Joyce, Brenda

PERSONAL:

Born in Brooklyn, NY; children: one son.

ADDRESSES:

Home—AZ. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER:

Writer. Worked variously as a landscaper, truck driver, bartender, and waitress.

AWARDS, HONORS:

Best Western Romance award, for Innocent Fire; Best Historical Romance award, for Splendor; Lifetime Achievement Award (two), Romantic Times Online.

WRITINGS:

"BRAGG SAGA" SERIES

Innocent Fire, Avon Books (New York, NY) 1988.

Firestorm, Avon Books (New York, NY), 1988.

Violet Fire, Avon Books (New York, NY), 1989.

The Darkest Heart, Avon Books (New York, NY), 1990.

Dark Fires, Avon Books (New York, NY), 1991.

Fire of Paradise, Avon Books (New York, NY), 1992.

Scandalous Love, Avon Books (New York, NY), 1992.

Secrets, Avon Books (New York, NY), 1993.

"DEADLY/CAHILL-BRAGG" SERIES

Deadly Love, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 2001.

Deadly Pleasure, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 2002.

Deadly Affairs, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 2002.

Deadly Desire, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 2002.

Deadly Love, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 2002.

Deadly Caress, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 2003.

Deadly Promise, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 2003.

Deadly Illusions, Mira (Don Mills, Ontario, Canada), 2005.

Deadly Kisses, Mira (Don Mills, Ontario, Canada), 2006.

OTHER

Lovers and Liars, 1989, Dell (New York, NY), 1989.

The Conqueror, Dell (New York, NY), 1990.

Promise of the Rose, Avon Books (New York, NY), 1993.

After the Innocence, Avon Books (New York, NY), 1994.

The Game, Avon Books (New York, NY), 1994.

Beyond Scandal, Avon Books (New York, NY), 1995.

A Gift of Joy, Avon Books (New York, NY), 1995.

Captive, Avon Books (New York, NY), 1996.

The Finer Things, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 1997.

Splendor, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 1997.

The Rival, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 1998.

The Third Heiress, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 1999.

House of Dreams, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 2000.

The Chase, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 2002.

Double Take, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 2003.

The Prize, Mira (Don Mills, Ontario, Canada), 2004.

The Masquerade, Mira (Don Mills, Ontario, Canada), 2005.

A Lady at Last, HQN (Don Mills, Ontario, Canada), 2006.

The Stolen Bride, HQN (Don Mills, Ontario, Canada), 2006.

The Perfect Bride, HQN (Don Mills, Ontario, Canada), 2007.

Dark Seduction (first book in the "Masters of Time" series), HQN (Don Mills, Ontario, Canada), 2007.

Contributor to anthologies, including Heart of the Home, 1997, Outlaw Love, 1997, Scandalous Weddings, 1998, and Perfect Secrets, 1999.

SIDELIGHTS:

Brenda Joyce is the prolific novelist of several series. Her historical romances are set in a variety of eras and places, including the United States, the British Isles, and Europe, and many of her more-recent books have the elements of thrillers and mysteries, particularly her mainstream, stand-alone novels. A Kirkus Reviews contributor called Joyce's 1999 novel The Third Heiress "a decently crafted modern gothic, with the standard castle on the cliff and some graphic sex."

House of Dreams features a castle in Spain, an English estate, a centuries-old hidden family secret, and a ghost. The two de Warenne sisters are both in love with Antonio de la Barca, and the dashing professor of medieval studies ultimately chooses Cass, the sister who works for Sotheby's, over Tracy, the gorgeous jetsetter. A Publishers Weekly contributor wrote that "confession, depression, possession and sexual obsession drive this story of contemporary sibling rivalry and ancient betrayal."

The Chase is a mainstream mystery in which affluent Claire Hayden throws her husband, David, a fortieth birthday party in their posh San Francisco home in an attempt to revive their failing marriage. During the party she finds him with his throat slit and soon becomes involved in a mystery that includes spies, Nazi criminals, and the Holocaust. "Joyce skillfully weaves together past and present to create an amazing story of intrigue, wartime passions and thrilling twists and turns," wrote a Publishers Weekly contributor.

When Joyce wrote the first mystery starring twenty-year-old New York socialite Francesca Cahill, she integrated characters from her "Bragg" series. Each of the novels featuring Francesca have the word "Deadly" in their titles. Jean Mason, who reviewed Deadly Pleasure and Deadly Affairs for the Romance Reader Web site, commented that "the strength of Joyce's books lies not in the mystery but rather in her recreation of New York at the turn of the century and her characters."

