The Rebel and the Rake

The second in Sullivan’s late-Victorian “League of Scoundrels” series is a sure hit. Sylvia Sparrow is a lady’s companion to Mrs. Crawford, helping to transcribe her memoirs in a Scottish castle owned by Mr. Wardale, a wealthy man not of the gentry. While there, she meets Rafe Davies, a rake of the highest order and a spy for the Crown. Sylvia has a secret past that she will do anything to hide, including obeying an anonymous blackmailer who wants her to steal documents owned by Mr. Wardale. Unfortunately, Wardale has invited Rafe to the castle to find the blackmailer. Neither Sylvia nor Rafe knows who the other really is but they develop a deep attraction, forcing Sylvia to decide whether she can trust Rafe enough to take a chance on love. Narrator Victoria Aston is most lively. She sets a brisk pace and performs a variety of amusing voices to easily identify each character.