Eve Silver's debut, DARK DESIRES, is a novel that lovers of wonderfully dark gothic reads are sure to find immensely entertaining and totally enjoyable!
Young Darcie Finch is desperate - she has found her way to Mrs. Feather's establishment, a brothel in the Whitechapel section of East London. Steppy, a man most dear to her heart, had betrayed her in the worst possible way. The Madame of the brothel was Darcie's sister but when Darcie asked her for help she was turned away. Instead of sanctuary the brothel could have held, rather than the back alleys she'd been living in, Darcie was told to go and seek out a man who owed Mrs. Feather a favor -- Dr. Damien Cole. Along, with the admonishment - "Have a care. Steer clear of his work and his secrets. He is a man to fear."
It was a strange household - the Cole residence - except for Dr. Damien Cole himself. Darcie thought of him as a golden angel when he had rescued her a short distance away from the brothel. As she began to settle in as a maid of all labors, she saw the dark moods that transformed him; heard of servants that disappeared; and saw strange goings on in the middle of the night.
After Damien discovered her artistic talent he offered to let her use her skills to assist him. The attraction that Darcie she had for him quickly ignited into an overwhelming desire where passions overcame any misgivings she had over his secrets. As more bodies started turning up in the Whitechapel area of London, all showing signs of having been surgically mutilated, Darcie felt an evil presence that seemed to be stalking her. Falling more in love with Damian, she began to wonder if she only `imagined' him to be a dedicated scientist, or was he in truth, a blood-thirsty madman?
-- I really love when an author knows just how to turn a phrase; with words that are so beautifully put together they evoke emotions, smells, surroundings and feelings. In this fabulous debut novel, Ms. Silver has done just that. She creates a wonderful heroine in Darcie who though in the beginning beaten down and desperate, turns into a strong woman ready to fight for the man she believes in when everything pointed to his guilt. Damien, initially a mystery, is portrayed as complicated and tortured, with the author doing a fine job of stripping everything away to discover his motivations. As to the identity of the madman - I was guessing right up to the end (I thought I knew, but I was wrong). Lovers of dark gothic type romances are sure to enjoy, both the suspense and the lovely and tasteful sensuality of this one! Not only do I highly recommend this book, but alert readers to keep an eye on this new very talented author. ---- Marilyn, for [...] ---