Other contributions to the "Deadly/Cahill-Bragg" series include Deadly Promise, and Deadly Illusions. In Deadly Promise, Francesca Cahill begins investigating the disappearance of young girls in New York City after her own assistant, Emily O'Hare goes missing. In the meantime, Francesca finds herself trying to straighten out her relationships with Commissioner Rick Bragg and his wealthy half-brother Calder Hart. Kathe Robin, writing on the Romantic Times Online Web site, commented: "Fans of the series … will be thrilled with Joyce's latest installment." Booklist contributor John Charles called the novel "an elegant blend of mystery and romance simmering with sexual tension." Deadly Illusions finds Francesca and Rick working on the case of a serial killer called "The Slasher," who kills Irish women, including one of Francisca's good friends. In the meantime, Francesca has become engaged to Calder, thus complicating her relationship with Rick—and the investigation. "Just when you think you have it all figured out, Joyce turns it all around, leaving you with a cliffhanger and eager for Francesca's next adventure," wrote Kathe Robin on the Romantic Times Online Web site.

The author has continued to write other novels, such as A Lady at Last. In this tale, Joyce writes about the romance between Amanda Carre, a pirate's daughter, and Cliff de Warenne, a privateer, who respects Amanda's ability at sea but sets out to train her in how to act in society. A Publishers Weekly contributor noted that the author "brings her keen sense of humor and storytelling prowess to bear on her witty, fully formed characters."

Joyce also began a new "Masters of Times" series with Dark Seduction. The paranormal romance features Claire Camden, who finds herself back in time in fifteenth-century Scotland. Once there, she falls for the medieval warrior Malcom, a "Master" who must protect the "Innocents." A Publishers Weekly contributor called the novel "a superlative example" of a paranormal romance. Romantic Times Online Web site contributor Kathe Robin referred to Dark Seduction as "a powerfully emotional, ingenious novel."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, August, 1999, Diana Tixier Herald, review of The Third Heiress, p. 2037; August, 2000, Alice Joyce, review of House of Dreams, p. 2124; May 15, 2002, Diana Tixier Herald, review of The Chase, p. 1579; July, 2003, John Charles, review of Double Take, p. 1874; October 1, 2003, John Charles, review of Deadly Promise, p. 306; September 1, 2005, John Charles, review of The Masquerade, p. 72; February 1, 2006, Maria Hatton, review of Deadly Kisses, p. 36; December 1, 2006, Maria Hatton, review of A Lady at Last, p. 31; July 1, 2007, Maria Hatton, review of The Perfect Bride, p. 39.

Kirkus Reviews, August 1, 1999, review of The Third Heiress, p. 1156; July 15, 2000, review of House of Dreams, pp. 981-982; May 15, 2002, review of The Chase, p. 687.

Publishers Weekly, March 22, 1993, review of Secrets, p. 75; August 22, 1994, review of After the Innocence, p. 51; February 20, 1995, review of The Game, p. 201; September 18, 1995, review of Beyond Scandal, p. 124; February 17, 1997, review of The Finer Things, p. 216; October 27, 1997, review of Splendor, p. 73; June 29, 1998, review of The Rival, p. 56; July 5, 1999, review of The Third Heiress, p. 55; July 24, 2000, review of House of Dreams, p. 66; July 1, 2002, review of The Chase, p. 56; June 23, 2003, review of Double Take, p. 47; August 8, 2005, review of The Masquerade, p. 218; August 14, 2006, review of The Stolen Bride, p. 185; November 6, 2006, review of A Lady at Last, p. 41; April 2, 2007, review of Dark Seduction, p. 43; June 25, 2007, review of The Perfect Bride, p. 40.

ONLINE

Brenda Joyce Home Page,http://www.brendajoyce.com (January 2, 2003).

De Warenne Dynasty Web site,http://www.thedewarennedynasty.com/ (September 7, 2007), includes biography of author.

Romance Reader Web site,http://www.theromancereader.com/ (August 19, 1998), Bev Hill, review of The Rival; (July 7, 1999) Sue Klock, review of Perfect Secrets; (October 4, 1999) Sue Klock, review of The Third Heiress; (October 18, 2002) Jean Mason, reviews of Deadly Pleasure and Deadly Affairs.

Romantic Times Web site,http://www.romantictimes.com/ (October 18, 2002), Kathe Robin, reviews of The Game, Beyond Scandal, Captive, The Conqueror, The Finer Things, Splendor, The Rival, Deadly Love, Deadly Pleasure, Deadly Affairs, and Deadly Desire; Jill M. Smith, reviews of The Third Heiress, House of Dreams, and The Chase; (September 7, 2007), Kathe Robin, reviews of Deadly Pleasure, Deadly Illusion, Deadly Promise, Deadly Kisses, The Masquerade, The Prize, The Stolen Bride, A Lady at Last, and Dark Seduction.