London and Blackheath Moor, Cornwall, England; 1830

When Nora Thorngoode marries Sir Grayson Lowell, it is not a happy event, but a scandal. Nora is an artist, but as the daughter of ambitious, nouveau riche parents, she is also a target for those who would take advantage of her. Her art tutor creates a scandal from which he hopes to benefit by forcing marriage. Nora’s father finds another solution in Sir Grayson Lowell. Scandal touches Gray as well, because of the suspicious death of his brother. Faced with the many debts his brother left, marriage to a woman of means is the only solution. They marry quickly and travel into the country to Blackheath Moor to wait out the scandal.

Whatever expectations each had about the other, they quickly learn that nothing in this marriage is as it seems. Gray believes Nora to be a wanton; he is surprised to find she may be an innocent. Nora has heard the rumors that Gray may have murdered his own brother, but as she comes to know him, she cannot believe it to be true. As they come to terms with their situation, it becomes more obvious that Gray’s brother may have been murdered and his heir, Gray’s nephew, Jonny, is in mortal danger. He knows something, but the trauma of witnessing his father die has rendered him unable to speak. Can Gray and Nora uncover what really happened the night Jonny’s father died, or will history repeat itself?

DARK OBSESSION is a tale of gothic romance with a touch of the paranormal. Though Ms. Chase got many of details of gothic romance right, the dark mysterious moor, secondary characters who may not be trustworthy, murder and mystery, her main characters are too much, almost caricatures. Gray is tortured, one moment distant and foreboding, then the passionate lover. Nora is a young, sweet innocent artist, who also happens to be a smart investigator with a will of iron, even as a young bride. They were not very believable. Secondary characters were a little thin, especially Mrs. Dorn, the housekeeper, who should have been more central to the mystery and Chad, a friend of the family. The paranormal touches did not add to the story, and felt like devices to move the mystery along. The plot was interesting enough by itself, with a possible murder mystery to solve and a little boy to help. The end, when Jonny’s secret is revealed, is exciting and unexpected. I will definitely give Allison Chase another try.

Lisa Baca