Black Rainbow

By Barbara Michaels

Set in the turbulent North of England during the Crimean War, Black Rainbow is a thrilling Gothic romance by New York Times bestseller Barbara Michaels.

When Megan O’Neill arrives at Greyhaven Manor one moonlit night, an ominous black rainbow hangs in the sky. It seems like a sinister warning to stay away, but her fears are soon banished by the warmth and kindness of the aristocratic Mandeville family – and her growing obsession with her handsome, mysterious new employer blinds her to the darkness within . . .

But the price of desire is more than she could ever have imagined. And the shocking secrets enclosed in Grayhaven's walls threaten to pull Megan into the terrifying shadows, never to emerge again.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pan Macmillan
• Release date: Sep 7, 2017
• ISBN: 9781509848423

Barbara Michaels

Elizabeth Peters (writing as Barbara Michaels) was born and brought up in Illinois and earned her Ph.D. in Egyptology from the University of Chicago's famed Oriental Institute. Peters was named Grandmaster at the inaugural Anthony Awards in 1986, Grandmaster by the Mystery Writers of America at the Edgar® Awards in 1998, and given The Lifetime Achievement Award at Malice Domestic in 2003. She lives in an historic farmhouse in western Maryland.

Reviews for Black Rainbow

[jean_sexton-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Black Rainbow is a prequel to Someone in the House. If you read it in publication order, then you will watch the foreordained dance and have additional layers of enjoyment. If not, you still have a rather nice piece of historical fiction. Note that the novel is not romantic suspense or gothic romance as usually Barbara Michaels writes, but is well written and thought provoking. One character lets us see the time through a more modern glass, but it doesn't feel too out of place. Still the bit of "preachiness" about the upper class and women during the time moved it down a notch to 4.5 stars. If you are looking for romantic suspense or a gothic, don't pick this book as you will not enjoy it. If you are willing to let it stand on its own merits as historical fiction, then give it a whirl.

[carlyrose · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I agree with the previous reviewer--not bad, not good, just middling. The romance was very off stage, so much so that I ended up feeling confused how the heroine went from "I don't think you're worthy of notice" to running off. Also the dual POV was a bit choppy, and at the end I was frustrated that the shallow heroine ended up finding love, and the stronger heroine was completely embittered towards men.

[elentarien · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I really can't say I liked this one much. It just. . .seemed to lack. It started out strong, kept me interested until it changed point of view, but then it sort of lost momentum. The story started to drag. It also lacked the 'suspense' I was hoping for in this style of novel. The romance was. . .pretty absent. Hinted at, but you don't get to follow it. I also found the main character (Megan) a bit empty-headed. She wasn't *bad*, just. . .seemed kind of shallow. Particularly after the change in POV. Jane was better but her parts dragged far more. I found the plot was also stretched over too much time. There was too much 'summary' of things developing over several years, which did not help with the suspense. The end. . .well, what can I say? It worked. The innocent characters are left to go on. But there was no 'satisfaction' really for the reader. It was not a 'happily ever after', it was not a 'it all works out'. It was more. . .twisted, really. All in all. . .I did NOT care for this one