The Dark Lady

This dramatic 1865 romance from promising debut author Claremont involves a classic love triangle: two orphans who’ve loved each other from childhood but promised their benefactor, Lord Carin, they would first and foremost be loyal to his son, Hamilton. For beautiful Eva, this means marrying Hamilton even though she doesn’t love him; for Ian, it means enlisting in the army to protect him, until Hamilton turns out to be irredeemably brutal. When Hamilton dies in India and Ian returns to England, he learns that Eva’s child has died in an accident, and she’s been committed to a madhouse after succumbing to grief. While determined to rescue her, he is unable to quell doubts about her sanity and concerns over the secrets in their past. For those who like tortured heroes and fragile heroines, Claremont delivers a tale of love, determination, scandal and plenty of angst that goes on long after the reader has guessed who the real villain is. Agent: Helen Breitwieser, Cornerstone Literary. (Feb.)