Thief of Shadows: Number 4 in series (Maiden Lane, #4)

by Elizabeth Hoyt

When society widow, Lady Isabel Beckinhall, becomes involved with the Home for Unfortunate Infants and Foundling Children, she soon clashes with its manager, Winter Makepeace, whom she finds severely monastic, terribly solemn . . . and quite distractingly intriguing. And Winter does have a secret: at night he transforms into the masked avenger, the Ghost of St Giles.

After the infamous Ghost of St Giles is wounded while rescuing a notorious pirate from the gallows, Isabel has no choice but to hide him from a ravenous mob, though doesn't discover his identity. Winter is haunted by this glimpse of the tender - and sensuous - side of Lady Beckinhall, though he knows that they are too far apart socially to ever be together. But when a relentless dragoon captain begins hunting the Ghost of St Giles, Winter must decide if he can trust his secret, his life - and his heart - to Isabel's hands.

• ISBN10: 0749958146
• ISBN13: 9780749958145
• Publish Date: 26 June 2012 (first published 1 January 2012)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group
• Imprint: Piatkus Books
• Format: Paperback (B-Format (198x129 mm))
• Pages: 384
• Language: English

Reviews

[wyvernfriend]

Winter Makepeace is the staid manager of an orphanage by day and works as the Ghost of St Giles during the night.  Isobel Baroness Beckinhall has a combative relationship with him but she finds herself attracted to the Ghost and then to him and eventually they find a way to have a good relationship.

[Angie]

Thief of Shadows is definitely my favorite of the series thus far! Winter just made my heart all aflutter. And Isabel is exactly the type of heroine I love to read about! When it starts, Isabel has just stumbled upon the Ghost of St. Giles bleeding in the road. There’s a mob, since he just saved Micky from hanging (it picks up immediately after Scandalous Desires), so she has her coachmen scoop him up and head for home. There she tends to his injuries, but never unmasks him. But then she meets with Winter Makepeace at the orphanage and something about him is quite familiar….

Obviously, Winter is the Ghost. It’s in the description and we’re told it at the end of the previous book. Thief of Shadows tells us exactly how he came to be this masked crusader, and each chapter has an excerpt from the legend behind his character. I loved that Isabel isn't shocked or appalled about Winter’s double life, and that it doesn’t drag on forever. This is not a case of no one knowing Clark Kent is Superman just because he’s wearing glasses. Isabel puts the pieces together and is glad that the man she has feeling for is also the same strange, masked man that she has an undeniable attraction to.

My favorite part of Thief of Shadows was how sex was handled. This should surprise no one. Isabel is originally tasked with giving Winter lessons in manners and how to navigate polite society now that the orphanage is gaining esteem. If he doesn’t learn how to interact, he’ll lose his life’s work. Of course, Isabel instructs him in much more than just how to bow and give compliments. Winter has zero experience with the ladies, and Isabel is not shy about admitting that she enjoys sex, and to hell with anyone who will judge her! This makes for many heart fluttering moments and Winter is just so darn adorable!

Thief of Shadows just has many, many little things that I absolute adored that all added up to one great story. Winter is more than just a simple man and more than just the Ghost of St. Giles. He knows what he wants and will go after it! He will not let Isabel use his age and lower station to push him away! And then that ending! What?! This series just keeps me wanting to read more!

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.

[Cocktails and Books]

Isabel a Baroness who has picked up charity work to fill some of her time and get out of the house, she joins a group with other society women, that are trying to help an orphanage in St. Giles a very bad part of London.


Winter Makepeace the manger of the orphanage cares very deeply for the children of St. Giles wanting to keep them safe. Makepeace seems to be just a boring manger but he doubles as the ghost of St. Giles.


Isabel is sent to view the new orphanage building that her and the other ladies of the group had sponsored. After meeting with Makepeace the women decide that he needs to be taught how to interact with high society people, that way he reflect well on the woman who are sponsoring him and the orphanage. And to also be able to find other sponsors. Makepeace has a hard time gaining the sponsors approval on his behavior and manners. And he also doesn't really want to be able walk and talk in society. Wanting to help the people of St. Giles.


The interactions between all the character is well written. I really enjoyed the secondary characters as well, they were well written and seemed to real life in them and the main characters.


The interactions between Isabel and Makepeace were very interesting, they were both blowing hot and cold at each other. The romance between the two took awhile to get off the ground. But there was definitely chemistry between the two.


Thief of shadows was an amazing book the story was well written and i felt drawn in and apart of their lives while reading this! I now want to read the rest of the Maiden Lane Series!


I give the Thief of Shadows five cocktails!