rating: 3 of 5 stars
This is the kind of book that appeals to those of us with darker tastes. Lee describes the growth and flowering of a true psychopath. Louisa is narcissistic and completely without conscience. She formulates a plan to marry a wealthy man, kill him and his family, and take their money. She tries it on the first family she meets. Unfortunately, Lord Maskullance is gay and will not marry her. But he does take her in as his ward. Doesn’t faze Louisa at all–she merely adapts her plan and moves forward. Louisa kills without mercy, is daunted by nothing, and gets off scot-free in the end.

I only wish it had been longer, and I didn’t understand the point of having ten blank pages between the end of the book and the back cover. (Yes, I know what a flyleaf is…but do we need 10?)

Tags: dark, historical fiction, insanity, Tanith Lee