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Loading... Wait Until Midnight (2004)by Amanda Quick
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Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. No current Talk conversations about this book. My first book by Amanda Quick. I didn't know what to expect. I do enjoy books based on the past and Wait Until Midnight is won that I did enjoy. Mrs. Fordyce and Mr. Hardesty are the main characters of this book. The become acquainted after Mrs. Fordyce attends a seance at a medium's house who is murdered. Mr. Hardesty at first believes Mrs. Fordyce is involved in the murder. After their first encounter you can tell they will be more then just friends. Caroline Fordyce and Adam Hardesty join together to discover the truth behind the murders of 2 mediums. I enjoyed the banter between them and the way they just worked together. This is the last of the romance books that I agreed to read for a friend's blog activity, and, in my opinion the best of the five. I quite enjoyed this one! Right from the start, we're thrown into the middle of a scene of a crime, with a murdered woman and a mysterious man searching her house. An exciting beginning which only continued throughout the story... I loved the characters in this story, and found them all to be believable and real. Adam Hardesty is the kind of man that women swoon over. Tall, dark and handsome, rich, but secretive and determined, we don't really know anything about him -- except that which he allows us to find out. But the more we learn about him, the more we likie. Caroline Fordyce is a sensational serial novelist living with her aunt and her aunt's companion, independently supporting herself through her writing. When she is drawn into the investigation of the murder by having been with the victim, a noted psychic medium, the previous evening as part of a seance, things really begin to get serious. Caroline is a wonderful character. She's spirited and independent and resourceful and honest, and what's best about this character is that she embodies these traits, we're not just told of them, as with other romance novels I've read this month. She shows her initiative and her intelligence, so it is believable when others see these features. I was pleasantly surprised by the mystery as well. I was a bit concerned that this would be a paranormal romance when I discovered that it was about mediums and psychic abilities, but it is a straightforward historical romance set in Victorian England. At times, it did feel a little bit modern in the speech, and on the other hand the term "psychical" was used quite a lot, but it's easy to overlook those small details and just enjoy the story and let the twists and turns and unpredictable shifts go where they will. I didn't guess the killer, and that is always a plus! The romance here was much more understated than the other novels I've read this month. The sex scenes were believable and fun, but they were not the main focus of the story. And miracle of miracles, this book contains a realistic deflowering! Hallelujah! No "Broken Hymen, Hear Me Roar!" here, Caroline reacts with honest pain and confusion and tries to undo the decision to proceed, at least until the pain goes away... but then she makes him go slowly... Piston-like ramming forbidden. I think Dangerous Tides almost ruined romance for me forever... but this book redeemed the genre. Hopefully the other Amanda Quick novel I have is as good. ;) This is one of those books that isn't terribly stretching on an intellectual plane and you have a pretty fair idea of what's going to happen almost as soon as the main protagonists are introduced. But, you know what, it's still just a good fun read. It's a murder mystery mixed with romance, which is rather fun. The main protagonosts are Adam, who was born on the poor side of town, but is now an accepted member of the social elite and Caroline, who writes serialised sensational novels for a newspaper as Mrs Fordyce, but has, in fact, invented the late Mr Fordyce in order to cover a scandal in her past. The murder is of a spirit medium and is muddled up with an attempt to blackmail Adam and his family with their past. So there's lots of tosh & poppycock about psychic abilities and the spirit world. It's all a bit shady and underhand and there are some pretty dodgy characters populating the mystery side of the story. the romantic side of the story is not terribly intrusive (certainly some of her other, purer romances run at a higher temperature than this one does) and they sort of move the story on. It's a fun trip, fairly quick read in which you know the ending will be a happy one, you're just not entirely sure of the route that they're going to take to arrive at the happy ending. That's part of the feeling of security, you know any tension will be resolved eventually. So it's a slightly guilty, candyfloss four stars. no reviews | add a review
Fiction.
Mystery.
Romance.
Historical Fiction.
HTML:??A wonderful story of mystery and romance.? Amanda Quick is the queen of romance. All of her books are keepers, and Wait Until Midnight is no exception.???A Romance Review The sins of Adam Hardesty??s past have been discovered. And if he does not hunt down his blackmailer quickly, his secrets will be revealed to all. But there is an obstacle in his way: sensation novelist Caroline Fordyce. She knows that Adam??s quest for justice could shatter her own reputation??and mire her family in lethal scandal. And she fears what he may find.... Together, they will navigate the shadow side of London, venturing into an underworld of cutthroats, connivers, and illusionists. And as the mystery grows ever deeper and the danger circles ever closer, they must guard not only their secrets but their live No library descriptions found. |
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)813.54Literature English (North America) American fiction 20th Century 1945-1999LC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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3 Stars
Very similar in plot and atmosphere to the March and Lake books, but Adam and Caroline's romance lacks the intensity and chemistry that characterize Tobias and Lavinia's relationship.
The mystery is more convoluted than some of Quick's other works with several different plot threads merging together. Nevertheless, the resulting narrative is quite seamless, and the climax and resolution are satisfying overall.
One interesting point is Quick's shift in her portrayal of psychic abilities from realistic and believable in The Arcane Society books to charlatans and frauds who prey on the gullible and susceptible. It is a sign of her skill as a writer that she is able to accomplish both so well.
In sum, this is an engaging read overall despite its formulaic elements. ( )