This is one of my favorite Victoria Holt books. It's romantic, there's intrigue, lies, allies, spies, murder plots, a villain, a hero, and everything in between, using the Black Forest and the mythological characters that the heroine and at times, damsel in distress, Helena Trant, grew up with as a back drop. The forests were in her blood and wasn't afraid when she got lost in the mist.

And here comes a hero to literally sweep her off her feet. A man of many and mysterious identities.

These two discover what Shakespeare knew all along: "The course of true love never did run smoothly".

Both are lied to and deceived by people they thought they could trust, and ironically, some of those same people bring them together again.

No one weaves a story like Victoria Holt. As far as I'm concerned, she only has two worthy peers: Phyllis A. Whitney and Mary Stewart.

If you want to be taken to another place and time, and believe in love and fairy tales, this is the book for you.

This book is a real love, adventure, and mystery story. I have loved this book sense I first read it and I read it at least once a year. If you're one of the people who are picky about what to read and you have many different tastes this is a book that you can read and love.
It has a wonderful plot and a well written one to, it's set in Prussia and in England. It's really hard to explain this book when there are so many things going on (although when it's going on you don't get confused like other books of this time) Murder, Passion, True love, and many rememberable people that you'll fall in love with over and over again. From England, to her mother's home land, to the arms of a hansome Prince not wanting to be known.
It's a beautiful book and I would say that if you read this you'll be very pleased. Hope you like it!

I was in a library one day just looking for a book to read. I came accross a small booked squished between works of great literature and upon feeling sorry for the little book I rescued it from being suffocated. The cover caught my eye as it looked like an old ghost story type book so I brought it home to give it a try and forgot all about it. Two days before it was due to go home the library I was feeling very bored so I picked up the book and cautiously turned the first page half expecting dust worms to fall out, as it had been in the library for about twenty years. Dust mites didn't fall out of it, but what did, was one of the best written and imaginative stories I have ever read and shall intend to read again when I get it from ebay. Now I am not a housewife or a pensioner. I am a modern 18 year old working class girl, but I can still enjoy the great reads of the world and appreciate the imagination and work that went into this book. If you wish to discuss this book with me, please email me at Louise_hob@hotmail.com. One day I am going to be a film maker and I might make it into a motion picture - someday!

Helena got lost in the Black Forest of Germany one night when a dashing gentleman rescued her. He takes her back to her boarding school, and life progresses as normal. Later on, she revisits the Black Forest and meets the same dashing gentleman on "The Night of the Seventh Moon". She marries him a few days later and has a few days of happiness. She woke up one morning and was told she had been attacked a week ago, and her marriage was a dream. Her world changes forever as she desperately tries to prove she was not dreaming and to find her husband. Was she really dreaming?

This book is one of Victoria Holt's most mind-bending novels. Also, it is different because the mysterious person messing up the heroine's life is actually more than one person or group of people.