.” Celeste Hudson, the stunningly beautiful young wife of a family friend and fellow mesmerist, would surely count herself among such individuals—were she still alive, that is. While mythology’s Medusa could turn men to stone, lovely Celeste was more accustomed to turning them to jelly. In fact, unbeknownst to her husband, Howard, the ambitious Celeste was planning to use her talents to forge a new future in Society—one that would not include him. Sadly, her plans were cut short when she was murdered. Only a gentleman’s cravat wound around her lovely neck remained for evidence—small compensation for the strange and priceless bracelet that may have been snatched from her wrist as she drew her last breath.
As a result, Lake and March are soon in Howard Hudson’s employ on the trail of the killer. But Tobias is convinced the dashing widower is more interested in tracking down the missing relic. If so, Howard is not alone. Any number of ruthless types are after the very same antiquity, whose centerpiece is an unusual blue cameo of inestimable value and supposed legendary powers—powers of immeasurable worth to anyone in Howard’s line of work.
Together, Lake and March undertake a tantalizing investigation that leads them from the glittering ballrooms of the ton to London’s seediest taverns to a mesmerist whose therapies include treating ladies suffering from “hysteria” is a a most unconventional method—and, not least of all, to the darkest reaches of men’s psyches. Along the way, Don’t Look Back becomes a completely mesmerizing read as the irrepressible Lavinia and Tobias mix business with pleasure....
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Release date
April 1, 2003 -
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Kindle Book
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OverDrive Read
- ISBN: 9780553897180
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EPUB ebook
- ISBN: 9780553897180
- File size: 539 KB
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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May 13, 2002
In this sequel to last year's Slightly Shady, bestseller Quick brings back the winning detective duo of Lake and March for another mysterious romp through Regency London. Settling in to a partnership both professional and personal, Lavinia Lake and Tobias March take on a case deeply intertwined with Lavinia's own past. An old family friend, the mesmerist Dr. Howard Hudson, introduces the couple to his beautiful young wife, Celeste, and not long after, Celeste is brutally murdered. Was she murdered for the sake of an ancient jewel, the Blue Medusa, reputed to confer upon the wearer mysterious powers? The Blue Medusa is missing, stolen from the household of the senile nobleman who last possessed it. As the investigation proceeds apace, both Lavinia's niece Emmeline and Tobias's brother-in-law, Anthony, insist that they wish to become investigators, too, apprenticing themselves to the older couple despite objections. A secondary romance between the younger couple offers a charming counterpoint to the growing relationship between Lavinia and Tobias. While Tobias endeavors to protect Lavinia from the danger looming from her own past, Lavinia goes about solving the case in her own way, resulting in a dramatic confrontation with the killer. Though the suspense is low-key throughout, Quick nevertheless pulls the reader along with her eminently readable blend of humor, sharp dialogue and well-paced plotting. Readers can only hope that they have not seen the last of Lake and March. (June 4)Forecast:While Quick is known best for her historical romance novels, the strong detective element in this series should garner her new fans among mystery readers. Expect another run up bestseller lists. -
February 1, 2002
The lovers from Slightly Shady are backDand they are after a valuable bracelet that has disappeared after its owner's murder.Copyright 2001 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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December 1, 2002
Adult/High School-In this second volume of a romance-mystery series, discreet inquirers Lavinia Lake and Tobias March (Regency-era private detectives) team up to search for a murderer and thief as they investigate the death of Celeste Hudson and the disappearance of the ancient Blue Medusa bracelet. Teens fascinated with the history of hypnosis will be interested in this story as Lavinia's past as a mesmerist is important, but it was the victim who used her mesmeric skills unscrupulously. They will also meet a "doctor" who treats wealthy female patients with a machine to induce orgasms. The novel is full of witty dialogue that will evoke smiles as the males compete with the females, and the ladies try to be independent in a society that frowns on such behavior. Quick describes the era with accurate details in a fast-moving mystery with surprising twists.-Claudia Moore, W. T. Woodson High School, Fairfax, VACopyright 2002 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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March 15, 2002
The ever-popular Quick rekindles the romance between two wonderful characters in another genre-bending romantic whodunit. Lavinia Lake and Tobias Marsh have joined forces in providing "discreet private inquiries for individuals of quality." In other words, they're PIs for upper-crust Londoners. When an old family friend and his much-younger bride, Howard and Celeste Hudson, visit Lavinia, she is reminded of her past as an accomplished mesmerist (one of her many professional incarnations) and its unfortunate end. But there's no time to wallow, as the couple is beckoned to launch an investigation when Celeste is found strangled by a gentleman's cravat. Could Howard be a murderer? Inquiries reveal that the motive behind the crime is an antique bracelet said to possess legendary powers. Only a few collectors even know about the bracelet's existence, and all become suspects. Quick deftly makes her heroine's past life as a mesmerist and current life as an investigator come together in exciting, humorous fashion. The romantic charm that makes Quick so revered is much in evidence here--her Regency-era characters are worldly beyond their time, and yet they fit the period exquisitely. Expect demand from both romance and mystery fans. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2002, American Library Association.) -
May 15, 2002
Continuing the lively personal and professional relationship begun in Slightly Shady, Lavinia Lake and Tobias March once again find themselves embroiled in a mystery with links to the past. When the scheming wife of an acquaintance is found strangled, possibly because of an ancient bracelet with a carved blue cameo she had in her keeping, Lavinia and Tobias accept the request to find the culprit. As they get closer to the truth, they end up becoming targets of the killer. Quick spins a fast-paced, delightful tale that combines her classic humor and adventurous, wonderfully anachronistic heroines and take-charge heroes with elements of greed, ancient lore, and the practice of mesmerism. Quick, who also writes as Jayne Ann Krentz and Jayne Castle, is a best-selling author who lives in the Seattle area. [Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 2/1/02.]Copyright 2002 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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