Intricate tale that spans two world wars. Has a plot contrivance that is overused and felt like a cop-out. Constance is a femme fatale worth of consideration however. Not much substance, but riveting until the disappointing end. ( )

Dark Angel is a haunting, gothic horror story of a girl named Constance and her complicated relationship with three generations of the Cavendish family in the English countryside. Told by Victoria—Contance’s Goddaughter—who discovers her Godmother’s journals, the author weaves a complicated tale of sexual abuse, murder, and madness spanning two wars and seventy-six years between sightings of Halley’s comet. Adopted into the family after her father’s mysterious death, Constance, at age ten, is already an accomplished liar and devious spy and grows into a cunning femme-fatale, wreaking havoc in the lives of everyone she encounters. Along her journey, Vicky uncovers her family’s disturbing secrets and finally the answer to a long, unsolved murder. The author is very good at doling out tiny clues while creating memorial characters that suck you into their colorful and intriguing lives. Even though I found parts of the story dark and unsettling, I couldn’t put this one down until the last page. ( )