Wait Until Midnight [Large Print] [Hardcover]

Amanda Quick (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 2, 2005

A New York Times Bestselling Author

Amanda Quick takes readers on a breakneck ride with sensation novelist Caroline Fordyce and Adam Hardesty as they hunt a blackmailer in the underworld of Victorian London.

Simultaneous Publication with Berkley's Standard Print Edition

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Those who have enjoyed Quick's popular Regency mysteries featuring Lavinia Lake and Tobias March (Late for the Wedding) may find some pleasure in this Victorian romance/mystery, but others, particularly fans of Quick's earlier works (Mistress, etc.), will feel shortchanged by its weak plotting. Caroline Fordyce, who writes a popular fiction serial, and mysterious gentleman Adam Hardesty make a likable couple, but since virtually no obstacles stand in the way of their union, there's little suspense in watching them come together after only a few heated kisses. Both skeptics, the pair become involved in the Victorian craze for mediums and all things spiritualist after Adam stumbles across a murdered medium and finds a list of names, with Caroline's figured prominently. Alas, there are only two viable suspects, and Quick's sleight of hand is scant. Her characters are given to chunks of exposition that reveal the mechanics of the plot. (For example, a medium delivers a convenient monologue in an empty room.) Despite these flaws, this book remains a pleasant enough diversion, even if it pales in comparison to the author's best work. Some readers may have hoped that Quick's recent change of publishers heralded a renewed energy in her writing, but this novel feels like more of the same.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

Review

"Quick approaches a new project as if novel-writing were a just-discovered pleasure she can't wait to share."
-- Publishers Weekly (Publisher's Weekly )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 507 pages
• Publisher: Thorndike Press; 1 edition (February 2, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 078627333X
• ISBN-13: 978-0786273331
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.7 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,675,486 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

With a string of bestselling Regency and Victorian Era romantic-suspense novels under her quill, AMANDA QUICK (who also writes under the pen names JAYNE ANN KRENTZ and JAYNE CASTLE) entered the world of a highly secretive paranormal group, the ARCANE SOCIETY, with her novel SECOND SIGHT. The series moved into a contemporary setting when JAYNE ANN KRENTZ (Amanda's contemporary alter-ego) released the second book in the series, WHITE LIES.

This winter, the ARCANE SOCIETY continues with THE LOOKING GLASS TRILOGY. It begins with IN TOO DEEP by Jayne Ann Krentz this December. Amanda is working on QUICKSILVER, her Spring 2011 contribution is book 2 in the series. The trilogy will conclude when JAYNE CASTLE releases CANYONS OF NIGHT, the futuristic novel, in Summer 2011.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

42 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars terrific Regency romantic suspense, December 2, 2004

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wait Until Midnight (Mass Market Paperback)

While Queen Victoria grieves the loss of her beloved Albert and the members of Polite Society emulate her wearing mourning jewelry, physical research is the rage. When Adam Hardesty enters medium Elizabeth Delmont's home, he finds her dead, her skull crushed by a poker. She is wearing a wedding veil and brooch with a broken pocket watch nearby stopped at 12 o'clock.

The next day Adam visits Caroline Fordyce who attended a séance at the victim's home just hours before the murder occurred. He asks Caroline if she took a diary that belonged to the medium because he does not want secrets about his past to come out. Caroline insists she does not have it and fears her secrets will become known. She persuades Adam to allow her to join him on his investigation. When a second medium is murdered, the broken watch left behind at the crime scene has Adam's name on it. Caroline provides Adam an alibi. As they continue to make inquiries, they become lovers and try to keep the other safe struggling with the case.

Amanda Quick is deservedly respected for her terrific Regency romantic suspense novels, but in WAIT UNTIL MIDNIGHT, the talented author switches settings to the Victorian era yet maintains high quality of her previous historical romantic mysteries. Her latest tale has a gothic feel to the plot, but as expected the hero and heroine are likable characters whom readers will become absorbed in their investigation as much as their evolving relationship that ultimately turns to love, danger, and risk. Regardless of the time period, Ms. Quick provides a fabulous tale that seems always to land on the keeper shelf.

