Book Review: Deadly Love

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Deadly Love     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
B. D. [Brenda] Joyce
Class/Genre:   Romance   Historical   Police Procedural   Amateur Sleuth   Romantic Suspense
Series: Francesca Cahill # 1
St. Martin's, Jan 2001, $6.50, 352 pp.

In 1902 New York City, even her family believes that kindhearted, social issues advocate Francesca Cahill is an eccentric. Francesca belongs to every known society trying to reform the ills of the universe. However, her family knows only the tip of the iceberg of Francesca's efforts. The do-gooder attends college with no one the wiser and belongs to many more organizations that help the needy than either her parents or sister Connie even know.

While attending a ball, in which she meets police commissioner Rick Bragg, Francesca finds a ransom note making demands for the return of her neighbor's little boy abducted from his bed. Unable to let it go, the do-gooder begins making inquiries. Rick, vowing to remain clean, tries to stop the enchanting, but obstinate Francesca from continuing with her investigation. When that fails, he joins her efforts mostly to keep her safe, not yet knowing the danger that awaits them.

DEADLY LOVE is a superb merging of an amateur sleuth novel with a historical police procedural mystery. It turns into a fabulous reading experience for genre fans. The story line works on several levels. The investigation is filled with a sexual tension between the fully developed lead characters and the infusion of historical tidbits makes the Big Apple at the turn of the century seem very much alive. Romance readers already know that B.D. Joyce by any other name (Brenda Joyce) means a fabulous well-crafted novel and now mystery fans will know likewise.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner