Over the years, the agent of the crown best known as the Devil of Dorset has successfully assumed many different identities in the pursuit of justice. So when Lord Preston Bellamy, the Devil of Dorset's current cloaking persona, crosses paths with Francesca Cavendish, Countess of Mont Claire, Preston instinctively knows the lady is keeping secrets from him, including her own real identity. Like Preston, Francesca is in disguise and on a mission, but hers is one of vengeance. Francesca wants to locate the person or persons responsible for the event known as the Mont Claire Massacre. No one is going to distract her from doing whatever she must to see to it that justice is served, not even a man as devilishly sexy as Preston. Danger, duplicity, and desire are the potent main ingredients from which Byrne forges the enthralling conclusion to her flawlessly written Devil You Know trilogy (How to Love a Duke in Ten Days, 2019; All Scot and Bothered, 2020), each of which will be literary catnip for readers who crave delectably dark, achingly romantic love stories.

A quest for revenge reunites childhood friends in Byrne's explosive finale to the Devil You Know trilogy (after All Scot and Bothered). In 1872, young Pippa Hargrave narrowly escapes the massacre of her family, friends, and childhood crush, Declan Chandler, at the hands of the Crimson Council, a secret society with ties to the occult. Believing herself to be the only survivor, Pippa assumes the identity of wealthy, titled Francesca Cavendish, her late best friend, and sets her sights on vengeance. Twenty years later, Francesca uses her free rein in London society to dig up dirt on the Council, seducing powerful men only to drug them and scour their homes for secrets while they are passed out. But unbeknownst to Francesca, Declan is still alive, now a spy for the Crown and a master of disguise. Skeptical of the woman claiming to be Francesca, his teenage infatuation, he's determined to learn her secrets. But as they grow closer, they recognize one another as kindred spirits and join forces to bring down their enemies. Headstrong leads, sizzling sex scenes, and dastardly villains will suck readers in, and series fans will be pleased to see some familiar faces. This is a worthy finale. (Mar.)