Beauty Like the Night

The Spymaster Series, Book 6

By: Joanna Bourne

Narrated by: Kirsten Potter

Length: 9 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

Severine de Cabrillac, orphan of the French Revolution and sometime British intelligence agent, has tried to leave spying behind her. Now she devotes herself to investigating crimes in London and finding justice for the wrongly accused.

Raoul Deverney, an enigmatic half-Spaniard with enough secrets to earn even a spy's respect, is at her door demanding help. She's the only one who can find the killer of his long-estranged wife and rescue her missing 12-year-old daughter.

Severine reluctantly agrees to aid him, even though she knows the growing attraction between them makes it more than unwise. Their desperate search for the girl unleashes treason and murder...and offers a last chance for two strong, wounded people to find love.

©2017 Joanna Watkins Bourne (P)2017 Tantor

Wow! Great story with an equally great narration!

Joanna Bourne is extremely talented. This was the first time I've listed to one of her novels and Kirsten Potter, the narrator, was mesmerizing.

Another excellent adventure

Sorry to see the series end. I love Ms. Bourne’s style. Kirsten Potter does an excellent job of managing the character voices the ironic narration. I hope JB is continuing to write. Her books are a major cut above the rest of the genre.

A worthy continuation to an excellent series

This latest book in the Spymaster series lives up to its prequels and is an excellent addition. Although the story is a standalone, if it's read after the other books, the reader will recognize the characters and know their background, stepping into a familiar world of the British Intelligence Service agents known from before. The heroine of this book is Severine de Cabrillac, orphan of guillotined French aristocrats, who was introduced as a child in The Forbidden Rose, and became the adopted daughter to the protagonists of that book, Doyle and Marguerite. The time setting is a few years after the end of the Napoleonic wars, in which Severine had worked as a spy for Military Intelligence in Spain. Now, tired of the hard reality of war, death and betrayal, she is working in London as a private investigator, mostly helping the innocent and downtrodden - occasionally helping out her father and the British Intelligence Service. A strange man, Raoul Deverney, asks for her help to find the daughter of his estranged wife, disappeared after the wife was murdered - but he seems to suspect Severine to be involved in the crime somehow. Shadows from the time of war, an assassination attempt on Wellington and attacks against Severine and her family all seem to be connected somehow, and Raoul Deverney seems to also be at the center of events. Is he an ally or an enemy? Can they ignore their mutual attraction while working together reluctantly but with growing admiration for each other?
As always in Joanna Bourne's books, the espionage/intrigue is intricately constructed and the investigation is exciting and adventurous. Intelligence agents are somewhat in the background, but both the father/daughter relationship of Doyle and Severine, and the friendship between Adrian and Severine is wonderfully drawn. I loved how Raoul gradually came to trust Severine and realized his mistake of rejecting the daughter who was probably born of an adulterous leaison of his wife. The scene of forgiveness and acceptance between Raoul and his daughter at the end was one of the best scenes in the whole book - poignant and sincere. Severine also had to allow her own wounds to heal and open herself up to love and commitment with Raoul.
As with the previous books, the audio edition is excellent, Kirsten Potter as narrator brings the story to life, grasping the emotions of the characters, the subtle humor, the different voices and accents, the tension, the tender and passionate relationship between hero and heroine.
I recommend any romance/espionage fans to start with the beginning of Joanna Bourne's Spymaster stories and go on until this masterful last book of the series. You won't be disappointed!

Wonderful ending

This was a wonderful ending to the series. I really enjoyed the whole story and the characters. It does make you hope for more from all of these wonderful characters, but alas, I think this is the end. This book could be standalone, but I recommend starting at the beginning. Some people suggest listening to these books in chronological order instead of the order in which the author intended. I suggest listening to it. the way the author intended first. it’s definitely worth it, I think, if I listen again in the future, I will do chronological order. Since I already know all of the characters and all of the stories.
As far as this book goes, I love that the story isn’t driven by the love story, but by the intrigue and espionage. As always, I wish for a little bit more steam but that’s my preference. These two characters were very hot together and it would’ve been good to enjoy more of their chemistry.

I Love This Author and This Series

I enjoy this series every time I listen to it. I discovered Jo when her first book came out and I’ve read them all with great enjoyment. The prose is so tight and expressive that you feel like you are present as the story unfolds. I drive between south Texas and Arkansas every three months. I always listen to these stories. Thank you Jo for many hours of pleasure.

Highly recommended.

Excellent story by terrific author and narrated superbly. This book is part of a series, and I highly recommend each book in the series.

As good as the rest

made me start the series all over for the 4th time.
Incredible story All around favorite series

Fun story

Enjoyable read, though characters sounded and acted like modern characters, so you have to be ready to suspend credibility. There’s a lively plot that involves a spunky child. Inexplicable choice of a narrator who does American snark much better than accents.

Smart and Sexy

I love this series. It has been a joy to follow these smart and sexy characters through the series. Will be waiting for more!

Heartwarming romance.

Adored this story, from characters to the plot, but the romance of it just shines through and through. Oh, and let us not forget the action! There’s a lot of it and all of it is very exciting and nail biting.

I had the pleasure to read this story as an ARC and also listen to it on my Audible. Both were equally impressive.

I highly recommend you either listen to it or read it. You’ll love it!

Melanie for b2b