THEFT
OF SHADOWS - Naomi Bellis
Signet Eclipse
ISBN: 978-0-451-22328-9
February 2008
Historical Paranormal Romance
England - 1799
Gabriel d’Aubrigny, Chevalier de Lesgardes, returns to England
hoping for a quiet, mundane life. Unfortunately, on the way to
his inn, he is accosted by ruffians, then saved -- in a too timely
manner -- by a spy with a message: the Master would appreciate
Gabriel’s help with a small matter. He turns down the job,
but not the gift of a horse, though later that night he is relieved
of both his horse and almost all of his funds by a female highwayman.
After a fire and an encounter with Magic, Gabriel returns to London
with two purposes: help Sir Alaric Fitzwilliam with his mission
to uncover the man using dark magic for evil purposes; and find
Gabriel’s thief.
Anne Tremaine is also in London on a mission: to reveal the truth
about the man who destroyed the village she was living in and
all of the people she had come to care for. Driven by the haunting
images of slaughter and destruction, Anne embarked on the life
of a highwayman, but with this latest victim, she feels that she
has enough money for the role she plans to assume. As the wealthy
widow Mrs. Thierren, Anne hopes to move among the higher echelons
of society and gain the proof she needs to bring the Butcher of
Chigny to justice. However, she hadn’t planned on running
into her final mark again. Not only does she meet the handsome
Chevalier several times after robbing him, but he awakens the
woman in Anne that tragedy and loss have all but destroyed. The
attraction to Gabriel is dangerous, though, because he is the
one person who has the ability to destroy both her vengeance and
her freedom.
A complex yet intriguing tale, THEFT OF SHADOWS will keep readers
on the edge of their seats. During the Terror, Gabriel escaped
to England but soon found himself in dire straights, saved only
by his agreement to work for the Crown. After eight years of working
as a spy, he spent the next six trying to reconcile with his exiled
family. His plans are to earn enough of a fortune to help his
family and provide for himself, but those hopes vanish with the
theft of his gold. Anne ran away with her lover at a young age
and, living as his mistress, settled in the town of Chigny. The
friends she had there became her family after her lover left her,
and she was devastated when the town was razed by a madman. She
is the only one left alive who knows the truth of the destruction
and will do anything to see the villain brought to justice. Both
Anne and Gabriel have their own agendas, and between Anne’s
past and Gabriel’s magical Gift, neither is too trusting
of the other. But neither of them can deny the attraction either.
Fans of Ms. Bellis may recognize characters from her earlier novels,
such as Lord and Lady Redfern from DRAW DOWN THE DARKNESS; Sir
Alaric, the spymaster; and others. While reading the earlier novels
will help readers to understand the connections between the characters
and the world in which they live, THEFT OF SHADOWS is its own
story and does stand alone. I highly recommend this captivating
novel.
Jennifer Bishop
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