The Mistress Memoirs

Hunter returns to the Boscastle family (The Duchess Diaries) by locating a long-lost black sheep, Sir Colin Boscastle. Colin inserts himself into the household of his former lover, Georgette, now a well-known courtesan, to seek revenge on a vile man who poisoned Colin’s father and is currently supporting Georgette’s lavish lifestyle. To Colin’s surprise, he discovers it is not Georgette with whom he sparks, but rather her children’s governess, Kate Walcott. Kate has spent years painstakingly drafting Georgette’s soon-to-be-published memoirs, so she knows all about Colin’s rakish reputation and attempts to maintain a proper distance rather than giving in to her attraction. This engaging Regency enjoys swift action and amusing scenes—particularly Kate’s efforts to direct home theater starring Georgette’s staff—but Colin’s rationale for spending 13 years seeking his enemy is convoluted and improbable, and occasional purple prose (“His phallus looked like polished wood”) distracts rather than enhancing this lightweight romantic mystery. (Mar.)