Product Description

The New York Times-bestselling author of White Lies presents her newest Arcane Society novel.

With more than 25 million books sold, Jayne Ann Krentz "excels at crafting superior, sexy romantic suspense" (Booklist), and with her Arcane Society novels-written under both the Krentz and Amanda Quick names-she has thrilled readers with paranormal plots and passionate love stories. In her latest novel, a member of the Society must recruit a reluctant woman to use her psychic gift against a powerful enemy.

When Raine Tallentyre made the mistake of revealing her paranormal abilities, her most recent romantic relationship came to a hasty end. Her Aunt Vella, a gifted but troubled soul, had told her years ago to keep her talents a secret. And now that poor Aunt Vella-her last blood relative-has died, Raine has resigned herself to a lonely life.

But when she journeys to Shelbyville, Washington, to clear out Aunt Vella's house, Raine's highly developed sensitivity leads her to a horrifying discovery: a young woman bound and terrified in a basement storage locker. The victim has survived, but the culprit is still on the loose. Without warning, a new man enters Raine's life-investigator Zack Jones. Surprisingly, Zack isn't repelled by her powers: in fact, he has them himself. While Raine hears voices, Zack sees visions and within hours of their meeting, Raine experiences an intense, thrilling intimacy-mental, emotional, and physical-she never dared to expect.

There's one complication, however: Zack Jones is working for the Arcane Society. This secret organization, dedicated to the study of paranormal phenomena, shattered Raine's family with an act of betrayal long ago, and she's not about to trust them now. But as a killer makes her his target, and a cabal of psychic criminals known as Nightshade operates in the shadows surrounding them, Raine and Zack must rely not only on their powerful abilities but on each other . . .

From the author who also hits bestseller lists under the names Jayne Castle and Amanda Quick, this is a delightful new caper filled with suspense and wit-and the steamy Victorian passion her devoted readers love.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4477 in Books
• Published on: 2008-01-29
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 359 pages

From Publishers Weekly
At the opening of Krentz's disappointing latest featuring the Arcane Society—a covert organization devoted to paranormal research—costume shop owner Raine Tallentyre hears voices: in her deceased aunt's home in Shelbyville, Wash., she discovers and rescues a potential serial killer victim, and locks in on the disturbed killer's vibes. Raine's aunt also heard voices, but was also known as the town nut; Raine thus hesitates in going public. Meanwhile, Zack Jones is a PI hired by the Arcane Society: he gets a visceral sense of crimes with visions, but tracks Raine because of the secret research her father was doing on a special formula that enhances paranormal powers. Raine, meanwhile, has always believed that her father was killed by a member of the Society—one of Zack's relatives in fact—and is wary of Zack's motives. Krentz, who wrote the Arcane Society novel Second Sight as Amanda Quick, knows how to make sparks fly among the gifted, but this outing feels comparatively flat. The paranormal elements don't coalesce with the boy-meets-girl story. A repetitious dwelling on Raine's past, whereby potential partners were creeped out by her abilities, is a less serious flaw than the way the denouement makes use of them. (Jan.)
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From AudioFile
Raine Tallentrye, beautiful and gifted with secret psychic abilities, finds a woman bound in a locked room in her deceased aunt's house. Handsome Zack Jones, also gifted with paranormal powers, is dispatched by the Arcane Society to investigate Raine and the circumstances surrounding her aunt's death. The attraction is immediate and ³sizzles² on the normal and paranormal planes. Sandra Burr is outstanding in her portrayal of the numerous characters in this latest Arcane Society novel. She seamlessly moves from character to character with a deliberate cadence that is interesting, unique, and highly entertaining. Most enjoyable! A.C.P. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

About the Author
Jayne Ann Krentz is the author of forty New York Times bestsellers. She has written contemporary romantic suspense novels under that name, as well as futuristic and historical romance novels under the pseudonyms Jayne Castle and Amanda Quick, respectively. She lives in Seattle. Visit her website at www.jayneannkrentz.com.

Customer Reviews

Sizzle and Burn
Jayne Ann Krentz has become a must buy author. I usually by the Quick historicals and the Jayne Castle paranormals because normally I don't like contemporaries but the Krentz novels have whetted my appetite for contemporary reads.

Ms. Krentz allows her quirky sense of humor to come alive in whatever genre she is writing. Her characters are always multilayered and complex. Her storylines are innovative and enthralling.

C+, I think I liked it...
I read this a month ago and I vaguely remember it now. I've had it sitting on my desk reminding myself to do a review. I can't remember it being that bad that I was ready to chuck it, but then again it couldn't be that good that I made a note to buy the rest of the books in the same series.

Ehhhh....

A sizzling paranormal romantic suspense.
Raine Tallentyre knew little about the Arcane Society. It wasn't that it was a secret society, but it was secretive. What she did know came from her Aunt Vella. She knew it had been in existence for hundreds of years and all of its members were psychic. They had two purposes, help their members fit into mainstream society, and to advance the research on psychic powers.

As a clairvoyant, Raine could have used their help. Hearing the voices of someone evil when she inadvertently touched something after them, was literally driving her crazy. But the resources and help offered by the Arcane Society was beyond her reach. Her father had been a member of the Society, but when he started doing unauthorized research, his lab was destroyed. With his death the Tallentyre family name was removed from the Arcane Society rosters.

While settling her aunt's estate, Raine felt the tremors of evil once again. Her aunt's house was supposed to be vacant. Vella spent the last year of her life in a mental institution, but the thread of evil was unmistakable. Raine followed the thread to the basement and discovered a beaten and battered woman locked in the closet. It was the work of a serial killer, and now his attention was focused on Raine.

Zachary Jones was a private investigator for Jones and Jones, a private detective agency staffed and funded by the Arcane Society. Their primary purpose was to guard the Founder's Formula and squelch any efforts to further the research on it. The Founder's Formula enhanced one's psychic abilities but it had adverse side affects.

Throughout the history of the Arcane Society there were factions looking for ultimate power and saw the Founder's Formula as a means of getting it. Judson Tallentyre, Raine's father was one of them. J & J tracked down his lab and burned it to the ground when Raine was six. Unfortunately Judson Tallentyre's work on the Founder's Formula didn't burn in the fire as J & J once thought. They needed to locate the research and destroy it before the latest faction managed to find it and put it to use. Zach needed Raine's help.

Raine didn't trust anyone from Jones and Jones. They destroyed her father's work, and she suspected that they caused the accident that took his life, but the need to know the truth took precedence. Raine and Zach form an uneasy alliance. She would not let the attraction she felt for Zach get in the way of the investigation. Agents from Jones and Jones could not be trusted.

Sizzle and Burn is Jayne Ann Krentz's latest addition to her Arcane Society series. It is full of action, intrigue, and romance. Krentz offers a fascinating look at the inner workings of the Arcane Society and a dose of its history as well. It is a fast paced thriller with a touching romantic twist. It can easily be classified as a paranormal romance, suspense or mystery. Whatever the genre, it's a great read and deserves a five star rating.