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Amanda Quick Books in Order

Browse all Amanda Quick books in order, with story summaries, cross‑pen‑name series guides, background on her historical and paranormal worlds, and suggestions on the best places to start reading.

Amanda Quick is a pen name used by Jayne Ann Krentz. This page lists books published as Amanda Quick.

Last updated: July 15, 2026

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Amanda Quick books in publication order

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40 books

Seduction

by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

1990

Country‑bred Sophy Dorring weds Julian, the brooding Earl of Ravenwood, a man whispered to have driven his first wife to her death. Determined to tame the so‑called devil, she barges into his secrets, uncovering blackmail, buried grief, and a passion neither expected.

Surrender

by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

1990

Heiress Victoria Huntington has no interest in fortune hunters, yet finds herself fascinated by Lucas Colebrook, the new Earl of Stonevale. His offer of moonlit escapades hides a darker agenda, and marriage strands her in a crumbling Yorkshire estate haunted by scandal and old dangers.

Rendezvous / Virtue

by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

1991

Augusta Ballinger, last of a wildly unconventional clan, discovers that the grim Earl of Graystone intends to marry her for coolly practical reasons. Her attempt to scare him off only strengthens his resolve, and soon the two are chasing a traitor known as the Spider and their own inconvenient love.

Scandal

by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

1991

Notorious for a youthful elopement gone wrong, Emily Faringdon resigns herself to spinsterhood and pours her heart into letters with a mysterious poet. When he appears as Simon, Earl of Blade, she discovers her ideal man is using her family for revenge—and may need saving from his own past.

Ravished

by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

1992

Fossil‑mad spinster Harriet Pomeroy needs help clearing smugglers from the sea caves she studies. She turns to Gideon Westbrook, the scarred “Beast of Blackthorne Hall,” and soon finds that the man society fears is fiercely protective—and at the center of a dangerous smuggling mystery.

Reckless

by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

1992

Idealistic schoolmistress Phoebe Layton enlists notorious adventurer Gabriel Banner to help avenge a wrong done years ago. Their quest for a missing journal pulls them into scandal, theft, and murder, while the supposed mercenary discovers he cannot stay detached from Phoebe’s reckless heart.

Dangerous

by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

1993

Prudence Merryweather investigates hauntings and “spectral phenomena” for nervous clients. When her work tangles with Sebastian, Earl of Angelstone—a man famed as the Devil’s Duke—they form an uneasy alliance to catch a killer, forcing Sebastian to choose between long‑planned revenge and the woman softening his ruthless edges.

Deception

by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

1993

Scholar Olympia Wingfield juggles her unruly nephews and her passion for ancient legends until Jared Chillhurst arrives posing as their tutor. In truth a viscount hunting a pirate’s diary, he and Olympia end up chasing lost treasure, outwitting villains, and falling into a very improper romance.

Desire

by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

1993

Lady Clarre takes her duty as guardian of the remote Isle of Desire seriously, but her new overlord, Sir Gareth of Wyckmere, wants only a strategic marriage. When pirates, political intrigue, and betrayal threaten the island, their arranged union turns into a partnership forged in danger and growing desire.

Mistress

by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

1994

Former schoolmistress Iphiginia Bright returns from touring classical ruins to find her aunt being blackmailed. She remakes herself as the glamorous “mistress” of the missing Earl of Masters to smoke out the culprit—only to have the very real, very irritated earl stride back into London society.

Mystique

by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

1995

In medieval England, practical Lady Alice bargains with Hugh the Relentless, a fearsome knight searching for a lost green crystal tied to his family’s power. She offers her keen mind and sleuthing skills in exchange for a dowry and her brother’s future, and finds herself betrothed to a man as daunting as he is magnetic.

Mischief

by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

1996

Independent Imogen Waterstone schemes to ruin a man she believes caused a friend’s death by luring him into chasing a fake treasure map. To pull it off she recruits Matthias, Earl of Colchester, legendary explorer of the lost isle of Zamar, and soon their pretend intrigue turns all too real.

Affair

by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

1997

Charlotte Arkendale makes her living investigating suitors for wealthy women and exposing fortune hunters. When one of her clients is murdered, she teams up with enigmatic scientist Baxter St. Ives, agreeing to hire him as her “man‑of‑affairs” while they hunt a killer who dabbles in deadly alchemy.

With This Ring

by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

1998

Beatrice Poole, widowed author of sensational “horrid novels,” believes her uncle died pursuing the legendary Forbidden Rings of Aphrodite. She storms into the life of Leo Drake, the reclusive Mad Monk of Monkcrest, demanding his antiquarian expertise and inadvertently dragging them both into a hunt stalked by a clever murderer.

I Thee Wed

by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

1999

Sharp‑tongued Emma Greyson keeps losing positions as a lady’s companion, until a late‑night encounter in a wardrobe throws her together with Edison Stokes. Hired as his assistant, she joins his search for a stolen book of arcane potions—and discovers that the thief is willing to kill test subjects.

Wicked Widow

by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

2000

Madeline Deveridge is whispered about as the wicked widow who may have killed her cruel husband. When his “ghost” seems to stalk her, she turns to Artemas Hunt, a powerful businessman with Vanza training. To unmask a killer using fear and stagecraft, they must confront London’s underworld and their own secrets.

Slightly Shady

by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

2001

Lavinia Lake, an outspoken widow fallen on hard times, crosses paths with Tobias March while escaping a blackmailer. They form a prickly investigative partnership that leads from country estates to London salons, exposing a web of extortion and murder as their wary respect deepens into something far less businesslike.

Don't Look Back

by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

2002

Lavinia Lake and Tobias March investigate the death of a man found beside an Egyptian mummy and strange crystal artifacts. As they untangle frauds, obsessions, and a possible serial killer, the longtime partners must also decide what, exactly, they mean to each other.

Late for the Wedding

by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

2002

Hired to look into the disappearance of a bridegroom from a country house party, Lavinia Lake and Tobias March uncover links to a long‑ago scandal and a series of suspicious deaths. Their investigation forces them to revisit old cases—and confront the future of their complicated relationship.

The Paid Companion

by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

2004

Eleanora Lodge, respectable but impoverished, agrees to pose as the paid companion and faux fiancée of the icy Earl of St. Merryn so he can hunt for his uncle’s killer without matchmaking mamas. Their sham engagement soon tangles with real danger and real affection.

Wait Until Midnight

by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

2004

When art tutor Caroline Fordyce finds a dead body in a waxworks, she is drawn into a murder investigation that echoes the sensational crime in her own gothic serial. Private enquiry agent Adam Hardesty needs her cooperation to trace stolen journals, but working together puts them both in a killer’s sights.

Lie by Moonlight

by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

2005

Concordia Glade helps four girls escape a sinister school by blowing up part of the building, only to collide with private agent Ambrose Wells on the castle grounds. As they protect the girls and dig into Vanza‑tinged experiments, a London crime lord closes in.

Second Sight

by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

2006

Victorian photographer Venetia Milton spends one unforgettable night with Gabriel Jones while cataloging the Arcane Society’s artifacts, then believes him dead. When he reappears very much alive, their sham marriage and her psychic talent pull them into a deadly hunt for a stolen formula.

The River Knows

by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

2007

Louisa Bryce lives quietly in London while secretly writing investigative pieces about vice and corruption. When she witnesses a drowning she suspects is murder, she joins forces with skeptical aristocrat Anthony Stalbridge to expose a gaming hell’s deadly secrets and a conspiracy that reaches far beyond the river.

The Third Circle

by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

2008

Crystal worker Leona Hewitt breaks into a private museum to steal back a family relic and instead collides with mesmerist Thaddeus Ware. Both linked to the Arcane Society, they must protect a powerful crystal from a ruthless nobleman and an assassin known as the Midnight Monster.

The Perfect Poison

by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

2009

Botanist Lucinda Bromley can identify poisons by touch, a talent that makes her invaluable and suspect when a rare fern from her conservatory turns up in a murder. Arcane investigator Caleb Jones needs her help to stop a deadly conspiracy, even as madness stalks his own powerful mind.

In Too Deep

by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

2010

Reclusive para‑detective Fallon Jones has turned the odd coastal town of Scargill Cove into his base. When efficient, secretive Isabella Valdez arrives fleeing dangerous men, she becomes his assistant and partner as they uncover a sinister clockwork artifact and a conspiracy rooted in both their families.

Quicksilver

by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

2011

Glass‑reader Virginia Dean awakens beside a dead body and a smoking psychic mirror, instantly branded a suspect. Owen Sweetwater, hunter for the Arcane Society, knows she was set up and joins forces with her to stop a murderer who uses Bridewell’s deadly inventions to trap his victims in reflections.

Crystal Gardens

by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

2012

Psychic investigator and novelist Evangeline Ames retreats to a country cottage after an attack linked to a recent case. When another assailant breaks in, she flees into the mysterious Crystal Gardens and straight into the path of Lucas Sebastian, whose family’s experiments have turned the estate into a paranormal hotspot.

