THE LAST WICKED SCOUNDREL is Book five in Lorraine Heath's Scoundrels of St. James series. I have been looking forward to this story for a long time.

Dr. William Graves is the last one of Feagan's scoundrels from this series to find love. It's a good idea to read the other books in the series before reading this one. Not only will it give the reader a better understanding of the two main characters, but they were also all really fabulous books. Of all the men in this series, Dr. Graves always struck me as being the classic nice guy. For me, this makes him perfect for Winnie because given her background; she could really use a nice guy for a change. It just helps that Graves is sexy while being a nice guy.

In addition to seeing favorite characters again, I really liked some of the gothic elements in this story like the séance. After finding things around her home in odd places, seeing fleeting forms in the mist, and having a feeling of being watched, Winnie worries she's either going mad or else her abusive husband has come back from the dead.

For much of the story Graves is in an ethical dilemma. He knows her husband isn't dead. However, it would be betraying the trust of people he deeply cares for to reveal that fact. He struggles with whether or not to tell her the truth. I am very pleased Heath decided to bring back Winnie, the Duchess of Avendale and make her the heroine of this story. She was able to speak up for herself in this story in a way that she hasn't in the past.

The chemistry between Winnie and Graves is great, and they seem to fit really well together. Even though THE LAST WICKED SCOUNDREL is only a novella, I didn''t feel cheated in any way. The story makes sense for the characters and for the world that it's set in, and the resolution is satisfying. I look forward to When the Duke Was Wicked, which continues the series with the next generation.