Ex-spy is offered family home if he can track down and stop a scandalous writer from publishing. This had some fun banter, and The Moonstone overtones were amusing. ( )

The beginning of this one started a little slow, but once all the characters found each other, it moved along quite quickly and satisfyingly with a little humour on the side. I enjoyed it and will be looking for other books by Elizabeth Boyle. This is apparently one of a series of books about the Danvers family, although it also works as a stand-alone book. I enjoyed it enough to want to read more of the Danvers family tree.

Rafe is not your modern day investigator, but investigating is what he does. And that is the reason he gets drawn into searching out the mysterious author of the 'Miss Darby' books. He's frustrated because this seeminly nonsensical task is interfering with a murder investigation which promises to bring him a sizeable sum if he can uncover who the culprit is. And being in somewhat dire financial straits, he could really use that money. The payment for finding the author turns out to be to attractive to refuse, however, and besides, who can refuse one of the leading ladies of English Society!

The characters are well portrayed and diverse. I especially enjoyed the humourous antics of Colonel Posthill, and the crotchety Mrs Wortling. I always like being as surprised as the characters when I find out who-dun-it when they do. ( )

From BackCover:
Rebecca will have to take a page from her own book to keep the dashing Rafe Danvers from spoiling her success.

But how does one play hard-to-get with a man one cannot resist?

PASSION BY THE BOOK

Rebecca Tate never intended to cause a revolution with her notoriously popular Miss Darby novels, merely to earn enough to support herself and her ailing uncle. But now it seems every eligible debutante in London is emulating her spunky heroine and refusing to marry…ever! Still, Rebecca's enjoying her newfound success as Miss Darby's anonymous creator, and she's not about to let anyone interfere -- not even the rakishly appealing Raphael Danvers.

Having survived the perils of war and espionage, Rafe is less than thrilled by a disgruntled society matron's wish that he unmask the unknown author and halt the scandalous scribblings. The assignment becomes more attractive, however, when the trail leads to the enticing Miss Tate. Suddenly the dashing adventurer can't get enough of the charming troublemaker -- and her resorting to some rather Darbyesque trickery to distract him serves only to intensify his desire. But will a rogue's determined pursuit result in a happy romantic ending…or lead them both into a dangerous intrigue? ( )