Quicksilver: Number 11 in series (Arcane Society)

This second volume of the looking glass trilogy is much better than the first volume, the romance was more believable and the plot was less confused. For the most part, the secondary characters added to plot. A little bit formulaic, but fun reading experience.
I'm glad I bought it!

The book was in great condition, even though it had been a library book. It was great to be able to find it and add it to my collection of one of my favorite authors. In today's economy, savings of any kind are a motivation to buy. I will definitely use this vendor again.

I just finished reading QUICKSILVER, Amanda Quick.

It was just OK, I don't know why I bother reading her books about Psychics. They just keep getting more out there. This one deals with a psychic, Virginia (nice name) who reads mirrors. OK, mirrors huh?

She wakes up with a dead man, in walks Owen, who is a psychic investigator, who saves her. They're off to investigate the murder of two other mirror readers, who knew that this was so popular an occupation?

The most interesting relationship in this book? The relationship between Virginia and the housekeeper. That's right, even though Virginia has a half sister and gets it on with Owen neither relationship develops as much as the one between the mirror reader and the housekeeper.

I found the book a bit disjointed and disappointing. The dialogue was witty in spots but I found the relationship between Owen and Virginia somewhat cold. After their first sexual encounter there is no hand holding, looks, blushes, kisses, nothing! Until their requisite second coupling.

The descriptions of the psychic elements were difficult for me to follow.

Overall just an OK read.

urban-fantasy, psychics, assassins, murder, romance, 19th-century, reread

The psychic meets the supernatural assassin hired by the Jones Agency of the Arcane Society and they work together to find (and eliminate) the insane murderer with psychic talents. Situated after Perfect Poison, we are introduced to the Sweetwater family who are tasked with ridding London of psychic killers referred to as monsters. The publisher's blurb gives few hints, but spoilers are tacky. The characters are well drawn and engaging, and the book does stand alone well.

When Virginia Dean wakes from a drugged sleep to find herself in bed with a dead man, a knife in her hands, she realizes that her gentle career as a psychic who sees sees memories in mirrors has just shattered. Linking up with the handsome and dangerous Owen Sweetwater brings its own risks--for one thing, he's too closely associated with the Arcane Society, a group of psychically powerful who looks down on those who, like Virginia, trade on their abilities. For another, he's a well-known skeptic who's exposed as frauds several of Virginia's associates. Still, desperate times call for desperate measures and Owen is certainly capable.

Owen Sweetwater has been prowling the nights. He tells himself he's hunting--something the males in his family have always done. Realistically, though, his time is short. He's got to find the woman who can make him whole or he'll become one of the monsters he hunts. Virginia has potential, but she's independent and Sweetwater men tend to be very dominating. Of course, if he can't protect her, and himself, from the clockwork psychic killers set against them, his long-term sanity or his desire for a life-mate may never matter at all.

Author Amanda Quick continues her LOOKING GLASS series with an engaging read. Virginia is a typical Quick heroine, spunky, energetic, and with that romance heroine capability of finding the unlikely to be completely logical. Owen is Quick's familiar damaged male who can only be made whole by the love of a good woman.

If you haven't read Amanda Quick (a pseudonym for Jayne Ann Krentz), you've missed one of the most popular and capable writers of historical (and mildly paranormal) romance. If you have read Quick, then expect a good dose of what she does best. Quick doesn't break any ground here, Virginia, Owen, their conflict, and their social setting are familiar even though the names are different. I like the (non-Owen) Sweetwater males, and thought that the issue of Virginia's illegitimacy was handled well. And Quick's writing is as quick and witty as ever. Sure QUICKSILVER is a bit like cotton candy--it's still an enjoyable read.

Virginia Dean is a looking glass reader, who is rescued by Owen Sweetwater in this slightly different version of an Arcane Society novel. Sweetwater men were made to hunt monsters and the Jones & Jones Agency has hired Owen Sweetwater to find the person who has been killing looking glass talents There seems to an extra paranormal side to the murders that cannot be noticed by ordinary police men and J&J views itself as a protector of society from criminals that use paranormal means. Owen is drawn to Virginia realizing that this is the woman he was meant to marry. Sweetwater men must each find that one special woman, who can understand his purpose in life and live with the secrecy that such a purpose brings with it. Fraudulent mediums and a host of other strange characters abound but Owen will keep Virginia safe, through kidnapping and other perils creating an enjoyable read with an extra touch of humor to keep the brain happy.

I've been zipping through the Arcane novels. I love that the series is part of the author's 3 personas and that the paranormal is present in her Victorian, conteporary, and futuristic worlds. I loved learning more about the Sweetwaters and their special talents. If I were to read these books again I would read all of Amand Quicks books first. They are the foundation of the stories that follow. Plus characters show up from book to book. Next read Jayne Ann Krenz, them move to the Harmony books under Jayne Castle. These books keep me satisfied.

