DUKE OF SIN Maiden Lane, Book 10

Narrator Ashford McNab portrays the uncertainty that Valentine Napier, the Duke of Montgomery, feels as he falls in love with his housekeeper, Bridget Crumb, who was born out of wedlock to an aristocratic mother. McNab convinces listeners that the despicable duke, hungry for power to the point of blackmailing the royal family, has hidden depths and motivations that will redeem him. Bridget’s deferential remarks to the duke contrast nicely with her growing feelings for him as they join forces to deal with secrets in both their lives. McNab could have conveyed the duke’s “honeyed menace” without the nasal quality she gives him and other characters. But as McNab reveals Val’s act of redemption, listeners will rejoice in the powerful connection created between two unlikely lovers. C.A. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2016]