I thought this was better than the previous books (with exception of maybe the novella). It was interesting because in all the previous novels, it dealt with a rescue of "mad" women from an asylum. This novel dealt with the healing of a "mad" man, swallowed by his grief and turning willingly to opium to fend off his grief. I thought the recovery process was interesting and a lot of good advice was imparted for dealing with grief. I enjoyed this third installment in the Mad Passions series. Claremont intrigued us with the Powers, the hero, in the last book so I was anxiously waiting for this one. It was a satisfying story dealing with difficult emotional issues. Perhaps the issues were resolved a little too quickly, but there is a limit to how long readers want to wait for a resolution. Nice writing and good depth of characterization make this a very good read.
What do You think about The Dark Affair (2014)?
Very different but loved it. I felt like things got wrapped up way too quick though.
—booklover