As much as we admonish others and remind ourselves with the oft quoted saying, the majority of us are still inclined to judge a book by its cover. I am ashamed to say that I did just that with a book that was given to me for review. As a lover of political science, historical fiction and any book from which I come away knowing more about the world than I did going in, I am the first to condemn romance novels. Full of over-embellished similes and metaphors and rife with situations that leave me blushing for several hours after completing a chapter, most of the time I would rather read a detailed analysis of the use of the Navier-Stokes equation in practical large scale drainage use than open a Harlequin novel.

So it was with heavy judgment and preconceived opinions that I opened the Regency romance novel The Nude by Folly Beach author Dorothy McFalls: and I was pleasantly surprised to find myself completely and utterly wrong.

Part of my prejudgment error was in assuming that a Regency romance novel is just another name for a Harlequin romance novel. In fact, if there were a hierarchy of romance novels, Regency would be considered the most elite and least sexual of them all. Typically written with a high degree of intelligent, fast paced dialog, Regency novels are set in the 19th century and are loosely based on the styles of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer. The name “Regency” comes from the British Regency era, when the Prince of Wales (later George IV), ruled at Prince Regent after his father, George III, was deemed unfit for rule. His rule, from approximately 1811 – 1837, was a time of great excess in terms of the arts and culture, as well as flagrant hedonism for the era’s beau monde; the nickname for Britain’s most affluent families.

McFalls’ novel opens in London, 1814. A desperate artist applies the finely ground, sparkling dust of sapphires and rubies to a painting he has struggled for several sleepless days and nights to complete. With a final stroke, the artist, known only as Dionysus, passes out, exhausted, at the base of his creation.

When the painting is finally revealed, however, its subject has no idea that she has been imagined, prostrate and completely naked, on the artist’s canvas. The scandal rocks the town and Elsbeth Mercer, the hapless victim, is determined to uncover the artist’s true identity at all costs.

In the meantime, Nigel Purbeck, the sixth Marquess of Edgeware, takes pity on Elsbeth and determines to do what he can to return her good name. Generally regarded as a wealthy recluse, Purbeck opens the doors of his country estate to the beau monde for a week-long party and makes it a point that Elsbeth attends; a social invitation that would never been offered to a woman of loose morals. The invitation, coupled with Purbeck’s constant attentions, is slowly bringing Elsbeth’s reputation out of the gutter when disaster strikes. A killer is on the loose and Purbeck is their target.

Although the story starts slowly, the twists and turns become rapid-fire once the guests arrive at the Purbeck country estate. McFalls has certainly done her homework as well, as many of the references to era paints, stonework, architecture, customs, language and political activities are accurately peppered throughout the novel’s 350+ pages.

Secret chambers, mysterious lockets, illegal smuggling, vicious killers and yes, even a midnight trist, are all excellent reasons to pick up a copy of McFalls’ novel, The Nude. As if that wasn’t enough, you’ll probably even learn something by the end.

Dorothy McFalls is a Folly Beach native, living with her sculptor husband and two dogs. At 28 years old, this is her sixth book and she looks forward to penning many more. For more information about McFalls or her books, visit www.dorothymcfalls.com.

The Nude is available at amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, as well as your local book stores.

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