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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: More New "Old" Books
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".
Rating: 
Summary: a Moderate tale from Veryan
Review: I'm rating this book only four stars because you can't just pour praise on everything lest it all merges. Her Riddle series really isn't as enjoyable as some of her (I belive) later work such as the League of the Jewelled Men or the Georgian ones. However, they are still yards and leagues above any of the paltry regency paperbacks that abound on the market, from authors such as Mary Jo Putney, etcetera etcetera.
They have CONTENT!!! First read her better novels, then read this series, and then go for a second round with the Jewelled Men and so on - Particular favorite of mine is the Wagered Widow.
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