Title: The Dark Queen
Author: Susan Carroll
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Genre: Historical Romance
Setting: 16th Century France/Brittany
Published: March 2005
ISBN: 0345437969
Fans: 5 fans
Up for: 2006 RITA for Best Long Historical Romance

I’ve been a fan of Susan Carroll’s ever since I got my hands on her book The Bridefinder some years ago, and I was intruiged when I found out that she was writing a series set in 16th Century France. Like all of her books the story has a paranormal element, and in this series myth and magic is mixed with real facts from history.

Ariane Cheney is the Lady of Faire Isle, a woman in a long line of Wise Women before her. In the eyes of others she may be called such things as a witch, but the true power of the Wise Women is their knowledge. Faire Isle has for a long time been a haven for women who are stronger and less complacent than others, who do not fit as well in with the rest of the world, but since the death of Ariane’s mother she is struggling to keep the peace of their island.

When a wounded stranger appears on the island, Ariane helps him only to find out that he bears a secret about The Dark Queen, which puts them all at risk from the Queen’s wrath since it is not something she will ever want the public to know. Ariane must seek help from the last man she’d ask; the Compte de Renard, a powerful man who has sworn to make her his wife. While attracted to Renard, Ariane is also frightened by him since he is determined and mysterious, never telling much of his past, and his unusual gifts…

But when the Dark Queen sends her Witch Hunters to Faire Isle, Ariane and Renard have no choice but to help each other to save Ariane’s family as well as Faire Isle.

I personally love the mix of myth and history. It mixes the political intruiges of Renaissance France with witchcraft and magic. Queen Catherine de Medici was always rumoured to be meddling with the dark arts, that she was in fact a witch, and even though know we know that not to be true, this book plays with the idea that The Dark Queen was a very powerful witch indeed.

The characters were all very well written, and the story develops well. After reading it I was very impatient to read the following books (featuring more of Ariane’s two younger sisters). I can definitely recommend it to anyone who likes their romance with a touch of magic.

***Susan Carroll is an award-winning author whose books include The Bride Finder, The Painted Veil, and Winterbourne. She lives in Rock Island, Illinois. The other books in the Dark Queen series are titled The Courtesan and The Silver Rose.***