Take a photo of a barcode or cover
mbladams 's review for:
A Restless Truth
by Freya Marske
A Restless Truth is the second in The Last Binding series, and I loved it as much as I loved the first, A Marvelous Light.
Maud Blyth (sister of Robin Blyth, from A Marvelous Light) is aboard a transatlantic voyage. She went to the United States to collect Mrs. Navenby, who owns one piece of the Last Contract, three magical items that hold vast, mysterious magic. Mrs. Navenby is coming back to England with Maud to mourn (and avenge) the death of her good friend Flora Sutton, who owned another piece of the Last Contract. When Mrs. Navenby is killed on the first day of their journey back to England, and everything silver she owned is stolen (thus losing her Last Contract piece), Maud must figure out who killed her and how to get the pieces back.
Maud elicits the help of Violet Debenham,whose face she already knew from Robin's notebook of premonitions, and Lord Hawthorn, an acquaintance of her brother Robin's partner, Edwin. Violet is daring, beautiful and rich, having just inherited a fortune from a distant relative. She also has a fair amount of magical talent. Hawthorn's magical talent was lost several years ago, but he still has the training to assist Violet in performing magical spells. They also recruit Alan Ross, a reporter, who has been given free rein by White Star Liners to interview passengers about their journeys. Ross can go places the others cannot, and can ask questions without raising as much suspicion.
Maud learns much about herself and her abilities, both as a medium (a skill she didn't know she had before this voyage) and as a strong, independent woman. Rich women in the early 1900's weren't expected to do much, even in magical families, and both Maud and Violet are determined to make their mark on the world and "do their part" to keep magic safe.
Marske knows how to write a compelling mystery as well as a captivating romance. Maud and Violet's relationship begins as just a physical one, but you watch them fall in love. The sex scenes are plenty spicy, so if that is a concern of yours, this is not the book for you! But if you love mystery, magic and queer love, you'll really enjoy this series. I'm eagerly awaiting the next book!
Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy.
Maud Blyth (sister of Robin Blyth, from A Marvelous Light) is aboard a transatlantic voyage. She went to the United States to collect Mrs. Navenby, who owns one piece of the Last Contract, three magical items that hold vast, mysterious magic. Mrs. Navenby is coming back to England with Maud to mourn (and avenge) the death of her good friend Flora Sutton, who owned another piece of the Last Contract. When Mrs. Navenby is killed on the first day of their journey back to England, and everything silver she owned is stolen (thus losing her Last Contract piece), Maud must figure out who killed her and how to get the pieces back.
Maud elicits the help of Violet Debenham,whose face she already knew from Robin's notebook of premonitions, and Lord Hawthorn, an acquaintance of her brother Robin's partner, Edwin. Violet is daring, beautiful and rich, having just inherited a fortune from a distant relative. She also has a fair amount of magical talent. Hawthorn's magical talent was lost several years ago, but he still has the training to assist Violet in performing magical spells. They also recruit Alan Ross, a reporter, who has been given free rein by White Star Liners to interview passengers about their journeys. Ross can go places the others cannot, and can ask questions without raising as much suspicion.
Maud learns much about herself and her abilities, both as a medium (a skill she didn't know she had before this voyage) and as a strong, independent woman. Rich women in the early 1900's weren't expected to do much, even in magical families, and both Maud and Violet are determined to make their mark on the world and "do their part" to keep magic safe.
Marske knows how to write a compelling mystery as well as a captivating romance. Maud and Violet's relationship begins as just a physical one, but you watch them fall in love. The sex scenes are plenty spicy, so if that is a concern of yours, this is not the book for you! But if you love mystery, magic and queer love, you'll really enjoy this series. I'm eagerly awaiting the next book!
Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy.