Customer Reviews

Deadly Caress

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"You can't choose who you are going to fall in love with," says Francesca Cahill, a staunch reformist and sleuth caught in a love triangle between the commissioner Rick Bragg and his nemesis of a half-brother Calder Hart. In Deadly Caress, the 5th installment of Joyce's mystery-romance series, her characters' lives are tangled once more in one dramatic denouement after another.

Joyce continues the mystery behind the vandalism of Sarah Channing's portraits, whereby the latter is the fiancee of Francesca's brother Evan. A fellow artist Ms. Neville vanishes abruptly with her neighbor-sans-Evan's mistress Ms. Conway strangled to death. Eyewitness Ms. Holmes is also silenced and evidence points to Evan. Francesca sets out to investigate with Rick Bragg and discovers new suspects like Ms. Neville's lover and brother sprouting.

True fans voraciously devouring Joyce's series would know the fascination lies in her knack to galvanize with twists and secrets. This time is no different with exciting developments like the return of Bragg's wife Leigh Anne and Hart's relentless pursue along with Francesca's sister Connie handling her marital crisis.

However Deadly Caress breaks free of the archetypal romance mold with its ensemble of flawed and honest characters who are subjected to temptations and desires. Rick Bragg, the central protagonist is a hypocrite with confused feelings for his wife and Francesca; Calder Hart who was portrayed as villainous in the series is refreshingly honest and honorable. The romance is complicated with hidden passion and recognisably realistic to shed the perfunctory soap-opera cloak. Joyce has outdone herself this time round with finely-paced suspense and dimensioned characters to engage us to the Deadly series. It's a fatal attraction.

The "Deadly" series as a whole has been extremely enjoyable but I find with each new installment, it keeps getting better and better. If you're like me, the triangle between Fran/Rick/Calder has become the most important aspect of the series. There are some very entertaining secondary characters and the mysteries in each book are attention grabbers by themselves, however, the part I am most interested in seeing resolved is whether Fran will end up with Calder! That's what keeps me biting my nails until the next book! Deadly Caress reveals a little more than the other "Deadly" books but it leaves enough out to drive you insane with anticipation! If you're new to this series, Do Not Begin with this book! You must start with the first installment in order to truly appreciate where I'm coming from! However, starting at the beginning and working your way up to Deadly Caress, I assure you, is worth it!

"Deadly Caress" is author Brenda Joyce's fifth installment, and one of her most suspenseful so far, in her historical mystery/romance series featuring New York City debutante Francesca Cahill. The novel begins with Ms. Cahill, amateur sleuth, society bluestocking, and heiress to a considerable fortune receiving multi-millionaire play boy Calder Hart's shocking declaration of marital intent. Fran is the only woman he will marry, no ifs, ands or buts accepted. By the way, Calder had sworn himself, personally, against marriage at all costs until met his match in Miss Cahill, who became his first real friend ever. She also happens to be extremely intelligent, quirky, as unconventional as Calder, quite beautiful and NYC's first female private investigator in the year 1902! Francesca is determined to set Hart straight about her own personal creed - if she cannot wed his half brother, New York City Police Commissioner Rick Bragg, whom she really loves, and whose estranged spouse has just returned from a four year holiday in Paris to claim her wifely rights, than Francesca will remain a spinster - forever. However, before she can go debate with Calder, whom she cares for and lusts after, about the pitfalls of a mutual future, she receives a telephone call from Bragg. He informs her that famous actress and chanteuse Grace Conway, her brother Evan's longtime mistress, has been murdered in her neighbor's downtown art studio.

Melinda Neville, a renowned painter, is Conways close friend, and apparently has gone missing while Ms. Conway was strangled to death in the vandalized studio. Neville might have seen the murder and fled the scene unable to protect her neighbor. In Brenda Joyce's former romance mystery, "Deadly Desire," Sarah Channing, another brilliant artist and Francesca's soon-to-be sister-in-law, brother Evan's fiancee, was brutalized and threatened by an unidentifiable masked white male, while her own art studio was wrecked. One portrait, in particular, was slashed and smeared with blood red paint. The perpetrator and MO seem to be the same. And Evan Cahill, presently suffering from a near lethal beating because he has not paid his considerable gambling debts, is the only connection between the three women. As Evan quickly becomes the police's number one suspect, Francesca and Rick take up the case to prove him innocent. Clearly, a madman is stalking female artists and vandalizing their studios with murder on his mind. Evan in no way fits this description. Meanwhile, while Bragg tries to avoid entanglements with his seductive wife, Francesca is less inclined to fend off Hart's advances. Then the City Strangler strikes again, killing another woman, a potential witness, and stepping-up the tension another notch.

