The Seduction of the Crimson Rose

by Lauren Willig

Mary Alsworthy lost her suitor to her sister in The Deception of the Emerald Ring. The raven-haired beauty is back, and, of course, she’ll need to fall in love and become entangled in the spying game.

To help her with both tasks is Lord Vaughn, who first appeared in The Masque of the Black Tulip. He is a mystery of sorts and not to be trusted, according to Mary’s brother-in-law. But Mary does not care; she needs a little action of her own. When Vaughn proposes using Mary as bait for the Black Tulip, she readily accepts, and the adventure begins. . .

The romance between Vaughn and Mary is so-so, but the spying adventure is great. I wish that this novel could be as good as The Masque of the Black Tulip, but it is not. Sigh.

1/27/11