Author Stephanie Laurens has told nearly two dozen stories
about the Cynster family and their friends. As far as I
remember, I haven't read any of the others, but that didn't
affect my enjoyment of AND THEN SHE FELL, the story of
Henrietta Cynster. She's 29 years old and has given up on
finding her true love. Instead, she helps other women make
sure their suitors are up to snuff, by using her extensive
connections in the haut ton to find out if the gentlemen are
hiding anything from the ladies they're pursuing. The hobby
has earned Henrietta the nickname "The Matchbreaker."
As the novel opens, she tells a young woman that her suitor
James Glossup must marry -- soon -- or he'll lose his
inheritance, a fact he hadn't shared with the girl or her
family. When she turns down his offer, James goes after
Henrietta -- his best friend's sister -- and when he
explains
that the situation is about more than the money, she agrees
to help him find a wife to meet his needs. It takes just a
few days for them both to see they are each other's perfect
match, but soon after, they realize that someone is stalking
Henrietta, with an eye to murder.
AND THEN SHE FELL starts off as a delightful tale of love
and society, set at the very end of the Georgian era. About
a third of the way in, this Cynsterstory starts to
turn
sinister, and Henrietta and James turn to their family and
friends to help solve the mystery and save her life. Laurens
devised a crafty plot that puts the couple in real and
regular danger. I loved how clever, careful, and strong her
characters are as they investigate the crime. I will admit
that I had formed a good guess about who the killer was by
the time the identity was revealed, but it involved a good
deal of re-reading certain passages to piece the clues
together -- and I still couldn't figure out how our heroes
were going to figure it all out in time to save Henrietta
and James!
I highly recommend AND THEN SHE FELL for readers who enjoy
historical mysteries and thrillers as well as Georgian- and
Victorian-era romance.
The only thing more troublesome than a Cynster man...is a
Cynster lady who belives love is not her destiny. Famously
known in London society as "The Matchbreaker," Henrietta
Cynster's uncanny skill lies in preventing ill-fated
nuptials - not in falling victim to Cupid's spell.
But then she distrupts one match too many and feels honor-
bound to assist dashing James Glossup in finding a
suitable bride for a marriage of convenience.
A task infernally complicated by the undeniable,
unquenchable attraction that flares between James and
Henrietta, who continues to believe she will never fall...
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