The Hanover Square Affair, A Captain Lacey Regency Mystery – Book 1 by Ashley Gardner

Mystery

I have discovered a great new to me Regency mystery series.  The Hanover Square Affair is the first book in the series and is a .99 feature available for the Barnes and Noble Nook and Amazon Kindle.  This is a limited time offer so if you like mysteries buy it now.

Captain Lacey is a long time Army cavalry officer who is back in London on half-pay.  He has lost his purpose in life, has little money, a bad leg, and suffers from a deep melancholy.  He walks that boundary between the upper and lower classes in England.  He is a gentleman who has no money but does have acquaintances (he says he has no friends) in both classes.  When he intervenes in an altercation between a cavalry unit and a man who says that his daughter was kidnapped and taken to the home of a prominent man his life takes a turn in a new and dangerous direction.

The plot in The Hanover Square Affair is good; the pacing is great, the characters are interesting and the background is fascinating.  In addition to a good mystery The Hanover Square Affair introduces a large number of secondary characters.  While they are secondary in The Hanover Square Affair they look like they could be important in future books.   All in all this is a great start to a mystery series.  

Ashley Gardner is an established and accomplished author who knows how to tell just enough to keep you reading while still leaving you wanting to find out more.  According to her web site each month another of the Captain Lacey books will be released as an ebook.  All of the other books that have been released as ebooks are priced at 1.99.  I have already purchased the second book, A Regimental Murder.  It is a big plus that I do not have to wait for the next book.

Ashley Gardner is a pen name for Jennifer Ashley.  I found two copyright dates for The Hanover Square Affair, one for 2003 and the second for 2011.  There is no publisher listed for the ebook edition of The Hanover Square Affair.  

Shady Lady by Ann Aguirre

Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy

Shady Lady is the third book in the Corine Solomon series.  Blue Diablo and Hell Fire are the first two.  In my post on Blue Diablo I mention that while there were romance elements in the book there was no HEA.  Ann sent me a comment saying that there would be one but not yet.  There is no HEA in Shady Lady either.  In fact it seems there is an additional candidate for Corine’s affections.

This time an old enemy is after Corine.  Anytime Corine Solomon touches an object she can read its history.  When a wonderful salt and pepper set arrive at her shop she is wants to know their history.  Little does she know that one half of that set is a trap that will kill her when she touches it.  Just as she starts to pick up the piece Kel Ferguson walks in and warns her that the set is a trap sent by the Montoya cartel.  From that point on it is non-stop action and adventure.  Corine gains and loses is Shady Lady.  She starts to use some of the powers her Mother passed on but finds that sometimes she is stronger than she knows. As a result she get results that are more than she wants. 

This series just gets better.  The story line moves at a fast pace, the characters get more complex and the action is unexpected and exciting.  The romance keeps taking unexpected turns leaving a question of who will be the one for Corine.

Roc published Shady Lady by Ann Aguirre in 2011.

I purchased Shady Lady.

Archangel’s Consort by Nalini Singh

Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy

Archangel’s Consort is the third book in the Guild Hunter series and I think this is the best one so far.  Elena Deveraux is a Vampire hunter, a newly made angel and the lover/consort of the lethal Archangel of New York, Raphael.  They are just returned from one dangerous mission to find that there is a new evil in New York.  Vampires are descending into bloodlust, Raphael is suddenly subject to unexpected rages and storms are shaking the earth.  The rising of an ancient archangel is the cause and not just any ancient archangel but Caliane, Raphael’s mother.  Elena is in danger from the events and she and Raphael must work together to understand what is happening and prevent more harm.

Archangel’s Consort is a great story that kept me reading.   Nalini Singh has added more depth and complexity to the world she created making it even more realistic and riveting.  The story is fast paced, filled with action, tension, romance and a full cast of well-drawn characters. The next book in the series, Archangel's Blade, will be out in September of 2011.  I look forward to seeing more of Elena and Raphael and a world ruled by angels.

Berkley Sensation published Archangel’s Consort by Nalini Singh in 2011.

I purchased Archangel’s Consort.

Dreadnaught, Beyond the Frontier by Jack Campbell

Science Fiction

In the Lost Fleet series Jack Campbell has Captain John “Black Jack” Geary awake from cryogenic sleep to take command and despite overwhelming odds bring the Alliance fleet home.  In this new series, Beyond the Frontier, Geary returns with new challenges.  I wondered if Campbell could maintain the tension in this new series that was the hallmark of The Lost Fleet books.  I started reading Dreadnaught and had trouble putting it down.  A whole new set of problems kept me reading and the tension that was a hallmark of the first series was there.  Dreadnaught starts a month after the last book in the Lost Fleet series.  Geary and Tanya managed get away and marry but immediately were called back to duty.  Geary has a new assignment.  He is to command the First Fleet and his duty is to investigate the aliens and check out the Syndicate Worlds.  There are layers to the assignment.  The politicians and the military high command do not trust Geary while the people adore him.  It seems that a living hero can be very inconvenient to those in power.  Geary cannot help but wonder if he is being sent on a suicide mission.  Of course Dreadnaught ends with a cliff hanger. 

Jack Campbell (John Hemry) writes great military science fiction and terrible romance.  The interaction between Geary and Tanya in the romance area is thin at best but great in the military story.  The entire cast of characters is back; even ones that I expected to stay home are back on the ships.  The pace is great, the story good, and the action thrilling and sometimes unexpected.  Something new to look for are all the saying that include “Black Jack” in them.   While Geary does not enjoy hearing them they are amusing.