The Mystery Woman

by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

2013

Beatrice Lockwood, an operative for the Ladies of Lantern Street, poses as a paid companion while secretly exposing fraudulent mediums. After she and government agent Joshua Gage thwart an abduction, they join forces against a killer with hypnotic skills and a connection to Beatrice’s own shadowed past.

Otherwise Engaged

by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

2014

Globe‑trotting journalist Amity Doncaster survives an attack by a serial killer known as the Bridegroom. Back in London, to shield them both from scandal, a former spy she once aided claims they are engaged. Together they bait a murderer who likes his victims elegant, terrified, and very much alive.

Garden of Lies

by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

2015

Ursula Kern runs a secretarial agency that employs capable women, including her close friend Anne. When Anne dies in what looks like an accident, Ursula suspects foul play and teams up with archaeologist and businessman Slater Roxton. Their search through museums, gardens, and gentlemen’s clubs uncovers murder and buried scandals.

'Til Death Do Us Part

by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

2016

Calista Langley arranges discreet introductions for lonely clients in Victorian London. Someone begins sending her chilling mourning gifts, suggesting an obsession from her past. Detective novelist Trent Hastings suspects Calista’s business is a front, but soon finds himself helping her unmask a killer haunting both their circles.

The Girl Who Knew Too Much

by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

2017

Fleeing a bloody scene in New York, Anna Harris remakes herself as reporter Irene Glasson and heads west. At the glamorous Burning Cove Hotel she finds an actress dead in a pool and teams up with owner Oliver Ward, a former stage magician, to expose secrets Hollywood would kill to keep buried.

The Other Lady Vanishes

by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

2018

Adelaide Blake escapes from a private sanitarium where she was drugged and discredited, then starts over serving herbal teas in Burning Cove. A wary alliance with widowed businessman Jake Truett pulls her into a web of experimental drugs, illusionists, and the people who will kill to control them.

Tightrope

by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

2019

Trapeze artist Amalie Vaughn retires after a near‑fatal fall and opens a boardinghouse in Burning Cove. When a guest is murdered on her front steps, she joins forces with Matthias Jones, a designer of stage illusions, to untangle a plot involving assassins, spies, and a stolen invention.

Close Up

by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

2020

Vivian Brazier photographs crime scenes for Los Angeles papers, a job respectable society loathes. When she captures an image that links several killings, she becomes a target and reluctantly accepts protection from enigmatic psychic investigator Nick Sundridge as they hunt a serial killer with a taste for actresses.

The Lady Has a Past

by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

2021

Socialite Lyra Brazier enrolls in a private investigator’s training course, then travels to a luxury spa in Burning Cove when her mentor vanishes. There she teams up with gruff investigator Simon Cage, whose unusual talent makes him dangerous company, to expose blackmail, hidden identities, and murder behind the resort’s serene façade.

When She Dreams

by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

2022

Lucid dreamer Maggie Lodge hires private investigator Sam Sage after receiving blackmail threats tied to her work for a mysterious self‑help guru. Their search through dream research circles, hypnotists, and Hollywood hangers‑on uncovers a scheme that uses subconscious suggestion as both weapon and lure.

The Bride Wore White

by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

2023

On the morning after what should have been her wedding, Prudence Ryland wakes beside a dead man and no memory of how she got there. Fleeing to Burning Cove, she turns to reclusive investigator Luther Pell and brilliant psychic Archer Norwood to clear her name and expose a killer who stages perfect crimes.

Where to start with Amanda Quick

If you want classic Regency historicals: SeductionSurrenderScandal
If you like gothic‑tinged historical suspense: RavishedRecklessDangerous
If you want paranormal twists in the past: Second SightThe Third CircleThe Perfect Poison
If 1930s Hollywood noir appeals: The Girl Who Knew Too MuchThe Other Lady VanishesTightrope
If you enjoy contemporary psychic suspense: White LiesSizzle and BurnFired UpIn Too Deep

Arcane Society books in order

Explore this series
  1. Book cover for "Second Sight"

    Second Sight

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    2006Arcane Society, Book 1
  2. Book cover for "The Third Circle"

    The Third Circle

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    2008Arcane Society, Book 4
  3. Book cover for "The Perfect Poison"

    The Perfect Poison

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    2009Arcane Society, Book 6
  4. Book cover for "In Too Deep"

    In Too Deep

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    2010Looking Glass Trilogy, Book 1
  5. Book cover for "Quicksilver"

    Quicksilver

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    2011Looking Glass Trilogy, Book 2

Burning Cove books in order

Explore this series
  1. Book cover for "The Girl Who Knew Too Much"

