The River Knows | 
 enlarge | Manufacturer: Putnam
Category: EBooks
List Price: $7.99
Buy New: $6.39
You Save: $1.60 (20%)
Avg. Customer Rating:  51 reviews
Sales Rank: 13024
Format: Kindle Book
Media: Kindle Edition
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 368
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
ASIN: B000P6YMJY
Publication Date: April 7, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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Product Description
From Publishers Weekly The suspense begins with the first sentence of this romantic mystery from the pseudonymous Quick (Jayne Ann Krentz uses this pseudonym for her Victorian novels). Gossip spreads fast about the liaison between "unimportant, unfashionable, excessively dull" Louisa Bryce and wealthy, handsome Anthony Stalbridge. In reality, their first kiss was a spur-of-the-moment coverup when the two are caught snooping around Elwin Hastings' mansion. Louisa, an undercover reporter for the sensational newspaper, Flying Intelligencer, is investigating Hastings' crooked financial dealings, while Anthony seeks the truth about his fiance, one of three society women who supposedly committed suicide a year ago. Under the guise of their romance, Louisa and Anthony expose Hastings' many criminal schemes. Their relationship isn't all business, however, and Louisa's profession isn't her only secret. Quick's tightly woven tale allows little room for extraneous subplots - every cracked safe and mysterious prostitute plays an important role. Light humor and playful love scenes temper the more gruesome moments for an alluring combination of foggy nights and steamy afternoons. (Apr.) Copyright-Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 46 more reviews...
 A fun, light, quick-witted read! November 13, 2008
Only a year or so ago, Louisa Bryce, a very intelligent woman, faked a suicide to run from the supposed murder of a very prominent, but very evil, man. Hired by Emma Ashton as a companion, someone to write her memoires, Louisa and Emma quickly become fast friends, where Louisa confesses all. In order to help, Emma is playing off Louisa as a distant cousin from the country who is now widowed. "Unimportant, unfashionable and excessively dull", Louisa manages to squeeze around the Polite World, uncovering deep secrets of the weathly Society ton. She is, after all, a journalist for the Flying Intelligencer, a notorious rag; pen name: I. M. Phantom. No one knows her background, and she intends to keep it that way.
Convinced that Elwin Hastings is up to no good, let alone a possible murderer, she sets off to investigate and find the truth. During a ball, she slips unoticed up the stairs to search his rooms. Leaving his bedroom, she is caught by Anthony Stalbridge, saving her from almost being caught by one of Hastings's personal hired guards. Seems that Anthony is convinced that Hastings murdered his fiancee, Fiona Risby. He's looking for proof - regardless if Hastings pays for his crimes, he still wants the proof. With a quick-witted discussion, the two become unlikely partners, both after the same goal.
And that's when the fun begins. Evidence is found in the way of business papers and one of Fiona's very expensive necklace (the one she was wearing the night she disappeared from a party); now Anthony and Louisa are sure there is more afoot and continue to dig. Louisa would like nothing more than to expose him to the Society he so desperately wants to belong to. Anthony wants him to confess to murdering Fiona. Will they get what they covet most?
Oh, you most certainly bet they do - almost more than they bargain for. Yes, you find out early on the who and what, but it's how the plot came about and to a close that keeps your attention. The more they dig, the more facts come to light, the more questions answered and more arise, that have you focussing on the story, and the main characters.
Louisa is a strong and intelligent woman, regardless of her naivete. She fights for what she believes is right, even if she's putting herself unknowingly in harm's way. Anthony is the only person in his family with a head for finances; seems his father, mother and sister are the eccentric artists of the family. Strong-willed and relentless, he had spotted Louisa right off and became intrigued by the unknown woman; he could see the intelligence in her eyes, no matter how dull she made herself seem in the form of dress and conversation. And the more time they spend together, the more they fall in love with each other. But Louisa believes that it can be nothing more than an illicit affair, especially knowing that, if anyone discovered her past, she'd be hanged for murder.
Quick-witted conversations, discussions and the hot passion they feel for each other will have you believing they are made for each other - two halves of a whole. I liked how Quick touched base on what it was like for woman in that day in age, where women were really considered the weaker sex, where they were valued for their looks, bloodline and money, not for their mind. I like how, not once but twice, Louisa rises above, first after her father dies, then after her faked suicide. It was nice to see Anthony falling in love with her, first and foremost, for her intelligence and integrity. Perfect match. Great climax to the story, even if you did see it coming. Couldn't have asked for better!
 awfully bad! October 7, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
There is no suspense, Amanda quick-ly lets us know who the murderer is. Beyond that, the book is padded and padded and padded with extraneous info. I would rate it "I hate it," but the sex scenes are more true-to-life than most.
Excellent read August 8, 2008
The River Knows was an excellent read. I enjoyed it as much as the many other Quick novels I've read. The only criticism I have is that I did not get to know Louisa Bryce or Anthony Stalbridge well enough. There was a great emphasis on the intrigue of the story which worked for me since I love mysteries, but I would have liked more details about who they were. I wonder if she will write other books featuring these characters. I hope so. If she writes another book, I hope she fleshes out the characters more so that we feel as though we really know them.
 Quick is best of the Genre but it's a very meh work July 19, 2008
Quick/Krentz is the best of romantic lit--I find most of the other authors unbearable --but this is her shakiest work yet. I read this and promptly forgot it. The characters are 1-dimensional at best and I generally expect more from this author. I think it might be the worst of her works, but still considerably better than most romance novels.
A light look at Victorian women's rights? July 9, 2008
Though this is a romance, shaken with a light dressing of mystery, there are some very serious topics tackled herein.
First off is the absolute inability of a woman in Victorian times to control her destiny. Employment opportunities for women were few and far between, and even honest employment could lead to very dangerous situations for a woman alone.
Also, this book directly addresses how justice was very different for the gentry than for the non-gentry. Even one with money was not as important as one of the right birth. And if a gentleman was suspected of wrongdoing, he could refuse to answer police questioning. Forget about warrants!
We've come a long way, baby.
Beyond all this, though, the book contains a wonderful romp. Louisa Bryce is an intrepid Lois Lane for a dime rag. She uncovers the wrongdoings of the "polite" world for all to see. She has her own secrets, however. Anthony Stalbridge is the bad-boy gentleman who, despite her unpromising plumage, becomes quite taken with Louisa. Together they solve a relatively complex mystery (which, at the end, you see pieces of have been cleverly alluded to all through the book, right from the prologue on down!)
There is evil, there is tension, and of course there is sex, but it is not horribly graphic, is relatively short in duration, and is easily skimmed without missing too much book. There is even a huge amount dedicated to tongue-in-cheek making fun of illicit passion in "ladies' novels".
I really, really enjoyed this book.
(*)>
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