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Nightwalker
Dead of Night
Cassie was alone in the old mansion when the lights went out. Then three knocks on the heavy front door resounded through the house. Lashed by rain, Justin Drake stood at her doorstep. A sudden bolt of lightning illuminated the dark form of the man who had come to exact the revenge he had promised — her seduction.
But soon strange events began to occur, and Cassie wondered if she had tumbled into a nightmare. Was Justin the protector he now claimed to be . . . or was she fatally drawn to the instrument of her own destruction?
Cassie was alone in the old mansion when the lights went out. Then three knocks on the heavy front door resounded through the house. Lashed by rain, Justin Drake stood at her doorstep. A sudden bolt of lightning illuminated the dark form of the man who had come to exact the revenge he had promised — her seduction.
But soon strange events began to occur, and Cassie wondered if she had tumbled into a nightmare. Was Justin the protector he now claimed to be . . . or was she fatally drawn to the instrument of her own destruction?
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 1, 1984
2 people are currently reading
257 people want to read
About the author
Stephanie James
48 books150 followersJayne Ann Castle was born on 28 March 1948 in Borrego Springs, California. Her mother, Alberta Castle, raised her with her two brothers, Stephen and James. In 1970, she obtained a B.A in History at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and later she obtained a Masters degree in Library Science from San Jose State University, where she met Frank Krentz, an engineer. After her graduation, they married and moved to the Virgin Islands. She worked in the Duke University library system, where she began to write her first romance novels. The marriage moved to Seattle, Washington, where they continue living.
Now, Jayne Ann Castle Krentz with her seven pennames is considered a pillar in the contemporary romance genre. For some years, she only uses three pennames for each of three different periods from time: "Jayne Ann Krentz" (her married name) from the present, "Jayne Castle" (her birth name) from the future and her most famous penname: "Amanda Quick" from the past. She is famous for her work ethic, beginning her writing by 7 am six days a week. Her heroins never are damsels in hardships, they are often heroes. Her novels also contain mystery or paranormal elements.
Enthusiastic of the romantic genre, she has always defended its importance. To help educate the public about the romantic genre she became the editor and a contributor to Dangerous Men and Adventurous Women: Romance Writers on the Appeal of the Romance, a non-fiction essay collection that won the prestigious Susan Koppelman Award for Feminist Studies. She established the Castle Humanities Fund at UCSC's University Library to allow the library to purchase additional books and has given money to 15 Seattle-area elementary schools to enhance their library budgets. She is also a member of the Advisory Board for the Writers Programs at the University of Washington extension program.
Psuedonyms:
Jayne Ann Krentz
Amanda Quick
Jayne Castle
Jayne Bentley
Jayne Taylor
Amanda Glass
Now, Jayne Ann Castle Krentz with her seven pennames is considered a pillar in the contemporary romance genre. For some years, she only uses three pennames for each of three different periods from time: "Jayne Ann Krentz" (her married name) from the present, "Jayne Castle" (her birth name) from the future and her most famous penname: "Amanda Quick" from the past. She is famous for her work ethic, beginning her writing by 7 am six days a week. Her heroins never are damsels in hardships, they are often heroes. Her novels also contain mystery or paranormal elements.
Enthusiastic of the romantic genre, she has always defended its importance. To help educate the public about the romantic genre she became the editor and a contributor to Dangerous Men and Adventurous Women: Romance Writers on the Appeal of the Romance, a non-fiction essay collection that won the prestigious Susan Koppelman Award for Feminist Studies. She established the Castle Humanities Fund at UCSC's University Library to allow the library to purchase additional books and has given money to 15 Seattle-area elementary schools to enhance their library budgets. She is also a member of the Advisory Board for the Writers Programs at the University of Washington extension program.
Psuedonyms:
Jayne Ann Krentz
Amanda Quick
Jayne Castle
Jayne Bentley
Jayne Taylor
Amanda Glass
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
June 3, 2023
I missed Stephanie James (aka Jayne Ann Krentz) Silhuette Romances and found "Nightwalker" in my collection of unread stories by her.Wonderful story it was. This author never dissappoints with her romantic imaginations, filled with legends, alpha smitten heroes, strong feminine heroines, cute animals (in this case a cat) and a wannabe OM, stupid villians and no wannabe OW whatsoever. Ah, there was one woman who came onto the hero, but he had ZERO interest and just wanted to look after his heroine. Ah, man made of dreams.
