#22 What Angels Fear by C.S. Harris

This is a mystery set during the Regency in England. Sebastian St Cyr has sold his Army commission and returned from the war and finds himself framed for a murder of an actress. Whit the evidence fairly damning he still has a few friends that believe he is innocent and they help him uncover the truth. As the skein of lies is unraveling the real killer wants to take care of Sebastian and put it all to rest. A great start to a series and the introductions to the supporting players in the series feels natural and not forced. I liked it so much I’m now on book 4 before I even got a chance to writer my review.

#23 From Unseen Fire by Cass Morris

This is a fantasy set in an alternate Roman empire with magic. Some people have one of eight types of magic and use it with their day to days lives. Not everyone is a priest of a god or goddess with the magic but it does tend to run in families. The only thing you can’t do if you have magic is run for the Senate, politics is barred to magic users. Latona and her two sisters each have magic, but her magic was so strong she was wed to someone not that interested in politics to hide her from the dictator. Now that he is dead, factions are vying to take control of the Senate and the future of the Empire. The action of the book swings between to Latona and Sempronus, a leader of one of the factions and Latona’s brother who is far away with the legions fighting to protect distant lands.

This is certainly book one of a series and even with good conclusion to the voting at the end of the book there is so much more to explore in future books.

Digital review copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley

#24 Brief Cases by Jim Butcher

This is a collection of short stories that have been previously published in various places with one new short story at the end of the book. It was nice to reread some of these stories and see the introductions explaining where they fell in the series or why they were written. I had read most but not all of the reprints since some were either in small press publications or RPG books. A great collection for any fan of the Dresden Files and nice to see the story universe with other characters getting a turn as narrator. The last story is the new one and the furthest in the timeline of the series. So nice to see Harry, Maggie and Mouse all together in one story.

Digital review copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley