Betina Krahn The Book of the Seven Delights

The Book of the Seven Delights

Betina Krahn

Jove, Jul 2005, $7.99, 336 pp.

ISBN: 0515139726

In 1899, American librarian Abigail Merchant obtains a job with the prestigious British Museum due to the influence of her estranged scholarly father. However, the chauvinist management has problems with a female working in a museum so they assign her to the basement to catalogue the zillion donations received over the decades. Though upset with the position Abigail accepts it as a foot in the doorway.

After several of weeks monstrous monotonous classifying, Abigail uncovers the suitcase given to the library by Professor Thaddeus Chilton five decades ago. Inside is scholarly information that provides clues to where someone could find the remains of the ancient Library of Alexandria destroyed by the Romans. Abigail travels across the Mediterranean towards Casablanca on the Star of Persia, but becomes ill. The crew refuses to deal with an infidel female, so passenger Apollo Smith nurtures her back to health. In Northern Africa they follow clues but others wait to steal any artifacts they find while even worse problems plague them as rogue legionnaires want them dead.

Readers who treasure strong female protagonists starring in historical romantic suspense thrillers will take immense delight in Betina Krahn's fabulous late Victorian tale. The storyline starts off by introducing the audience to the intrepid, energetic but bored Abigail struggling to escape the restraints the chauvinistic English scholarly-library community imposes on women regardless of experience, education, or intelligence. The plot abruptly picks up speed at sea and becomes hyperspeed in Africa where the two lead characters go from one escapade to another while falling in love.

Harriet Klausner