Rabbit Heart [Kindle Edition]

Rescued from death by kindly, intelligent rabbits, Nicollette Caron grows up to have an ultra-rapid heartbeat and the ability to induce death in her suitors by over-stimulation. If this were a tale told with an ounce of humor or irony, it might have been worth reading. Alas, this Victorian bodice-ripper is told with grim earnestness and no respect for the intelligence of the audience. Unless you believe it likely that Queen Victoria would import a guillotine (!) from the French president in order to execute innocent prisoners, you may have trouble with the anachronisms that abound on every page. Most readers will be hard-pressed to believe a second of this embarrassing effort.

In 1891 London, Nicollette Caron warns her latest lover to forget about her instead of making love with her because she fears for his life. However, handsome Denton insists and she soon pleads with him to give her all he has; he does and dies. This is her thirteenth lover to pass away while making love with her. With the help of her servants Nicollette cleans away the mess, but flees London for Glastonbury where number fourteen awaits her.

Renowned Crime Inspector Jackson Lang finds the corpse of Denton and begins to follow clues that lead him towards Glastonbury and there to Nicollette. She, in the meantime, meets Lord Baston, Blake Williams who has a healthy sexual appetite that he satiates twice a week at the rundown Mare's Head. When Jackson meets the black widow, he is attracted to her, but will he break the law for her even as he competes with Blake for her affections. Nicollette who travels accompanied by the ghosts of her late lovers warns both men, but neither can resist her lure; however the question for Nicollette to answer to herself which one does she want to be with and can the Chosen One live past his first climax?

RABBIT HEART is a strange, but fascinating Victorian paranormal police procedural romance that is not for the faint of heart. Readers will wonder about Nicollette's mental health as her seemingly innocent but tough love encounters lead to her mates dropping dead while climaxing with her; could she be a serial killer, a cursed haunted soul, or is what is happening just bad luck? Colleen Hitchcock provides a bizarre beguiling tale of literally the French Death.

Harriet Klausner

How can you not be intrigued when the first line of the book reads, "There was a dead man in my boudoir?" It also puts a whole new slant on the phrase la petite mort, doesn't it? Unfortunately, that death was permanent.

It's August 1891, and Nicollette Caron's thirteenth lover has just died in her arms trying to please her. She did her best to convince Denton not make love to her. He didn't listen and now he's paid with his life.

Nicollette is re-dressing Denton's lifeless body when Marie stumbles upon the garish scene. They devise a plan to dispose of the body and make it appear Denton died from an accident. Once they've completed the task, Nicollette runs off to Glastonbury. Numbers fourteen and fifteen await her arrival.

Following her trail is Scotland Yard's best detective; Jackson Lang. He's determined to find the person who murdered Denton. They meet when he journeys to Glastonbury on business and pleasure. He is quite intrigued with the young lady.

Two more bodies are found. A telegram reaches Jackson with news that twelve bodies were discovered in Italy and France in much the same condition. He's convinced that Nicollette is guilty; however, he must have evidence to prove it.

Queen Victoria wants the murderer found and hanged. When she receives word the suspect is most likely a French woman, she asks that the guillotine be borrowed from France. What better way to execute a French citizen?

In the meantime, Nicollette has caught the eye of Lord Baston. He's determined to have her and nothing she can say will prevent it. Will he be able to save her from kneeling at the feet of Madame Guillotine?

Colleen Hitchcock's RABBIT HEART is a compelling and somewhat dark Victorian story. She introduces a young woman whose heart is as innocent as a babe's but who is cursed with a physical flaw in her heart that kills people who get too close. Nicollette's story is told in the first person and offers a glimpse into her tortured soul. She wants nothing more than to be loved as a woman should be without the complications.

The story reaches its climax, no pun intended, when Jackson is forced to arrest her. The trial that follows is filled with twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat, chewing on your nails and turning the pages.

Jackson's interest in the forensic sciences was incorporated into the storyline and became an essential piece of the plot. I was intrigued with his analytical mind and the questions he posed to the doctors. He had no qualms asking for detailed information about the conditions of the corpses.

RABBIT HEART is not for everyone. But if you're interested in reading something a little out of the ordinary, this one's great. This was one of the most intriguing books I've read in years! It's a keeper and a recommended read. I anxiously wait for the next one in the series.

The quote was used with the permission of the author.

Reprinted with the permission of Romance Junkies