Deadly Caress

by Brenda Joyce

Book Overview

Brenda Joyce's New York Times best-selling novels have thrilled millions of readers. Now, in her latest Francesca Cahill novel, return to the lush mansions and teeming streets of New York City's Gilded Age, where intrigue and seduction lie on every corner... The year is 1902. The place is New York City. A famous stage actress has been found strangled in an artist's studio, and the artist herself has vanished. Francesca Cahill, the city's most unconventional...

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312989431
• ISBN13: 9780312989439
• Release Date: April 2003
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 4.2" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

This series keeps getting hotter!

The "Deadly" series as a whole has been extremely enjoyable but I find with each new installment, it keeps getting better and better. If you're like me, the triangle between Fran/Rick/Calder has become the most important aspect of the series. There are some very entertaining secondary characters and the mysteries in each book are attention grabbers by themselves, however, the part I am most interested in seeing resolved is whether Fran will end up with Calder! That's what keeps me biting my nails until the next book! Deadly Caress reveals a little more than the other "Deadly" books but it leaves enough out to drive you insane with anticipation! If you're new to this series, Do Not Begin with this book! You must start with the first installment in order to truly appreciate where I'm coming from! However, starting at the beginning and working your way up to Deadly Caress, I assure you, is worth it!

delightful historical mystery

In 1902 New York, Police Chief Rick Bragg asks bluestocking amateur sleuth Francesca Cahill to help investigate a homicide as she has had some previous success. At first the police thought the deceased was artist Melinda Neville as the body was found in her apartment, but Francesca identifies the corpse as Grace Conway, the mistress of her brother Evan. The art studio was trashed just like that of Evan's artist fiancé was last week. Francesca's sibling is the link between the two crimes is the prime suspect.As Rick and Francesca work closely together to uncover the identity of a killer, they struggle with their love for one another that cannot be fulfilled as he is unhappily married. Though his wife left him to travel Europe for four years, she is back and expects to restart their relationship. His half-brother Calder Hart adds to the mix as he informs Francesca she will soon become his fiancée.The fifth Cahill tale includes several unexpected personal twists that add excitement to a delightful historical mystery that uses amateur sleuth and police procedural elements. The investigative story line is fun to follow as Rick leans towards Evan being guilty while Francesca plans to prove his innocence. Though the personnel rectangle slows down the who-done-it, fans will enjoy seeing the directions the lead couple goes setting up some intriguing scenarios for future installments.Harriet Klausner

Mmm Mmmm Good!!

This was by far the best Cahill book yet! The lives get more tangled, we finally get to see that Rick isn't oh-so-perfect. I for one never bought his "Perfect Man" persona, and francesca's obsession with him. Of course I'm always a fan of the bad boy, and Calder Hart is just that. The love scenes, and chemistry are far more believable between fran and calder. But will they get together in the end? Will Sara get together with Rourke? Who will get Evan, Witchy Bartolla or Sweet Mrs. Kennedy? Will there ever be a happy ending or completion to any of these stories? Will some dastardly murderer finally do in Ms. Cahill when she gets into one tangle too many? And who will be there to save her?Who knows? You'll want to I'm certain! And of course Ms. Joyce leaves you wanting more, and more, and more.

Fatal attraction

"You can't choose who you are going to fall in love with," says Francesca Cahill, a staunch reformist and sleuth caught in a love triangle between the commissioner Rick Bragg and his nemesis of a half-brother Calder Hart. In Deadly Caress, the 5th installment of Joyce's mystery-romance series, her characters' lives are tangled once more in one dramatic denouement after another. Joyce continues the mystery behind the vandalism of Sarah Channing's portraits, whereby the latter is the fiancee of Francesca's brother Evan. A fellow artist Ms. Neville vanishes abruptly with her neighbor-sans-Evan's mistress Ms. Conway strangled to death. Eyewitness Ms. Holmes is also silenced and evidence points to Evan. Francesca sets out to investigate with Rick Bragg and discovers new suspects like Ms. Neville's lover and brother sprouting. True fans voraciously devouring Joyce's series would know the fascination lies in her knack to galvanize with twists and secrets. This time is no different with exciting developments like the return of Bragg's wife Leigh Anne and Hart's relentless pursue along with Francesca's sister Connie handling her marital crisis.However Deadly Caress breaks free of the archetypal romance mold with its ensemble of flawed and honest characters who are subjected to temptations and desires. Rick Bragg, the central protagonist is a hypocrite with confused feelings for his wife and Francesca; Calder Hart who was portrayed as villainous in the series is refreshingly honest and honorable. The romance is complicated with hidden passion and recognisably realistic to shed the perfunctory soap-opera cloak. Joyce has outdone herself this time round with finely-paced suspense and dimensioned characters to engage us to the Deadly series. It's a fatal attraction.

Can't put the book down

It gets better. Brenda Joyce did a great job in the newest release of the Deadly series. I just cannot put the book down and I am thrilled at the development of the relationship between Hart and Fran. Another great part is that the author keeps you guessing because she plants some doubts on Hart's devotion to Fran as he is such a rake. Bragg is such a weakling by accepting his wife's Leigh Anne's return. Meanwhile, the murders keeps the novel exciting and and I really find this a perfect blend between romance and murder!Cannot wait for the next book of the series to come out in Fall.