Virginia Dean awakes in a bloodstained bed, the murdered body of Lord Hollister beside her. Before she can think what to do, Owen Sweetwater arrives to sweep her to safety. Now they are working together to discover what happened as well as solving the murder of two glass-readers.

Quick, aka Jayne Ann Krentz, has given us another wild adventure in this 11th installment in her Arcane Society series as well as the 2nd in the Looking Glass trilogy, this one set in the past. Actually, Arcane and J&J Investigations are only mentioned. Neither the Sweetwaters nor Virginia are members, but Owen is currently on assignment for J&J to discover the murderer. The Sweetwaters have a history of hunting monsters and eliminating them when the law can't deal with them. Virginia is representative of the author's heroines, strong and independent. An interesting installment. 4 out of 5.

Amanda Quick (Jayne Ann Krentz) writes wonderful paranormal historical romantic suspense. Quicksilver is no exception. The novel begins in medias res with Virginia Dean waking from a drugged sleep to find a knife in her hand and a dead body beside her. She is rescued by Owen Sweetwater, a psychic monster hunter. Virginia with her psychic mirror-reading ability is able to see images of people who have been murdered, women in particular. She and Owen engage in searching for a killer who has targeted her.

There is excellent use of mirror imagery and chiaroscuro, light and dark throughout.
As always, the romance is sensual and engaging, the main characters are people the reader will care about, and the novel so entertaining you won't want to put it down until you finish reading it.

Jacqueline Seewald
TEA LEAVES AND TAROT CARDS
THE TRUTH SLEUTH

Although Quick's (Krentz) paranormal series is starting to look like X-Men, with new and more powerful, if not bizarre, talents, I really enjoyed this story with its strong characters. One very entertaining moment turned out to be a conversation regarding a new medical invention to treat female hysteria. An Internet search revealed that the information was true. Simply amazing.

I do object to the book cover, quite uncharacteristic of covers typically found on books by Krentz and her aliases. When the book was published in England (Piatkus Books May 2011), the cover had a Gothic atmosphere (check it out on the the store.UK website). The U.S. publisher decided to go for the "slutty" look, as so many book covers of romance novels do nowadays. Apparently American publishers don't believe people will buy their books without a sensual cover. So in the American cover of Quicksilver the heroine is set in a suggestive pose. Is she removing the stocking or putting it on? The picture evokes questions about what might follow the scene that has absolutely nothing to do with the story of the novel. The UK novel cover is much more true to the story, since even though there is a running joke on female hysteria the novel's overall atmosphere is dark.

Imagine being awakened by a stranger and realizing that you have no knowledge of who you are or why you are lying in a dump surrounded by dead bodies. Then imagine you find out that you are a half breed and the people around you are vampires, shifters, demons, angels and human. That's what happened to our main character, who could not recall anything that had happened to her in the last few days. Boss, the vampire who found her and woke her up along with his human partner Jonas set out to solve the mystery of who she was.

From the moment I opened the book this story had me captivated. The characters were interesting and the mystery surrounding the girl Jonas named `Stephanie' had me hoping that she was as innocent as she appeared to be. Even she didn't know if she was innocent although she kept saying she wasn't a killer. From the beginning of this story to the end it added layer upon layer to Stephanie's character which made her more interesting and endearing.

The author Mary Abshire reached out and grabbed me from the start and took me on a ride that was filled with twists, turns and surprises. Boss was a no-nonsense kind of guy. He was dark and brooding but cared about the people in his charge, while Jonas, who was the complete opposite of Boss, acted as a buffer between Boss and Stephanie. The supporting characters in the book like Tabby the shape shifting cat and Jackson the hot werewolf as well as Sal the demon were woven in seamlessly, and I understood the part each of them played in Stephanie's life.

It took me two hours to finish this book and when I was done, even though I was smiling, I wanted more. I look forward to reading the next book in what I'm sure will be a series since many questions were left unanswered.

Originally posted at LAS Romance Reviews

Although Quick's (Krentz) paranormal series is starting to look like X-Men, with new and more powerful, if not bizarre, talents, I really enjoyed this story with its strong characters. One very entertaining moment turned out to be a conversation regarding a new medical invention to treat female hysteria. An Internet search revealed that the information was true. Simply amazing.

I do object to the book cover, quite uncharacteristic of covers typically found on books by Krentz and her aliases. When the book was published in England (Piatkus Books May 2011), the cover had a Gothic atmosphere (check it out on the the store.UK website). The U.S. publisher decided to go for the "slutty" look, as so many book covers of romance novels do nowadays. Apparently American publishers don't believe people will buy their books without a sensual cover. So in the American cover of Quicksilver the heroine is set in a suggestive pose. Is she removing the stocking or putting it on? The picture evokes questions about what might follow the scene that has absolutely nothing to do with the story of the novel. The UK novel cover is much more true to the story, since even though there is a running joke on female hysteria the novel's overall atmosphere is dark.

