Release Date: April 1, 2009.
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Product Description

A fascinating and exasperating young lady…
The Marquess of Darkefell has enough to worry about with a bloodthirsty wild beast rampaging the countryside and sinister family secrets to protect. Then Lady Anne Addison arrives, with unquenchable curiosity and intelligence that drive him to distraction…

An infuriatingly unyielding man…
Lady Anne finds the marquess darkly handsome, seductive, and forceful, with a ruthless magnetism that challenges and stimulates her. But he seems determined to keep secrets that may threaten both herself and her helpless friend…

Thrown together in a time of crisis, with a murderer on the loose, the marquess picks an absolutely dreadful moment and the worst possible way to declare his intentions…

PRAISE FOR DONNA LEA SIMPSON:

"Donna Lea Simpson is absolutely brilliant."
Fresh Fiction

"Impossible-to-put-down romance with just the right touch of the ominous, the perfect amount of suspense, and plenty of sexual tension to keep you reading late into the night and finish satiated."
Romantic Times

"Simpson excels at imbuing her realistic characters with subtle depths…"
John Charles, American Library Association

"…a treat for lovers of gothic romance…"
"There's a natural progression here from the traditional gothic of eerie occurrences with rational explanations to a true paranormal twist, and Simpson keeps the sultry sensuality at a strong simmer."
Nina Davis, Booklist

(20090112)

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #221894 in Books
• Published on: 2009-04-07
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 416 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9781402217913
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From Publishers Weekly
Simpson (Awaiting the Moon) launches her Lady Anne historical mystery series with flair, though at times its daring heroine seems more Victorian than Georgian. Lady Anne Addison, a clever, capable bluestocking, arrives at Darkefell Castle after receiving a distress-filled missive from her flighty best friend, Lady Lydia Bestwick, about werewolf sightings. Walking the last few miles to the castle, Anne hears screams and discovers a dead woman along the way. Lydia's concerns extend beyond the paranormal, and soon Anne becomes embroiled in gothic goings-on that clumsily point to the overbearing marquess of Darkefell, Lydia's brother-in-law, who aggressively pursues Anne despite disliking her independent nature. A slave trade subplot works well, and romance fans will love the witty byplay if not the decidedly unromantic conclusion. (Apr.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review
All in all, Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark is a very enjoyable read, and I can't wait for the sequels. (Marlene Breakfield ParaNormal Romance Reviews 20090401)

Donna Lea Simpson has managed to write an inspiring, creative and pleasurable tale, with appealing characters and an intriguing plot that will have the reader guessing until the very end. (Amy Ramsey Ramsey's Book Reviews 20090622)

Donna Lea Simpson is like Victoria Holt but with twice the impact! (Kerensa Wilson Crave More Romance 20090317)

I enjoyed Lady Anne immensely and cannot wait to read more of her adventures. (Alexandra Cenni Romance Reader at Heart 20090309)

I really enjoyed the story for the mystery, touch of romance and definitely the spunk of Lady Anne and the mysterious darkness of Lord Darkefell. (Darlene Smoliak Peeking Between the Pages 20090401)

I thought the concept for this story was a good one. It encompassed the best of both worlds... historical and paranormal. (Cheryl Koch Cheryl's Book Nook 20090420)

I was stunned by how well-orchestrated the novel was. Everything fell together seamlessly, and the interplay between the leads was humorous and natural. An lovely mystery and romance. (Jennifer Beautiful Reads )

If you are looking for a historical mystery with romance, suspense, and a suggestion of paranormal, then read Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark. (Stephanie B. Fallen Angel Reviews 20090320)

It is light and very entertaining, with a healthy dose of humor (which I think is very important) and an endearing heroine, with whom I think many women can easily identify. (Lilianna Swistek Reading Extravaganza 20090402)

Lady Anne is a feisty gal, extremely smart and engaging. (Lori Noe Lori's Book Den 20090403)

Lady Anne is a very strong woman who knows what she wants and when she wants it and is somewhat different to what a reader might traditionally expect. (Heather Eye on Romance )

Ms Simpson has set up a well-drawn Gothic horror setting here, so the atmosphere is fantastic, what with it being chilling, mysterious, and menacing all at once. (Lim Teck Choom Mrs. Giggles 20090401)

Ms. Simpson pulls off the creepy, spine-tingling thrill of the gothic with great flare and keeps the reader on her toes with a very intriguing mystery. (Marlene Once Upon a Romance 20090330)

Once you start this book you won't want to put it down until you finish the very last page. (CC Butterfy Fang-tastic Books 20090427)

Overall, if you enjoy Agatha Christie, Victoria Holt, and historical mysteries, this is well worth a read. (Nicola Onychuk Alpha Heroes 20090330)

Simpson (Awaiting the Moon) launches her Lady Anne historical mystery series with flair... [R]omance fans will love the witty byplay. (Publishers Weekly 20090316)

Simpson writes in a witty and engaging voice... if you like mystery, intrigue, werewolves, and Gothic you will love this book! (Keira Gillet Love Romance Passion 20090324)

The atmosphere and mystery written by Donna Lea Simpson is top notch. (Kate Garrabrant Fresh Fiction )

The author does a wonderful job of expressing the consternation of logical, serious Anne when she encounters the sizzle of passion for the first time in her life. (Carey Anderson The Tome Traveller's Weblog 20090409)

The beginning of this book hooked me right in... I really can't wait to read it to find out what happens next with Lady Anne. (Carrie Zimmerman The Book Girl 20090421)

This book has everything that a good cozy mystery needs -- a tower, a castle, a purported werewolf and a terrible mother-in-law -- all scary things! (Kristen Metson We Be Reading 20090407)

