A Queer Trade (World of A Charm of Magpies) [Ned & Crispin] by K.J. Charles

Though I was a HUGE fan of the main series, this short novella somehow wasn't "it" for me. I liked both Ned and Crispin but I didn't feel a real connection to them or the story. It's a prequel to their full length novel ("Rag and Bone"), telling us the circumstances they came to meet and get to know each other.

Crispin Tredarloe is in BIG trouble. While away to tend his sick mother his master had died and all his VERY important (and also harmful) scripts were sold to a waste man. Crispin is stressed about finding all the scripts before (A) anyone is harmed by them (B) the Justiciary find out about the whole thing and charge him with being a Warlock (for practicing blood magic) even if he hasn't harmed a soul.



Edward "Ned" Hall is the waste man who bought the papers and though he thinks Crispin in crazy when he explains why he needs the papers ASAP, he comes to believe him and even help him much more than he needs or even should and it's not only because of the attraction between them.

In the end there ARE consequences to his masters acts as well as his own but it's NOT what he had in mind. Though at least one positive thing came out of the whole ordeal - meeting Ned.

Rating: ★★★★

E-Book Edition

57 pages

Read on: 27 March 2020

ABOUT THIS SERIES

 

A Charm of Magpies is a MUST READ simply FANTASTIC Paranormal Romance series set in Victorian times by  K.J. Charles. The (main) series follows Lucien Vaudrey - Lord Crane and Justiciar and Magic Practitioner Stephen Day.

There are not enough amazing words to describe how much I love and recommend this series. It has everything anyone can wish for. Great romance with a beautiful build up. Banter galore. An interesting setting in Victorian London with more than a little sprinkle of magic. Action and mystery in every book keeping me at the edge of my seat for the mystery to resolve as well as for these two to find their solace together.

GRAB IT NOW! You won't regret it.

In "Jackdaw" we revisit Jonah Pastern who was a sort of a villain in "Flight of Magpies". We understand his reasons for acting the way he did and how he redeemed himself, not only from his action there but his life in general with help and support from Ben - the man he did it all for. It was a treasure of a book as well.

Ned and Crispin are a new couple as well, they have a short novella (of them getting to know each other) and a short novel of them pretty much saving the world.. It takes time in the same timeline as "Jackdaw" each explains why they were pretty much on their own fighting evil with very little help. I didn't really like these two together. They have a lot of potential but at their current state they are barely functioning which I had a difficult time with honestly.

Books:
A Charm of Magpies
0.5 The Smuggler and the Warlord (Published 30 November 2013) ★★★★★
1. The Magpie Lord (Published 3 September 2013) ★★★★★
[ 1.5 Interlude with Tattoos (Included in "The Magpie Lord") ]
2. A Case of Possession (Published 6 January 2014  ★★★★★
[ 2.5 A Case of Spirits (Included in "A Case of Possession") ]
3. Flight of Magpies (Published 28 October 2014)  ★★★★★
[ 3.5 Feast of Stephen (Included in "Flight of Magpies") ]

 

The World of Magpies
Edward "Ned" Hall & Crispin Tredarloe:
A Queer Trade (Rag and Bone prequel) (Published 2 February 2016)  ★★★★
Rag and Bone (Published 1 March 2016)  ★★★
Benedict "Ben" Spenser & Jonah Pastern:
Jackdaw (Published 9 November 2017)  ★★★★★