Wait Until Midnight, by Amanda Quick

After a good number of hardcovers, Wait Until Midnight is the first Amanda Quick book in years to be published directly in paperback. I wonder what happened? It must not be a matter of sales, since her subsequent book is being published in HC again. It also doesn't sound as if it's a case like Linda Howard's To Die For, since WUM is very much in the vein of her other Amanda Quick books. Who knows?

The sins of Adam Hardesty's past have been discovered. And if he does not hunt down his blackmailer quickly, his secrets will be revealed to all...

But there is an obstacle in his way: sensation novelist Caroline Fordyce. She knows that Adam's quest for justice could shatter her own reputation—and mire her family in lethal scandal. And she fears what he may find.

Together, they will navigate the shadow side of London, venturing into an underworld of cutthroats, connivers, and illusionists. And as the mystery grows ever deeper and the danger circles ever closer, they must guard not only their secrets but their lives...

Wait Until Midnight was a really nice surprise. My expectations were very modest, especially after the very lackluster ending to the Tobias and Lavinia trilogy, so modest that I actually didn't get a copy of it but borrowed it from a friend. And this is a friend I rarely borrow books from because she takes such good care of her books that I have to read hers without fully opening them, sheer torture for a spine-cracker like me.

Furthermore, the reviews and online buzz about WUM have NOT been good. It actually got a D- at AAR, and the feedback from readers at the messages boards was only a little bit better.

So imagine my surprise when it turned out that for me, WUM is Quick's best book in years and years, maybe even since Affair, published back in 1997. While it's not up to her high early-90s standards, it's much, much better than what she's been publishing in the last few years. It's got more romance, more passion and zing between the protagonists and also a suspense subplot that is less convoluted and more interesting. A B.

I especially enjoyed the romance between these two people with scandalous pasts. Adam's fascination with Caroline was well done, and I liked the way it progressed from lust-at-first-sight to more tender feelings. The parallels between the way Caroline's latest novel and her relationship with Adam evolved were a nice touch.

The suspense subplot wasn't the strongest element of the book, but it was ok. I found the exploration of society's increasing fascination with mediums and the details about how fake mediums operated very interesting.

After this, I have some revived hopes for Lie By Moonlight.