Lady Rosamund Confesses, a Rosie and McBrae Mystery Novella, is up for pre-order now and will be released on June 18th!
Lady Rosamund and the Plague of Suitors
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Lady Rosamund’s plan for a quiet return to London society goes awry when she rescues a woman fleeing along the road—the mistress of her brother, Lord Derwent. Rosamund takes her in, meaning to sort matters out with Derwent—but he has left town in a hurry, and soon the Bow Street Runners are after him for murder. If that wasn’t trouble enough, several suitors are vying for Lady Rosamund’s hand.
Luckily, Gilroy McBrae is in London to help Rosamund save her brother. Will their strained relationship, along with his rivals for her heart, impede the race to unmask the real murderer before Derwent is caught and hanged? Read an Excerpt from Lady Rosamund and the Plague of Suitors |
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The Wallflower Ruse is available now! It's #56 in the fabulous Revenge of the Wallflowers series.
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The Wallflower RuseLord Restive wonders why Lucinda Belair grew up to be a grumpy wallflower—and now, because of a message in code, he is forced to suspect her of treason.
Lucinda wishes her childhood friend Restive hadn’t grown up to be a horrid libertine—and now, because of the coded message, she has to suspect him right back. Soon, they are compelled to work together to save England from an unnamed disaster. But Restive is intolerably rude to Lucinda, and she longs for revenge – to show him she’s intelligent and capable and can handle whatever a patriotic Englishwoman must do. Is this the opportunity for Lucinda the wallflower to bloom at last? Will Restive’s bad reputation forever stand in his way -- or might Lucinda’s desire for revenge be replaced by love? Read an excerpt from The Wallflower Ruse |
The Recluse and the Runaway is my contribution to this collection of holiday novellas.
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Sir Rupert has taken in strays from time to time, but never two the same night: first a tiny dog, and then a bedraggled young woman found shivering by the roadside in the rain. He hires her on the spot to help in the kitchen, for his cook is down with the ague, and it’s only two days till Christmas.
Nell can’t believe her luck, but warm and welcoming as Sir Rupert and his household are, she can only stay till Christmas, for she will be pursued, caught, and hanged unless she can reach the safe haven of her father’s friend. Nell adores Sir Rupert, but she cannot tell him the truth, for no one will believe her. Nor can she tell a lie. She will prepare the Christmas feast—she’d promised to—but after that, she will flee once again. With time running out, can Rupert convince her that she is safe with him, no matter what? |
The Last Page, a time travel short story, available now!
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Recklessness is its own reward—eventually.
When Lise realizes her Montreal employer wants her to sell drugs as well as tend bar, her reckless streak kicks in. She steals from her boss and escapes to England, an opportunity she’d always longed for. Working in eerie, ancient Warbury Castle, she hopes to learn whether her ancestor really was related to the Earl of Warbury over two hundred years ago. But when Lise’s boss shows up to collect his money, or else, a heartfelt wish to make up for the past won’t save her life—unless the magic of Warbury Castle kicks in. When Lise learns the truth of the family legend at last, will a reckless nature prove to be exactly what she needs? The Last Page was originally published in the short story anthology, Crime Travel. |
Return of the Scandalous Lady (Perilous Secrets Book 4)
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Years ago, Frances Templestone left her husband and ran away to France with a lover. Now she’s back, widowed and more mature, but mostly unrepentant. A social pariah, she stays out of sight while her daughter Julia has her first London season....until Julia, who is as impetuous as her mother, sneaks out to a masquerade with an unsuitable man. Frances hastens to the rescue, and when she sees Julia about to get into a coach with a handsome stranger, she accuses him—very publicly—of being a rake who ruins innocent girls. Soon she learns that Jasper, Lord Canterwell, is a respectable man. He wasn’t at the masquerade seeking an easy conquest. On the contrary—his daughter is missing, and he is searching for her everywhere. Aghast, Frances offers to help him. Rudely, he spurns her. But Frances is determined and Jasper is desperate. Might a scandalous lady with a warm heart and a lively mind be just what a respectable gentleman needs? Read an Excerpt from Return of the Scandalous Lady Buy now: Temporarily unavailable |
The Infidelity Curse (Perilous Secrets Book 3)
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The death of her cruel husband means freedom at last for Lucretia Tifton—until she learns that the guardian he chose for her longed-for baby is the latest in a line of earls known for separating their children from unfaithful wives. The elusive new earl is certain to hear the gossip about Lucretia. Will he believe it and prove to be as heartless as his ancestors?
