From the moment Hollis Darby meets Ana Newport, he’s smitten. Even though he’s from a wealthy, established family and she isn’t, he wishes he could have a life with her by his side. But Hollis has a secret: he supports himself by writing penny dreadfuls under a pseudonym. If not for the income from his novels, he would be broke. Ana Newport also has a secret. Though she once had a place in society thanks to her father’s successful business, bankruptcy and scandal reduced his fortune to nothing more than a crumbling town house. So Ana teaches music during the day, and at night she assumes the identity of the “Phantom Fox.” She breaks into the homes of the wealthy to reclaim trinkets and treasures she feels were unjustly stolen from her family when they were struggling. When a spree of robberies rocks the city, Ana and Hollis join forces to solve the crimes, discovering that working together deepens the affection between them. After all, who better to save the day than a gentleman and a thief?
A second fun installment of the Dread Penny Society. It's been quite a while since I read book one, but my forgetfulness in no way impeded my reading of this book--it stands on its own quite well, while at the same time advancing the ploys of the Big Bad.
Hollis is delightful--a charming gentleman with more skills than he appears, but more importantly, a permanently sunny (if, occasionally, good naturedly snarky) attitude. Ana appears pretty demure at first, but once she is caught out, she blooms with confidence (and competence) and is quite a lot of fun as well. The two have a wonderful rapport.
I look forward to further escapades of the Dread Penny Society and their vendetta against London's criminal underworld!
Dread Penny Society:
1. The Lady and the Highwayman
2. The Gentleman and the Thief
3. The Merchant and the Rogue
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