THE SECRET HISTORY OF THE PINK CARNATION

While history has unmasked the Scarlet Pimpernel and the Purple Gentian, mystery still surrounds another lesser-known hero, the Pink Carnation. In this refreshing historical romp--strong on history with a healthy dollop of romance--Eloise Kelly, 21st-century Ph.D. candidate, sets about to reveal the true identity of that romantic figure. Through dogged determination, Eloise gains access to a treasure trove of letters and diaries. Narrator Kate Reading slips seamlessly between the diction of present and past. Reading's accomplished voicing, particularly in the novel-within-a-novel, turns the streets of 1890s Paris rank with unimaginable muck, while Josephine's salons glitter with pomp. Reading handles secret assignations, gambling hells, gentlemen's clubs, passionate encounters, torture chambers, and slimy villains with her usual expertise, adding luster to author Lauren Willig's imaginative take on the Napoleonic Era. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE/JULY 05]