We have the stock broker Cassie Bond blackmailing our Dracula-alike hero Justin Drake, thinking him a gold-digger after her sister`s money. Justin wanting to marry her sister for her status of respect is having none of it and feels angry and humiliated. Much so that he wants revenge, not realizing how sealed their fates are once he steals a kiss from her. Ever since that second, he is hot in pursuit in need of seducing her to be his slave...not realizing all he will ever want is her heart.
One scene i really like is when he gets so mad with lust he breaks his promise of NOT touching her. Poor dude, he had it so bad for her,LOL.
We have the stock broker Cassie Bond blackmailing our Dracula-alike hero Justin Drake, thinking him a gold-digger after her sister`s money. Justin wanting to marry her sister for her status of respect is having none of it and feels angry and humiliated. Much so that he wants revenge, not realizing how sealed their fates are once he steals a kiss from her. Ever since that second, he is hot in pursuit in need of seducing her to be his slave...not realizing all he will ever want is her heart.
One scene i really like is when he gets so mad with lust he breaks his promise of NOT touching her. Poor dude, he had it so bad for her,LOL.
April 21, 2020
"Nightwalker" is the story of Cassie and Justin.
What a great book!
When our heroine warns the hero off her younger sister, she never expects that he would set his eyes on her instead. Having been disillusioned by a man in the past, she is wary of gamblers.. and the hero, who reminds her of Count Dracula, seems the biggest gamble of all.
She ends up in a deserted old mansion for a project with a moody cat, and when the bell rings an ominous tone, she is shocked. The hero has arrived to seduce her! But with a vampire haunting her nightmares, is the hero the man of her dreams, or a supernatural demon trying to scare her?
Fabulous read with a smitten hero, a wary yet strong heroine, a clever feline, loads of gothic gloom, some scares, mystery, really hot lovemaking and HEA.
Absolutely enjoyed this!
Safe for me/SWE for some
4/5
What a great book!
When our heroine warns the hero off her younger sister, she never expects that he would set his eyes on her instead. Having been disillusioned by a man in the past, she is wary of gamblers.. and the hero, who reminds her of Count Dracula, seems the biggest gamble of all.
She ends up in a deserted old mansion for a project with a moody cat, and when the bell rings an ominous tone, she is shocked. The hero has arrived to seduce her! But with a vampire haunting her nightmares, is the hero the man of her dreams, or a supernatural demon trying to scare her?
Fabulous read with a smitten hero, a wary yet strong heroine, a clever feline, loads of gothic gloom, some scares, mystery, really hot lovemaking and HEA.
Absolutely enjoyed this!
Safe for me/SWE for some
4/5
January 29, 2017
Another older one of JK's. It was short as well. Very intriguing though. You get half way through it before the mystery/action begins.
July 15, 2021
CW’s for the book: attempted r*pe of heroine on the page, assault of the heroine on the page, both done by the hero. the word r*pe is frequently in the book as well.
I enjoyed this, but for a few select reasons. The premise was great, I loved the setting, and I loved this for a book written 40 years ago. If this was a book that had been written this year, I’d have hated the hero. On the page the hero assaults the heroine thinking she’s eventually going to give in and enjoy the seduction. Justin only stops when he realizes cassie’s serious because SHE GRABS A LAMP TO HIT HIM OVER THE HEAD WITH (honestly the scene was hard to read but something is kind of hysterical about the dude being such a dumb ass and a dick that it takes a lamp almost to the head for him to realize he’s being not a good dude; I actually started laughing because it was so ridiculous).
Afterwards, the heroine repeatedly reminds him that he essentially tried to r*pe her and he gets all uncomfy and upset with himself which is supposed to make us like him. It’s also jarring for me to be reading these old category romances because in 3/3 of them, r*pe is discussed and/or mentioned which doesn’t happen anymore so there is something to be said about that. these books are having a discussion about r*pe and assault that’s even present within the relationships of the hero and heroine so it’s definitely interesting to try and grapple with what was trying to be accomplished and what it would have accomplished for readers who picked this up 40 years ago. I’ll definitely be going back to try and figure out what it is about it that makes this feel more intentional and thoughtful than insensitive and ignorant because I should be pissed about it, and yet I’m not for some reason.
I don’t know why I like this book as much as I do, but I like it despite its flaws. I even like the hero despite how awful he is. I also enjoyed the scene of Justin going feral on the guy who tried to kill Cassie because I always like hero’s going apeshit.
I want to make it clear I am not at all ok with Justin’s treatment and actions in this book. I enjoyed the book in spite of those things. I wanted to make it clear what’s in the book though for those who would not enjoy this.
I enjoyed this, but for a few select reasons. The premise was great, I loved the setting, and I loved this for a book written 40 years ago. If this was a book that had been written this year, I’d have hated the hero. On the page the hero assaults the heroine thinking she’s eventually going to give in and enjoy the seduction. Justin only stops when he realizes cassie’s serious because SHE GRABS A LAMP TO HIT HIM OVER THE HEAD WITH (honestly the scene was hard to read but something is kind of hysterical about the dude being such a dumb ass and a dick that it takes a lamp almost to the head for him to realize he’s being not a good dude; I actually started laughing because it was so ridiculous).
Afterwards, the heroine repeatedly reminds him that he essentially tried to r*pe her and he gets all uncomfy and upset with himself which is supposed to make us like him. It’s also jarring for me to be reading these old category romances because in 3/3 of them, r*pe is discussed and/or mentioned which doesn’t happen anymore so there is something to be said about that. these books are having a discussion about r*pe and assault that’s even present within the relationships of the hero and heroine so it’s definitely interesting to try and grapple with what was trying to be accomplished and what it would have accomplished for readers who picked this up 40 years ago. I’ll definitely be going back to try and figure out what it is about it that makes this feel more intentional and thoughtful than insensitive and ignorant because I should be pissed about it, and yet I’m not for some reason.
I don’t know why I like this book as much as I do, but I like it despite its flaws. I even like the hero despite how awful he is. I also enjoyed the scene of Justin going feral on the guy who tried to kill Cassie because I always like hero’s going apeshit.
I want to make it clear I am not at all ok with Justin’s treatment and actions in this book. I enjoyed the book in spite of those things. I wanted to make it clear what’s in the book though for those who would not enjoy this.
October 13, 2025
I slowly go through the backlist of Jayne Ann Krentz and I can't believe how bad were these early books written as Stephanie James. One star, quite unreadable.
August 26, 2013
Cassie berusaha membuat justin drake membatalkan courting her sister....
cassie pikir justin is another gold digger yg mau harta warisan adik cassie...
Cassie blackmailed justin, so justin wants revenge...
Revenge nya dengan cara justin akan merayu dan membuat cassie wants him with every desire possible....on bed....wow :p
But cassie afraid of justin, she thinks he is a dracula (kemana2 pake item2 sih hihihi...)
And justin is an ex-casino boss...so he is so dangerous...
What should cassie do ? Merasa takut tapi sekaligus tertarik dengan pesona misterius dan berbahaya justin drake...
Let's read sodara2 :)
cassie pikir justin is another gold digger yg mau harta warisan adik cassie...
Cassie blackmailed justin, so justin wants revenge...
Revenge nya dengan cara justin akan merayu dan membuat cassie wants him with every desire possible....on bed....wow :p
But cassie afraid of justin, she thinks he is a dracula (kemana2 pake item2 sih hihihi...)
And justin is an ex-casino boss...so he is so dangerous...
What should cassie do ? Merasa takut tapi sekaligus tertarik dengan pesona misterius dan berbahaya justin drake...
Let's read sodara2 :)
January 26, 2018
Published in 1984, this book comes closer to later Jayne Ann Krentz quality. Cassie Bond is a character I can enjoy since I have known people very like her. And Justin Drake is a typical Krentz male character, one of the reasons she is my favorite author. Her male characters are seldom sensitive female-thinkers. They tend to be all male, something it is apparently difficult for a female author to get right. Some may complain that Krentz's characters are all alike, but that is what keeps me coming back for re-read after re-read.
October 2, 2012
I didn't like it. Cassie was OK, but this Drake character I couldn't stand. He irked me in a way that I am rarely irked. And it looked like Ms. Krentz wanted to add some other plot than the one connected with love, but she couldn't think of a good idea.
July 28, 2010
it was okay, but this pairing really got on my nerves like you can not believe.
January 4, 2015
A very fun little early Jayne Krentz novel under one of her many names- a bit of mystery & fun romance - added to my collection...
June 5, 2014
3.75 rating...this book was ok.
June 28, 2014
She has a lot o better books
September 14, 2014
I really enjoyed this book. Her characters are always different than expected. I enjoyed all of her 80's books and took them for the era they were in and what was selling.
May 8, 2024
This was very enjoyable. Little mystery, little romance, laughter, and just plain fun. I've read this book 2 times and enjoyed both times. I will be keeping the book and rereading in the future.
April 12, 2024
Its a fast read from having to want to marry the younger sister for respectability , to then seducing the older sister for revenge. not a very believable story. Its an average read.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews