Welcome to the world of Francesca Cahill, crime-solver extraordinaire. Francesca is no ordinary heroine. She refuses to bow to convention, wears her heart on her sleeve, and is determined to right the ills and injustices of society. Deadly Love begins Francesca’s mad escapades when the neighbors’ little boy is kidnapped right out of his bed during a society ball. It is January 18, 1902. Francesca stumbles across the ransome note just as she meets New York City’s newly appointed police commissioner, Rick Bragg. And Francesca can no more stay out of this investigation than she can stop herself from falling in love with the city’s determined and powerful police commissioner. But little does she know that on this singular night, her life will change forever.
Deadly Love by Brenda Joyce is the first in what looks like (from Joyce’s old Website) a series of seven novels (followed by Deadly Pleasure, Deadly Affairs, Deadly Desire, Deadly Caress, Deadly Promise, Deadly Illusions) featuring crime-solver extraordinaire, Francesa Cahill. I understand the series was left unfinished, and anyone who’s been in the publishing biz for any length of time understands exactly how these things happen. Not much an author can do when a publisher pulls the plug.
This was the first book I read on my iPod Touch as an ebook, and I bought it at the recommendation of Lauren Dane who’s talked it up on Twitter. This was only my second Joyce to read, as I read The Conqueror ages ago. I honestly can’t say if I finished the book because it held my interest (it did take me two weeks to complete but year’s end was busy), or because I was determined to read a whole book electronically on the device @cuppacafe gave me for Christmas. My first ebook to read was Dan Brown’s Angels & Demons, which I read eons ago on my Rocketbook.
Joyce balances a lot of characters and a lot of plot threads and does it well. I followed Fran’s sleuthing logic and was with her every step as Joyce lays out the list of suspects without tipping her hand. I might’ve wanted more on this character or that (such as with Sarah Channing), but I was given what I needed for the story’s purposes. (I can be greedy that way.) I love early 1900’s New York, and enjoyed seeing it brought to life. If I didn’t have a gazillion unread books on my shelves, I’d probably buy the next one, and I may do so anyway should the mood strike. If there had been more of a romance, even a continuing one (I knew going in this wasn’t a romance novel), I’d definitely be on board, but this one taste will hold me for now.
