ABOUT THE BOOK
London, 1866
Dr. Barnabus Milligan has always felt called to help people, whether that means setting a broken bone or rescuing the impoverished women of London from their desperate lives on the streets as part of his work with the Dread Penny Society.
Three years ago, he helped rescue Gemma Kincaid by secretly marrying her to protect her from her family of notorious grave robbers.
But six months after Gemma and Barnabus exchanged vows, she realized her love for her new husband was unrequited. To protect her heart, she left, telling Barnabus to contact her if his feelings for her ever grew beyond a sense of duty.
When Barnabus sends a letter to Gemma inviting her to return home, she hopes to find a true connection between them. But unfortunately, he only wants her help to foil the Kincaids, who have been terrorizing the boroughs of London, eager to gain both money and power.
Heartbroken, Gemma agrees to help, but she warns Barnabus that she will not stay for long, and once she goes, he'll never see her again.
Yet as the couple follows the clues that seem to connect the Kincaids to the Mastiff, the leader of London's criminal network, Gemma and Barnabus realize they might make a better match than either of them suspected. Perhaps the marriage that had once saved Gemma's life might now save Barnabus―and his lonely heart.
But before the once-confirmed bachelor can properly court his secret bride, they'll need to evade the dangerous forces that are drawing ever closer to the hopeful lovers and the entire Dread Penny Society itself.
REVIEW
The fourth book in The Dread Penny Society series find the society sinking deeper and deeper into trouble. As the society seeks to learn more about the Mastiff and his crew and their awful plans for the city, Dr. Barnabus Milligan faces a dilemma of his own. A secret marriage comes to light, bringing the woman he tried to save back into his life. Gemma left after discovering he didn't love her the way she loved him. But now, her life is at grave risk as her family of resurrectionists tries to bring her back into the fold of their criminal activity which seems to be connected to both the Mastiff and the Dread Penny Society. Integrated into the story are two penny dreadfuls 'written' by Dr. Milligan and 'Mr. King' another of the members of the Dread Penny Society. In this series, the fascinating way the penny dreadfuls intertwine with the main storyline, keeps one turning the pages. And this fourth book in a five book series builds the tension to a crescendo. By the time the book ends, the society is facing it's demise and a disaster than anything they could imagine. A couple of interesting twists at the end definitely surprised me and sent the story into a rather unusual direction. I love the way that the author blends her characters, setting, and stories (including the penny dreadful tales) until they are all part of one connected whole.
