HIS WICKED SINS - Eve Silver
Zebra Books
ISBN-10: 0-8217-8129-4
ISBN-13: 978-0-8217-8129-6
August 2008
Historical Romance

Burndale, England - 1813 and 1828

Elizabeth Canham travels to Burndale Academy to become a teacher. She is an attractive blonde-haired young woman who had to leave home to make money to help her family. While waiting for a conveyance to the school, she peruses the graveyard and, looking at the gravestones, she notices that two young women have recently died from Burndale. Could this be why the coach guard warned her of the strange happenings at the academy? The handsome Griffin Fairfax arrives to give her a ride to the school, which is dark, dreary, and somewhat menacing.

A gentleman looks at his watch. He enjoys fondling the blonde hair contained therein. He reminisces about his blonde mother who was so cruel to him, and has fond memories of all the women whose curls he took before he slowly tortured and killed them. His latest kill was Sarah, a maid. He was very disappointed in her for she died much too easily.

Griffin lives in Wickham Hall, an old house badly in need of repair. He comes to Burndale Academy to bring his daughter, Isobel, home for her weekly visit, but sometimes she refuses to come. She is an odd child who refuses to speak so that the other children torment her. The maid tells Elizabeth that the child is cursed and calls Mr. Fairfax, her father, a murderer. Elizabeth, who had suffered some traumas as a child, identifies with Isobel and tries to make friends.

Elizabeth is very attracted to Griffin and he to her. She senses his sadness and self-loathing for his past mistakes. She also senses someone watching her. Could it be Griffin, or is their another malevolent presence who watches and yearns for her? Elizabeth is fearful of losing her job so dare not tell the headmistress of her misgivings of being watched.

The book has a very gothic feeling with the dreary old house and a brooding gentleman. HIS WICKED SINS also has a horrendous mass murderer who lures women and takes great pleasure in killing them. There is no indication of who he is, only that he lives close by the academy and preys on young, blonde women. The story switches from 1828 to 1813 telling another story of other killings, but readers don’t find out until later how the stories are connected. Griffin is a secretive character, seems to pine for his little daughter’s attention, but does not know how to rectify the situation. Elizabeth enjoys strolling through the area, so readers will always be concerned that the murderer will capture her, but no one has seen fit to warn her about what is happening in the neighborhood. It seems a little unrealistic and contrived that the other teachers would not tell her, particularly since Elizabeth is a young blonde.

A very dark and dreary tale; except for Elizabeth, the characters never become quite fleshed out. They all stay in the shadows with their secrets. A gripping and intense tale of a town tormented by dark deeds of murder, the story becomes more frightening with readers knowing that Elizabeth is at risk. I would not advise reading HIS WICKED SINS when you are alone at night, but if you enjoy scary thrillers, this book is sure to give you some horrifying and frightening moments.

Marilyn Heyman