Rating: 
Summary: More New "Old" Books
Review: As a loyal Veryan reader, I think this series lacks depth-inits plots, in its people, even in its locations. Her early books had fleshed-out characters (both human and animal) for whom I cared, and interesting plots that engaged me. Come back, Patricia Veryan! All is forgiven.
Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful Writing
Review: As usual, Patricia Veryan does not disappoint. Her characters are fascinating and eccentric, the mysterious plot serpentine, and her deft touch with dialog and humor keep the action and romance moving along at breakneck speed. Any book by her is a treasure, and there are few -- very few -- writers in this genre of her calibre. While I don't think the "Riddle" series is as good as the outstanding (and longer) Jeweled Men series, it is still a fine read and well worth the time.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Writing
Review: As usual, Patricia Veryan does not disappoint. Her characters are fascinating and eccentric, the mysterious plot serpentine, and her deft touch with dialog and humor keep the action and romance moving along at breakneck speed. Any book by her is a treasure, and there are few -- very few -- writers in this genre of her calibre. While I don't think the "Riddle" series is as good as the outstanding (and longer) Jeweled Men series, it is still a fine read and well worth the time.
Rating:
Summary: Great Book!
Review: I agree! This is by far the best in the series to date. Adair was a great hero, and as for Paige and Toby, the sooner they get their own books the better - wonderful characters.I would recommend that if you wish to read the series that you do so in order. This book contains major spoilers to the previous two books (The Riddle of Alabaster Royal and The Riddle of the Lost Lover).
Rating: 
Summary: An Interesting And Unusual Story
Review: I am a huge fan of Patricia Veryan's, and love to read her books. However, I have been disappointed with the entire "Riddle" series. Although she still excells at writing descriptions of places and people that are vivid, there is something missing. The reader does not get to know the characters well: what they are feeling, their motivations, the reason they do the things they do. There is also less of the romance and humorous episodoes that made her older books so charming. Still, any book by Patricia Veryan is better written than by many other authors, and I would recommend her books to anybody. I just hope she writes another book like "The Mandarin of Mayfair".
Rating:
Summary: Ready for next installment
Review: I hope Ms. Veryan is an author who checks out these reviews because I really want her to make Minerva a main character in an upcoming book.
Rating:
Summary: Fast-paced
Review: I recommend this novel by Patricia Veryan, which is intense, fast-paced and romantic. It kept me turning the pages, wanting to read more. The author skillfully weaves all her interesting characters together to form a web of intrigue and romance. The story begins with Colonel Hasting Adair's court-martial. This well-bred young man believes he is innocent of the charges set against him, but no one else, even his own family, believes him. He has no inkling as to what has happened to Miss Alice Prior, the young lady whose reputation he purportedly ruined, and who lured him into her carriage, of which he has no memory of afterwards. After the court-martial, he is shunned by society and is ridiculed wherever he goes. Cecily Hall now enters the scene. Loyal to Alice, she is keen on hunting Hastings down and finding out where he has kept poor Alice. She keeps showing up in all these odd places, like a detective, surprising Hastings. She is spirited, lovely, and
over time, begins to like Hastings. He also develops tender feelings towards her. The rest of the story is spent trying to prove Hasting's innocence, which means risking his life in doing so, as well as Cecily's, for the person who framed him will stop at nothing to get what he wants. The description of Hasting's encounter with the "bad guys", his escape, battling his fatigue and wounds, surviving a torturous ride with his horse Toreador to Blackbird Terrace, and finally enduring the fire to rescue Cecily is quite an extroadinary read. His Herculean effort was motivated by his love for Cecily, which is a very strong romantic statement. This is as good as it gets in romance.
Rating:
Summary: Fast-paced
Review: I recommend this novel by Patricia Veryan, which is intense, fast-paced and romantic. It kept me turning the pages, wanting to read more. The author skillfully weaves all her interesting characters together to form a web of intrigue and romance. The story begins with Colonel Hasting Adair's court-martial. This well-bred young man believes he is innocent of the charges set against him, but no one else, even his own family, believes him. He has no inkling as to what has happened to Miss Alice Prior, the young lady whose reputation he purportedly ruined, and who lured him into her carriage, of which he has no memory of afterwards. After the court-martial, he is shunned by society and is ridiculed wherever he goes. Cecily Hall now enters the scene. Loyal to Alice, she is keen on hunting Hastings down and finding out where he has kept poor Alice. She keeps showing up in all these odd places, like a detective, surprising Hastings. She is spirited, lovely, and
over time, begins to like Hastings. He also develops tender feelings towards her. The rest of the story is spent trying to prove Hasting's innocence, which means risking his life in doing so, as well as Cecily's, for the person who framed him will stop at nothing to get what he wants. The description of Hasting's encounter with the "bad guys", his escape, battling his fatigue and wounds, surviving a torturous ride with his horse Toreador to Blackbird Terrace, and finally enduring the fire to rescue Cecily is quite an extroadinary read. His Herculean effort was motivated by his love for Cecily, which is a very strong romantic statement. This is as good as it gets in romance.
Rating:
Summary: More mystery then romance
Review: I thought the mystery part good, who set up Hastings Adair and why. But I thought the romance part lacking. I did not feel any real chemistry from these two, in fact I don't see what or why they are attracted to each other. The only thing I can figure is Hastings is so grateful that a woman believes in his innocence he mistakes that for love. And Alice feels so bad about believing his guilt and trying to kill him, she mistakes the guilt for love. The mystery was really good, I never figured the person who was the master mind, but next time the author needs to develop the chemistry of the two main characters. I read the other reviews and this is my first Veryan book so I don't have anything to compare it to. I am going to read the first two, hopefully they will be better then "The Riddle of the Reductant Rake".
Rating:
Summary: More mystery then romance
Review: I thought the mystery part good, who set up Hastings Adair and why. But I thought the romance part lacking. I did not feel any real chemistry from these two, in fact I don't see what or why they are attracted to each other. The only thing I can figure is Hastings is so grateful that a woman believes in his innocence he mistakes that for love. And Alice feels so bad about believing his guilt and trying to kill him, she mistakes the guilt for love. The mystery was really good, I never figured the person who was the master mind, but next time the author needs to develop the chemistry of the two main characters. I read the other reviews and this is my first Veryan book so I don't have anything to compare it to. I am going to read the first two, hopefully they will be better then "The Riddle of the Reductant Rake".
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