UNMASKED
Nicola Cornick
HQN
July 2008
ISBN 13:978-0-373-77303=9
10:0-373-77303-X
Historical Romance

The Home Office assigns Major Nick Falconer to find his unsavory cousin's murderer. The Earl of Rashleigh was a nasty piece of work whose villainy included keeping Russian serfs he inherited as his slaves. Many people wished him dead--including Nick. This is family business and Nick will delicately conduct the investigation and bring the guilty to justice.

When the calling card of the infamous highway-woman Glory is found near Rashleigh's body with "Peacock Oak" written on the back, Nick travels to the countryside to pursue his inquiries. There Nick finds Mari Osborne, a beautiful and respectable widow who reminds him of the lady of the night who so fascinated him in London the night Rashleigh was murdered. Just who is Mari Osborne and what connection does she have with the Robin Hood-like Glory Girls who are the talk of the countryside--and how is she connected to his cousin--and is she the murderer? Nick vows to get to the bottom of the puzzle even if he has to seduce her to get his answers--and get her out of his mind.

UNMASKED is a compelling, provocative Regency historical that explores the idea of freedom--and the lack of it, and what it does to the human heart. This absorbing novel has a totally sympathetic heroine, a dashing hero, adventure and mystery, lots of sexual chemistry and sensuality, and intriguing secondary characters this reviewer hopes to meet up with in a future sequel. UNMASKED is highly recommended!

Rating: 4 1/2
Reviewed by Debora Hosey