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Silent Heart
Victoria Woodson, a highly regarded associate professor at a Sydney university, is an authority on erotic writing of the Victorian era. Her passion for this literature amply compensates, she believes, for the unfulfilling male relationships she has dropped from her life.
A savvy commercial publisher has pounced on a book Victoria intended for an academic audience. Victoria is shocked and disconcerted to see The Erotic Muse become a world-wide bestseller.
Reyne Kendall, an experienced and award-winning journalist, is assigned to do an in-depth feature on the woman behind the bestseller. Victoria dreads the sort of aggressive, probing person Reyne is likely to be. Her misgivings prove to be more than correct.
Reyne is self-made, irreverent and tough, and has little respect for the cloistered world of academia which is Victoria’s sanctuary. Reyne brings one other volatile ingredient � she is boldly out as a lesbian.
A savvy commercial publisher has pounced on a book Victoria intended for an academic audience. Victoria is shocked and disconcerted to see The Erotic Muse become a world-wide bestseller.
Reyne Kendall, an experienced and award-winning journalist, is assigned to do an in-depth feature on the woman behind the bestseller. Victoria dreads the sort of aggressive, probing person Reyne is likely to be. Her misgivings prove to be more than correct.
Reyne is self-made, irreverent and tough, and has little respect for the cloistered world of academia which is Victoria’s sanctuary. Reyne brings one other volatile ingredient � she is boldly out as a lesbian.
173 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1993
7 people are currently reading
91 people want to read
About the author
Claire McNab
47Ìýbooks51ÌýfollowersCLAIRE McNAB, 1940-2022
Claire McNab died on June 30, 2022, after a prolonged battle with Parkinson’s Disease. She also wrote under her real name, Claire Carmichael, an outpouring of children's literature, textbooks, self-help books, and plays. She became (and remains to this day) a renowned author of children’s books in Australia.
Claire McNab is the pseudonym of . She was born in 1940 in Melbourne, Australia. While pursuing a career as a high school teacher in Sydney, she began her writing career with comedy plays and textbooks. She left teaching in the mid-eighties to become a full-time writer. In her native Australia she is known for her self-help and children's books. She moved to Los Angeles in 1994 after falling in love with an American woman, and now teaches not-yet-published writers through the UCLA Writers' Extension Program. She is best known for three lesbian mystery series featuring Inspector Carol Ashton, Agent Denise Cleever and Detective Kylie Kendall. She is the recipient of the 2006 Alice B. Medal.
From the Claire McNab has written over 50 books and is known in her native Australia for crime fiction, children's novels, picture books, self-help, and English textbooks. Her first mystery, Lessons in Murder, was published in the U.S. in 1988. Now a Los Angeles resident, she teaches not-yet-published writers through the UCLA Extension Writers' Program. She is the author of three lesbian mystery series featuring Inspector Carol Ashton, Agent Denise Cleever and Detective Kylie Kendall. She has served as the president of Sisters in Crime and is a member of both the Mystery Writers of America and the Science Fiction Writers of America. She lives in Los Angeles and is working on the finale of the Carol Ashton series, Lethal Care.
Claire McNab died on June 30, 2022, after a prolonged battle with Parkinson’s Disease. She also wrote under her real name, Claire Carmichael, an outpouring of children's literature, textbooks, self-help books, and plays. She became (and remains to this day) a renowned author of children’s books in Australia.
Claire McNab is the pseudonym of . She was born in 1940 in Melbourne, Australia. While pursuing a career as a high school teacher in Sydney, she began her writing career with comedy plays and textbooks. She left teaching in the mid-eighties to become a full-time writer. In her native Australia she is known for her self-help and children's books. She moved to Los Angeles in 1994 after falling in love with an American woman, and now teaches not-yet-published writers through the UCLA Writers' Extension Program. She is best known for three lesbian mystery series featuring Inspector Carol Ashton, Agent Denise Cleever and Detective Kylie Kendall. She is the recipient of the 2006 Alice B. Medal.
From the Claire McNab has written over 50 books and is known in her native Australia for crime fiction, children's novels, picture books, self-help, and English textbooks. Her first mystery, Lessons in Murder, was published in the U.S. in 1988. Now a Los Angeles resident, she teaches not-yet-published writers through the UCLA Extension Writers' Program. She is the author of three lesbian mystery series featuring Inspector Carol Ashton, Agent Denise Cleever and Detective Kylie Kendall. She has served as the president of Sisters in Crime and is a member of both the Mystery Writers of America and the Science Fiction Writers of America. She lives in Los Angeles and is working on the finale of the Carol Ashton series, Lethal Care.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 25, 2021
I first read this book in 1993 when it was published by Naiad press. That’s 27 years ago. I just now read it again, the print book which is fitting for such an old book I think. Though the book doesn’t feel very old or dated It didn’t feel the pace of the book is a bit slower than that of most books now and of course the publishing world is very different now. Though this was a romance between two woman, there was more of a heteronormative undercurrent than usual in newer books. This is of course not surprising as the beginning of the 1990s was a very different time. But the abuse of children by members of the church, which is briefly mentioned in this book, is now still not really resolved and uncovered. In that aspect the book is very modern. The romance in this book happened without much of a build up, but still very nice. So my rating comes to 4 stars. I am going to put my paperback back on the bookshelf and keep it even though I think this is the last time that I’ve read it.
September 6, 2020
Sort of inevitable but somehow I went along with it & really believed in Professor Victoria Woodson whose life changed dramatically when the acedemic book she wrote becomes an erotic bestseller. Good fun.
December 24, 2020
Disclosure: At the heart of Victoria's personal challenges is something despicable.
The depth of which caught me a little by surprise.
Having said this, the love story which unfolds between Victoria and Reyne - from hate and annoyance to passion and love- is heartwarming.
I fell for Victoria a little and whilst the romance isn't fully fleshed out I find Reyne falling for her completely believable.
The vehicle for the story is a successful book and book tour which helps move the story along
and takes the women to some interesting locations.
An interesting meeting of two women who are alike in many ways.
The depth of which caught me a little by surprise.
Having said this, the love story which unfolds between Victoria and Reyne - from hate and annoyance to passion and love- is heartwarming.
I fell for Victoria a little and whilst the romance isn't fully fleshed out I find Reyne falling for her completely believable.
The vehicle for the story is a successful book and book tour which helps move the story along
and takes the women to some interesting locations.
An interesting meeting of two women who are alike in many ways.
December 28, 2019
I am of the opinion this story wasn't executed well enough. It has so much more potential. The Author's potrayal of suspense, family and eventual revelation was well done until it felt the story was being rushed and terribly orphaned by information towards the end.
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May 23, 2023TW: CSA
The first 90% of the book was not enough the prepare for the next 10%. The last 5% was rushed, and had no processing.
The first 90% of the book was not enough the prepare for the next 10%. The last 5% was rushed, and had no processing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 19, 2010
A romance novel better than any I have read in a long while. Beautifully told, with minimal sex, a lovely book. True, it is a lesbian romance story, but -- it didn't have to be, although it worked with the rest of the story line...it was just a lovely story. I like Victoria and Reyne...and Gerald, and John....and well, even Zoe. Nice characterization and a good story -- wow, more romance novelists should follow this plan.
February 18, 2013
Cheesy romance novel that doesn't compare to her previous "Under The Southern Cross", but is still better than most romance novels out there, straight or lesbian.
May 15, 2015
Not bad for the time it was written. The "twist", not so sure about.
April 23, 2016
I was not expecting this to deal with trauma. I was expecting a fluffy romance, but this definitely comes with trigger warnings
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
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