Ace published Dreadnaught, Beyond the Frontier by Jack Campbell in 2011.

I purchased Dreadnaught.

Children of Scarabaeus by Sara Creasy

Science Fiction Romance

Edie Sha’nim and Finn from Song of Scarabaeus are back.  Children of Scarabaeus picks up where Song of Scarabaeus left off.  Edie and Finn are trying to get to the Fringe Worlds with information that will free them from the dependency on the Crib Empire but Edie is too valuable as a cypherteck for the Crib to allow her to escape.  She and Finn are captured and Edie is forced back to work in order to keep Finn alive.  To her horror she finds that the newest group of cyphertecks are children.  She wants to escape but instead ends up back to Scarabaeus, the world she tried to save.  Her actions will determine the future of Scarabaeus and other planets.

When Song of Scarabaeus was first released it was billed as a Science Fiction Romance.  The story had traces of SFR but did not really fit the label.  With Children of Scarabaeus the story arc fulfills the SFR label.  While both books can stand alone the two together make a satisfying whole.

Sara Creasy has crafted two books with an unusual and exciting story line.  The characters are well drawn, the action fits the story and everything fits in the universe that Sara has created.  Children of Scarabaeus is full of action, adventure, new ideas, and of course romance.  There is something in Children of Scarabaeus for both Science Fiction and Science Fiction Romance fans. 

Harper Voyager published Children of Scarabaeus by Sara Creasy in 2011.

I purchased Children of Scarabaeus.

A Marriage of Inconvenience by Susanna Fraser

Historical Romance

A Marriage of Inconvenience by Susanna Fraser is a recent ebook release by Carina Press.  It is also a good example of why my TBR pile grows instead of shrinks.  I read and loved The Sergeant’s Lady by Susanna Fraser and when I saw A Marriage of Inconvenience I immediately purchased and started to read.  I knew from a comment Susanna made on my post for The Sergeant’s Lady that this book would be a prequel that told the story of Lucy and James, two secondary characters from the previous book.

Lucy Jones is a poor relative living with the Arringtons.  She has recently become secretly engaged to her cousin Sebastian.  When the Arringtons travel for Portia Arrington wedding Lucy meets James Wright-Gordon.  James’s sister Anna meets and is attracted to Sebastian. When the Arringtons’ fortune takes a turn for the worst the lives of all four are changed.

Susanna Fraser writes a well-plotted character driven story.  Lucy and James are both likable people who try to do what is right even when it turns out wrong.  It was interesting to see how Anna from The Sergeant's Lady ended up married to Sebastian.  A added bonus was hearing how everyone was doing several years later in the Epilogue.

Carina Press published A Marriage of Inconvenience by Susanna Fraser. 

The Buntline Special by Mike Resnick

Steampunk/Fantasy

In The Buntline Special Mike Resnick gives a new twist to the Gunfight at the OK Corral.  The Indians and their magic have stopped the growth of the US at the Mississippi River.  The US has sent Thomas Edison to Tombstone hoping he can find a way to nullify the Indian magic and allow the US to expand to the Pacific Ocean.  Edison works on more than nullifying Indian magic.  He cannot stop coming up with new ideas and his friend Ned Buntline takes those ideas and turns them into inventions.  Stir in Doc Holliday, the Earp’s and all the other character from history and you have an entertaining story.  This is the Wild West with a steampunk twist.

I wasn’t sure I would like The Buntline Special but once I started reading I really enjoyed the story.  Pick it up and I bet you will like it too.

Pyr published The Buntline Special by Mike Resnick in 2010.

I checked The Buntline Special out from the Rogers, AR Public Library.  

Gift Books from On-Line Book Bloggers Conference 2011

I posted about signing up for the 2011 On-Line Book Bloggers Conference.  I got a wealth of information at the conference. In addition to all the great information I got a choice of gift books that were donated by different publishers.  After looking at the list of books available I sent in the titles of books I would like.  The box arrived two days ago.  It was a little like Christmas.  While I knew what I had requested I did not know for sure how many of the requests I would get.  I received 10 books but only eight titles as two of the books were duplicates.  I got the two Science Fiction titles I wanted, five romances and one fiction book that everyone received.  I had three mysteries on my list but those must have been very popular because I did not get even one mystery title.  Here is a list of what I received listed with title, author and publisher

The Return of Black Douglas by Elaine Coffman published by Sourcebooks

Earl of Darkness by Alix Rickloff published by Pocket Books

Songs of Love and Death Edited by George RR Martin and Gardner Dozois published by Gallery Books

Winning Mr. Wrong by Marie Higgins published by Walnut Springs Press

Fierce Eden by Jennifer Blake published by Sourcebooks

Tapestry of Dreams by Roberta Gellis published by Sourcebooks

Virgin by Cheryl Brooks published by Sourcebooks

Eternal on the Water by Joseph Monninger published by Gallery Books

The Return of Black Douglas, Virgin and Tapestry of Dreams are all ARC copies.  Virgin will be released in June of 2011.  Tapestry of Dreams has a May release date and The Return of Black Douglas came out in April.

A big thanks to all the publishers and to the On-Line Book Bloggers Conference for all of the work that went into getting the books to me.