Dark suspense kissed with whimsy.
A year has passed since Amalina Dalca was abducted from the small village of Korr and forced to do the bidding of the menacing Count of Ardeel. While contact with her villagers, including her father and best friend, has been strictly forbidden, Amalina has had plenty of other clandestine activities to occupy her curious young mind. On an ambiguous assignment from the bloodlusting Master, Ms. Dalca parades around neighboring kingdoms posing as a princess, gathering information for the demanding Count. The travels introduce her to sights, sounds, foods, customs and friendships she’s never known before. A girl could get used to a life like this, if only her captor didn’t have the pesky habit of murdering innocent villagers and feasting on their blood. An innocent errand in a nearby town puts the girl in contact with some friendly faces from the past. Only, the friendliness is gone and the fire of revenge now burns in their hearts. With no choice but to work as a double agent, Amalina must carefully weigh her allegiances while deciding if she can trust anyone to defeat the powerful count of Ardeel.
Amalina and the Palace of Pleasure is the second delightful Episode in The Count at Play & Slaughter Series. Building on all the suspense from the first book, Palace of Pleasure zooms out and encompasses more of the neighboring towns, their fears, their egos and their long-hidden dark secrets. Every book ever written holds its own unique fiber and fabric, perhaps slick like silk or soft like velvet. But C.L. Holmes writes in so many textures, colors and layers that it’s impossible to settle on just one feel or mood. The rough horror angle is covered by the ever enigmatic and predictably erratic Count and other nefarious characters. The narrative voice sketches images that are intense and detailed, but slightly clinical, adding just the right amount of emotional detachment to some graphic moments. But the book’s softer tenor can be felt in the detailed relationships, particularly between Amalina and the curmudgeonly and unerringly loyal Genadie. If you enjoy dark suspense kissed with whimsy, you’ll love Amalina’s story. Dressing up horror with panache and aplomb, Amalina and the Palace of Pleasure is a must-read.