Giles, the Earl of Netherbroke, wants nothing more than to work in his London shop, building furniture with beautiful marquetry finishes. If unexpectedly inheriting the earldom isn’t bad enough, now he’s saddled with an unwanted guardianship. What’s worse, the baby’s mother is the loveliest woman he’s ever seen. Giles is almost certain Lucretia is an adulteress—and the more he learns about her, the more he understands why she might have betrayed her husband. Nevertheless, he is determined not to succumb, like his ancestors, to the Infidelity Curse. But then Lucretia is suddenly in danger, and the only way to protect her is to make her his. Read an excerpt from The Infidelity Curse Buy Now:
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Unwise But Not Dishonorable (a Perilous Secrets novella)
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It won’t be a merry Christmas. Dorothea Darsington plans to show up uninvited at a house party, even if it infuriates her matchmaking mother and risks her virtue. How else can she steal back the St. George medallion her foolish brother gambled away?
Spies don’t get time off for Christmas. Cecil Hale follows the trail of the St. George medallion to a Christmas house party—and finds an unexpected guest, the daughter of his spymaster. She’s beautiful and desirable and very much in the way, and he’s honor bound to protect her. But Dorothea is in the mood to be unwise. Can Cecil win her heart and succeed in his mission, all without dishonor? This novella was originally published in the anthology Mistletoe and Mayhem. Read an except from Unwise But Not Dishonorable |
His Lordship's Incorrigible Wife -- a Perilous Secrets novel
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She must never reveal her perilous secret. He cannot trust her unless she does. While hiding evidence of her father’s treason, Delphie Ballard is accosted by a persistent suitor who won’t take no for an answer. She fends him off, but her reputation is now in ruins, and she flees to the countryside in disgrace. Charles, Lord Kingsdown, supported the French Revolution but barely escaped the guillotine. In England now, he must marry quickly or lose his grandmother’s estate. When he meets Delphie at a Christmas celebration, it’s love at first sight. Then Charles learns about Delphie’s reputation. He feels duped and betrayed, but she can’t tell him the truth without revealing her father’s treason. Meanwhile, there are several attempts on Charles’ life. Can Delphie and Charles learn to trust one another and unmask the real traitor before it’s too late? Read an Excerpt from His Lordship's Incorrigible Wife Buy Now Amazon US Amazon Canada Amazon UK Amazon Australia |
Lady Rosamund and the Horned God - A Rosie and McBrae Mystery, Book 2
Available now!
"Lady Rosamund and the Horned God is an excellent historical mystery—well researched and well written! As a psychotherapist, I was particularly intrigued by Lady Rosamund’s OCD tendencies (accurately presented, by the way), and her realistic terror of being locked away in an asylum as mad, should others become aware of her behaviors. OCD and most other psychological disorders have existed for centuries. Portraying how one suffering from it might have coped in a society unforgiving of “oddness” gives the Lady Rosamund stories a unique twist."
– Kassandra Lamb, author of the
Kate Huntington Mysteries and the Marcia Banks & Buddy Cozy Mysteries |
Widowed Lady Rosamund spends the first months of her mourning in the Lake District, where it’s safe and peaceful, and murders are exceedingly rare. Luckily, she is rescued from this tedium by a house party comprised of playwrights, poets, and actors—an immoral set of persons with whom no respectable lady should associate. Even so, she hardly expected to wake in the wee hours to find one of the guests lying dead.
As if that wasn’t troublesome enough, Gilroy McBrae is at the same party, masquerading as a footman to investigate a series of thefts. Was the sudden death an accident—or murder? Almost everyone had reason to loathe their unpleasant fellow guest. Rosie must set aside her confused emotions about McBrae and work with him to find the culprit before an innocent person is accused of the crime. Read an Excerpt from Lady Rosamund and the Horned God Buy now: Amazon US Amazon UK Amazon Canada Amazon Australia Barnes and Noble Kobo Apple Books |
Lord Bellweather's Lady - A Magical Regency Romance
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How does a lady escape a fate worse than death? She runs away to the fairies...
