Romance bestseller Michaels delivers more fantasy and fun in her third witty, well-plotted cozy (after 2003's Maggie by the Book
) to feature Maggie Kelly, a former author of historical romances who now writes historical mysteries. When Maggie's editor, Bernice Toland-James, awakens in bed to find herself covered in blood and next to the dead body of her ex-husband, Benny, whom she assumed drowned almost seven years before, she phones Maggie in hysterics. Accompanied by her own fictional creation—Alex Blake, Viscount Saint Just, the tall, handsome, astute and somewhat arrogant Regency detective—Maggie rushes to the rescue. Having two quirky characters, Saint Just and his sidekick Sterling Balder, enter the real world and help Maggie solve mysteries lends an amusing metafictional twist to the series. (At the start, Saint Just points out to Maggie the favorable press on "their" latest novel on Amazon.com: "A starred review from Publishers Weekly
, a quite flattering review from Booklist
, and Kirkus
was its usual damning-with-faint-praise self.") Meanwhile, somebody breaks in and ransacks Saint Just and Sterling's newly sublet apartment. Further complications ensue as Maggie tries to balance her attraction to Saint Just with her relationship with NYPD Lieutenant Steve Wendell, while Saint Just discovers feelings and thoughts not written into his original character. A surprising conclusion will leave readers wanting more. Agent, Karen Solem at Spencer Hill Associates. (Aug. 3)
