Lord of a Thousand Nights
Hunter's fresh, singular voice and firm grasp of history set  this lively 14th-century romance apart from the slew of mediocre  historical romances. Lady Reyna, the daring Scottish widow of  Robert of Kelso, becomes the pawn in a high-stakes game  involving land, wealth and power when Ian Guilford, a notorious  English mercenary allied with Morvan Fitzwaryn (the hero from  Hunter's The Protector), lays siege to her keep. In a misguided  attempt to save her people, Reyna visits Ian dressed as a  courtesan, intending to seduce and kill him. Instead, she  unwittingly aids him in overtaking her holding. Ian, known as  much for his conquests in the bedroom as for on the battlefield,  is intrigued by Reyna's feisty nature, but he soon discovers  that her past is shrouded in mystery. What was the nature of  Reyna's marriage to the much older Robert? Did she poison him,  as many in the castle suspect, or was he murdered by someone  else? And why does her childhood contain barely repressed  memories of terror? The mystery unfolds with surprising twists  and turns as characters from Hunter's previous novels join the  action and Reyna discovers why she's suddenly become so valuable  to her callous clan. An electrifying blend of history, romance  and intrigue, this fast-paced tale is a testament to Hunter's  considerable narrative prowess. (Dec. 4) Forecast: Hunter already has brand-name recognition, which is  impressive since this is only her fourth title. Her latest will  likely top the wish lists of many historical romance readers  this holiday season.Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.