The Dark Lord

Historian and scholar Dr. Rae Lambers, on a pleasure trip to Egypt, makes the discovery of her life, and unknowingly unleashes a long-buried danger upon the earth. Her life has been marked by pain, grief, and loss; her physical condition has taught her to live with agony, and the abuse she suffered at the hands of her stepfather has marked her irreparably. Even her love life has been fraught with anguish, but on the flight home from her trip, she meets Simeon, a man who will change her life forever.

Michael Gregory’s father Thomas is dead, and Michael is not sure what is worse - that he claims not to care or the fact that Thomas has willed half of his house to Rae. Michael and Rae have a long and troubled history together, and they spit and sputter at each other out of the hurt they have caused and received. And then desire takes hold of them, making the frustrations of their past pale in the flames of their passion for each other.

Devastatingly handsome Simeon wants Rae to marry him, to share his life, his incredible wealth, and more. He is almost too good to be true; she is overwhelmed and flattered by his attentions. Rae is on the receiving end of Simeon’s romantic gestures and it feels good to be the center of attention for a change. She’s always been the plain, sickly, unattractive one, the one firmly hidden in her vivacious sister’s shadow.

Patricia Simpson’s The Dark Lord spins readers into a whirlwind paranormal feast for the senses. The plot is fast-moving and tight; her villain is wicked to the core, and sent shivers up and down my spine. I simply couldn’t put this book down, and greedily devoured it all in one sitting. I loved the supporting characters; Rae’s sister Angela and psychic Maren Lake added authenticity, depth and warmth to this tale. Rae comes a long way in this work, both in the way she sees herself and the way that she projects herself to others. Her knowledge, her hidden talents, and all of her power and skill will be needed to take a chance on love and defeat the insidious evil she has unloosed.

I was much encouraged at the hints toward another novel in this series; the Forbidden Tarot demands more stories, as will readers. I’ll be picking up the next book by Patricia Simpson!

Reviewed by: Michelle