Harriet Klausner

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars enjoyable, April 2, 2005

By 

Deborah MacGillivray "Author," (US & UK) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wait Until Midnight (Mass Market Paperback)

Wait Until Midnight is another Historical Romance from Amanda Quick, penname of Jayne Ann Krentz. Her Quick books have been somewhat of a let down for this diehard JAK fan. She is formula whether in Contemporary JAK or the Historical Quick. A formula I adore, so I often forgive her things (such as a feel of word padding) I might not of another author. I have been reading her and have everything she's ever written and until the last five years I would call her books "Keepers". I'm not sure where the formula went "off", but it has in several of her books, especially her Historicals. After reading Wait Until Midnight, I am glad I waited until paperback release instead of hardback. It's not bad, and for any Quick/JAK fan it's a nice enjoyable visit to an "old friend". But the formula lacks it's usual JAK dazzle. She seems to hit and miss in the 2000's. One powerhouse novel such as JAK's Falling Awake, then a so-so. This is the so-so. Enjoyable but soon forgotten.

It has all the right Quick elements, just the mix doesn't gel with the perfection of other JAK novels. Adam Hardesty comes into Caroline Fordyce's life, dark, dangerous and meaning business. He's on the trail of blackmailer, who has turned murderer - or possibly a murderer who kills a blackmailer and intends to pick up blackmailing. Adam is determined to find out which and put a stop to the threat to his family. Caroline is the only link to the murdered Elizabeth Delmont, a medium in Victoria's England. The diary with holds the threat to Adam's siblings is missing from the dead woman's home, and the only clues left behind - the corpse was wearing a wedding veil and a brooch pocket watch. Nearly crushed in the killing blows from a poke, the watch is stopped at 12 o'clock. The trail leads Adam to Caroline, since she was at the seance the night of Delmont's murder. Caroline, too, is hiding secrets so Adam's forceful presence alarms her, despite the man himself intriguing her.

Soon a second medium is murdered, with a broken watch left as a clue on the scene. Only, this watch has Adam's name on it. Fortunately for Adam, Caroline provides him with an alibi. The mismatched duo of opposites attract (typical of all JAK heroes and heroines!) join forces to solve the murders, remove the threat to their families and fall in love along the way.

Quick fans will enjoy this, though will hardly call it a `keeper'. It's a nice enjoyable read, that could have been improved by tighter editing to speed the pace. In the first 100 pages, Adam and Caroline are rarely in each other's company. Also, JAK needs to rediscover the passion in writing romance, not just turning out her next book. When she hits the target no one can touch her. This one is just a little right of bull's-eye. Not-devoted-fans, might want to give this a pass as they will be less pleased with this effort. If you have never read Quick before, I recommend reading any of her earlier Quick novels for perfection to see JAK at her prime.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars EXCITING BOOK, GREAT READING, January 24, 2005

By 

Elaine C McTyer "avid reader" (Dawson, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wait Until Midnight (Mass Market Paperback)

Caroline Fordyce writes sensational romance serials for one of the newspapers in London. Three years earlier she had to change her name and find a way to support herself and her two aunts. The Great Scandel, as she calls it, has killed all hopes for her marriage and happiness. Although she changed her name and moved to London she stays clear of the ton so no one will recognize her. Living on the outskirts of society with her aunts is a very quiet life. She is involved with the Society of Psychical Investigations. She plans to put a medium in her next serial. While she lives a quiet life, she has a hunger for a grand adventure.

Adam Hardesty is a member of society who has a secret. He is trying to protect his adoptive siblings from exposure in a stolen journal. The journal is being used to blackmail him and his family. It has somehow fallen into the hands of a medium named Elizabeth Delmont. When he finds her dead in her house, he searches for the journal. Unable to find it he starts to investigate the people who had attended her last seance. One of these is Caroline. And before you know it they are deeply involved in the murder and mysteries going on in the Society.

With humor and wit we enjoy their adventure and the inevitable romance that developes.

I love Amanda Quick and this is a wonderful story.