Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

This is a slow burn Gilded Age book that combines mystery, magic, and romance. Vesper is a young, ambitious journalist with the failing Basalton Globe. The book opens with her attending a society gala with the hopes of interviewing an inventor introducing this recent magical invention. Vesper resents Basalton high society who use sorcery to fuel their luxurious lifestyles rather than help those less fortunate. Vesper briefly interviews the inventor, however a brief time later finds him dead in the garden. Two men are the police’s main suspects, with the prime suspect being industrialist Maximilian Kite.

Max hires Vesper to investigate the case and help prove his innocence. The duo impart on an investigation that will take them to lavish parties where they pretend to be courting to the rough streets of London where they run into a dangerous gang that runs the underground. Along the way their preconceived notions of each other are dispelled and their relationship goes from colleagues, to friends, to more. Their witty banter and gentle teasing are a fun development in their relationship.

I loved Vesper. She is smart, ambitious, brave, determined, and when challenged doubles down and works even harder to achieve her goal. She’s savvy and able to direct a conversation to get the information she needs. She’s dedicated and loyal to her friends and will do anything for those who helped her during her difficult childhood. There is more to Max than meets the eye. Despite his wealth and privilege, he is truly concerned about others and has no problem deferring to Vesper’s expertise and knowledge. He’s often a bull in a china shop and stumbles along in the investigation, although Vesper can admit that when it comes to high society, it’s best to follow Max’s lead. He’s a sweet partner to Vesper and the perfect cinnamon roll book boyfriend.

The book starts off slow, but once it gets going progresses on a steady pace. The romance took a back seat to the mystery which I appreciated. I loved the historical aspects of the Gilded Age included by the author, especially they way she inserted commentary about feminism, misogyny, and classism. There is very limited magic in the book and not much worldbuilding, but I was still invested in the mystery. There are twists and red herrings as the investigation picks up and comes to a satisfying conclusion.

I was gifted a complimentary audiobook from Macmillan Audio Early Listeners and loved it. The narrator did a great job portraying the variety of characters in the book. I had no trouble distinguishing between them. She did a great job building tension with her voice and I felt like I was listening to a friend telling me a story.

All opinions are my own.