Dead of Night

"Dead of Night" is an anthology of four stories by four bestselling authors, all loosely linked by a dash of the paranormal in their plots. The stories vary widely in tone and theme, from crime to historical romance to family drama, a dip into the varieties of the paranormal romance for readers unfamilar with the genre.

The first story is by mystery stalwart J.D. Robb, aka romance novelist Nora Roberts (a provenance which grabs up a good third of the cover). Set in the futuristic New York City of Robb's popular "In Death" series, "Eternity in Death" details a gritty female cop's encounter with a slippery, seductive killer who may or may not be a vampire. The story draws heavily on the "In Death" backstory, and the supernatural elements here are more subtle than in the other stories, but casual readers will enjoy drawing their own conclusions to the mystery.

The second and third tales, "Amy and the Earl's Amazing Adventure" and "Timeless," are straight-up romance - albeit with a squeeze of time travel, first to Regency England and then to the highlands of medieval Scotland. Both are traditional historical romance settings complete with typical romance trappings (lots of "lairds" and frock coats and frantic embraces), but the characters are charming and the romances pleasantly satisfying.

The final tale, "On the Fringe," begins like a simple tale of domestic drama, but ups the ante with the addition of a magic carpet with the ability to transport its rider into an alternate reality. Perhaps the most complex tale of the four, it is also the most unpredictable, making the reader think a little to figure out what just happened.

All in all, the four stories are perfect lowkey reads for those who like their romance spiced with just a hint of magic.

Books reviewed in this column are available online or at your local bookstore.

(c) 2007 King Features Synd., Inc.