India Holton Books In Order

Publication Order of Dangerous Damsels Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

India Holton

The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels (Dangerous Damsels #1)
Lady Isabella Armitage, a formidable woman who has “murdered three husbands and misplaced a fourth” is determined to be rid of her equally elderly foe, Miss Darlington. Miss Darlington is bored with continuously having to be very adept at evading and surviving the various and sundry ways that have been deployed to end her life.

Lady Armitage has decided a change in tack is required to deliver a devastating wound Miss Darlington. The deepest cut could be executed by eliminating her dear niece, Cecilia.

The rogue pirate, Signor de Luca, has been employed for the odious warrant. He wants the assignment after all, but after having laid eyes on the lovely Miss Cecilia, he may be having second thoughts. After all, she is very pretty and an enjoyable challenge- she is easily resisting his considerable charms. A rare occurrence for this handsome, rakish fellow.

The two factions live in large, ornate, gingerbread-type trimmed pirate houses they fly to various locations. Apparently the locals, entirely understandably, are a bit uneasy with two pirate houses in their midst. The black flag flying from the highest roof point warns those around but doesn’t give them any ease.
Flying houses isn’t the easy task it may appear. Those with lesser skills may land on another house leaving one coming and going from porch heights
unacceptably high. Lady Armitage has been frustrated with the poor performance of house flying recently. She has considered training other house staff to fly the large house but they were all men; she doubted their mental strength so she tolerates the occasional mishap. With a history of her husbands having landed in quagmires and once on on Queen Victoria’s head- the statue, not the petite queen herself- the Lady decided to sit on the rooftop herself and take care of the flying. After all, mishaps, while inconvenient, are also an embarrassment to the general population of pirates in general.

Cecilia has been warned that she’s the target of assassination and frankly, she’s frightened. Fortunately for her, Patrick Morvath wants Cecilia alive and is willing to go to lengths to save her.

Absurdly long chapter titles, ie. Chapter 3: A BOTANICAL ADVENTURE—THE INFLUENCE OF GHOSTS—THE WISTERIA LADIES’ SOCIETY—MISS DARLINGTON SURRENDERS—PREVENTATIVE MEASURES—A BANDIT, A SKYLARK—A VERBAL SALLY—MISS BASSINGTHWAITE—THE HALFPENNY BRIDGE—ANOTHER SALLY: LUNN—CECILIA APPROACHES THE LIBRARY all prepare you for an unusual, unexpected, and thoroughly enjoyable romp through magic and fantasy with pirates, witches, flying houses, assassinations, incantations, and spells.

In The League of Gentlewomen Witches (Dangerous Damsels #2) we learn it turns out Pirates and Witches generally don’t think much of each other. Although they can both execute magic (in their world and at each other) at a near equal level, there is a legend-long distain of each other that precludes the possibility of a decent working relationship.

To be fair, Charlotte, a young witch who’s coming into her skills and society, doesn’t help the poor relationship status when she creates a huge scene in a tea shop, a riot on the streets, and general cacophony with flying pumpkins and cart crashes while trying to gracefully exit the scene with the stolen briefcase of one particular pirate. He’s a match for her though.

Captain Alex O’Riley, said pirate, quickly has her cornered, attempting to retrieve his briefcase from Charlotte. Strong verbal and mild physical sparring end with Charlotte stealing a bicycle and his briefcase and, literally, flying off; breaking the hard and fast witching rule of no public magic. He cheerfully waves her stolen handbag at her. Score: even… for now.

Charlotte, in fear of being discovered of breaking such a firm rule, is avoiding her aunts. She’s so rattled she made a grave error with the tea. She added milk to the cup first, causing her aunts to drop their scones in their laps.

When Miss Gloughenbury sweeps in with her well-dressed, taxidermied poodle, excited to tell the sightings of a woman flying on a bicycle, Charlotte just knew she was doomed. The repercussions could be severe.

When Miss Gloughenbury announces the flying spectacle, pretty bloomers for all to see, was the notorious pirate Cecilia Bassingthwaite, Charlotte’s relief was palpable. Maybe she won’t be found out after all.

Ms. Holton’s fiction is classified in many genres and sub-genres. Romance, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Historical Romance, Adult Witches, Paranormal Magic; they tick all the boxes for fans of these fun, fantastical fiction themes.

Ms. Holton lives in New Zealand where she is able to relax and stock up on tea, buttered scones, and thunderstorms. Being in New Zealand, she’s inspired to write about “unconventional women and charming rouges”. As a typical Kiwi, she likes to wander among the forests, messing about in boats, and walking barefoot around her seaside cottage.

The reviews of Ms. Holton’s work praise her clever and creative work.