The Romance Reader: 'Quicksilver'

"Quicksilver" by Amanda Quick; Putnam (2011), 327 pages, $25.95 (hardcover)

Once again, Amanda Quick takes readers to the shadowy side of Victorian England in her latest installment of the Arcane Society series.

"Quicksilver" is the second in a trilogy within the series.

This three-part story began in Jayne Ann Krentz's contemporary book "In Too Deep," when psychically talented Fallon Jones and Isabella discover ultra dangerous psychically charged weapons that had been created during Victorian times.

This second installment takes us back to the initial discovery of these strange yet deadly weapons by Owen Sweetwater and Virginia Dean. (Amanda Quick and Jayne Castle are pseudonyms for Krentz. She writes historical books as Quick, and futuristic stories as Castle and contemporaries as Krentz.)

Like the other heroes and heroines of the Arcane series, Owen and Virginia use their psychic abilities to pursue evil and evildoers. And in this case, evil weapons.

Virginia has a psychical ability that allows her to "read mirrors." Basically, she can look into mirrors and reveal what they have seen. She uses that talent to make a living for herself, rather like a fortuneteller.

Owen's psychic abilities help make him a good investigator.

When Owen saves Virginia one night, the couple becomes a team, searching for a serial killer who uses psychic talent and psychic weapons. While it's a dangerous mission, Owen and Virginia find time to fall in love with each other. It's a rather tepid courtship (at least in most ways), but by the end, Virginia understands that Owen definitely means business and that his love is pretty absolute.

The world that Quick immerses readers in with this series is a bit different than the usual view of balls and high society courtships with rides through Hyde Park. It's a less glamorous part of that world, with characters that are just on the fringes of that "high society." But that sets the scene for the shadowy world the characters must roam to thwart the bad guys.

HOW IT STACKS UP

Overall rating: 3-plus of 5 hearts. As in previous books in this series, the psychic stuff can become tedious. But the underlying story is interesting, the intrigue is compelling and the characters and their interaction with one another is engaging enough to overlook any wearisome passages.

Hunk appeal: 10. Owen is a rather enlightened guy for Victorian England. He appreciates Virginia's talents and independence. He balances that with his need to protect the woman he loves - and it's another point in his favor that he recognizes and accepts how much he needs Virginia in his life early in the story.

Steamy scene grade: XXXX. May be why he so easily accepted.

Happily-Ever-After: Good. Owen gets to be a hero, and all the loose ends are tied up. Well, at least as pertain to this segment of the trilogy. The final, a futuristic under Krentz's pseudonym of Jayne Castle, is due out in the Fall.

Also this week ...

"Fortune's Just Desserts," by Marie Ferrarella (2011 paperback) 3 of 5 hearts. This April Harlequin book is another in the "Fortunes" series. In this cute, fun and quick read, Wendy Fortune has been sent from her Atlanta home to Texas to end her aimless ways. Her parents prevail on a friendship with the Mendozas to secure Wendy a job in their restaurant. Restaurant manager Marcos isn't happy about it, and doesn't hide the fact that he neither respects nor likes the heiress. But Wendy isn't what he expected, and while he refuses for most of the book to accept that, by the end he not only recognizes her aptitude and talents, he really appreciates the - some more than others.