But this book is so fantastic that I am making a special exception for it.

 The book in question is: Silent In The Grave, by Deanna Raybourn:

I picked this up in an airport Waterstones on my way to Washington even though I already had with me a suitcase stuffed full of books. First, I was attracted by the unusual front cover – it is very turquoise. But what really clinched it for me was the way the book begins. It’s the best opening I have ever read and it goes like this:

   “To say I met Nicholas Brisbane over my husband’s dead body is not entirely accurate. Edward, it should be noted, was still twitching upon the floor.”

 Seriously – how can you not want to read on from that?

The book is a historical murder mystery type story but what really made it for me was the generous dash of quirkiness. That and the fact that I want to marry Nicholas Brisbane. And bear his beautiful, brooding, mysterious children. Seriously, though, it seems to be a rare thing nowadays to get a genuinely charismatic, intelligent, sexy, mysterious male lead. They all seem to be one-dimensional cheap Darcy imitations rippling with muscles and oil in a way that makes me feel slightly sick. A leading man should have intelligence and, preferably, a neck that isn’t thicker than his head. This is definitely the case with Nicholas Brisbane.

All in all, the murder mystery works, the romantic tension between Brisbane and Julia Grey works, the humour works and the setting works. Murder, poison, intrigue, a genuinely charasmatic male lead and gypsy curses . . . what’s not to like? It ticked all the right boxes. I also really enjoyed the sequel – Silent In The Sanctuary, and have pre-ordered the third book – Silent On The Moor. I hardly ever do this. The only other books I’ve ever preordered have been Harry Potters but I’m looking forward to it so much that I stuck it in my basket on Amazon even though it’s not even out yet. If the publication date is correct, it should be delivered just before I go on holiday to Las Vegas. Which means that I might have to snap quite viciously at anyone who interrupts me during that flight.