• Booklist Reviews : Booklist Reviews - Audio And Video Online Reviews 1991-2018
  Reading, an American raised in Great Britain and the reader of previous titles in Willig's Pink Carnation series, is uniquely equipped to read the author's latest historical saga. The novels are structured around American scholar Eloise Kelly, who is researching the Napoleonic era. Reading's Kelly is perky and wry and American sounding, while the remaining characters flit from upper-crust British to French dialects. Most of the story is set in the past, and Reading makes sharp distinctions between the two settings. Haughty but charming Lord Vaughn approaches quick-witted Mary Alsworthy to ask for help in unmasking the identity of the Black Tulip, a French spy. There are plenty of opportunities for Reading to showcase her acting abilities, and her playful characterizations are just right for this romantic romp. Filled with courtly manners and sexual tensions, this is pure listening pleasure, especially for fans of earlier titles, including The Deception of the Emerald Ring (2006). Copyright 2019 Booklist Reviews.

Lauren Willig is a law student and Ph.D. candidate in history at Harvard University. She is the author of The Secret History of the Pink Carnation.