Taking advantage of people's common perceptions of underestimating women, the Marquess of Lynsley had both a sharp eye for talent and a brilliant idea when he founded Mrs. Merlin's Academy for Select Young Ladies. Rescuing bright and resourceful female orphans from the slums of London, he was able to train, direct and mold them in this secret academy and the brightest of them became Merlins or top spies for the British government.

While Sofia preferred to spend her time in field training, her natural grace and beauty made her the perfect fit to become the Contessa Sofia Constanza Bingham della Silveri and easily make her entry into London's Ton. Lord Lynsley had even secured the services of Lord Deverill Osborne, a man known to be the darling of the Society ladies, to help launch her by escorting her to parties and gaining entry to the best establishments.

While Deverill knew all the honeyed words that made most women drool, his efforts to engage Sofia met with a cold and surprisingly athletic shoulder. For all his laissez- faire ways, Deverill had a sharp and well-trained mind and he quickly realized that things were not quite as they seemed. Noticing that Sofia seemed attracted to the scoundrel De Winton and when he reported that to Lynsley, he was stunned when the Marquess didn't seem to mind. In fact, when the Marquess almost openly dismissed him after his warning of how dangerous this could be for Sofia's reputation, Deverill knew something sinister was involved.

Meanwhile, Sofia is disconcerted about how she reacts to Lord Osborne and how his kisses made her feel. Despite all her training, she had no instructions on handling this new emotion. Determined not to blow her mission, she continues to give him the cold shoulder. But, would Deverill's attempts to unmask Sofia interfere with her investigative work in finding out who was in the group that had plotted the murder of the Duke of Sterling's grandson? Would his efforts to save her end up killing her?

Andrea Pickens has written a suspenseful and intriguing Regency Romance that will leave readers gratefully turning pages into the wee hours of the morning. Her characters are wonderfully unusual, well sketched and fit in appropriately with the action and the strong story line. It is terrific as a stand-alone read, but as I was so impressed with THE SCARLET SPY, I am definitely going to read the first two books in this trilogy, The Spy Wore Silk and Seduced by a Spy. THE SCARLET SPY is so action-packed, it would make for a terrific movie! Definitely check it out!

Book Summary

They were once orphans from London's roughest slums. Now they are stuidents of Mrs. Merlin's Academy for Select Young Ladies, learning the techniques of spying and seduction. Bold, beautiful, and oh-so-dangerous, they are England's ultimate secret weapons...

The most ladylike of "Merlin's Maidens," Sofia possesses a natural grace and grandeur to go along with her deadly arsenal of martial skills--which makes her the perfect choice for a dangerous assignment to investigate rumors of government corruption. She must spin through the glittering ballrooms of Mayfair and the sinister back alleys of the city in search of the truth. One misstep on her part could prove fatal as she works to unravel the tangled web of deceit...but keeping the sinfully sexy Deverill Osborne at arm's length is a real test of her mettle. Handsome, witty and charming, Osborne is the darling of the ton. So when he is asked by the Marquess of Lynsley to introduce a lovely young Italian contessa into Society, he is only too happy to oblige...however he soon has suspicions about the contessa. W hen he catches her stealing valuables from a gentleman's study, should he believe the worst? Or should he trust the tantalizing murmur of her words...and the sultry, sensuous whispers of her body. To unmask the conspirators, Sofia and Osborne will overcome hidden dangers, including their own growing passion...which may be the most dangerous force of all.