This is the
year of "The Scarlet Pimpernel"! Baroness Orszy started the craze
for duplicitous heroes when she penned one of the first romances
featuring an "undercover agent." The popularity of the book has
stood the test of time, with several versions made for the silver
screen, a TV series and now a musical which just opened on Broadway
to mixed reviews. Yet even without acclaim, romance enthusiasts are
flocking to the theater in droves to see what we consider to be one
of the most romantic shows since "Phantom of the Opera"! Why? The
costumes, the music and the drama of subterfuge and mystery in the
ultimate romantic "masquerade" of all time.
How much work does an
undercover agent do "under the covers" in a romance novel? A
lot–we hope! Whether in a historical or a contemporary, spies,
government agents and masqueraders abound! These secretive
characters lend an element of mystery and conflict to a story that
would otherwise offer straight forward adventure or romance. All of
the wonderful books listed below offer the perfect combination of
duplicity, mystery, suspense and, of course, enough red hot passion
to melt anyone's cover!
What's The Appeal?
Whether it is a government agent on
a secret mission, a ruthless Pinkerton man in hot pursuit, or a
dandified nobleman who is the opposite of what he appears, romance
readers can't resist delving beneath the covers with a hero who
isn't all he seems.
Romances featuring undercover agents usually
offer complex stories that are as much about character as they are
about plot. For inevitably, the reason a hero or heroine must be
undercover is to solve a crime, uncover a mystery or save an
innocent. To accomplish their goal, they must assume someone else's
identity.
Whether male or female, the undercover agent is posing
as someone else and is often keeping everyone–certainly the
other characters in the story and often the reader–in the dark
to accomplish his or her mission. In effect, the character must lie
to everyone. So despite his need to do "good," he is in direct
conflict with his goal, because he must be "bad" to succeed.
Why
would a duplicitous hero be appealing? For one, the hero doesn't
want to lie. He has to. He is in conflict with himself and with the
character he is portraying. For instance, who would ever suspect
that a silly fop, a dandy was really a ruthless and courageous hero
who has posed as a fool simply to accomplish a mission? This
conflict leads to wonderfully humorous scenarios, where dangerously
tough and cynical men must pretend to be bumbling idiots to win. And
that's what these romances are about–altruism despite the
personal cost, yet in the end being rewarded for willingness to take
a loss.
Is there a romantic double standard or an ultimate
dichotomy when your love is an imposter? Only if the two selves
remain inextricably linked–with no room in between for real
love to prosper.
-Kate Ryan
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