The beautiful, wealthy widow, and talented painter, Helena, Lady Hartford is in serious danger. She being sought after by a devious relative of her dead husband, the powerful Bishop of Sissinghurst, who believes her talent for painting and independent lifestyle since his cousin’s death, is out of control in the strict Victorian Era and that she is suffering from hysteria and must be admitted to Bedlam as soon as possible. His true plot to admit her really has more to do with the fact of taking control of her estate and money. Lord Hartford was in debt and the marriage to Helena was arranged for monetary gains and the estate of Lord Hartford is under complete control of Helena after Lord Hartford’s death. The only way the Bishop can get control of the money is to declare Helena insane and have her committed so he can oversee her estate.

Helena lived a life controlled first by her father, a man of trade who wanted his daughter to marry a title, and then an overbearing husband, who worked daily to stifle Helena. She is finally beginning to live a freestyle life, and then discovers she must now fight and run to save herself from the Bishop and admittance to Bedlam. One night while she is at a party to escape her predicament and is in a fog of opium, she meets the handsome Ramsey, Lord Beckwith, and is drawn to him. But little does she realize he has vengeance plans of his own. Ramsey is surprisingly taken in by the beauty and talent of Helena. As a part of an underground group that believes in the new Darwinism of the times, he plans on using Helena’s talent to convince her to travel and draw many of Darwin’s findings while working out his own plan. This only adds more fuel to the Bishop’s plan for wanting Helena committed. As Helena becomes a pawn to both, Ramsey wants to only be concerned with his own cause, but finds more and more that he is drawn physically and emotionally to the beautiful and talented Helena.

Soon Helena is on the run from Bishop Sissinghurt and his cohort Deacon Mosley. At every turn, it seems Ramsey is there to save her, but can she trust him? She runs from Ramsey with mistrust, but then when with him, finds she cannot control the sexual allure and safety of being in his arms and bed. Ramsey discovers that Helena is a woman he simply cannot get out of his mind and heart. He is drawn to her beauty, intellect, and talent. Can he use her as planned or become her savior? Helena begins to question if she can trust anyone, including her long time artist friend Horace. Helena and Ramsey soon become more and more mesmerized with each other and their sensuality and passionate fog deepens as the danger grows. Will Helena discover who her loyal friends and real enemies are, while possibly finding true love before it is too late and she ends up in Bedlam?

In Charlotte Mede’s talented style, The Midnight Man is a sensually erotic romance that is complex, drawing the reader into mysterious action immediately. This is a well-written Victorian Era erotic mystery romance that will keep readers at the edge of their seats with characters of depth that are complex and alluring. A real keeper that will be read and re-read, Ms. Mede has shown that her second book is just as exciting as her first, “Explosive.” I am looking forward to another exciting sensually written historical from this talented author.