This is a fabulous historical amateur sleuth that introduces readers to a terrific Georgian Era gender bending detective... Donna Lea Simpson's first Lady Anne eighteenth century mystery is a howling success. (Harriet Klausner Amazon.com #1 Reviewer 20090325)

This story combines the best parts of a mystery and historical romance in one story. (Maura Frankman The Romance Studio 20090330)

You can almost feel the tension that Lord Darkefell feels when he is around Lady Anne - and her optimism in the face of crises abounds. I really enjoyed Lady Anne and am glad that I will get to read more of her in the future. (Kristi Hebrand Books and Needlepoint 20090406)

About the Author
Donna Simpson is a nationally bestselling romance and mystery novelist with over twenty titles published in the last ten years and over 400,000 copies sold. Donna believes that a dash of mystery adds piquancy to a romantic tale, and a hint of romance adds humanity to a mystery story. Donna lives in Toronto, Canada.

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Customer Reviews

Mysterious happenings at Darkefell Castle
Lady Anne is not the typical "lady" of the late 1700's. She tried to be the hair-brained, I-need-a-husband lass, but when her fiance dies, it is a blessing for her. Having been left a considerable amount of money by her paternal grandmother, she decides she would rather be single and not have to hide her intelligence and quick wit. Not being a beauty, she doesn't have to worry about fending off any would-be suitors.

When Lydia, a dear friend and her deceased fiance's sister, writes her and begs her to come, Lady Anne immediately responds. Lydia hinted at there being mysterious things going on at Darkefell Castle and the possibilities of a werewolf. Unfortunately Lydia fails to tell the rest of the household of Lady Anne's imminent arrival.

Since there is no carriage to take Lady Anne from the post house to the castle, and it is nearing dusk, she sets out on foot. As darkness descends, she hears a howl and a woman's screams. Trying to find the woman in the dark seems futile, until, as luck would have it, she stumbles over her body - but it is too late. She continues to make her way to the castle and arrives, unannounced, covered in blood with questions already arising.

The Marquess of Darkefell is a brooding handsome man who finds Lady Anne to be very bothersome. She insists on prying into his family's secrets - secrets he wishes to remain hidden. At the same time, her seemingly unflappable resolve and calm around him has him mystified. He has never met a woman who has been immune to his charms. He is also entertained by her quick wit and intelligence.

I highly recommend this book. Donna Lea Simpson's writing style is very engaging and draws you in immediately. She gives great descriptions of both countryside and characters.


She had dressed her bonnet with some of the purple tulips from her crushed bouquet, and as they nodded above her shadowed face, she looked both absurd and oddly adorable. He glanced at the path then back at her. It was true her nose was a little too long and her chin too pointed. There was a faint equine suggestion about the nose and generous mouth. Her color was good, though, and her dark hair glossy; she glowed with health and vivacity. (from Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark, p 207, uncorrected copy)

"But cultivated gardens have their place, my lord," she said, ambling toward the eddy, a swirling, shadowed pool at the base of the waterfall. She stood on a humped hillock of moss and stared, admiring the sparkle of sunlight on the drops that scattered as a rivulet hit a rock. Mist billowed from the force of the falls and bedewed her cheeks. (from Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark, p 215, uncorrected copy)




You can almost feel the tension that Lord Darkefell feels when he is around Lady Anne - and her optimism in the face of crises abounds. I really enjoyed Lady Anne and am glad that I will get to read more of her in the future. Donna Lea Simpson has two more books coming out with Lady Anne - Lady Anne and the Ghost's Revenge and Lady Anne and the Gypsy Curse.

Victoria Holt type of book
If you like Victoria Holt and Phyllis A. Whitney then you will like this book. It is not graphic in any way when it comes to the romance between the hero and heroine ie: no sex all of the time..the heroine is a bit priggish and the hero is dark but they both were worthy for the story that the author created.

This book should be a Young Adult Fiction book - it is the first in a series by this author-- apparently what doesn't happen romantically in this book I guess the author hopes the reader will look to in the next book but I am not going to hold my breath and look to see.

This is a good book that could have been a fabulous historical romance had the author fulfilled the hero and heroines romance but I guess that is why she wishes the reader to read book two in this series--I was disappointed--the reader feels cheated at the end.

terrific Georgian Era gender bending detective tale
The letter from her best friend Lady Lydia Bestwick seemed hysterical to sensible Lady Anne Addison. However, concerned about her buddy's mad rant regarding werewolf sightings, Anne travels to Darkefeel Castle in Yorkshire to prove her wrong and bring some peace of mind to Lydia.

Forced to go on foot to complete her trek to the remote castle, Anne hears the scream of a woman in the dark gloomy woods before stumbling upon a corpse. As she investigates the homicide she tripped over and the alleged werewolf sightings sworn to God by the villagers and employees of the castle, Anne realizes the evidence points towards the only uncooperative person in the vicinity, Lydia's recalcitrant brother-in-law the Marquess of Darkefell. As Anne finds indications of a poorly developed frame with ties to the bustling slave trade, the Marquess makes it clear he wants her in spite of his objection to her independence and courage.

This is a fabulous historical amateur sleuth that introduces readers to a terrific Georgian Era gender bending detective. The story line contains three wonderful subplots that tie together with a Moebius Knot twist: romance, investigation including into potentially paranormal and the profound look at the slave trade with its biblical "Curse of Ham" misinterpretation rationalization. With a nod to The Hound of the Baskervilles albeit a century plus earlier, Donna Lea Simpson's first Lady Anne eighteenth century mystery is a howling success.

Harriet Klausner