I was delighted to return to the world of Widdershins, eight years beyond the original series, and check in on my favorite fictional town. The librarians of the Ladysmith Museum were always a source of amused befuddlement for me during the original series, so I was excited that one of those librarians was a hero of this new series. That Vesper Rune shares my reaction to Sebastian Rath and his cohorts made this book all the better.

Vesper could all too easily be an angst-ridden, overwrought character. However, Hawk grounds him through his devotion to his brother and his belief in their humanity despite their origins and physical differences. Sebastian is almost the more fantastical character due to his Widdershins upbringing and unique view of library security and pest-management systems.

I don’t want to spoil major plot points, but Widdershins knows it own. Though Vesper’s original arrival was under a cloud of deceit, it is clear from the outset that he has found a home if he can manage to accept it. His relationship with Sebastian is basically icing on the cake (and Sebastian’s reaction to Vesper’s non-human heritage and certain physical attributes is just as sweet).

The librarians of the Ladysmith are a force to be reckoned with, and I look forward to learning more about them throughout this series. Fans of Widdershins should not miss out on this new adventure.

Rating: 5 (out of 5) stars. Cross-posted to Amazon and Goodreads.