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The Perfect Poison

Amanda Quick

485 pages

A shadowy Victorian mystery where deadly botany and psychic secrets pave the way for a fiercely equal romance.

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What it feels like

Reading this book feels like stepping into a gaslit Victorian conservatory where danger and desire bloom in equal measure. The narrative moves at a brisk, engaging clip, effortlessly weaving a shadowy murder investigation with a deeply satisfying romance. The mood is atmospheric and intriguing, steeped in the lore of secret societies and the fascinating, deadly world of poisonous plants. Krentz's signature prose is crisp and dialogue-driven, laced with a dry wit that perfectly suits her pragmatic, fiercely independent heroine and brooding, intensely loyal hero. It is a story about two outcasts with unique burdens finding a true equal in one another. This will delight readers who crave historical romantic suspense with a touch of the paranormal, sharp banter, and a partnership built on absolute trust.

Mood
  • atmospheric
  • shadowy
  • steamy
  • intriguing
Tone
  • wry
  • suspenseful
  • romantic
  • pragmatic
Pace
brisk
Themes
finding a true equal · overcoming a tainted reputation · the burden of unique gifts · trusting in the face of madness
The writing
Crisp, dialogue-driven, and laced with dry wit, keeping the narrative moving swiftly while building romantic tension.
The arc
Moves from guarded independence and simmering suspicion to passionate trust and shared purpose.
Who it's for
Readers who love historical romantic suspense with capable, slightly eccentric heroines, brooding heroes, and a dash of the paranormal.
Content notes
  • murder
  • poisoning
  • past trauma
  • threat of madness

About the book

Plagued by rumours that she poisoned her fiance, Lucinda Bromley manages to live on the fringes of polite society, tending her beloved plants - and occasionally consulting on a murder investigation. For the notorious botanist possesses a unique talent: she can detect almost any type of poison. But the death of a lord has shaken Lucinda to her core. At the murder scene, she picks up traces of a poison containing a very rare species of fern - stolen from her conservatory just last month.

To keep her name out of the investigation, and to find the murderer, Lucinda hires fellow Arcane Society member, Caleb Jones. As a nearly overwhelming desire blooms between them, they are drawn into a deadly conspiracy that can be traced to the early days of the Arcane Society - and to a legacy of madness that could plunge Caleb into the depths of his own tortured soul...

Arcane Society Series: (note-has series overlap) Second Sight (Arcane Society, #1) White Lies (Arcane Society, #2) Sizzle and Burn (Arcane Society, #3) The Third Circle (Arcane Society, #4) Running Hot (Arcane Society, #5) The Perfect Poison (Arcane Society, #6) Fired Up (Arcane Society, #7; Dreamlight Trilogy, #1) Burning Lamp (Arcane Society, #8; Dreamlight Trilogy, #2) Midnight Crystal (Ghost Hunters, #7; Arcane Society #9; Dreamlight Trilogy #3) The Scargill Cove Case Files (Arcane Society, #9.5; Looking Glass Trilogy, #0.5) In Too Deep (Arcane Society, #10; Looking Glass Trilogy, #1) Quicksilver (Arcane Society, #11; Looking Glass Trilogy #2) Canyons of Night (Rainshadow, #0; Ghost Hunters, #8; Looking Glass Trilogy, #3; Arcane Society, #12)

Description from Open Library.

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