Strangers at Dawn is one of those books that begins wonderfully, only to sag in the middle and never fully pick up speed again. The opening volleys are full of passion and intrigue, but after the initial conflict between the hero and heroine are past, the actions and attitudes of the heroine seem forced – readers are likely to want to shout, “get over it, stop doing dangerous things and start trusting this wonderful man!” At least I did.

When our story opens, heiress Sara Carstairs is on trial for the murder of her noble brother-in-law, William Neville. Everyone knows she’s guilty – after all, didn’t she have an affair with her sister’s husband, and sleep with many other men as well? Lord Maxwell Worthe, amateur pugilist and owner, publisher, and special correspondent of The Courier believes the cool beauty is guilty, and even after she is found not guilty for her crimes, writes a yearly report about the cause celebre.

Until one night when he climbs into her hotel window, believing her to be his mistress. In the dark they cling together, kissing and fondling, until the dawn when he leaves. Though he knows not who she really is, this fragile yet strong beauty has captured his heart, and he is not inclined to let her go without a fight.

While Sara does not realize the identity of her midnight soulmate, she is a woman with a plan, a plan that does not include love for herself. She must find herself a husband so that she can break the trust her father set up for the family. Once the trust is broken, she can divy up the money he left for everyone and leave the country so that her family and possibly she can heal from the wounds inflicted by the murder trial and the continuing reminders in The Courier. She’s particularly in a hurry to do so because she believes William is still alive and threatening her.

When Max discovers Sara’s true identity, he is at war with himself. Is she a calm and collected murderess, or is she innocent and being hounded by demons he can’t fathom? Until he answers these questions for himself, Strangers at Dawn is a terrific read. Unfortunately, after he answers these questions for himself, the reader’s excitement in this story is likely to deflate.

First there are Sara’s sometimes TSTL actions. At least twice, knowing she might be in danger, she goes at night to the deserted dower house on her property alone. Even after being attacked the first time, she goes again, when she is in even greater danger. Then there is Sara’s self-inflicted torment. She cannot seem to forgive herself for the danger she is in, even though it is not of her own making. Well, really – that’s not true. If she would have just told Max the truth, forgiveness would have come far sooner.

But then, telling Max the truth is part of the final problem in this book. She can’t bring herself to trust him even though it’s obvious he is worthy of that trust. By not trusting him and not forgiving herself, she creates a cocoon of pain for herself that she can’t seem to shake. Lest it be said that Max is perfect, which he very nearly is, he allows Sara and her family to believe he is nothing but a fortune hunter, when the fact is that he is incredibly wealthy. When the truth finally comes out at the very end, it is laughed off, but this is one of those books in which I just wanted to scream, “Talk to each other! Be honest, for goodness sakes!”

While Sara is wrapped in her pain and Max is determined to help her, the story focuses on the intrigue behind William’s supposed death and the strange notes Sara is receiving. Could the villain be Sara’s beloved sister Anne, either of her two step-brothers, a family lawyer, or someone else? Though the author gives a hint of the real villain, the actuality is surprising, and rather revolting. Author Thornton is known for creating interesting villains, and she doesn’t disappoint here. But one wonders whether she had spent more time working on Sara in the last half of the book rather than the intrigue, whether this would have been a better book.