Review: An original and fast paced read
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 09 10, 2013
Coleen Kwan had me at the first paragraph.Coleen's expert prose was the first thing that grabbed me. She throws the reader into a London of a different time, both effortlessly and ruthlessly. I was seriously impressed with her grasp of history and the conventions of the time. It means the reader is in Julian and Nellie's world from page one and once you're immersed, you don't want to emerge back into the real world.The characters as well as the mystery hold the reader fast. Julian is dark and handsome, but with a tenderness and contrasting impetuousness that make him immediately likeable. Nellie is vulnerable, but she's also feisty - it's this combination that Julian finds himself admiring and against his better judgement, falling for.While you watch Julian and Nellie battle over their feelings for one another - Nellie is still technically a married woman, after all - the greater mystery over Julian's parentage and Nellie's husband's intentions for her loom large and make for a compelling reason to keep turning the pages.I'm always on the lookout for Australian authors and I'm pleased to say that Coleen Kwan doesn't disappoint. At only 50,000 words, Darke London is short and sweet, but it far exceeded my expectations. It was an original read, infused with mystery, suspense, romance and passion - it was a ride I was loathe to get off once I reached the end.I was given a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.