The Many Lives of Jayne Ann Krentz

Her three bestselling pseudonyms

I am often asked why I use a variety of pen names. The answer is that this way readers always know which of my three worlds they will be entering when they pick up one of my books.

Jayne Ann Krentz has been a bestselling author for decades and has written books that fall into a variety of subgenres. She even pioneered the concept of a futuristic romance with her 1986 novel Sweet Starfire. She specializes in romantic suspense, but finds a lot of variety within that category.

Her newest release, The Night Island, is the second book in her series, The Lost Night Files. It is the story of three women bonded by a night none of them can remember, but which brought out innate psychic abilities in each of them.

Over the years, Krentz has employed several pseudonyms to differentiate between the different worlds her writing inhabits. Here we take a look at those different worlds and some of our favorite titles from each.

As Jayne Ann Krentz—contemporary romantic-suspense

The hallmarks of Krentz's sexy, witty novels include strong-willed heroines, quirky families, mystery, and light elements of the paranormal. Here are some of her books that we like.

• Sleep No More (Book #1 in The Lost Night Files)—Parras, Talia, and Amelia are three women bound together by a night they can't remember that has awoken psychic abilities in each of them.
• Trust Me—An intriguing romance between caterer Desdemona and computer expert Sam. When someone breaks into Sam's computer files, sinister intrigue swirls around the unlikely pair.
• River Road—Lucy and Mason are reconnecting thirteen years after he dragged her out of a wild party, saving her from a nasty attack. A lot has changed since then. Mason is still trying to protect Lucy, but now she insists on playing a role in her own rescue.
• Deep Waters—Charity Truitt and Elias Winter, two of the Pacific Northwest's most powerful corporate figures, are both facing crises of career and the heart.
• Eye of the Beholder—While trying to unearth the truth about his father's murder, businessman J.L. Trask joins forces with Alexa Chambers, an art expert whose father is a prime suspect in the case.
• Grand Passion—Searching for his hidden inheritance, Max finds Cleopatra, a woman who sends shock waves to his core. When danger threatens from Cleo's past, Max may be the one man she can trust.
• The Vanishing (#1 in the Fogg Lake series)—Decades ago, after a mysterious incident, the residents of small-town Fogg Lake began developing some strange abilities. Best friends Cat and Olivia use their abilities to solve crimes. But now they've become targets themselves.
• White Lies—This book is #2 in the Arcane Society series, which is written across all three pseudonyms. The stories feature the adventures of members of an organization devoted to the study of the paranormal.

As Amanda Quick—historical romantic-suspense

These captivating historical novels contain the same elements as Krentz's contemporary titles from suspense to sensuality to a touch of the supernatural.

• Second Sight—The first book in the Arcane Society series provides the Victorian-era backstory about how the secretive paranormal organization was started and what it represents.
• Ravished—In this Regency-era retelling of Beauty and the Beast, Harriet must ask for help from Gideon, a fierce and notoriously menacing man. Yet Harriet can't find it in her heart to fear him.
• Mistress—In an attempt to find the shadowy figure who blackmailed her aunt, Iphiginia decides to pose as the mistress of the Earl of Masters, one of the most powerful men in England, whom she believes to be dead. The last thing she expects is for him to appear and go along with her ruse.
• The Paid Companion—The Earl of St. Merryn needs a false fiancée to keep the husband hunters at bay while he pursues his own private agenda and Elenora seems perfect. But things quickly get more complicated.
• The Girl Who Knew Too Much (#1 in the Burning Cove series)—1930s California: Irene is a rookie reporter following up on a scoop when she finds her would-be source dead at the bottom of a swimming pool. As she searches for the truth, she is drawn to a master of deception.

As Jayne Castle—futuristic sci-fi romantic-suspense

Castle is Krentz's birth name and the name she used for her earliest publications. Nowadays it is reserved for her stories of futuristic, paranormal romantic-suspense.

• Zinnia (#2 in the Helen's Series)—Ever since a false tabloid story ruined her reputation and her interior design business, Zinnia Spring has been making a living using her psychic abilities, a highly prized skill that attracts the attention of another planetary outcast, Nick Chastain.
• After Dark (#1 in the Ghost Hunters series)—Life is tough these days for Lydia Smith, licensed para-archaeologist. Finding out that her new client is one of the most dangerous men in the city isn't helping matters either.
• The Lost Night (Book #1 in the Rainshadow series)—Rachel Blake and her dust bunny companion have found peace and quiet on Rainshadow Island, operating a bookstore and café. But her tranquil new life is thrown into chaos when Harry Sebastian, the descendant of a notorious pirate, arrives.

If you're a fan of any one of Krentz's worlds, you might enjoy exploring another. Please let us know if you have any favorite titles to add to this list.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to connect with a community of readers like you and get daily book recommendations, literary tidbits, and more.

Read more by Ashly Moore Sheldon