Earlier today, I tried to pinpoint when Jayne Ann Krentz jumped the shark for me (there was a column in AAR over a year ago which dealt with the concept as applied to romance novels).

As it happens, it turns out I find she jumped it in the same year, 1996, for both her Jayne Ann Krentz and Amanda Quick novels.

For JAK, it was after Absolutely, Positively, the last one by her that I've loved (not that I haven't enjoyed others after it; I have, but they lost the magic her earlier work had):

Twist of Fate (1986)

Sweet Starfire (1986)

Crystal Flame (1986)

A Coral Kiss (1987)

Midnight Jewels (1987)

Gift of Gold (1988)

Gift of Fire (1989)

Golden Chance (1990)

Silver Linings (1991)

Sweet Fortune (1991)

Perfect Partners (1992)

Family Man (1992)

Wildest Hearts (1993)

Hidden Talents (1993)

Grand Passion (1994)

Trust Me (1995)

Connecting Rooms (novella 1995)

Absolutely, Positively (1996)



Here was the jump, IMO



Deep Waters (1997)

Sharp Edges (1998)

Flash (1998)

Eye of the Beholder (1999)

Soft Focus (2000)

Eclipse Bay (2000)

Lost & Found (2001)

Dawn in Eclipse Bay (2001)

Smoke In Mirrors (2002)

Summer in Eclipse Bay (2002)



In her Amanda Quick, books, the jump came after Mischief:



Seduction (1990)

Surrender (1990)

Scandal (1991)

Rendezvous (1991)

Ravished (1992)

Reckless (1992)

Deception (1993)

Desire (1993)

Dangerous (1993)

Mistress (1994)

Mystique (1995)

Mischief (1996)



JUMP



Affair (1997)

With This Ring (1998)

I Thee Wed (1999)

Wicked Widow (2000)

Slightly Shady (2001)

Don't Look Back (2002)