Sound like a soap opera? It is, in all but title! Although I have been hooked on the series' secondary characters and their ongoing stories, I have been very skeptical about the serious flaws in the narrative from book one. With "Deadly Desire," I think Ms. Joyce hit her stride and continues to improve with "Deadly Caress." While far from perfect in terms of believability, this series, in classic soap style, is loads of fun but frequently stretches readers' credulity. These books actually seems more like installments in a serial novel than stand alone romance/mystery. In fact, most of the characters are from the previous books and the mystery is part of the continuing storyline, involving Francesca, her family, friends and those who touch upon their lives. This approach suits very well and certainly has me returning for more.

Say what you will, I am hooked! If you are interested, I would suggest reading the previous Francesca Cahill novels before "Deadly Caress," as this is a continuing saga and very addictive. Come and meet the folks and become involved in their lives, loves, traumas, mysteries, and the delightful historical setting of 1902-1903 New York City, with its society balls and glitter, the tenements and roughs, gambling halls and beautiful, exotic call girls. Seth Low, the mayor, was recently elected on a reform platform to fight the Tammany Hall machine, and the police commissioner he appointed took some of the actions the fictional Rick Bragg has taken and faced many of the same difficult issues Bragg faces in attempting to reform the terribly corrupt police department. If Ms Joyce takes the series past 1903, Rick will be out of a job as the next administration is a "Tammany beast." Perhaps, Bragg will use the opportunity to run for Senator. ENJOY!!
JANA

This was by far the best Cahill book yet! The lives get more tangled, we finally get to see that Rick isn't oh-so-perfect. I for one never bought his "Perfect Man" persona, and francesca's obsession with him. Of course I'm always a fan of the bad boy, and Calder Hart is just that. The love scenes, and chemistry are far more believable between fran and calder. But will they get together in the end? Will Sara get together with Rourke? Who will get Evan, Witchy Bartolla or Sweet Mrs. Kennedy? Will there ever be a happy ending or completion to any of these stories? Will some dastardly murderer finally do in Ms. Cahill when she gets into one tangle too many? And who will be there to save her?Who knows? You'll want to I'm certain! And of course Ms. Joyce leaves you wanting more, and more, and more.

It gets better. Brenda Joyce did a great job in the newest release of the Deadly series. I just cannot put the book down and I am thrilled at the development of the relationship between Hart and Fran. Another great part is that the author keeps you guessing because she plants some doubts on Hart's devotion to Fran as he is such a rake. Bragg is such a weakling by accepting his wife's Leigh Anne's return. Meanwhile, the murders keeps the novel exciting and and I really find this a perfect blend between romance and murder!
Cannot wait for the next book of the series to come out in Fall.

I am an avid reader, and absolutely love the Deadly Series by Brenda Joyce. I sat down and read this book from start to finish. I could not get enough. I love all the characters and I love the relationship between Francesca and Hart. I can hardly wait until the next book is released. Brenda Joyce is excellent! I recommend this book to anyone who loves a good love story, a lot of drama, and lots of laughs.

This is a great book. I had trouble with how Francesa was relating to Bragg in the last book. But she really redeems herself in this book. Even though Leigh Ann is a schemmer, she is still Bragg's wife. And he obviously still wants her in bed. Bragg wants his cake and eat it to! I am glad Fran woke up to Bragg and got on with her life. I sure hope she and Calder get married. They are really great together. It would be nice to really know why Bragg and Calder don't get along. The fact of the father issue seems a little far fetch. I hope Evan is smart enough to see through the Countess and see that Mrs. Kennedy is a catch even though she has 4 kids. Sarah and Rourke would be a good match. I hated when the book ended. I can't believe we have to wait until the fall for the next installment. Oh well. Brenda Joyce hurry, hurry with more.

In 1902 New York, Police Chief Rick Bragg asks bluestocking amateur sleuth Francesca Cahill to help investigate a homicide as she has had some previous success. At first the police thought the deceased was artist Melinda Neville as the body was found in her apartment, but Francesca identifies the corpse as Grace Conway, the mistress of her brother Evan. The art studio was trashed just like that of Evan's artist fiancé was last week. Francesca's sibling is the link between the two crimes is the prime suspect.

As Rick and Francesca work closely together to uncover the identity of a killer, they struggle with their love for one another that cannot be fulfilled as he is unhappily married. Though his wife left him to travel Europe for four years, she is back and expects to restart their relationship. His half-brother Calder Hart adds to the mix as he informs Francesca she will soon become his fiancée.

The fifth Cahill tale includes several unexpected personal twists that add excitement to a delightful historical mystery that uses amateur sleuth and police procedural elements. The investigative story line is fun to follow as Rick leans towards Evan being guilty while Francesca plans to prove his innocence. Though the personnel rectangle slows down the who-done-it, fans will enjoy seeing the directions the lead couple goes setting up some intriguing scenarios for future installments.

Harriet Klausner

I loved this book. The relationship between Francesca and Calder really keeps the reader hooked. Although he claims that he doesn't believe in real love I believe that he soon will be singing another tune. This book was a quick read and very enjoyable.

I can't wait for Brenda Joyce to come out with another one after Deadly Promise. I have read all of the deadly series and I cannot get enough. I hope the next book comes out soon!