The Dark Days Club

I've been glued to Alison Goodman's novel The Dark Days Club (#1,160) for the past few days.  It's hard to explain the appeal, since I'm not usually a fan of paranormal romances, but this one pulled me in and wouldn't let go, like the Deceivers in the book.  It's kind of like Buffy the Vampire Slayer Vanquishes the Regency Ballroom.

As the book opens, Lady Helen Wrexham is about to be presented at the Queen's Drawing Room, the event of a Regency-era miss's emergence in the social world of her time.  Brought up by her aunt and uncle, she is also cautioned, never, ever to mention her mother, Lady Catherine, dead these many years.  To her surprise, it is the Queen who mentions her mother.  The ball is now rolling to introduce Lady Helen not only to polite society, but also to a seamy underworld that is slowly becoming apparent to her in new physical powers and perceptions.  

Lord Carlston puts himself in Lady Helen's path, testing her new-found abilities, much to her dismay.  Although a family connection, Carlston's past is scandalous, and only the patronage of the famous Beau Brummell permits him to be received in decent households.

But what if Lady Helen's new powers have a purpose behind them?  What if it is her duty to use these powers to save humanity from the clutches of the Grand Deceiver?  The answer is not revealed in Book One, The Dark Days Club.  I can't wait for the sequel to appear to find out if my guess about the identity of the Grand Deceiver is correct!