Scotland, Early 13th Century

In St. Biel, where her mother's brother was king, she's Princess Gabrielle; in England, where her father is the powerful Baron Geoffrey of Wellingshire, she's Lady Gabrielle. By either name, she has been sheltered from most of the world's harsh realities. That's not to say she's a timid goody-two-shoes. Gabrielle was always a mischievous sprite, saved many times by her four personal guards sent by the people of St. Biel. They love her as the last of their royal family now that England's King John has conquered their small country in his fruitless search for the St. Biel "treasure." That legendary treasure is going to cause Gabrielle much trouble.

Ever searching for the best possible advantage to himself, King John arranges a political match between Gabrielle and Laird Monroe, the only laird in Scotland with no enemies. John's decision angers his most sycophantic barons, Percy of Werke and Coswold of Axholm. Percy and Coswold have longed drooled over Lady Gabrielle's beauty and the "treasure of St. Biel." They want them both for themselves, and perhaps even more, they do not want the other to have either, for they are long-standing rivals; the fires of their feud forever fanned by the king.

Once in the Highlands of Scotland, Gabrielle and her guards temporarily separate from her father while he pays his respects to his sister and her husband, Laird Buchanan. Gabrielle promises to stay out of trouble as she finishes the journey to Arbane Abbey where the wedding is to take place. She keeps that promise for only two hours when she comes upon a scene that compels her to break it. A man is about to be murdered in the feud between the MacKennas and the MacHughs. Gabrielle's arrow flies true, and she and her men take the beaten man to the abbey where only two monks are let into her secret involvement.

Laird Colm MacHugh is impressively large, fierce in aspect but ruggedly handsome nevertheless. He inspires respect in his allies, devotion from his clan, and well-deserved fear in his enemies. When word eventually reaches him that his brother Liam is badly wounded and being cared for in Arbane Abbey, he's determined to find out who nearly killed him and whose arrow killed his would-be murderer.

SHADOW MUSIC is full of conflict: political, personal...and mortal. Death at the hands of another among the Highland clans is a fairly common occurrence. The cause might be greed over land and cattle, but it's just as likely to be an insult, real or imagined, for pride might be the only thing found in abundance other than the beauty of the area. As events fall out, Gabrielle and Colm are forced into an alliance. Now, Colm expects, and gets, immediate obedience from everyone and is shocked when it's not forthcoming from Gabrielle. Besides, she's a distraction he cannot afford. You just know that a man of such control will be a passionate lover once he lets go. Because Gabrielle keeps her part in saving Liam a secret, Colm badly underestimates her for a time. And those realities from which Gabrielle has been so sheltered? She faces them courageously...except, perhaps, that of man/woman relations. They make her very nervous.

There are many villains in SHADOW MUSIC but many delightful characters as well. Julie Garwood writes with humor and sympathy for the latter, while satisfying our thirst for justice in the case of the former. The plot is complex and entirely riveting.

Among the friends and allies of the MacHugh is Brodick Buchanan, hero of Ms. Garwood's RANSOM, reissued in 2003. Brodick is an ancestor of the Buchanan brothers, stars of her contemporary romantic suspense novels, HEARTBREAKER, MERCY, and THE MURDER LIST. Their sister Jordan joined her brothers last year with a story of her own, SHADOW DANCE, in which she meets a descendant of the villainous MacKennas. SHADOW DANCE is out this month in paperback; you'll find its review in this issue.

Anyone, historical romance or modern romance reader, who is not a Julie Garwood must not have read her.

Jane Bowers