The Spy Wore Silk
Mrs. Merlin's Academy for Select Young Ladies, 1st in Trilogy
by Andrea Pickens
Andrea Pickens is an experienced Regency romance writer, and her skills show in this first title in a new trilogy.
She says herself that she always wondered why, ala James Bond, guys had all the fun! She wanted to create a group
of women spies, trained in martial arts, sword fighting, and swashbuckling bravery, all while in a skirt! AND
while practicing the feminine wiles they were also taught at Mrs. Merlin's Academy for Select Young Ladies. This
innovative school selects street urchins and orphans of particularly stunning beauty and uncommon intelligence.
Trained to assist undercover, on behalf of the Commonwealth, Siena is but the first of three delightful heroines
in this new series.
As with most Regencies and romances, love and sensuality are steady undercurrents in the plot. Siena is
assigned to uncover a traitor to England, buried deep in an exclusive men's club of book collectors. The history
that Ms. Pickens brings into the story, about book collecting and fine art and painting, make a wonderful backdrop
to the protagonist's skillful manipulation of the men in the tale.
Of course, there is plenty of heavy breathing and lots of passion, but the story moves smoothly to the final
surprising unveiling of the bad guy(s). There are many clever touches - each orphaned girl is given a new name of
her own choosing based on places on the globe in Mrs. Merlin's office. And each girl sports a small tattoo of a
merlin (a hunting hawk) on her breast. These adroit "visuals" bring the reader into the story in earnest and help
create three dimensional characters for us to enjoy.
There is much to enjoy in this somewhat unusual take on historical/regency romances. And the next two books in
the trilogy, featuring Shannon and Sofia, promise to be equally delightful. A fun read for beach or poolside,
Andrea Pickens lives up to her reputation as a savvy writer of romances. |
The Book |
Warner Forever - a Hatchette Group Book publication |
June 2007 |
Paperback |
0-446-61800-4 |
Historical romance - Regency |
More at Amazon.com |
Excerpt |
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The Reviewer |
Laura Strathman Hulka |
Reviewed 2007 |
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