When Augusta Furlough flees her vile brother to plead with the fairies to take her in, she’s rescued by a handsome stranger on a huge, dark charger, and whisked away to his home. Grateful but suspicious of his motives, she’s determined to leave and try the fairies once again. Lord Bellweather, the half-human liaison with the fairies, spent most of his youth in their realm. Now he’s taking his place in the human world and must adapt to its peculiar customs. What better prospect for marriage than a delightful lady who understands human society and also believes in fairies? But it’s not that simple, for Augusta is branded a madwoman, and Bellweather is also part hellhound, a ferocious otherworldly beast with which not even a desperate madwoman could fall in love. Read an Excerpt from Lord Bellweather's Lady Buy now: Amazon US Amazon UK Amazon Canada Amazon Australia Kobo Barnes and Noble |
A Kiss Upon the Wind (A Scandalous Kisses Novella) is Available Now!
2019's Christmas novella (originally published in Winter Wishes) is now available on its own.
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Twice-widowed Lady Isolde Doncaster doesn’t want to remarry, but her parents will stop at nothing to find her a new husband. Even the family ghost, a dashing Cavalier, insists she must wed again. When a masked stranger at the Christmas masquerade helps Isolde avoid her suitors, she is grateful—until she realizes he is the son of the neighboring family, come to steal a pendant their mothers have feuded over for years.
Gawain Burke sneaked into the Christmas masquerade with one goal: to retrieve the pendant that rightfully belongs to his mother. But his chivalrous instincts come to the fore, and protecting Isolde from lecherous men becomes his primary concern. He’s not a suitor for her hand. She has sworn never to marry again. They’ll just work together to return the pendant and stop the feud. But neither of them reckons with the ghost, who has a far better ending in mind. Read an Excerpt from A Kiss Upon the Wind Buy Now! Amazon US Amazon UK Amazon Canada Amazon Australia Barnes and Noble Kobo |
Lady Rosamund and the Poison Pen - Available Now!
"An intriguing and clever work that will appeal to fans of Regency-era fiction. " - Kirkus Reviews
Link to complete Kirkus review "...a delightfully spicy mystery, peppered with sharp wit and memorable characters, especially the titular Lady Rosamund... Fans of historical mystery are in for an entertaining treat." – Kelly Oliver, Award-winning, bestselling author
of the Fiona Figg Mysteries |
Lady Rosamund Phipps, daughter of an earl, has a secret. Well, more than one. Such as the fact that she’s so uninterested in sex that she married a man who promised to leave her alone and stick to his mistress. And a secret only her family knows—the mortifying compulsion to check things over and over. Society condemns people like her to asylums. But when she discovers the dead body of a footman on the stairs, everything she’s tried to hide for years may be spilled out in broad daylight.
First the anonymous caricaturist, Corvus, implicates Lady Rosamund in a series of scandalous prints. Worse, though, are the poison pen letters that indicate someone knows the shameful secret of her compulsions. She cannot do detective work on her own without seeming odder than she already is, but she has no choice if she is to unmask both Corvus and the poison pen. Will Corvus prove to be an ally or an enemy? With the anonymous poison pen still out there, her sanity—and her life—are at stake. Read an Excerpt from Lady Rosamund and the Poison Pen Buy Now! Amazon US Amazon UK Amazon Canada Amazon Australia Barnes and Noble Kobo Apple |
Crime Travel - A short story anthology, available now!
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The Last Page
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The Smuggler's Escape - A Perilous Secrets novel
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After escaping the guillotine, Noelle de Vallon takes refuge with her aunt in England. Determined to make her own way, she joins the local smugglers, but when their plans are uncovered, Richard, Lord Boltwood steps out of the shadows to save her. Too bad he’s the last man on earth she ever wanted to see again.
Years ago, Richard Boltwood’s plan to marry Noelle was foiled when his ruthless father shipped him to the Continent to work in espionage. But with the old man at death’s door, Richard returns to England with one final mission: to catch a spy. And Noelle is the prime suspect. Noelle needs Richard’s help, but how can she ever trust the man who abandoned her? And how can Richard catch the real culprit while protecting the woman who stole his heart and won’t forgive him for breaking hers? Read an excerpt from The Smuggler's Escape Buy now! Amazon US Amazon Canada Amazon UK Amazon Australia |
Books in the Scandalous Kisses Series:
To Kiss a Rake -
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The Rake's Irish Lady -
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Love and the Shameless Lady - Book 3 |
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WHEN A LADY IS ABDUCTED BY MISTAKE…
Melinda Starling doesn’t let ladylike behavior get in the way of true love. She’s secretly helping with an elopement, when she’s tossed into the waiting coach and driven away by a notorious rake. REVENGE REALLY DOESN’T PAY. Miles Warren, Lord Garrison, comes from a family of libertines, and he’s the worst of them all—or so society believes. When Miles helps a friend to run away with an heiress, it’s an entertaining way to revenge himself on one of the gossips who slandered him. Except that he drives off with the wrong woman…and as if that wasn’t scandalous enough, he can’t resist stealing a kiss. |
ONE WILD NIGHT . . .
