Deadly Illusions (Francesca Cahill Series #7)

Recommended

I have read all the Deadly books as they have come out and thoroughly enjoyed them. I you like Historical Romance/Mystery this series is for you!

A GREAT READ FULL OF DANGER,ROMANCE AND SUSPENSE!! DEADLY ILLUSIONS BY BRENDA JOYCE!!

DEADLY ILLUSIONS(A FRANCESCA CAHILL NOVEL)by Brenda Joyce is an interesting Regency suspense/romance.It is the seventh in the series,but can be read as a stand alone.As this is the first in this series I have read.The author gives you updated information so it is not too hard to follow the storyline,if you have not read the others in this series. It is a fast paced story of a female sleuth,a serial killer,a friend who was her first love,but he was married,a fiancee,who is not sure about love and trust.The fiancee,Hart,just happens to be her commissioner's estranged half brother.As Francesea and Hart struggle with their own love life.As they both have trust issues,Hart more than Francesea,a serial killer is in the lurk,killing young women.The first two manage to survive,remembering much of nothing,But as Francesea investigates she finds one of the survivors actually remembered he had a ring on his right hand with a large stone and they both remembered he called them "faithless wrench".In the meantime,the chief commissioner,Bragg, is trying to reconcile with his wife,who was run over by a carriage and left paralyzed. The plot in intriguing,while it does have multiple facets and multiple plots going on with only one conclusion,the killer is found.The characters are enchanting and will capture your heart.While,I myself find I like stories with an ending or completion to each plot, this one it is a wait and see.For instance,Francesea and Hart,Bragg and his wife, and Francesea's brother,Evan,Maggie and the Countess,who claims to be pregnant with Evan's child,what a triangle of unfinished business.But we will have to see what happens with the next installment.I hope they all find their happy endings.Otherwise this is a fast paced,page turning story full of action,mystery and romance.This book was received for the purpose of review from Net Galley and details can be found at HQN and My Book Addiction and More.

Great Read

This re-release of Ms. Joyce's 2005 title made me want to go back and read all the previous titles in the Deadly series.

The murder mystery is interesting-who is killing the poor, but hardworking Irish women in the tenements?--but it's the characters that carry this book. Each character is multi-dimensional. Francesca Cahill is bright, witty, daring, and beautiful yet a bit reckless. Her fiancé, the notorious rake Calder Hart, is arrogant and self-assured yet needy and jealous when it comes to Francesca. The police commissioner Rick Bragg, Calder's half brother, has unresolved feelings for both his beautiful wife and Francesca. Francesca's gambling-addict brother secretly loves a poor widow, but is openly involved with Bartolla, a scheming widow who is after his money but doesn't quite understand he's been disowned by his father and is broke.

Francesca is flawed in ways appropriate for an heiress in early 1900's New York. She lives in a privileged society and though she sleuths in New York's seedy underbelly, things come far too easy for her. The poor she befriends are the working poor who don't hold her privilege against her. And while the reader may suspect the poor live in desperation, the feeling of those scenes is more of gentile poverty than squalor and fear. She travels about with little or no concern for her safety. The gun she carries is of more danger to herself than to anyone else.

Everything simply comes easily to Francesca. Her family may disapprove of her sleuthing, but they take no steps to stop her. Her fiancé is willing to give up his evil ways to be with her. During their sexual interludes, Calder is the sensitive one committed to postponing consummation until marriage. Despite the risks Francesca takes, she is safe with him, and he makes certain she is safe while they are apart. During the final moments of the mystery, Francesca just has to think hard and the answer comes to her.

In other words, Deadly Illusions is a light, fun, character-driven, romantic suspense set in 1902 Manhattan. Despite the complexity of the characters, the story is entertaining but not deep. I enjoyed the suspense, but was never really worried about any of the key characters because the outcomes were predictable. Still, I have two more of Ms. Joyce's Deadly titles on my shelf and have no doubt they'll be as entertaining as Deadly Illusions was.

Originally posted at The Long and Short of IT Romance Reviews

reprint not a new story!

This is a reprint of a book from 2008. When is the author going to finish this series?

Brenda Does It Again!!!

This book was just as amazing as the ones before it. Although I think we all can't wait to see Francesca and Calder married..good things come to those who wait. They are so good together and I am sooo in love with Calder!! After reading an excerpt from the next book in the series: Deadly Kisses, I am anxiously waiting for February to come already! It's been too long! I want to know what's gonna happen! Whatever is gonna come..Francesca HAS to stick by him cuz he's a good man despite his past. He just needs her love.

Will they ever marry?

I enjoyed the story, as well as the other stories. I was hoping they would finally marry and I also hope the commissioner and his wife work things out(ie. she gets to walk again also). I think Calder and Francesca have encountered enough trial and error already, let them be together now.

fine Cahill historical mystery

In 1902 Manhattan, the Slasher has attacked three working class Irish women; the first two survived the ordeal, but the third victim is dead. Fearing for her friend Maggie Kennedy who lives in the same neighborhood that is under assault, heiress sleuth Francesca Cahill begins to investigate the vicious crimes over the objection of her fiancé successful businessman Calder Hart. He does not want her in harm¿s way or hanging out with his rival his half-brother married Police Commissioner Rick Bragg because Francesca and Rick were once thought to be in love.--- Still Francesca is an independent person and no one, even her future spouse, will tell her what she cannot do. She makes inquiries and visits the crime scenes where she runs into Rick. Suspects are everywhere especially estranged spouses and fiancés, but in spite of the combined efforts of Rick and Francesca the Slasher strikes again. To catch this killer Francesca knows she must be the bait.--- The seventh Cahill historical mystery provides Brenda Joyce¿s audience with a wonderful lamplight look at Manhattan at the turn of the century. The story line is fast-paced but loaded with intricate family relationships that bring to life the key players especially the half-brothers, Rick¿s wife, and the heroine. The who-done-it is fun as the suspects seem plentiful and the moving forward on relational fronts provides a freshness somewhat lacking in the last two books, but DEADLY ILLUSIONS is at its best lighting up 1902 New York City.--- Harriet Klausner

SAME OLD STORY TOLD A DIFFERENT WAY

I anxiously waited for this book, thinking that Francesca and Calder would finally marry. It didn't happen and now her father is against the marriage. The murder plot was okay. Another plot it seems is in the works since Francesca's nude painting was stolen. Looking forward to the next, hope the wait isn't as long and hopefully these two will finally marry, and the police commissioner and his wife will get back together again.

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