Imagine being awakened by a stranger and realizing that you have no knowledge of who you are or why you are lying in a dump surrounded by dead bodies. Then imagine you find out that you are a half breed and the people around you are vampires, shifters, demons, angels and human. That's what happened to our main character, who could not recall anything that had happened to her in the last few days. Boss, the vampire who found her and woke her up along with his human partner Jonas set out to solve the mystery of who she was.

From the moment I opened the book this story had me captivated. The characters were interesting and the mystery surrounding the girl Jonas named `Stephanie' had me hoping that she was as innocent as she appeared to be. Even she didn't know if she was innocent although she kept saying she wasn't a killer. From the beginning of this story to the end it added layer upon layer to Stephanie's character which made her more interesting and endearing.

The author Mary Abshire reached out and grabbed me from the start and took me on a ride that was filled with twists, turns and surprises. Boss was a no-nonsense kind of guy. He was dark and brooding but cared about the people in his charge, while Jonas, who was the complete opposite of Boss, acted as a buffer between Boss and Stephanie. The supporting characters in the book like Tabby the shape shifting cat and Jackson the hot werewolf as well as Sal the demon were woven in seamlessly, and I understood the part each of them played in Stephanie's life.

It took me two hours to finish this book and when I was done, even though I was smiling, I wanted more. I look forward to reading the next book in what I'm sure will be a series since many questions were left unanswered.

Originally posted at LAS Romance Reviews

In Victorian England, Virginia Dean has the psychical power to see in mirrors the last moments of a person's life if the reflection was caught by the reflecting glass. She is able to see the energy emanations in the form of pictures; a talent that makes her clients believe she is a medium.

One night while doing a reading for the chatelaine of the Hollister Mansion, Virginia wakes up in a room filled with mirrors and a body next to her. Overwhelmed by the images in the mirrors, Virginia cannot find an exit to escape the nightmare. Psychic detective Owen Sweetwater rescues her. The detective hunts psychical monsters just like his family does. He works for the J&J Detective Agency whose client the Arcane Society wants Owen to find out if the death of two gaslight readers is the work of a paranormal monster. A bond forms between Owen and Virginia; one that the sleuth needs if he is to stay focused while Virginia looks at it as a casual affair. Together with his family as well as her housekeeper, they try to take down a killer before the monster murders again; as the target is the most powerful gaslight reader known: Virginia.

Amanda Quick has written another bestseller with her latest Gaslight Victorian romantic suspense with gothic overtones. The story line grips the reader from the moment an increasingly panicked Virginia struggles to escape the room of mirrors and never slows down until the final denouement. There are some quirky secondary characters who add whimsy to the otherwise dark, chilling but engrossing storyline.

Harriet Klausner

Unfortunately, listening to this book is almost exactly like listening to the last several Amanda Quick books. Right down to descriptions of the deflowering, endearments expressed by the hero, and the heroine's ordering about of the hero. Ms Flosnick is one heck of a narrator (she never stumbles, pronunciation is always precise and her characters' voices do not vary from one scene to the next) so perhaps it is my American ear but I find myself almost bored with her elocution, as I'm sure she must be after low, these many basically the same books. So I think the next book in this series, and the rest of her series, will be read from the library's collection; I just do not think I will be able to justify shelling out the $20 for the audible version that will never be listened to again.

Vintage Amanda Quick! I started it Sunday afternoon and couldn't go to bed until I'd finished it. The 'Who dun it' portion of the story line was great. The love story portion was wonderful. Added together? Outstanding! Those Sweetwater men are powerful sexy beings.

This is yet another silly paranormal book by Amanda Quick. While reading this novel, I got the feeling of deja vu; it's exacty like her other arcane books. It can't by any stretch of the imagination be considered a romance; having sex with a man you just met is not my idea of romance-sex should be the destination, not the journey itself. I keep hoping each paranormal book will be the last, but I looked on the Amanda Quick website, and she's got yet another paranormal book coming out in April. Amanda Quick is my favorite author, and I've enjoyed all of her books except the paranormal. I gave this 3 stars because the author is a great writer and the mystery doesn't disappoint; I just wish I didn't have to deal with the paranormal. What can I say?; I was never a science fiction fan!

I am disappointed in the direction her writing is moving. While I am aware that she has a number of pseudonyms, I am uninterested in Jayne Castle (future/psychic) and Jayne Ann Krentz (modern day). I like the old Amanda Quick books and wish she would return to that style and not blend the two. I have every book she has written in the Quick series, but I am disinclined to continue to read her if she continues in this manner.

I bought kindle to save some trees. Now it looks like the store is trying to take advantage and rip off customers. The electronic version of a book should not cost more than paperback. I guess it is back to Target and Costco for me when I get the paperback for $4.50

Very annoying that this must go to a computer and be transferred. Too much trouble. I'm finding that I'm putting books on hold only to find out that they cannot go direct to the kindle. Most annoying.