DEADLY KISSES
By Brenda Joyce
MIRA, Feb 2006, 472 pages
ISBN#0-7783-2268-8
Historical
$6.99 US, $8.50 CAN

Reviewed by Amanda
January 2006

DEADLY KISSES is the latest novel in the “Deadly” series by Brenda Joyce, and is filled with more mystery and temptation. KISSES takes place in turn of the century New York City, and focuses on the murder of a mistress. Amateur sleuth Francesca Cahill is called to the scene of the murder of Daisy Jones, who is the ex-mistress of her fiancé Calder Hart. Daisy’s lover, Rose, is with the body when Francesca arrives, and soon, Francesca also finds Calder in the house. While Francesca doesn’t believe that Calder would ever murder anyone, she has to admit that the evidence against him looks back, and as the story goes on, it continues to get worse.

Eventually, Calder’s brother and Francesca’s ex-love, Rick, who is also the Chief of Police, has no choice but to arrest Calder. Calder decides that in order to spare Francesca, he must end their engagement. Francesca will not be deterred in either clearing Calder’s name, finding the real killer, or in staying true to the man she loves. As Francesca endures the anger of her father and the embarrassment of scandal, she also becomes a target, which only makes her more determined.

As for some of the other characters that we have grown to love through this series, we are given updates on them as well. Rick and Leigh Anne’s relationship is strained by Leigh Anne’s handicap, Rick’s long hours at work, but most of all, by a new threat: the no good uncle of the girls they are trying to adopt showing up at their door. Evan is torn between his loyalty to Bartolla and his affection for Maggie, and Sarah and Rourke become a little bit closer.

I tremendously enjoyed reading this latest instalment in the Deadly series, and as always when I read a Deadly, found answers and resolutions but was left with many more questions. Calder is very much unlike any hero that I ever read about, and spending a few hours with him is always enough to get the blood boiling. Even if you haven’t read any of the Deadly series prior to KISSES, there is plenty of mystery and scandal in here to keep you hooked. And chances are, after you read it, you are going to want to pick up DEADLY LOVE, the first in the series, and read each of the following subsequent books too. They are really just too addictive not to, and DEADLY KISSES is a prime example of that.