A Tainted Heart Bleeds: A Gripping Historical Mystery Romance (House of Croft) by Sophie Barnes Format: eARC
Source: author
Formats available: paperback, ebook
Genres: historical fiction, historical mystery, historical romance, regency mystery
Series: House of Croft #2
Pages: 440
Published by Sophie Barnes on October 29, 2024
Purchasing Info: Author's Website, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo
Goodreads
He’ll never forgive her deception, or the hold she still has on his heart…
Adrian Croft’s worst fear has been realized. His wife, the sweet woman who swept past his every defense, is a cunning spy working against him. Forced to play a dangerous game where one wrong move could see him destroyed, he must unravel her secrets while hunting a far more sinister threat.
Samantha knew her decision to marry her target would come at a price. Now, having lost her husband’s trust and affection, she’ll do whatever it takes to win it all back – abandon past loyalties, spill her secrets, and catch a killer. But will it be enough to undo the damage?
-One series, one couple, and the brutal challenges they must face-
If you like What Angels Fear, Silent in the Grave, and Murder on Black Swan Lake, you’ll devour Sophie Barnes’ thrilling new series.
Buy A Tainted Heart Bleeds and continue this action-packed adventure today!
My Review:
This second book in the House of Croft series begins as the first book did, with the brutal murder of a young and seemingly innocent woman.
But the circumstances, as similar as they are to the opening of A Vengeful King Rises, are not the same – except that both women, and both murders, are shrouded in secrets. Including the motivation behind them.
The murder of Adrian Croft’s sister Evie was designed to set Adrian on a path that he did not wish to walk, but the motives were concealed in the midst of a serial killer’s spree. It wasn’t personal, although the consequences were very personal to Adrian Croft.
This time, the murder is very personal. Lady Eleanor was stabbed over 50 times, up close and very personal indeed. Her murderer believed that she had betrayed him – and perhaps she had, if only in his own eyes and twisted mind. Of course, he took those too. Her eyes. As a grisly trophy.
Croft brought his sister’s killer to justice – even if no one can prove it. Which leads Lord Orendel, Lady Eleanor’s father, to ask Croft to investigate his daughter’s death and provide him a measure of that same justice – even if it can’t be admitted aloud.
It’s not a commission that Croft wants to take. He has problems of his own to deal with – also a result of the events in the first book. The police are pursuing him for his father’s crimes – and his own. The agent they set on his trail inveigled her way into his heart, his bed and his household.
He married her, and only learned of her betrayal after that fact – just as she vowed to be his in all ways. He can’t forgive, he can’t forget, he can’t trust – but he can’t force himself to set her aside, or off to the country, or into a shallow grave. As she deserves.
He has no idea that she’s about to be the saving of him. Again. It’s only a question of whether that will be enough to finally earn his trust – and to save him from the gallows.
Escape Rating A-: I started this series because it appeared to be what you’d get if C.S. Harris’ Sebastian St. Cyr series and Andrea Penrose’s Wrexford & Sloane series had a book baby. Which is very much true, as all three are set in the same Regency period, all involve solving grisly murders and all have a significant and dark romantic enemies to lovers relationship where the enmity has the potential to turn deadly even as the romance heats to boiling.
(Some reviewers have noted a resemblance to Deanna Raybourn’s Lady Julia Grey series, which I have not read – YET – but clearly need to take a look at.)
Now that I’ve read the first two books in the House of Croft trilogy, at this point I have a really, really, strong feeling that I’m oh-so-glad this is a trilogy and doesn’t go on as long as those other series.
Why, you might ask?
The reason is that the House of Croft doesn’t read like three stories that have some overarching elements. In spite of not being the same genre – AT ALL – the House of Croft reads like The Lord of the Rings in that it is ONE story divided into three parts for publishing purposes. Which, by extension, makes A Tainted Heart Bleeds the long dark night of the soul that is The Two Towers – especially the second half of that heartbreaking middle book.
So that’s all a HUGE hint that readers can’t start with this book. I think that one has to begin at the beginning with A Vengeful King Rises – and will probably join me in the proverbial bated breath waiting for the final book in the trilogy, A Ruthless Angel Weeps, in order to see how Adrian and Samantha Croft manage to get whatever it is they truly deserve – whether that’s heaven or hell or just a quick hanging.
The reason for that anticipation and all of that bated breath is that the individual books in the series are extremely and occasionally excruciating compelling, and while they DO wrap up the murder that opens each story, they DO NOT answer any of the gigantic questions hanging over the series – and our protagonists – like a whole ceiling of Swords of Damocles.
I know there is a puppet master – but I don’t even have a hint as to who that puppet master might be. And it’s driving me crazy. I NEED to know who is responsible for the hell that Adrian Croft has been put through – and more importantly – WHY he’s been put through that hell. I also hope to see someone pay, but I’m certain that Adrian and Samantha will have that well in hand by the end.
A Ruthless Angel Weeps will be coming at the end of January – and for this reader it’s not nearly soon enough!
About the Author
USA TODAY bestselling author Sophie Barnes writes historical romance novels
in which the characters break away from social expectations in their quest
for happiness and love. Having written for Avon, an imprint of Harper
Collins, her books have been published internationally in eight languages.
With a fondness for travel, Sophie has lived in six countries, on three
continents, and speaks English, Danish, French, Spanish, and Romanian with
varying degrees of fluency. Ever the romantic, she married the same man
three times—in three different countries and in three different
dresses.
When she’s not busy dreaming up her next swoon worthy romance novel,
Sophie enjoys spending time with her family, practicing yoga, baking,
gardening, watching romantic comedies and, of course, reading.
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Thanks for posting
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I love Sophie’s books! The first one in this series is so good. Thank you for your review! 🙂
This looks like an awesome read. Thanks for sharing.