Monkeys, Sharks and Snakes, Oh My! Creatures of Noble Assassin

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Noble Assassin is set in the Caribbean, so naturally, we think of sunsets, bright flowers, sandy beaches and benign surroundings.

The story is set on an imaginary island near St. Kitts. So, yes, there are sandy beaches, and tropical flowers, brilliant sunsets, and . . . snakes.

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The hero of our story, Ambrose, has a cottage on the edge of the sea. Behind the cottage is jungle brush and a large, long lagoon.  He has pets in his backyard paradise.  There is a group of Vertvet Monkeys, or Green Monkeys as they are often called. Ambrose, our bad guy hero, has trained one among them to come when he calls. Titus Andronicus  (Shakespeare, a dark story full of nasty murders) is the name our noble assassin has given his pet. Titus will sit on his shoulder and let him feed him by hand. Meet Titus

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The tropical landscape is beautiful of course, with vibrant blooms and green jungle foliage. There are parrots, and butterflies, lizards, and snakes. Tarantula's also live here, but don't make too much of a showing in our story.  The nine year old twin boys in the story like to play with small lizards. Well, boys will be boys, after all.

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Ambrose also has pets in his backyard lagoon. Two tiger sharks swam in one day, infant sharks that slipped through the coral barrier. Ambrose kept feeding them, and made a barrier so they could not escape. The lagoon is fed fresh ocean water with the tides. He's named his two pet sharks, now nearly fully grown, Louis and Maria, after the French King and his queen who were executed by guillotine during the French Revolution. He's showing his sentimental side in the choice of names.

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These darlings are more than pets, they also provide backyard surveillance so that he's not attacked in the night by enemies trying to land in the lagoon. And land they do! Crunch, Crunch.

His monkey tribe also serves as an alarm system, as they screech warning whenever intruders enter their backyard habitat.  Ambrose is adept at using the tools at hand as weapons or defense mechanisms, you see.

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Other creatures on the island that make an appearance in the book are jungle snakes.  Yes, snakes play an integral part of the rescue event at the end of the story. Couldn't resist as my Gothic side kicks in. Dark Hero, the first book in the series is a Gothic Romance set in the Caribbean. Noble Assassin also has Gothic elements, such as a brooding hero, a woman in danger, an isolated estate and a sometimes forbidding atmosphere.


Most of the snakes on the island of St. Kitts and the mirror island of Ravencrest are not poisonous. However, with any rule there is always an exception. But, consider this; if you were confronted with a room with writhing snakes on the floor, would you want to take your chances by walking thru them?

Make no mistake, Noble Assassin is a historical ROMANCE. But it has some suspenseful elements, and a paranormal twist, as most of my romances do. You can pick up a copy this week, just in time for Valentine's Day.  Escape to the Caribbean this winter and enjoy a romantic adventure with Ambrose and Juliet.

Meet Ambrose; Assassin turned Hero

He likes sharp and pointy things!

Writing an assassin as a hero took some work. Ambrose Duchamp cameoed in my first published novel, Dark Hero, as a support character. He frightened the heroine back then, and most of the crew of the hero's ship. He was known as a ruthless sort, the one guy you didn't want to piss off. He spent his time on deck playing with his dagger, showing off his skills to make his mark. This time, he's the hero in the romance. Meet Ambrose Duchamp, former royal assassin, retired pirate, all around bad boy when it comes to crossed swords.  He likes sharp and pointy things, and is remembered from Dark Hero as the man with the sharp dagger at the ready. 

Ambrose escaped France at the start of the Revolution in 1798. After some wild and quite violent adventures in the East Indies as a pirate, he's contentedly spending his days in paradise, given the job of overseeing Ravencrest plantation as the steward for his long time friend. He likes the quiet life, and living on an obscure island plantation in the West Indies. He has a dark past and a heart crushing secret that makes him loathe himself. He's mystified when his housekeeper, Mrs. Fitz, says she worries about him. He hates himself so can't fathom that others would care for him. He believes he does not deserve to be loved. When his friend warns him that Aphrodite will find him regardless of where he hides, and will bring his true love across his path, he scoffs at the idea. 

Juliet, a romantic dreamer

And then, fate knocks on his door in the form of a pretty but shy governess named Juliet. She's the opposite of him, soft, kind, tenderhearted, and naive. She's in danger. She has left England to hide in the Indies. She's asking him to to take an interest in her problems, without telling him the true reason for her flight from England. Should he help her? Why? What has she done that is so horrible that a nobleman would send men on a six week journey to the Indies to find her?  She's hiding something very dark and disturbing and refuses to give him the particulars. She just wants him to protect her without giving him a good reason why she's being stalked by a vile man.

Ambrose is the man to handle a dangerous mission. Dark is his middle name. We're talking about a man who was trained from childhood on a thousand ways to kill and then steal away in the night. A man who keeps sharks in his back yard lagoon as a security measure. Miss Juliet has sought out his valuable services and his honor will not allow him to walk away from a woman in jeopardy. 

But will his heart survive?  

Available Feb. 12th 2016