Starred review from October 15, 2010
Saving the virtue of a beautiful woman known as Helen of Troy was difficult enough, but when ex-Bow Street Runner Will Jones buys her at an exclusive brothel auction and then spirits her away, he soon learns that keeping her safe is even harder. They are both after the same greedy blackmailer, and gently raised Helen is determined to retrieve some incriminating letters, whatever the danger. With elegant writing, impeccable historical detail, and subtle wit, Moore's adventurous tale sweeps a pair of unlikely but perfectly matched protagonists from the treacherous London stews to the rarefied heights of the ton and draws a vivid, sensual picture of 1820s London and the darker world that lurks just below its glittering surface. VERDICT Second in Moore's dashing trilogy featuring the three "Sons of Sin" of a noted London courtesan, this installment brilliantly delivers a complete, satisfying romance while skillfully tantalizing readers with hints of what's to come (To Seduce an Angel, fall 2011). Moore (To Tempt a Saint) lives in Mill Valley, CA.
Copyright 2010 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
September 15, 2010
Moores second Sons of Sin novel, following To Tempt a Saint (2010), focuses on former British spy and Bow Street runner Will Jones. The second of a famous courtesans offspring sired by different fathers, Will is trying to find his missing younger brother. While infiltrating the home of suspect Archibald March, Will rescues a virgin dubbed Helen of Troy before her captors auction her off. When he returns to Marchs home, he is surprised to find Helen there again. After they keep bumping into each other in pursuit of March, it isnt until they decide to join forces that the story heats up and they begin to fall in love as they get themselves in and out of sticky situations. All the while, Will wonders who Helen really is and what she wants from March. In addition to a fast-paced, exciting plot, Moore infuses the story with snappy banter and a large dollop of speculation and lore about the real Helen of Troy, and she skillfully whets readers appetites for the final tale.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)