Widowed & lonely, Bridget O’Shaughnessy Black indulges herself in a night of pleasure. After all, she's in disguise. And the baby girl? An unexpected blessing...until an old flame claims the child as his own to force Bridget to marry him. ONE DETERMINED LADY. . Many women pursued Colin Warren, but only one climbed in his bedchamber window. When Bridget does it for the second time, all she wants is his help. Colin is unfit to be a parent, and yet he has no choice but to acknowledge the little girl. RISKING EVERYTHING FOR LOVE Together they must solve the mystery of the old flame’s intentions—but can they reconcile their divided loyalties—Irish and English—through the power of love? |
Disgraced lady, Daisy Warren serves ale in a tumbledown inn, sings crude songs for the smugglers, and writes romantic novels in her spare time. Shunned by her own class, she’s resigned to her lowly life—until someone tries to kill her.
Gentleman spy, Sir Julian Kerr noses out seditionists and traitors. When he visits the inn to investigate two suspicious Frenchmen, he meets the lovely but hostile Daisy. He doesn’t intend to get involved with her—but then he learns that someone is threatening her life. He wants to find out more—it’s part of his investigation. He wants to protect her—he’s a chivalrous man. He just wants her. But will Daisy’s bitter past allow her to risk love again? |
The Redemption of the Shrew -
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,The Right to Remain Single - a Scandalous Kisses Novella Book 4.5 |
A Kiss Upon the Wind - a Scandalous Kisses Novella, Book 4.6 |
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Nothing is more painful than rejection—particularly when completely naked.
Gloriana Warren doesn’t want to wait for marriage. It doesn’t matter that the man she’s set her sights on claims impoverishment. But her attempt at a moonlight seduction ends in disaster. French marquis Philippe de Bellechasse has had it up to his gorgeous dark eyes with being pursued by lusty ladies. His escape to England from the French Revolution took a toll on his finances as well. Gloriana may be gloriously naked, but he’s just not ready to submit to her seduction. But when a precious family artifact is stolen, Philippe must convince Gloriana he’s not the guilty party. Working at odds is dangerous, but working together can be more so. Will Philippe risk his heart again for a deliciously tempting shrew? |
Faced with the ghastly suitors her father approves, Thomasina Warren decides to lose her virginity so that no respectable man will have her. Who better to ruin her than handsome, charming James Blakely? But James is an honorable man and refuses point-blank. Humiliated, she resorts to outright refusal to wed, with the help of a ghost who scares her suitors away. But four years later, her father has arranged her marriage to a stodgy gentlemen whose only condition is that the ghost must be banished forever.
James Blakely never forgot the lovely girl who asked him to ruin her, and when he offers to get rid of the ghost, he thinks he’ll be doing a good deed. Instead, he is faced with the hostile Thomasina, her cowardly suitor, pigheaded father, lecherous cousin, an exorcist monk, and a ghost who warns of danger and deadly peril—and a few short days in which to convince Thomasina that with the right man, she might just want to marry after all. This novella was originally published in Christmas Kisses: A Collection of Historical Romances
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Twice-widowed Lady Isolde Doncaster doesn’t want to remarry, but her parents will stop at nothing to find her a new husband. Even the family ghost, a dashing Cavalier, insists she must wed again. When a masked stranger at the Christmas masquerade helps Isolde avoid her suitors, she is grateful—until she realizes he is the son of the neighboring family, come to steal a pendant their mothers have feuded over for years. Gawain Burke sneaked into the Christmas masquerade with one goal: to retrieve the pendant that rightfully belongs to his mother. But his chivalrous instincts come to the fore, and protecting Isolde from lecherous men becomes his primary concern. He’s not a suitor for her hand. She has sworn never to marry again. They’ll just work together to return the pendant and stop the feud. But neither of them reckons with the ghost, who has a far better ending in mind. This novella was originally published in the anthology Winter Wishes. |
