'Captives of the Night' by Loretta Chase is a historical romance novel that delves into a murder mystery plot, set ten years after the events of the previous book in the series. The story follows the characters Ismal and Leila as they navigate a complex web of conspiracy, betrayal, and secrets while trying to uncover the truth behind a murder. The book is praised for its well-drawn characters, intriguing plot, and the development of a passionate yet tumultuous relationship between the protagonists.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings may include themes of guilt, manipulation in relationships, and references to past trauma.
Has Romance?
The romance is present and significant but is complicated by internal conflicts and angst between the protagonists.
From The Publisher:
When the intriguing Comte d'Esmond enters a room, women swoon and men gnash their teeth. The count is fully accustomed to this reaction and brilliant at exploiting it. What he isn't prepared for is Leila Beaumont. One look from her tawny eyes is dangerously captivating. How ... troublesome. Esmond can't afford the distraction of an entanglement, however passionate it promises to be. He's supposed to be working - for the government! - and his employers want Leila's corrupt and treacherous husband brought to justice. When the spouse, unsurprisingly and conveniently, gets himself murdered, all Esmond has to do is clear Leila of suspicion and proceed to the next assignment.
But not being hanged for her husband's murder isn't enough for Leila. She wants to learn the truth - all of it - from Esmond, a man who's been lying all his life. more
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1 comment(s)
*****4.5*****
It was interesting to pick up on Ismal's story 10 years after the events of book 1. He was a pretty wicked villain throughout the first book, but I remember the bit at the end, where Jason tells Ismal that he pities Ismal - that he is a brilliant, talented young man who threw his life away - and it stood out to me. I was curious to understand more about the young man (he was only 22 in the first book) and what had led him down this road.
We don't get a lot of the backstory in this book, but we get some... and that coupled with the bits in the first book where everyone acknowledged that Ali was a vicious tyrant was enough to throw most of Ismal's behavior into a different light. It actually makes me think poorly of Jason, honestly, that he would work for a man who would butcher a whole village if a person in it displeased him. But I suppose that's neither here nor there.
I liked this one more than the last book because, while we have an equally brilliant heroine in this book... she fits better into this one because she's not surrounded by people who treat her like an idiot for doing what most non-cowardly people in her situation would do. That's refreshing. I also appreciated the tangled mystery in this one. Unraveling all the horrible shit her husband had done, and how it involved all these other people ... it was fascinating (and it made me feel surprise that no one had killed that contemptible piece of shit earlier).
And I loved Leila and Ismal together. They complemented each other perfectly, in terms of intellect and personality. It made the book a joy to read.
What can you read after
Captives of the Night?
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