THIEF OF SHADOWS, book four in the Maiden Lane Series is the book fans have been waiting for so long. We finally get Winter Makepeace's story and Author Elizabeth Hoyt does not disappoint. Winter is the head of his family and manager of the Home for Unfortunate Infants and Foundling Children who just happens to have a secret life as the Ghost of St. Giles. By day he portrays the calm, mild mannered school master and by night he lets out his hidden darkness to protect the people of St. Giles. Winter is pleased with the new building for the home thanks to The Ladies Syndicate for the Benefit of the Home for Unfortunate Infants and Foundling Children but it seems the Ladies Syndicate have ground rules for him. As the benefactor for the home The Ladies Syndicate wants someone who is respectable representing the home that wouldn't embarrass them. They assign Lady Beckinhall to tutor Winter in proper decorum.

Winter has never had a relationship and he isn't about to start now when a group known as The Lassie Snatchers are at large, he definitely is not interested in Lady Isabel Beckhinhall. Now if his brain would convince his heart of that he might begin to believe it. Lady Isabel is a proper widow who has discretely been with other men but no one prepared her for Winter. Isabel knows they are from different classes and he is keeping something very important from her so she will not allow anything to happen between the two of them. That's what she keeps telling herself but as she tries to see behind Winter's mask she finds she has donned a mask for the ton and with Winter Isabel can remove her mask. Unfortunately if she no longer uses her mask what will protect her heart?

THIEF OF SHADOWS is dark and delicious. Hoyt gives us the gritty life in St. Giles but instead of it being a story about someone overcoming the adversity of poverty and "getting out" we are given the heart of Winter Makepeace. Winter has no intentions of leaving instead he fights to make it better and safer for the residents. The Maiden Lane Series has been a rare gem from which I personally look forward to each new novel. Book four THIEF OF SHADOWS is now my favorite but I look forward to seeing what Hoyt has in store for us next.