Sins of Midnight
Grade : D

The particular combination of mystery and romance in Sins of Midnight is unfortunately an uneasy one, and the book is filled with characters who aren’t especially memorable. Ultimately, this one’s not worth the trip.

Jillian Daventry is the daughter of a marquis, but she has a rather shady past. Her mother lived a rather wild lifestyle and died even more scandalously. Her mother’s death - blamed on a lover who shot himself that same night - haunts Jillian, and led her to her current line of work. Her father famously researched criminal investigation procedures and Jillian not only learned from his efforts, but she now uses her knowledge to assist the Bow Street Runners.

Connor Monroe is respectable only because the amount of success he achieved in his shipping business. But his business partner was just found brutally murdered, and other significant figures in his life have also met an untimely end. Connor turns to the Bow Street Runners to help him figure out why, which leads him to Jillian, who is willing to help with the investigation – but finds herself unwillingly attracted to Connor. Connor, aware of his low social status, tries to keep his distance from Jillian, but also finds himself feeling an unwanted attraction.

The setup was intriguing but sadly, the characters never felt alive to me and the story never felt rooted in its intended historical time period. I wondered how the author was going to pull off a heroine who’s associated with Bow Street. Jillian runs around examining crime scenes without a chaperone (though she does disguise her exotic beauty so as to not attract too much attention), presenting only the flimsiest of excuses to her family. In the end, the concept was just too wild and it never felt real, maybe because the whole mystery surrounding the characters felt overly contrived with pieces that don’t fit.

I didn’t feel strongly about the characters either, and too much of their dialogue and interaction felt scripted and all too familiar - particularly the clichéd aspect of their unwanted attraction to each other. Jillian is stubborn and indignant with Connor, whom she constantly defies; Connor alternates between arrogantly ordering Jillian around and angrily kissing her. Their interaction quickly became too repetitive to be enjoyable. Token characters like Connor’s mistress and Jillian’s former suitor add so little to the story that I wonder why they were included at all.

I also never bought the idea that Jillian had a brilliant criminal investigative mind - her "discoveries" seemed more like blind luck and/or sheer stupidity on the part of the actual investigators, and the clues that she puts together were elementary. As for Connor, the man with a mysterious past, I would have felt something more for him had he exhibited signs of actual grief rather than going through the motions.

Supposedly each of the victims meant a great deal to Connor, as he chokingly relates later in telling the tragic story of his past. Yet it was hard to believe that when his relationship with Jillian takes another big step in the cottage where another of the victims was murdered! Apparently, they find comfort from the ugliness of the murders in each others’ arms, but it just didn’t sit well with me. Grief is forgotten far too easily. What should have been heavy events never seem to really weigh down enough on the characters. Consequently, despite the deaths and the story of how each of these victims meant so much to Connor, there is very little emotion, drama or tension felt throughout the story.

Sins of Midnight lacked memorable characters and plotting. I feel like I've read a million stories featuring Connor, and Jillian - whose "unique" talents never rang true - failed as a three-dimensional character. Author Logan does exhibit a nice writing style, and though this one bombed, I wouldn't avoid future books by her.

Reviewed by Joan Lee
Grade : D

Sensuality: Warm

Review Date : June 27, 2006

Publication Date: 2006/07

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