    The Girl Who Knew Too Much

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    2017Burning Cove, Book 1
  2. Book cover for "The Other Lady Vanishes"

    The Other Lady Vanishes

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    2018Burning Cove, Book 2
  3. Book cover for "Tightrope"

    Tightrope

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    2019Burning Cove, Book 3
  4. Book cover for "Close Up"

    Close Up

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    2020Burning Cove, Book 4
  5. Book cover for "The Lady Has a Past"

    The Lady Has a Past

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    2021Burning Cove, Book 5
  6. Book cover for "When She Dreams"

    When She Dreams

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    2022Burning Cove, Book 6
  7. Book cover for "The Bride Wore White"

    The Bride Wore White

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    2023Burning Cove, Book 7

Burning Cove books in chronological order

  1. Book cover for "The Girl Who Knew Too Much"

    The Girl Who Knew Too Much

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    2017Burning Cove, Book 1
  2. Book cover for "The Other Lady Vanishes"

    The Other Lady Vanishes

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    2018Burning Cove, Book 2
  3. Book cover for "Tightrope"

    Tightrope

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    2019Burning Cove, Book 3
  4. Book cover for "Close Up"

    Close Up

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    2020Burning Cove, Book 4
  5. Book cover for "The Lady Has a Past"

    The Lady Has a Past

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    2021Burning Cove, Book 5
  6. Book cover for "When She Dreams"

    When She Dreams

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    2022Burning Cove, Book 6
  7. Book cover for "The Bride Wore White"

    The Bride Wore White

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    2023Burning Cove, Book 7

Ladies of Lantern Street books in order

Explore this series
  1. Book cover for "Crystal Gardens"

    Crystal Gardens

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    2012Ladies of Lantern Street, Book 1
  2. Book cover for "The Mystery Woman"

    The Mystery Woman

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    2013Ladies of Lantern Street, Book 2
  3. Book cover for "Otherwise Engaged"

    Otherwise Engaged

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    2014Ladies of Lantern Street, Book 3
  4. Book cover for "'Til Death Do Us Part"

    'Til Death Do Us Part

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    2016Ladies of Lantern Street, Book 4

Ladies of Lantern Street books in chronological order

  1. Book cover for "Crystal Gardens"

    Crystal Gardens

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    2012Ladies of Lantern Street, Book 1
  2. Book cover for "The Mystery Woman"

    The Mystery Woman

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    2013Ladies of Lantern Street, Book 2
  3. Book cover for "Otherwise Engaged"

    Otherwise Engaged

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    2014Ladies of Lantern Street, Book 3
  4. Book cover for "'Til Death Do Us Part"

    'Til Death Do Us Part

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    2016Ladies of Lantern Street, Book 4

Lavinia Lake books in order

Explore this series
  1. Book cover for "Slightly Shady"

    Slightly Shady

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    2001Lavinia Lake, Book 1
  2. Book cover for "Don't Look Back"

    Don't Look Back

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    2002Lavinia Lake, Book 2
  3. Book cover for "Late for the Wedding"

    Late for the Wedding

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    2002Lavinia Lake, Book 3

Lavinia Lake books in chronological order

  1. Book cover for "Slightly Shady"

    Slightly Shady

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    2001Lavinia Lake, Book 1
  2. Book cover for "Don't Look Back"

    Don't Look Back

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    2002Lavinia Lake, Book 2
  3. Book cover for "Late for the Wedding"

    Late for the Wedding

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    2002Lavinia Lake, Book 3

Looking Glass Trilogy books in order

Explore this series
  1. Book cover for "In Too Deep"

    In Too Deep

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    2010Looking Glass Trilogy, Book 1
  2. Book cover for "Quicksilver"

    Quicksilver

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    2011Looking Glass Trilogy, Book 2

Looking Glass Trilogy books in chronological order

  1. Book cover for "In Too Deep"

    In Too Deep

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    2010Looking Glass Trilogy, Book 1
  2. Book cover for "Quicksilver"

    Quicksilver

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    2011Looking Glass Trilogy, Book 2

Vanza books in order

Explore this series
  1. Book cover for "With This Ring"

    With This Ring

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    1998Vanza, Book 1
  2. Book cover for "I Thee Wed"

    I Thee Wed

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    1999Vanza, Book 2
  3. Book cover for "Wicked Widow"

    Wicked Widow

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    2000Vanza, Book 3
  4. Book cover for "Lie by Moonlight"

    Lie by Moonlight

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    2005Vanza, Book 4

Vanza books in chronological order

  1. Book cover for "With This Ring"

    With This Ring

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    1998Vanza, Book 1
  2. Book cover for "I Thee Wed"

    I Thee Wed

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    1999Vanza, Book 2
  3. Book cover for "Wicked Widow"

    Wicked Widow

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    2000Vanza, Book 3
  4. Book cover for "Lie by Moonlight"

    Lie by Moonlight

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    2005Vanza, Book 4

Standalone Jayne Ann Krentz books

  1. Book cover for "Seduction"

    Seduction

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    1990A Novel
  2. Book cover for "Surrender"

    Surrender

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    1990A Novel
  3. Book cover for "Rendezvous / Virtue"

    Rendezvous / Virtue

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    1991A Novel
  4. Book cover for "Scandal"

    Scandal

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    1991A Novel
  5. Book cover for "Ravished"

    Ravished

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    1992A Novel
  6. Book cover for "Reckless"

    Reckless

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    1992A Novel
  7. Book cover for "Dangerous"

    Dangerous

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    1993A Novel
  8. Book cover for "Deception"

    Deception

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    1993A Novel
  9. Book cover for "Desire"

    Desire

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    1993A Novel
  10. Book cover for "Mistress"

    Mistress

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    1994A Novel
  11. Book cover for "Mystique"

    Mystique

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    1995
  12. Book cover for "Mischief"

    Mischief

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    1996A Novel
  13. Book cover for "Affair"

    Affair

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    1997A Novel
  14. Book cover for "The Paid Companion"

    The Paid Companion

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    2004
  15. Book cover for "Wait Until Midnight"

    Wait Until Midnight

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    2004
  16. Book cover for "The River Knows"

    The River Knows

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    2007
  17. Book cover for "Garden of Lies"

    Garden of Lies

    by Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick)

    2015

Author bio

Amanda Quick is the historical pen name of Jayne Ann Krentz, a writer who has spent decades telling love stories that mix courtship, danger, and the occasional psychic twist. Under three different names she has built one interconnected universe that stretches from Regency ballrooms to futuristic alien cities.

She was born Jayne Ann Castle on March 28, 1948, in Cobb, a small town in northern California. Her mother, Alberta, raised her and her two brothers in the desert community of Borrego Springs during the first decade of her life.

Books were a constant companion. She went on to study history at the University of California, Santa Cruz, graduating with a B.A. in 1970. Worried that a history degree alone might not lead to steady work, she earned a master’s in library science from San Jose State University, a choice that kept her close to the stacks she loved.

Right after graduate school she married engineer Frank Krentz, whom she had met at San Jose State, and followed him to the Virgin Islands for her first job as an elementary school librarian. She later joked that the year she spent there was an “unmitigated career disaster” — she enjoyed the library work, but not the teaching duties that came with it.

Back on the mainland she moved into academic libraries, including a position in the Duke University system and, later, corporate and university libraries in Seattle. Those years behind the reference desk shaped the way she thinks about research, popular fiction, and readers. They also paid the bills while she tried, and failed, to sell manuscripts for six long years.

The breakthrough came in 1979, when she sold her first category romance as Jayne Castle. Over time she wrote under a small crowd of names — Stephanie James, Amanda Glass, Jayne Taylor, Jayne Bentley — before settling into the three she still uses today: contemporary romantic suspense as Jayne Ann Krentz, historical romantic suspense as Amanda Quick, and futuristic or paranormal romantic suspense as Jayne Castle.

Two early novels, Sweet Starfire and Amaryllis, helped open the door for futuristic romance by blending classic adventure plots with invented worlds and psychic talents. Later, with the cross‑era Arcane Society books, she linked her historical, contemporary, and futuristic settings into one continuous universe built around a secretive community of people with extra‑sensory gifts.

Away from fiction she has been a vocal defender of the romance genre. She edited Dangerous Men and Adventurous Women, a collection of essays by romance writers that won a major feminist studies award and is still widely read in discussions of popular fiction.

Across more than a hundred novels, certain threads keep returning: strong partnerships, found families, characters who are talented at their work, and women whose curiosity pulls them into trouble and toward the right person. Whether the story is set in Regency England, 1930s California, or on a distant planet, the emotional core stays the same.

Today she lives in the Seattle area with her husband. She still talks about herself first as a reader, then as a writer, and credits her years in libraries — and a lifelong habit of sitting down at the desk every day — for the steady rhythm of books that appear under the Amanda Quick name.

Edited by

Richard Reis

Software engineer whose passion for tracking book recommendations from podcasts inspired the creation of MRB.

Anurag Ramdasan

Lead investor at 3one4 Capital whose startup expertise and love for books helped shaped MRB and its growth.

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