THE LURE OF THE MOONFLOWER is one of those novels that wraps
its historical-thriller plot with a framework set in the
present. The modern day scenes are scattered throughout, and
though they contain a bit of mystery of their own, they are
almost an annoying distraction to the fascinating 19th
century story at the heart of the novel.
Jane Wooliston is the Pink Carnation, a British Agent who
prefers to work alone. Her latest mission brings her to
Portugal, and though she is loath to accept it, she needs
help. Her partner is to be the Moonflower, Jack Reid. He
once spied for the French, and she doesn't trust that he
won't turn again. Jack sees the Carnation as a spoiled
aristocrat. He doesn't want to like her any more than Jane
wants to like him. As their mission to find the Portuguese
queen takes them from French camp to country inn to secluded
abbey, they begrudgingly earn each other's respect.
The historical plot is an aspect of the Napoleonic Wars I
knew little about, so I found that very interesting. Author
Lauren Willig does an excellent job presenting the situation
in a way that's easy for a non-scholar to follow while not
being heavy handed. Jack and Jane are well-drawn, complex
characters: funny, serious, smart, and headstrong.
The present day plot follows a scholar who -- decades after
the past events -- sets out to unmask the Pink Carnation and
publish her adventures. She's planning her marriage to a
descendant of another Napoleonic-era spy and, at the same
time, investigating a mysterious trunk delivered to their
home, a trunk that may have ties to the Carnation.
This is the twelfth and final novel in a series about the
Pink Carnation. It is the first I've read, and I enjoyed it
all the same. It has references to other characters and
situations that I presume are covered in the eleven previous
books, and based on the pleasure I got from reading this
one, I would recommend starting at the beginning.
I recommend THE LURE OF THE MOONFLOWER for readers who enjoy
historical novels that offer an equal blend of romance,
humor, and adventure.
In the final Pink Carnation novel from the New
York Times bestselling author of The Mark of the
Midnight Manzanilla, Napoleon has occupied Lisbon, and
Jane Wooliston, aka the Pink Carnation, teams up with a
rogue agent to protect the escaped Queen of
Portugal.
Portugal, December 1807.
Jack Reid, the British agent known as the Moonflower
(formerly the French agent known as the Moonflower), has
been stationed in Portugal and is awaiting his new contact.
He does not expect to be paired with a woman—especially not
the legendary Pink Carnation.
All of Portugal
believes that the royal family departed for Brazil just
before the French troops marched into Lisbon. Only the
English government knows that mad seventy-three-year-old
Queen Maria was spirited away by a group of loyalists
determined to rally a resistance. But as the French garrison
scours the countryside, it’s only a matter of time before
she’s found and taken.
It’s up to Jane to find
her first and ensure her safety. But she has no knowledge of
Portugal or the language. Though she is loath to admit it,
she needs the Moonflower. Operating alone has taught her to
respect her own limitations. But she knows better than to
show weakness around the Moonflower—an agent with a
reputation for brilliance, a tendency toward
insubordination, and a history of going rogue.
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