Reviews with content warning for Confinement - "Slippery Creatures (The Will Darling Adventures, #1)"

What a fun time!!!! I got very strong "Tommy and Tuppence" vibes, and that's always a good thing.

I love these characters and their relationships, and the story is so well thought out. I really liked the complex views of war and post-war life, and how everyone deals with those things differently. Social commentary in a queer espionage trench coat 🙌🏻

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roxanned's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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the_vegan_bookworm's review against another edition

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adventurous funny fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

There were parts of this book I really liked, and there were many parts that fell flat for me. I didn't like the intense focus on war which felt pro-war in some ways (Will's disapproval was very focused on a lack of support upon returning and not on the tragedy that is war as a whole). It was also tough to understand the lack of emotional reaction to Will just killing people?

This being said, Will and Kim are a fun dynamic together and Phoebe is a gem.

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bel017's review against another edition

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fast-paced

Fun. Fast paced and entertaining. Kim is such a fantastically complex character. Slippery creatures indeed.

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criticalgayze's review against another edition

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adventurous tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

When talking to a friend on my overall thoughts on the book, I said, "I thought it was fun and pretty cute. I don't think I'm 'in love' with them yet, but I think that's a staple of my feelings on cozy BBC police squad TV shows, too. Takes me a while to feel my groove before I love them." I think this is an accurate expression on where I stand at the end of Slippery Creatures.

Although I think I like the story best at the beginning when it is about an angsty bookseller, this was a very enjoyable book. The men at the core of the story and their "tangential lady acquaintances" were incredibly likable, which is the key component to a book like this. There's back-and-forth and furtive scrambling and fag hag "whispering" to help the men understand each other better. You know. All the key components.

I also think the mystery here is well plotted. There were many moments when I thought, "Is this plot twist not a little too contrived?" or "Is it necessary to have ANOTHER character reversal?," yet Charles manages to make sure the answer is always, Yes.

Again, my only issue here was not yet buzzing on the romance at the book's center, but I have full hopes to being at a full 5-star on the series as a whole by the end of book three.

Quotes:
"Will Darling was outnumbered by books." (Page 1)
"'My dear chap, this is a bookshop. There's never anywhere better to be." (Page 26)
"He went through another box of his uncle's letters at his desk, working mechanically, serving customers out of bloody-mindedness rather than enthusiasm. None of them seemed surprised by his attitude. Maybe he was getting the hang of bookselling." (Page 59)
"Thank God they were British. He took a deep breath. 'Cup of tea?'" (Page 72)
"'Nor do I, you corkscrew-tongued bastard. Jesus wept. You could open wine bottles with that.'" (Page 244)
"'It sounds like the start of a joke,' Kim said, and then, a little less waspishly, 'Or at least, a story.'" (Page 246)
"It could be the start of a story or the end of one, Will thought, as they headed out together into the cold, dark street. It could be a farewell, or the foundation of a friendship. It could be an awkward drink in a crowded pub with an upper-class man wound tighter than a neurasthenic's pocket watch, or just possibly something else entirely." (Page 247)

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sassmaster's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny lighthearted mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

This was a very fun read and I ordered the other two of the trilogy immediately upon finishing! I loved both Will and Kim and the banter between them.

I would have loved if the romance was slower to develop, but that's just because I'm a sucker for slow burns.

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kkpwnall's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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girlonbooks's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious relaxing fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

🍵🍵🍵🍵 (four stars as rated in cups of tea because, "thank God we're British.")

When he inherits his uncle's book shop, Will Darling gets much more than he'd bargained for. Now shady characters are demanding he hand over "their" property - the war office is hounding him about it as well, incidentally. And who exactly is the dashing and mysterious Kim Secretan that is ever so eager to help him figure it all out? 👀

Ummm... is it hot in here or is it this book!? HOLY COW, y'all! This book is steamy. Some of the best sex I've read in awhile. I mean, HOT DAMN! Look, I'm going to be real: the mystery is only okay. The best part of this book is the characters and their relationships. Will and Kim are both infuriating little gems and if we don't get more of Phoebe and Maisie in book two I'm going to throw a tantrum. I am a sucker for a cozy mystery and they so rarely have good rep of any sort. Well done, K.J. Charles. Well done.

✨ Rep in this book: Gay protagonist, queer characters

✨ Content warnings for this book: homophobia, harassment, assault, government conspiracy, kidnapping, violence, guns, discussions of war, graphic sex

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