Black Cobra Quartet Books In Order

Publication Order of Black Cobra Quartet Books

The Black Cobra Quartet is a series of historical romance novels written by Stephanie Laurens. The books tend to blur the line between historical romance and erotica.

+The Story

There is a reason why the Black Cobra Quartet is often referred to as erotica. The books tend to feature a lot of sex, though some of Stephanie Laurens’ fans appreciate this series for that very reason.

The Black Cobra Quartet takes place in the same word as the Cynster and Bastion Club series and fans of Laurens will recognize some of the Cynster and Bastion Club protagonists who make an appearance.

The books are historical fiction that takes place in the 19th Century. At the start of the series, a rebel cult called the Black Cobra has emerged on the scene in India and they are killing people.

As the death toll rises, England grows concerned. The Governor-General of India, Marque of Hastings tasks five soldiers from the East India Trading Company with investigating the Black Cobra and identifying its leader.

The powers that be believe that eliminating the head of the Black Cobra could destroy the cult as a whole. The investigation that ensues is extensive and exhaustive and nearly ends in failure.

It is only by mere fortune that Captain James MacFarlane discovers that the leader of the Black Cobra is an Englishman and a member of the East India Trading Company. Normally, the power and position of the suspect in question would make him immune to any accusations Captain Macfarlane could ever make.

However, MacFarlane’s lucky discovery includes irrefutable proof of his claims. MacFarlane’s attempts to make his findings known end in disaster. In the process of escorting the Governor of Bombay’s niece, Captain MacFarlane is attacked by the cultists.

MacFarlane gives his life to make sure the proof—a letter—reaches his four comrades. The Governor’s niece uses MacFarlane’s sacrifice to get the letter into the hands of Colonel Derek Delborough, Captain Rafe Carstairs, Major Gareth Hamilton and Major Logan Monteith.

Four copies of the letter are made and each soldier takes one. Their objective is simple: they must journey from India to England where MacFarlane’s proof must be placed in the hands of the people with the power to strike the leader of the Black Cobra down.

None of these men are ignorant of the challenges ahead. As most explorers will attest, the journey from India to England is fraught with a variety of obstacles. If that wasn’t bad enough, the Black Cobra know what these four men are trying to do, and they will stop at nothing to acquire their four letters and secure the future of their organization.

The Black Cobra Quartet explores the journey of these four men as they each take their own path out of India with the intention of successfully getting their copy of the letter to England.

Each book focuses on the efforts of a particular soldier. Colonel Derek leads the charge in ‘The Untamed Bride’, the first novel. Derek’s plans to get to London take a strange turn when he is tasked with escorting a woman called Delilah to her hometown.

Derek is initially reluctant to play the role of babysitter. However, when Delilah saves his life and puts her own in jeopardy as a result, the pair joins forces to outwit the Black Cobra.

The Second novel tells Gareth Hamilton’s story. Emily Ensworth, the Governor of Bombay’s niece, and Gareth meet when she delivers MacFarlane’s letter to the four soldiers. Their attraction is instant.

Gareth fights his feelings but Emily gives into them. She follows Gareth on his mission, determined to prove that he is indeed the ‘one’.

Logan Monteith leads the third novel. A roguish pirate with dashing good looks, Logan meets Linnet, a wealthy woman and the captain of her own navy when he washes up on her shores with no memory of his mission or identity.

As Linnet nurses him back to health, sparks fly between them.

Rafe Carstairs is the last of the four soldiers. And in his effort to get his letter to London, he meets Loretta, a woman who thought that love was a thing to be avoided until Rafe ignited unquenchable passion in her.

The Black Cobra Quartet sounds like an epic adventure set in historical times but the Stephanie Laurens series emphasizes the romance above all else.

The Black Cobra cult is supposed to play the role of primary antagonist but Stephanie doesn’t really bother to explore their purpose in any significant detail. They merely show up at inopportune times to give the heroes a chance to shine by overcoming seemingly impossible odds.

In fact, as the series progresses, it becomes increasingly difficult to understand what the Black Cobra wants or why they do the things they do.

The women in these books are obsessed with finding the ‘one’, and they have no qualms about having sex with men they barely know.

The sex scenes in some of these books run on for several pages, and that has been known to attract criticisms from readers who do not think the sex is always earned.

+The Author

Stephanie Laurens is a New York Times Bestselling author of romance that was born in Sri Lanka. Her family eventually moved to Melbourne in Australia from where she acquired her Ph.D. in Biochemistry.

Laurens writes novels that are set in the period of the British Regency.

+The Untamed Bride

Colonel Derek Delborough is on a mission of the utmost importance. A cult called the Black Cobra has been terrorizing India for quite a while. One of Derek’s comrades identified the leader of the cult, an English man working with the East Indian Trading Company.

He died securing the proof of his claims. Now Derek must get that proof from India to London. Derek is waylaid on his journey by Delilah, a ruined lady whose very presence tags at his heart and loins.

+The Elusive Bride

The Black Cobra is still at large, a cult that has unleashed mayhem in India. The Cult knows that Major Hamilton has a letter proving the identity of their leader. That letter cannot be allowed to reach London, not when the Black Cobra’s leader is an Englishman with the East Indian Trading Company.

Hamilton cannot afford to dally in his mission. But Emily Ensworth is making his job difficult. Niece to the Governor of Bombay, Emily believes that Hamilton is her soul mate and she is determined to prove it.