Amanda Quick: Mischief

MY REVIEW

Mischief
Author: Amanda Quick
Release Date: March 31, 1997
List Price: $7.99

Read: September 21, 2002; June 29-July 7, 2009
Rating:


Author Homepage | Amazon.com

SUMMARY (from back cover)
Imogen Waterstone needed a man, and not just any man: one with an implacable will and nerves of iron. That's why she invited Matthias Marshall, the Earl of Colchester, to her home. For who better than the legendary explorer to help her lure a ruthless enemy to ruin. Yet when Imogen urges Matthias to masquerade as her spellbound suitor - and let it be known that she possesses a priceless treasure map - she never anticipates his electrifying response - or her own. Suddenly, the unconventional lady is in the thrall of true passion ... and vulnerable to a malevolant threat that emerges from the labyrinth of London society.

COMMENTS
Amanda Quick's books are almost always highly enjoyable, and this one book is another example. Mischief isn't one of my favorites, but it is worth reading and definitely a reread. It falls in line with Quick's usual books:

• a spunky, confident, independent heroine who is very unusual and doesn't mind being so
• a hero who is somewhat of an outcast, misunderstood, and viewed with fright (except for by the heroine - of course)
• a uniting interest - in this case, made-up ancient Zamar
  
• some dastardly villain with a mystery subplot that threatens both their lives and has to be uncovered

Matthias was a wonderful hero and I appreciated his irony and sarcasm throughout the book. Imogen was enjoyable, though I found her dictatorial ways at times a little too overbearing, I grew slightly annoyed by her constantly going on about Matthias's "weak nerves," and her unwillingness to face the reality about certain situations and people was at times exasperating ... maybe it sounds like I didn't actually like her, but I promise, I did! Lol. Patricia (Matthias's sister) was extremely annoying and I did not like her - she was childish, immature, gullible, shallow, extremely melodramatic, and I could go on but I won't.

The mystery was good and actually had me guessing (until my memory filled in the blanks - so the first time I read it, it probably kept me guessing for awhile). Quick has a tendency to make this crazed myth/magic-obsessed villains and that was not the case here, so the whole thing was more believable and seemed less over-the-top/melodramatic.

BOTTOM LINE
Not my favorite Amanda Quick book, but definitely enjoyable and one that I will gladly revisit in the future.