Title: Don’t Look Back
Author: Amanda Quick
First published January 1, 2002
387 pages, Paperback
ISBN: 9780553583397 (ISBN10: 0553583395)
Rating: 3.9
Overview
AMANDA QUICK, the New York Times bestselling author, presents an enthralling mystery and romance novel featuring the daring duo, Lavinia Lake and Tobias March. The pair of detectives-turned-lovers continue their exciting relationship, combining their risky business with their rising passion.
Lavinia is a fiercely independent woman with a nose for trouble, as well as a unique talent for mesmerism. Her partner, Tobias, is usually cool-headed, but Lavinia has him hopelessly under her spell.
The couple runs Lake and March, a discreet private investigation firm for the wealthy. When a mesmerist and family friend, Celeste Hudson, is mysteriously murdered, Lake and March are hired to find the killer.
However, they soon discover that many people are after a priceless blue cameo with legendary powers, the centerpiece of a missing relic. The trail leads them from the glittering ballrooms of high society to London’s seediest taverns, unearthing dark secrets along the way.
With Lavinia’s mesmerism and Tobias’s quick-wittedness, they must solve the case before it’s too late. Don’t miss this captivating read, filled with passion, mystery, and danger.
About the Author
Jayne Ann Krentz is a prolific author, having written more than 40 consecutive New York Times bestsellers. Her writing style is romantic-suspense with a psychic and paranormal twist, and she creates stories in three different worlds: contemporary, historical, and futuristic.
She writes under different pseudonyms for each genre, using Jayne Ann Krentz for contemporary, Amanda Quick for historical, and Jayne Castle for futuristic.
With over 30 million copies of her books in print, Krentz has achieved great success in the literary world. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in History from the University of California at Santa Cruz, followed by a Masters degree in Library Science from San Jose State University in California.
Before becoming a full-time writer, Krentz worked as a librarian in both academic and corporate libraries.
Krentz currently resides in Seattle, Washington, with her husband, Frank.
Editoral Review
In his 1984 novel, “Usher’s Passing,” Robert McCammon weaves a haunting tale of family secrets and supernatural terror. Known primarily for his horror fiction, McCammon’s narrative style is nuanced and layered with complex characters and rich imagery.
Set in rural Maryland, the Usher family has long been plagued by a curse that has claimed the lives of several generations. Following the sudden death of patriarch Rix Usher, his estranged son, James, returns to the family estate to settle his affairs.
What follows is a tense and twisted tale of madness and murder, as James becomes entangled in the family’s macabre past. McCammon’s writing is both beautiful and bleak, creating an atmosphere that is both entrancing and eerie.
His vivid descriptions of the Usher estate and its surrounding landscape paint a picture of a world teetering on the edge of darkness. The characters are similarly well-drawn, with each member of the Usher family harboring a dark secret that slowly unravels as the novel progresses.
One of the novel’s greatest strengths is its pacing. McCammon deftly balances moments of quiet introspection with moments of intense action and horror, creating a narrative that is both gripping and engaging.
While there are a few moments of over-the-top horror, the novel never feels gratuitous or overly sensational. That being said, there are a few aspects of the novel that fall flat.
Some of the prose is overly purple, and at times the symbolism can be heavy-handed. There are also a few moments in which the novel feels bogged down by its own mythology, with long passages devoted to expounding upon the Usher family legend.
Overall, “Usher’s Passing” is a thrilling read that combines elements of Gothic horror and family drama. Fans of Stephen King and Shirley Jackson will find much to enjoy here, as will anyone who appreciates a well-crafted tale of terror.
While the novel may not be perfect, its strengths far outweigh its weaknesses. I would recommend this book for readers who enjoy atmospheric horror with well-developed characters and intricate plotting.
The themes of familial legacy and the weight of history will particularly resonate with those interested in exploring the darker aspects of the human psyche. On a scale of 1-10, I would give “Usher’s Passing” an 8, based on its strong characters, pacing, and atmospherics.
