Still of the Night

by Meagan McKinney

When Stella's search for treasure to save her plantation is interrupted by the discovery of wounded undercover U.S. Marshall Garrett Shaw--the object of a manhunt--on her property, she hides him in her house, and as desire flares between them, danger and dark secrets threaten to tear them apart. Reprint.

Genres: Historical Romance, Fiction, Romance

352 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2001

About the author

Ruth Leslie Goodman Roberson (1961), well-known as Meagan McKinney gave up a thriving career as a biologist to become a full-time romance writer. She is author of over 20 critically acclaimed novels. Divorced, she lives with her two children in in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Reviews

[audrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Who would believe," Rose added, trying to perk up Stella, "that three quiet, peaceful women could get involved in such derring-do?"

Synopsis: A modern-day Scarlett has to save the Louisian plantation from drug runners and police corruption while facing lectures on romance from her maiden great aunt and her best friend. Oh, she's also searching Tara for a decades-old hidden treasure.



Stella St. Vallier is the last of the storied and land-rich St. Valliers. She leaves her tenure-track position at the big town university to try to figure out how to make the family's cane-sugaring operation profitable again. Shadow Oaks, the family manse, is filled with fine and decaying furnishings, Stella's maiden aunt Rose, and Rose's loyal companion Maman. Unfortunately, the land outside is filled with unprofitable cane and drug runners from the local titty bar, underwritten by the local good old boy sheriff, who has carried a very weird, very dangerous torch for Stella since high school. Add to this mix a hot, gray-eyed undercover Fed, a missing treasure and a secret room at Shadow Oaks and stand well back.

You know, this is my second romantic suspense outing (I don't know, the Hannaford's barrel tells me lies sometimes, or just throws shiny things at my head) and I have to say, it was pretty darn good. There's a strong h/c vibe for my h/c sisters out there, although one of my two complaints about the book is that there is a lot of hurt and not enough comfort. But hello, y'all know me. I am soft as socks. One of my favorite fanfics last year had puppies in it. Another really was about socks. So there was that.

The other was just that there are a lot of stereotypes in the book; little cardboard cutout characters running around saying cardboard cutout things. The exceptions to this are Rose and Maman. However! In this case, it doesn't actually get in the way of the plot. The plot's fun. It's shallow and fast-moving and...SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE.

Here is the thing: I totally enjoyed this book. I read the first 200 pages in one sitting. There's a lag period around page 250, but overall, this was a fun little read. And by "lag", I mean that the suspense portion overwhelmed the romance and was way too tense for me so I had to sort of fan the pages--now look, we've discussed this. I am socks. But if you are not socks, you'll totally dig this book.

Don't expect great things, but this was quite a good read--especially if you are not a sock.

[Stacie Tyndal · Rating 2 out of 5]

I tried to finish this book but I had to stop. I couldn't take it anymore. The book was written in 2001 but the vocabulary is from 60 years ago I think. There were "surrant" breezes. Whatever that means. When I read a book I don't care for long detailed descriptions of what flowers look like because it usually isn't pertinent to the story. I liked the premise but I couldn't get into the story and Stella was annoying. By Chapter 8 I gave up. I might revisit it at a later date.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story’s setting is wonderful and the story makes you keep reading.

[Andrea Seaver · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the chaos of moving, a small box of books made it to the unpacking table, and this oldie (but not badie) was in there. Since other, more recent, additions to the towering TBR pile were out of reach, Still of the Night found it's way into the reading pile.
Now, I've read it before, and for some reason, I kept it on the shelf instead of passing on or donating, so it must have grabbed me on some level. It is a romanitc suspense, and done very well, McKinney has a lovely turn of phrase, and a knack at character development.
My main reason for not gracing this one with 4 stars, I think, is the predictable, and very convienent, supplying of all the classic baddies, goodies, and plot twists from a multitude of romantic suspense formulas.
Ancestral family home? Check. Dotty old aunt with a tragic past? Check. Corrupt local law? Check. Gusty heroine? Check. Treasure tease? check. Interesting hero? eh.. check.
Stella St. Vallier is an educated, serious woman, on whom the burden of a failing Louisiana sugar plantation has fallen after the recent tragic deaths of her parents. Taking a sabbatical to resolve this, she returns to Shadow Oaks, the aging mansion, occupied by her spinster Aunt Rose and Maman.
Is someone running drugs on her property? Worse, is it her neighbor? A well connected Senator? And who's this new "bouncer" at the local strip joint that Stella can't trust, but seems to be more than he's letting on? Most of all, who can she trust? Can she trust Garrett Shaw, who unbeknownst to her is an undercover marshal?
In Still of the Night we can see the transition in genres from the author, who wrote stellar, eloquent and haunting historical romances prior to the contemporary foray. It isn't bad, but after reading Til Dawn Tames the Night, Garrett Shaw is no Vashon, and their romance seems to leap apace of the situation, even alotting (and even the characters allude to this) for the "wartime romance" headiness.
The characters are all finely drawn, but I was left feeling a bit flat in the nuts and bolts of the plot. Formulatic, I suppose, but her writing lifts it above, with some particular phrases that have a poignancy and staying power.
There may be, for some, a disconnect based on the fact that this was written in 1999. For me, the lack of label mentioning, name dropping and up to the minute tech references was refreshing.

[Erica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Something about this book disappointed me...not enough of a climax, or something. It's entertaining though.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

a bit slow for me in the beginning but once i got past the first 60 pages, i couldn't wait to finish it.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite like a Nora Roberts story - fastpaced mystery, romance, intriguing setting and characters.