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Romance / Nautical
adventure
1800s
England
Book 2 The Regent’s Revenge
The guise of
the Black Regent offers Basil Halford, Earl of Markwick, a chance to right his
father’s wrongs and restore the reputations and incomes of the dead marquess’s
victims. But prowling the seas around the coast of South West England as the
masked smuggler and pirate necessitates that he separate himself from his few
remaining friends. One of those men is Pierce Walsingham, a revenue agent who
has vowed to hunt down and destroy this so-called “Robin Hood.”
Reality weighs
on Markwick like an anchor around his neck. The hangman’s noose awaits him if
he’s caught, and even a lifetime spent redressing the destructive deeds of his
father may never pay for that man’s sins. Nor is he as adept in this role as
his predecessor, the Duke of Blackmoor. But in July 1809, news arrives that
Lady Chloe Walsingham has gone missing. He must rescue his friend’s sister
before her curiosity ruins her reputation or puts her in harm’s way. Doing so,
though, puts him in danger. She could well see through his disguise and,
inevitably, he will cross paths with her brother who also searches for her.
Constant
reading of her favourite novel convinces Chloe Walsingham that she must find
the man she loves, but locating Markwick proves challenging. Only her love can
redeem him from the depths of his despair over his father’s scandalous greed.
When whispers of Markwick’s whereabouts surface, she and her maid board the
Mohegan bound for Penzance. Besides, her brother has taught her how to defend
herself, so what trouble can she get into?
The Pirate’s Debt is the second
book in The Regent’s Revenge series.
Sufficient background information from the first book, a novella, is included
within The Pirate’s Debt, that
readers new to this series will readily understand the events leading up to
Markwick’s assumption of his alter ego. The only flaw in this otherwise
gripping historical romance is a tendency to repeat character motivations and
feelings, which at times dissolves the tension. The scenes involving the
wreckers, Chloe’s rescue, the sea battle, and the confrontation with the black
ship’s captain are nail-biting, riveting pages.
Bone is adept
at snaring the reader’s attention and not releasing it until the story
concludes. Her well-drawn characters easily come to life. Even the villain –
Captain Carnage, a man whose mantra is “Dead men tell no tales” – is depraved
yet stirs the reader’s sympathy.
Those who dare
to venture within the covers of this book won’t be disappointed.
© 2017 Cindy
Vallar
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