Francesca Cahill/Deadly Books
Dear Readers: I have a confession to make. I never know where my "muse" will take me next. It has been an exciting literary journey--my writing has evolved in many unexpected way, including recently into the realm of powerful and suspenseful contemporary women's fiction, which I shall continue to write under my own name, Brenda Joyce. I have never lost sight, however, of my audience--my historical romance readers, and especially fans of my books featuring the Bragg family. To this day, many of you still clamor for more Bragg books. Well, imagine my surprise when my "muse" prompted me to begin a new historical romance suspense series--and then I realized a Bragg had to be the hero! And so the nom de plume B.D. Joyce was born, and with it, the first book in an ongoing series, Deadly Love . Welcome to the world of Francesca Cahill, crime-solver extraordinaire. Francesca is no ordinary heroine. She refuses to bow to convention, wears her heart on her sleeve, and is determined to right the ills and injustices of society/ Deadly love begins Francesca's mad escapades when the neighbors' little boy is kidnapped right out of his bed during a society ball. It is January 18, 1902. Francesca stumbles across the ransom note just as she meets New York City's newly appointed police commissioner, Rick Bragg. And Fracesca can no more stay out of this investigation than she can stop herself from falling love with the city's determined and powerful police commissioner. But little does she know that on this singular night, he life will change forever. Let me take you back in time to the lost, magical world of turn-of-the-century New York City--where the glittering mansions of society's elite are only footsteps away from the impoverished back alleys of the city'sunderbelly--and into the heart of true danger and even truer passion. Enjoy! Best wishes and Happy Reading, B.D. Joyce (a.k.a. Brenda Joyce)
Brenda Joyce has enthralled millions of readers with her New York Times bestselling novels. Now, join us in the next chapter of her unforgettable storytelling: the Francesca Cahill novels. Step into the glittering world of New York City's high society at the turn of the last century, where murder and pleasure are one and the same, and love becomes the ultimate weapon... Francesca Cahill comes from one of New York's best families. Her mother is a leading socialite, her father, a millionaire. Their expectations for their daughter are simple-- marry well, and soon. But the intrepid and self-styled "Crime-Solver Extraordinaire" has other plans... Francesca discovered she had a penchant for sleuthing when she met Rick Bragg, New York City's powerful and enigmatic Police Commissioner. Together, they solved what was known as the crime of the century. Now, their paths are destined to come together once again, but this time far more dangerously and fatefully. For Francesca is tempted to give in to the desire she and Rick have been resisting. And when Bragg's arch-rival Calder Hart arrives in town, a respectable man is suddenly found dead, and now murder is the name of the game...
As the heiress to a vast fortune amassed by her millionaire father, Francesca Cahill's life should be mapped out for her: find an eligible suitor, marry, and have children. But Francesca is an unconventional young lady who is not about to give up her knack for sleuthing--even though she was almost killed in her last outing... Murder strikes once again in the seamy underbelly of New York's high society, exposing scandalous secrets and unleashing an intense investigation into one of the most brutal crimes the city has ever known. Francesca must join forces with Rick Bragg, New York City's Police commissioner and the mans he cannot resist loving, as their search takes them through a twisted labyrinth of menacing lies, corruption, and a passion that refused to be denied...
The time is turn-of-the-century New York City. Society's elite host glittering balls inside sprawling mansions while outside, the teeming street harbor secrets of their own. New York City's Police Commissioner Rick Bragg has been called upon to investigate a shocking crime. Reluctant to pull Francesca into a case that could be very dangerous, Rick also knows the beautiful and brilliant heiress has a natural ability for sleuthing that could aid him--even it if means working side by side with a woman who tempts him like no other. And so Franscesca and Rick begin a harrowing journey through the squalid underworld of the city that plunges them deeper and deeper in a peril neither could have imagined--and a desire that only continues to grow...
Brenda Joyce's New York Times best-selling novels have thrilled millions of readers. Now, in her latest Francesca Cahill novel, return to the lush mansions and teeming streets of New York City's Gilded Age, where intrigue and seduction lie on every corner... The year is 1902. The place is New York City. A famous stage actress has been found strangled in an artist's studio, and the artist herself has vanished. Francesca Cahill, the city's most unconventional heiress and famous amateur sleuth, is once again on the case-for the murder victim is none other than her brother's mistress. And when the sole witness to the crime is also found strangled and only one clue is left behind-a silk stocking-it becomes evident that a madman is on the loose. Now more than ever, Francesca is determined to find The City Strangler and bring him to justice. But the trail is a twisted one, and she'll need the help of handsome, dynamic Police Commissioner, Rick Bragg-even though she must attempt to end their star-crossed romantic liaison. But now, she also finds herself fending off the advances of his notorious rival, his powerful half-brother, Calder Hart. Ruthlessly pursued by Hart, hopelessly enamored with Bragg, Francesca races against the clock before The City Strangler strikes again, never realizing the consequences that will come when danger and desire become one...
It is March of 1902, and Francesca Cahill-Fifth Avenue heiress, undaunted political activist and intrepid amateur sleuth-has just learned of a grave new danger haunting the streets of New York. A beautiful teenage girl named Emily O'Hare is missing and Francesca fears that the girl has been abducted. Only one person can help her learn the child's fate-but Police Commissioner Rick Bragg may not want to get involved because Francesca has just stunned Rick by accepting a proposal of marriage...from none other than his own rival. Francesca still questions her decision to marry the powerful and notorious Calder Hart. But Rick Bragg is wed to another...and his dazzling wife has just returned after four years abroad to reclaim their marriage. Francesca remains torn between the two very different men-but she desperately tries to set aside the affairs of her heart when she discovers that Emily isn't the first girl to vanish in recent weeks. And when Francesca discovers a trail of deception and lies, when someone very close to her investigation is murdered, Francesca realizes that the evil force behind the girls' abductions may try to find a way to silence her too-if she dares to uncover the truth...
Irrepressible heiress and intrepid sleuth Francesca Cahill moves from her own glittering world of Fifth Avenue to the teeming underbelly of society, a place of pride, passions and sometimes deadly perversion. Despite the misgivings of her fiancé, Calder Hart, Francesca cannot turn away from a threat that is terrorizing the tenement neighborhood of Lower Manhattan. A madman has attacked three women, but while the first two victims survived, the third is found dead. All the victims are impoverished but beautiful IrishwomenandFrancesca fears that her dear friends Maggie Kennedy and Gwen O'Neil could be next. Soon she is working with her former love, police commissioner Rick BraggCalder's half brother and worst rival. But even as Calder's jealous passions leave his relationship with Francesca teetering on the brink, Francesca is frantically on the killer's trail, certain the Slasher will strike again, afraid she will be too late.
Deadly Kisses by Brenda Joyce released on Jan 31, 2006 is available now for purchase.
On the morning of her wedding to Calder Hart, amateur sleuth Francesca Cahill is lured away to a private viewing of a portrait that could destroy her entire family: the nude Hart commissioned of her. Her desperate quest to recover the scandalous portrait leads her into a dangerous trap with no way to escapeuntil it's too late. And when Francesca finally arrives at the church, it's vacant. She has unintentionally jilted Hart at the altar. When Hart tells her their estrangement is for the best, Francesca is devastated. With a blackmailer intent on destroying her reputation, Francesca turns to Rick Bragg, the city's powerful police commissioner. Together they scour the sordid streets of lower Manhattan, following a deliberately laid trail of clues in a race against the clock. And once it becomes clear that Bragg's marriage is failing, Francesca must war with her feelings for him, battle Hart's jealousy and escape a killerall as she fights to win Hart back. But sometimes, passion just cannot be denied .