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As long as there is an Anne Rice, there are going to be authors gunning for her spot on the bestseller lists. Come on, poor V.C. Andrews has been dead for years and writers are still trying to knock her down and become king of the hill. (With a stranglehold like that on the market, they could probably sell blank books if one of those names was on the cover.) If anyone has ever had a legitimate chance to surpass the queens of gothic, steamy horror, Paulette Crain might just be the one.

Let's lay out the ingredients. Gorgeous, mysterious men and breathtakingly lovely women. Huge, sumptuous mansions. Lots and lots of money. Dark secrets from murky pasts. Bushels of every variety of sex. And, most importantly, unnatural urges. If I've left anything out it is my faulty memory; I'm sure it's in there.

DeLore is a dashing, wealthy man who you know before you've finished the dust jacket has only arrived on the scene to ruin life for everyone. Ashley Winthrop is the beautiful interior designer he wants, and also wants to decorate his new home. What a coincidence! His home is known as the old DeLore House. What are the chances? He won't even have to change the name on the mailbox.

Of course, despite any half-wit's better judgement, Ashley falls for DeLore in a big way. Actually, just about everyone in that area code falls under his spell. But why? What hold does he have on the people around him?

Read on and you will find out. Just prepare yourself for a pretty hefty suspension of disbelief. And some mind-boggling coincidences.

Here's the usual warning: This book is not YA fare. Keep the young and impressionable far away.

Here's a first-time warning: You might want to keep a scratch pad on hand to jot down some helpful notes. (You'll thank me for the suggestion.) This is the kind of plot that is much enhanced by the addition of a flow-chart. Relationships, names, places, and times become remarkably confusing toward the end of the novel. After all, a book of this type is boring if it isn't byzantine. Sometimes, readers are looking for a labyrinth to get lost in, to give them a bit of a scare. And, if everything isn't clear by the end, hold on for the upcoming prequel.

So, there is a viable new contender for the title of queen of darkness. Should those at the top of the heap be concerned? Well, look at it this way: this is Crain's first novel. Presumably, she will continue to perfect her craft. If she hit so close to the mark on her debut... well, I'd keep an eye on her.

Lisa DuMond writes science fiction and humour. She co-authored the 45th anniversary issue cover of MAD Magazine. Previews of her latest, as yet unpublished, novel are available at Hades Online.