Series: Edinburgh Nights #3
Release date: July 27 2023
Publisher: Tor Books
Pages: 336
Find it: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 4.25/5 stars
Synopsis
Ropa Moyo is no stranger to magic or mysteries. But she’s still stuck in an irksomely unpaid internship. So she’s thrilled to attend a magical convention at Dunvegan Castle, on the Isle of Skye, where she’ll rub elbows with eminent magicians.
For Ropa, it’s the perfect opportunity to finally prove her worth. Then a librarian is murdered and a precious scroll stolen. Suddenly, every magician is a suspect, and Ropa and her allies investigate. Trapped in a castle, with suspicions mounting, Ropa must contend with corruption, skulduggery and power plays. Time to ask for a raise?
Review
The third installment in T L Huchu’s thrilling Edinburgh Nights series follows ghost talker Ropa Moyo as she’s sent to help out at a magic convention at Dunvegan Castle on the Isle of Skye. Hoping she’ll get the chance to rub shoulders with the magical elite, Ropa finds herself in the midst of a dark mystery when a magical scroll is stolen and a librarian murdered. Can she uncover who’s behind it all in time to recover the scroll and help her mentor before its too late?
This is the third installment in this series and I’ve enjoyed each one immensely. I really enjoyed that this one was set on the Isle of Skye and it was interesting to see Ropa in a different environment. Trapped in the castle, this is a fast paced mystery and I definitely did not guess who was behind it all. Huchu’s writing is compelling and the story is clever, complex and entertaining. The Mystery at Dunvegan Castle features much more politics and scheming than the previous novels and it was really fascinating seeing the different magical organisations and schools attempt to out manoeuvre each other.
Ropa as always is a brilliant protagonist and you can’t help but root for her. She’s so full of attitude but she’s also determined to succeed and do what’s right. This installment sees quite a bit of character growth in Ropa as she sticks by Callender and has to deal with her anxieties. One of the things I love about this series is the unique approach to magic and I loved getting to explore that a bit more in this book. I definitely feel like I could read lots more books about Ropa’s adventures and I can’t wait to see where Huchu takes the story next.
C J Cooke is fast becoming my go-to author for fast paced gothic horror novels you can’t put down. The Ghost Woods tells the story of two women who travel to Lichen Hall, a remote estate in the Scottish Borders where unmarried women can go to give birth. When Pearl arrives in 1965, she soon learns all is not as it seems and there are some strange things going on. There she meets a mother and a young boy who live on the grounds of the estate and together they unravel a mystery darker than they ever imagined.
The first in a new series from H M Long, Dark Water Daughter is a tense and gripping tale that follows stormsinger Mary Firth who finds herself forced on board the ship of infamous pirate Silvanus Lirr. In order to escape him she seeks protection with Lirr’s rival, but he isn’t all that he seems and has dark secrets of his own. Samuel Rosser is working on board The Hart, a ship determined to bring Lirr to justice. Rosser, once a naval officer is determined to capture Lirr and restore his good name. Will the two be able to succeed and at what cost?
The second book in the Gael Song series, The Words of Kings and Prophets follows on from the events of The Children of Gods and Fighting Men. Gormflaith is now married to Brian Boru, and finds herself without the power she once had. She is unhappy at being sent to marry Brian and will do anything to regain her power. Gormflaith still desires to wipe out the Descendants and soon realises there is more to her power than she ever thought possible. Meanwhile, Fódla continues to live in the mortal world to protect her nephew, but can she hide him from the evil in this world, especially when war is brewing? Back home there is trouble brewing amongst the Tuatha Dé Danann, but who is behind it and will Fódla be able to see the truth?
A Haunting in the Arctic is the newest dark and engrossing tale from C J Cooke. The story follows two women in different times – in 1901 Nicky wakes to find herself aboard one of her father’s whaling ships – The Ormen. Attacked in a park and taken aboard while she was unconscious, Nicky has no choice but to join the crew on their perilous journey to Iceland, but at what cost? Meanwhile, in present-day Dominique is an urban explorer, looking to explore and document the last days of the Ormen before it is sunk. The ship has drifted across the sea, empty and full of secrets. Will Dominique be able to uncover what happened on the ship and will she survive the strange things happening aboard?
The Lights of Prague is a dark and intriguing story that follows two people living in Prague, a city that is plagued with dark creatures. Domek is a lamplighter – a secret group tasked with protecting the citizens of Prague from the creatures of the night. Lady Ora Fischerová is a pijavice, one of the undead who hides in high society. When one night Domek discovers a will-o’-the-wisp, it sends him on a dark quest to uncover a terrible conspiracy among the pijavice. Domek must team up with Lady Fischerová in order to save Prague, but will they manage it in time?
Empire of the Vampire is the epic story of Gabriel de León, the last silversaint. Imprisoned by the vampires he has dedicated his life to eradicating, he is forced to relive his life story – how he came to be a silversaint, his triumphs, and his woes, how he became known as the infamous Black Lion, and how he ended up on a quest to find the holy grail and end daysdeath once and for all.
Fourth Wing is a book I feel really conflicted about. The story follows Violet Sorrengail, daughter of a general with plans to enter the Scribe Quadrant and live the quiet life she’d always dreamed of. When her mother demands she enter the Rider’s Quadrant, she has no choice but to enter the deadly Basgiath War College where there are only two options – graduate or die. There Violet meets Xaden Riorson, who has plans to end her life for being her mother’s daughter. Can Violet survive long enough to bond with a dragon and prove herself strong enough to be a rider?
Dog Rose Dirt is an intriguing thriller that follows a young woman named Heather Evans who returns to the family home after her mother has died. Trying to discover the reason for her Mum’s suicide, Heather uncovers a series of letters between her mother and Michael Reave, the infamous serial killer known as the Red Wolf. When a body is found that has the same markings as Reave’s previous victims, the police are desperate to find out who is behind the killings. Only Reave can help the police, but he has spent a lifetime behind bars and the only person he will speak to is Heather. Can she uncover the truth behind her mother’s past and stop anymore people being hurt?
The newest release from Evelyn Hugo author Taylor Jenkins Reid, the story follows retired tennis player Carrie Soto. After retiring six years ago, Carrie holds the world record for most grand slams. When she watches the 1994 US Open and sees Nicki Chan beat her record, she makes the decision to come out of retirement and try to reclaim her record. At thirty-seven everyone is ready to count her out but Carrie will do whatever it takes to succeed, even working with Bowe Huntley.
The Bibliophile Chronicles 