Darkness Before the Dawn

Maggie Bennett #2

by Anne Stuart

Her irresistible beauty and deadly skills in the martial arts always got her out of the tight spots. But Maggie Bennett couldn't escape a stab of pain and passion when her new partner turned out to be tall, sensual Randall Carter. Once before, his kisses had promised forever - until the morning he'd walked out of her life. Now a thrilling, high-voltage chase after a mysterious spy has led her back into his arms and behind Europe's Iron Curtain, where Maggie and Randall would become desperate players in an electrifying game - ready to break every rule ... in danger and desire.

Genres: Romantic Suspense, Suspense, Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Romantic, Fiction

Paperback

First published February 1, 1987

About the author

Anne Stuart is a grandmaster of the genre, winner of Romance Writers of America's prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award, survivor of more than thirty-five years in the romance business, and still just keeps getting better.

Her first novel was Barrett's Hill, a gothic romance published by Ballantine in 1974 when Anne had just turned 25. Since then she's written more gothics, regencies, romantic suspense, romantic adventure, series romance, suspense, historical romance, paranormal and mainstream contemporary romance for publishers such as Doubleday, Harlequin, Silhouette, Avon, Zebra, St. Martins Press, Berkley, Dell, Pocket Books and Fawcett.

She’s won numerous awards, appeared on most bestseller lists, and speaks all over the country. Her general outrageousness has gotten her on Entertainment Tonight, as well as in Vogue, People, USA Today, Women’s Day and countless other national newspapers and magazines.

When she’s not traveling, she’s at home in Northern Vermont with her luscious husband of thirty-six years, an empty nest, three cats, four sewing machines, and one Springer Spaniel, and when she’s not working she’s watching movies, listening to rock and roll (preferably Japanese) and spending far too much time quilting.

Anne Stuart also writes as Kristina Douglas.

Reviews

[Debbie "Buried in Her TBR Pile" · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Oh my - my heart broke in the very beginning and Maggie isn't handling things well throughout the book. Enter a blast from the past and shocking revelations throughout and the very end. Thank goodness I have all 3 books. I stayed up too late finishing this one and started book 3 right away. No book hangover though - I hope Maggie doesn't hurt herself too bad for being influenced by someone who lied to her often.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

The prologue of this book contained a kick in the gut that I never quite recovered from. Although Anne Stuart is a master of dark heroes, I never really warmed to Randall because of the attachment I'd developed to Mack from the previous book. One very glaring continuity error made me feel anger instead of that somewhat smug feeling you get when you catch a mistake. In my eyes, that error diminished Mack's importance to both Maggie and the author. I'm sure if I had not read them back-to-back I wouldn't have had the visceral reaction I experienced at the beginning of the book.

If you're going to read the Maggie Bennett series, I suggest taking a long break between the first and second books. Take time to step away from the characters or you'll end up resisting Randall out of spite.

[Aarann]

I haven't read these, but to keep myself from spending time on this series, I looked up (and am posting) some spoilers for the end of the third book.

Apparently, there are three books here. The first book has a completely different love interest who is killed off in this one. Blech. This book and the third have this guy, Randall, as the love interest, but sounds like Stuart wasn't interested in an HEA for this heroine with him and he walks away in book 3.

Only pick these up if you want to read an actiony plot and don't care about the romance, Self. (Although I've also seen reviews that indicate that Maggie is one of those heroines who only seems bad-ass until she's actually supposed to demonstrate it on the page.)

[Ada Iaboni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Number 2 of the Maggie series, starts with a prologue that curls your hair!
After that, she is walking around numb for a long time. She meets up with her old flame Randal, after an agent is killed and are forced to work together. Old feelings come back, but trust is hard to regain.
Another fun book that was also kind of predictable but you can't stop yourself reading.

[Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent plot, much better and more tightly constructed than Book One. Maggie Bennett is a great character.

[Virginia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was hard for me as I was heartbroken over Mack and I don’t think this book was as good as the first. The plot was weak and at times just did not make good sense.

[EvilAntie Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent part 2

I just adore marathon reads. Time stops, talking heads are muted and I can enter another world. In this case it is intriguingly complex world of Maggie Bennett.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maggie Bennett has been mourning the lose of her husband and needed to get back to work. But first she thought she'd take a little vacation and visit her sister in Chicago. When her sister tells her there is a dead man in her bathtub, Maggie knows her vacation is over and she'll be spending all her time trying to solve this mystery. What she doesn't count on is a man from her past. Randall Carter was a secret agent who once saved her life, then walked out of it. Now she and Randall must chase after a mysterious spy to find out who has sold secrets to our national security.

I was a little disappointed when I read the first page and found out the hero from the first book had been murdered. But the story was very good and I liked Randall right away. But, beware! This book does not have a "Happily Ever After". Guess we'll have to read the last book in the series for a good conclusion. My rating: 4 Stars.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had the same reaction Brenda had. Was too invested in Mack from book one to ever warm up to Randall's character.