Lady Henterman’s Wardrobe

The Streets of Maradaine #2

by Marshall Ryan Maresca

Mixing high fantasy and urban fantasy, the second novel of the Streets of Maradaine series follows the Rynax brothers' crew of outlaws as they attempt their biggest heist yet and restore justice to the common people.

The neighborhood of North Seleth has suffered--and not just the Holver Alley Fire. Poverty and marginalization are forcing people out of the neighborhood, and violence on the streets is getting worse. Only the Rynax brothers--Asti and Verci--and their Holver Alley Crew are fighting for the common people. They've taken care of the people who actually burned down Holver Alley, but they're still looking for the moneyed interests behind the fire.

The trail of breadcrumbs leads the crew to Lord Henterman, and they plan to infiltrate the noble's house on the other side of the city. While the crew tries to penetrate the heart of the house, the worst elements of North Seleth seem to be uniting under a mysterious new leader. With the crew's attention divided, Asti discovers that the secrets behind the fire, including ones from his past, might be found in Lady Henterman's wardrobe.

Genres: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Fiction, Mystery

352 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published March 6, 2018

About the author

Marshall Ryan Maresca is a fantasy and science-fiction writer, author of sixteen novels, most of which are part of the Maradaine Saga: Four braided series set amid the bustling streets and crime-ridden districts of the exotic city called Maradaine. He is also the author of the standalone dieselpunk fantasy, The Velocity of Revolution. He is a four-time Hugo finalist as the co-host of the podcast Worldbuilding for Masochists, and has been a playwright, an actor and an amateur chef. He lives in Austin, Texas with his family.
For more information, visit Marshall’s website at www.mrmaresca.com.

Reviews

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

We start this story with the crew from Holver Alley breaking into an office building to uncover the machinations behind whoever destroyed their homes. They are adjusting to the displacement the fire caused and the tensions put them from their new situations.

Someone has also been buying up the property left after the raging fire. Giving the team one more thing to uncover. And that is just what they do, imbedding themselves in positions to find out the truth behind the loss of Holver Alley.

Verci’s wife is against his involvement, but he is not going to let his brother Asti face the upcoming danger alone.

The team dynamics are quite interesting with a wide and diverse group of characters all ultimately facing similar circumstances and goals.

This was a 4 star read for me. It is definitely not a stand alone and if you missed the first book in the series you will be in the same shoes, I was in, playing some serious catch up.

Once I got past playing catch up and trying to understand the whos and whys of what was going on, I discovered a fun, highly entertaining and easy following but gritty tale that incorporates an epic fantasy feel. My recommendation, start with book 1 and your sure to find a series to devour.

I received this copy of Lady Henterman's Wardrobe from Berkley Publishing Group - DAW. This is my honest and voluntary review.

[Mogsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2018/03/27/...

Nobody does light frothy fun better than Marshall Ryan Maresca, and his latest series set in Maradaine seems like the perfect avenue to showcase his skill and passion for stories featuring boisterous action and rollicking adventure. Lady Henterman’s Wardrobe is the second installment of The Streets of Maradaine starring the Rynax brothers and their ragtag crew of con artists and thieves, and like its predecessor, it is once again a heist novel.

In the aftermath of the events seen in The Holver Alley Crew, Asti and Verci Rynax finally have proof of what they suspected all along—that the fire that gutted their entire street, robbing them and their neighbors of their homes and livelihoods, was in fact no accident. But to get to the roots of the conspiracy, they’ll need to dig deeper. After uncovering a development project funded by some powerful people, the brothers follow the clues to a Lord Henterman, a rather empty-headed nobleman who likes to throw a lot of parties—hardly the criminal mastermind they’ve envisioned. But then, of course, looks can be deceiving, leading the crew to devise a plan to infiltrate Henterman’s next big soiree to see what he’s all about.

Meanwhile, the gangs of the city are becoming unsettled as a new boss known only as Treggin begins to move in on their territories. He’s quickly amassing a fair number of followers, enough to make Josie, the Rynax brothers’ patron, a little nervous. The constabulary forces have also stepped up their game, sniffing around the neighborhood for the perpetrators of the crew’s last heist, forcing them all to lay low. Asti himself is trying to deal with some personal demons, and the constant struggle to reign in his beast is putting him off his game. Even without all the distractions, their plan to infiltrate the Henterman party is a little more slapdash than usual, and that’s before they discover the truth about the lady of the house, which is when all hell breaks loose.

Indeed, the energy of the story was rather subdued until this point. Lady Henterman’s Wardrobe had a slower start compared to the first one, and it wasn’t until halfway that things began to pick up. As a result, I thought this sequel was a little weaker than the original, and also because the story wasn’t as tightly told. Heist books can be tricky, and the best ones are always those that involve elaborate plans and unexpected plot twists which keep up the level of suspense. Unfortunately, readers have come to expect the Rynax brothers’ plans to become “skunked”, which in turn diminishes any surprise or appreciation for their cleverness that might have been felt. In truth, the characters’ plans felt sloppy in this one, and there was also too much chaos. For instance, the heist on Henterman’s house was proposed by Asti with no distinct goal in mind, and yet the rest of the crew was simply content to go along with his idea to just wing it and see what happens? I just don’t buy it.

The aim of a heist book is also to get the reader to root for the main characters who are essentially the criminals trying to break the law and get away with their nefarious schemes. As such, your crew needs to be likable and they must have a sympathetic cause. While finding out who ruined their lives with the Holver Alley fire is unquestionably a good reason for everything the Rynax brothers are doing, I nonetheless found myself starting to become frustrated and annoyed with them both. Asti is a lot more careless and irresponsible in this sequel, and his dogged determination became more of a nuisance than a strength. And Verci, I just wanted to shake him for going along with Asti’s half-baked plans. Loyalty to your brother is one thing, but Verci’s choices repeatedly put the lives of his wife and young son directly at risk, making you wonder what the hell is going through his mind and why Raych puts up with him when he’s always choosing reckless Asti’s side over her and Corsi. There was really only one character who stepped up in this book, and that was Mila. She came across as more perceptive and competent than both brothers combined, often taking matters into her own hands and bringing the real leadership.

Still, in spite of the book’s weaknesses, I found it entertaining. Even though I didn’t think it was quite as good as the first book, Lady Henterman’s Wardrobe is a solid sequel and readers who enjoyed The Holver Alley Crew will want to continue the series to see how the characters have grown and how their quest has developed. Fans of heist stories should put this series on their list right away.

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Source* Publisher
*Genre* Fantasy, Urban Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5-4

*Thoughts*

Lady Henterman's Wardrobe, by author Marshall Ryan Maresca, is the second installment in the Streets of Maradine series. This is actually the third series from Maresca and they are all set in the same fantasy world known as the Archduchy of Maradine. The others are Maradine and The Maradine Constabulary. A fourth series called the Maradine Elite, featuring an entirely new cast of characters, will be releasing in the fall of 2018. One of the key selling points is that eventually, all three series will crossover.

*Full Review @ Gizmos Review*

http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lady Henterman’s Wardrobe is the latest in Maresca’s on going series in the Maradaine universe. It’s the sequel to Holver Alley Crew, which I have to admit is my favorite book 1 in any of his series so far. I’m happy to report that this follow up is just as exciting and fun as the last one.

Verci and Asti are still working with their crew, with the ultimate goal of finding whoever was responsible for the fire that destroyed Holver Alley. They have all had to make some adjustments as they have been displaced by the fire, they also are keeping their huge payday from the last heist underwraps, and living the modest lives that might be expected, trying to not draw attention to the themselves.

There is tension as Verci’s wife wants him to live a clean and straight life, and blames his brother Asti for always dragging him into the less than legal activities the Rynax brothers always seem to find themselves a part of. And really, who can blame her? He is her husband and the father of their child. The consequences if they get caught impact more than just Verci, as opposed to Asti who’s only commitment in life seems to be exacting justice on whoever is responsible. To widen the mystery a bit more, someone has begun buying up all the properties that were destroyed in the fire. Who and why? Well, Asti is determined to find out. And Verci can’t let his brother go at it alone, so the happy band of thieves is at it again, but while they may be thieves, their motivation is pretty honorable.

We get to learn more about Asti’s backstory in this one, and it is definitely interesting (and full of betrayal). So pair that with all the excitement of heists and going undercover? This book left me completely happy and wanting more. The team dynamics again are fun and diverse and I enjoy all the characters that show up in this series.

This may sound superficial, but honestly my only complaint with this book is not so much anything within the book itself, but the title. I feel like its such a nitpicky thing to bring up in a review as it really has no bearing on my enjoyment of the book whatsoever. You know that saying, Dont Judge a Book by its Cover? Admit it, we all do it to some degree. even if we know we shouldn’t. An amazing eye catching cover gets more attention, a lackluster one gets over looked. That’s hardly a ground breaking revelation, but while I’ve never heard a Dont Judge a Book By Its Title rule, I think I need to make that a new rule and hope people follow it for this book. For me, this title sounds like a completely different type of book than it is. It brings to mind a materialistic histoical fiction maybe? Probably with a strong romance element? I would never suspect it is a book about a group of thieves attempting pull off a major heist and get vengeance for a fire that destroyed their lives and community. And that’s my concern with the title, that it sounds so far from the type of book it is, that it could deter readers. Having read the book, I get the connection, the title is not completely random, but for a first impression I feel like it’s not the best choice. The largest consolation with that is that this is a book 2, and anyone who read Holver Alley Crew should know what’s in store in this book. Who knows, maybe I am alone with this concern, if so, ignore me, but if not, just ignore the title and dive in, you wont regret it.

I sometimes feel like calling a series or book “fun” almost sounds too simplistic. But when it comes down to it that is the trait that stands out for me most with the Maradaine books. It is a highly desirable trait in books like this, one that can be hard to pin down and one that not everyone can easily achieve. Maresca again gives us a book that is just a pleasure to sit back, read and enjoy. Have fun with it.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished this 2 days ago and I'm still not over it. I can't stop thinking about it or any of the other books in the Maradaine sequence. I'm officially obsessed. So much so, I preordered the next 2 books. The Way of the Shield and A Parliament of Bodies. I need more Maradaine books. I need more of Verci and Asti and their fight of finding out what really happened to their Alley and why it burned. The only downside to these books is I found a few simple mistakes in the writing that should have been fixed in one of the edits that threw me off the story at times but, honestly, didn't stop me from loving all these characters and their challenges. It definitely took me time to get into The Streets of Maradiane novels after finishing The Imposters of Aventil in a day. It took time to put Veranix on the backburner so that I could fully appreciate Asti and Verci. I love these books so much. I can't wait to get my hands on the next one.

[All Things Urban Fantasy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy.

LADY HENTERMAN’S WARDROBE is full of fast-talking one-liners, antiheroes, and complex heists. Despite not having read the first book, I was sold on the promise of thievery, shenanigans, and wit. Although I love a not-so-good gang, the Holver Alley Crew has a lot of members, alliances, and enemies. All of which means that LADY HENTERMAN’S WARDROBE had more plot than it really needed. Too many side characters were held up in safe houses, hunted by the police, or off running another con.

It took a few chapters for me to get comfortable with the setting and the characters. The pace is bogged down by fetch quests before we finally get to the main heist. While there are many steps to create a successful con, all the side trips to fetch plot item A or B meant we don’t get to the Henterman’s until later in the book. In addition to the fetch quests, almost every character had their own B story, which added up to too much plot. I would have loved the plot streamlined and solely focused on the Holver Alley Crew in the Henterman’s house.

LADY HENTERMAN’S WARDROBE shines with its dialogue. There are times when it feels like watching a movie as each character plays off each other. I appreciated that members of the crew weren’t just archetypes, they all wanted someone even if it made them unlikeable. History is also hugely important to the characters and the plot, past cons and past loves affect them all. If you have a deep love of heist films and don’t mind an overly large crew, you’ll get a lot of enjoyment out of LADY HENTERMAN’S WARDROBE.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

*copy from Netgalley in exchange for a review*

Lady Henterman’s Wardrobe is the second in Marshall Ryan Maresca’s “The Streets of Maradaine” sequence, the first of which I thoroughly enjoyed reading last year. There’s a larger Maradaine universe being explored in other sequences, including youthful and magical vigilantes, and Holmesian mage-detectives, but this sequence focuses on the Rynax brothers, who have a penchant for elaborate heists, a number of slightly strange friends with specialist skills, and a serious desire to find out who burnt down their neighbourhood, in order to express their disapproval.

The city of Maradaine has always seemed like another character in these books, putting different aspects of itself on display, depending on which characters were looking at it. Here, we see both the more run down, un-examined parts of the city, where law enforcement treads quietly, carefully, or in large numbers – and parts prone to the roaring revels of the wealthy, where private guards make sure that nobody who isn’t there to cause the correct kind of trouble is let through the door.

The first of these is epitomised in the lively neighbourhood where the Rynax brothers make their home. It has several excellent craftspeople, and a sense of community. There’s a history there, across generations, and a sense of people looking out for each other. If the law is far away, the local criminal element operates within rules, operates with respect, and knows where to push and put its boundaries. It’s a place where being an outsider could get you a knife in the kindeys, sure, and one where a moments inattention might lead to a broken head, but where reputation is everything, good and bad.

By contrast, the opulent manors of the rich are a baroque haven, full of enough glinting gild to satiate even the most demanding magpie. These are people happy to stand on the shoulders of others to get where they are – or, if necessary, hold the heads of others under water. Security’s tight, and the spaces are vast – if not overly populated by anyone with much sense of responsibility. That said, the owners are at the top of the socio-economic heap, and they’re certainly willing to keep it that way.

Which brings us to the characters. The Rynax boys are still as wonderfully drawn and complex as ever. One suffering the after effects of a covert operation gone wrong, the other happy to try and build a respectable life and a respectable family – but both determined to track down the cause of their woes. It’s great to see the edges here – there’s someone who might have been an action/anti-hero in another story, struggling with life after being shattered and rebuilt. Then there’s his brother, who is genuinely happy not being the hero of the week, and just wants to settle down, make interesting mechanisms, and have a quiet life with his family. They’re not stereotypical heroes, but they do act as very relatable people, shaped by their experiences, and living with the consequences of their choices.

They’re joined by a thoroughly enjoyable cast of other reprobates. I particularly enjoy the hard-edged markswoman with a penchant for precision and a small crush on the married Rynax, and the street girl who has started to take the children of the streets and make them her own, lending them her own strength when necessary, and pushing forward in an effort to be something more.

There’s a delightful bevy of dubious coves as well. The eponymous Lady Henterman is smooth and cold as ice, definitely someone worth watching. There’s the mysterious gang leader moving in o n the formerly safe territory occupied by the Rynax twins, with his programme of extortion and brutality. There’s Lord Henterman, a man almost frighteningly vague. And, of course, there’s the police – no fan of people they consider nuisances at best, and outright dangerous at worst. Whether some of these erstwhile antagonists are actually bad people is open to debate, which is a nice change – they may just be working their own agenda, without the necessity of malevolence. But there’s some wonderful diversity and personality on display here, and watching them face off against our protagonists was always delightful.

Plot-wise – well, I won’t say much, for fear of spoilers. The Rynax brothers are known for their heists, and this is definitely a story of a plan which needs split second precision, and the ability to react properly when…er..I mean if…it all goes wrong. There’s some wonderful moments where your expectations are subverted, and some wonderful duels, the kind where wit and blade matter as much as each other. There’s some reasl emotional heft in the dialogue between the Rynax gang, and a sense that they’re starting to look forward, and out of their current circumstances. There’s also the white knuckle, every-second-counts high-wire tension, of course, and some revelations that will hit hard, down in the gut. It’s a heist story, an adventure story. A story about family, about friendship, about betrayal, murder, and making a heap of money.

It’s fast paced, it’s smart, it made me laugh aloud more than once, and it also kicked me right in the feels more than once. This is kick-arse fantasy, and if you’ve been waiting to find out what the Rynax brothers did next, or you’ve always wondered how a fantasy heist would go down, this one’s worth checking out.

[J. d'Merricksson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lady Henterman’s Wardrobe is second in the Streets of Maradaine series, and the first of Marasca’s many Maradaine books that I've read. This story follows Asti and Verci Rynax as their crew of thieves continue to look into those behind the Holver Alley fire that destroyed many homes. Though they've already taken care of those immediately responsible, with a nice monetary haul to boot, they know others are ultimately behind the fire. This tale opens with the crew attempting a break-in at offices in Pomoraine. Things go sideways quickly, and they barely escape, though not all were unscathed. They do get a few new leads, though- the Creston Group and the Andrendon Project, which lead to Lord and Lady Henterman.

I found Maresca's writing style interesting. It didn't mesh with me right off, but the opening sure hooked me. As the story went on, I really began to enjoy his style. I'm looking forward to reading other of the myriad Maradaine novels. Definitely going to check out the first Streets of Maradaine book, The Holver Alley Crew. I think I'm most interested in checking out the Maradaine Constabulary series next.

I found this a fast-paced adventure story, and an enjoyable, clever heist tale. Asti's group and their elaborate heists so remind me of the Leverage crew! I enjoyed each of the characters, but I think my favourites were the two brothers, especially Verci. Asti gets him in so much trouble! Verci is very loyal to his brother, but seems he'd be happier just inventing things. I love reading stories where people in fantasy/etc settings are inventing things so common to us today, but brand-new to them. Another series I recently read like that is Michael J Sullivan's Legends of the First Empire. I love Verci’s creating a wheeled chair to help him get around after he breaks his ankle.

Besides being an exciting adventure, it's filled with emotional moments as well. I appreciated the strong themes of Loyalty and family, and the trouble with both standing by your loyalties, or when those loyalties are torn between people who want you to do two completely opposite things. Learning more about Asti and Verci's pasts was neat, and there was enough subtle recap from the previous book that I didn't feel I was missing too much from not having read it first.

I loved the cover to this book! That, and it's title, are what drew me in. I've seen several reviews where people didn't like the title, but I did. It's similar to other fantasy books I've read with like titles that telegraphed to me exactly what sort of world I could expect, and I wasn't disappointed.

***Many thanks to Netgalley and Berkley/DAW for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Viking Jam · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://koeur.wordpress.com/2018/01/1...

Publisher: DAW

Publishing Date: March 2018

ISBN:9780756412647

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: 3.7/5

Publishers Description: The neighborhood of North Seleth has suffered–and not just the Holver Alley Fire. Poverty and marginalization are forcing people out of the neighborhood, and violence on the streets is getting worse. Only the Rynax brothers–Asti and Verci–and their Holver Alley Crew are fighting for the common people. They’ve taken care of the people who actually burned down Holver Alley, but they’re still looking for the moneyed interests behind the fire.

Review: This was labeled “Fantasy” as there is some magical instances with a mage of mercenary intent. Throw in alternate universe/Victorian steampunk mystery and you might have an apt description. Think olde London with Oliver Twist scarping about.

Asti Rynax has a crew, of sorts, that are seeking justice for a land grab that involved the burning of their homes. They are all fiercely loyal to the Rynax brothers of which the “whys” are never built upon and you wonder where this deep level of caring comes from. Helene seesaws back and forth from ardent supporter and caring crew mate, to shifting her outlook in order to serve her own livelihood. This inconsistent rendering paired much of the characterization a bit flat. The players are numerous and most are solidly built within a very fast paced environment.

Overall it was an enjoyable read, if a bit patterned with the damaged hero and the evil hottie spy protagonist shtick.

[Alan · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the interests of full disclosure I received an ARC from the publisher with, as I recall the enclosed letter to put up an honest review where I do put up reviews (end of legal disclaimer-is this a legal disclaimer?).

I was interested in Maresca's Maradine books, therefore I was quite happy to receive this tome and delve into the world. On the surface Maresca's world building reminds me of Tamora Pierce. Low on the magic using, and multiple series take place within the same world (Maresca-Maradine, Pierce-Tortall).

But, yeah with just 3 stars you probably figured there was abut here, the caper aspect of the tale doesn't quite work for me. Pretty much all caper tales seems to resort to the one member of the crew is going to betray everyone trope. That happens here, and actually two betrayals are set up, and a lot of the expected betrayal was telegraphed.

As a caveat this is the second book in the tales of The Holver Alley crew, so maybe there are some subtleties that I am missing.

There are pluses to the book. Enough payoff of story lines that appear to be holdovers from the first book, and setup of story lines for a third book are well handled.

The Rynax brothers are interesting enough. Asti with his PTSD and inflcited damage from his time in intelligence work. Versci who is a good gadget man and wants to go for an honest life. Helene, Win and Almer were interesting enough (and avoided being annoying like Josie and Tarvis).

Still in the long run I have yet to decide whether to pursue more Maradine books.

[Jessica Bronder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Asti and Verci Rynax are still trying to find the person responsible for the Holver Alley fire. They have punished the culprits but there is more to this fire than those that set it. At the same time, someone is buying up all the burnt property. Who is it and why? And who is this new gang that think they can move into Holver Alley while the Rynax brothers are looking into the culprits for the fire?

I really enjoyed the Holver Alley Crew was a great story. I was very excited when I received a copy of Lady Henterman’s Wardrobe. Although I have to be honest, at first I thought it was a historical romance until I looked it up and realized it’s the sequel to Holver Alley Crew.

I loved coming back to the Rynax brothers. Both have their own issues, secrets and wanting to settle down, but both also are looking to protect their gang and homes. I really enjoyed how you have to be one your toes with everyone. It’s hard to figure out where someone is coming from, what they are planning, and if they are really good or bad or just trying to survive in their own ways.

This is a great sequel to Holver Alley Crew. I’m sad to see the sequel won’t be out for a couple years but I am going to keep my eyes out for it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

[Anthony Duncan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A rabbit hole of thievery, con jobs, and espionage

To simply describe the plot of “Lady Henterman’s Wardrobe” would bring to mind classic heist movies like “Sneakers” or “The Great Train Robbery”. You could read this adventure on its own easily, but you’d be missing out on the long game Maresca is building and the rich, fully realized world of Maradaine, which stands alongside Middle Earth and Westeros as one of the most intricate and lived in fantasy settings.

[Tracey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think the Maradaine books are getting more and more enjoyable as they go along. This was my commute book last week (read on the bus), and it was a delight to be able to ignore the annoyances of mass transit while keeping up with the Rynax Brothers and Co. As with the first volume of the Streets series, the action starts at page one, and I love the characters.

[Milan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun installment in the Maradaine world. I really like the Rynax brothers and it seems more and more like there's going to be some kind of connection between all three series. Really looking forward to that!

[Uriah Mach · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a big fan of the Maradaine books, I was greatly looking forward to Lady Henterman’s Wardrobe. It delivers a good story, but has Empire Strikes Back syndrome; great highs, great lows, good pacing, but it leaves you hanging waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Mr Mareska successfully keeps all the balls in the air, and catches them, but some things that were done here feel like they were thrown in just because they could have been. A bit too disjointed for 5 stars, but more than good enough for 4.

[Eva Müller · Rating 2 out of 5]

I came here for a heist novel and got one about gentrification and gerrymandering. which are acceptable topics for a novel, but not when I wanted to read about a heist.

[Josh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm crushing these books right now, and this was a fantastically good sequel to and delightful first book. I'm a sucker for heist/caper films and this sequence in the Streets of Maradaine is another terrific caper. It's got everything you want: twists, revenge, a good fake-out, betrayal, tension, scheming, and several "holy crap!" moments. And all of the crew (even the slow-witted Julien) get a moment to grow or shine.

I really like this crew: they're not perfect, but they're tough, loyal, stubborn, and clever. Asti Rynax is part master planner, part brutal street fighter; nominally in charge, his mental issues resulting from an intelligence mission gone south are a constant battle and one that put his team at risk. Verci Rynax, his brother, is part second-story man and part tech guy; he would rather go straight and live in peace, but loyalty to his brother and fear they can't just let things go and still be safe keep driving him. These two are the glue that holds everyone together, the sons of a thief who taught them skills and a code.

Helene grows a bit more in this book too: she's a crack shot with a bad temper and a loose mouth, but it's easy to let her flaws go because of her protectiveness of not just her damaged cousin Julien (a bruiser brain-damaged from bare-knuckle fights) but the rest of her team. She can be a bitch, but she's got the same loyalty. Kennith (the driver) seems to be the outsider, but The Rynax boys refuse to let him be, and he gets a nice moment using his outsider heritage to their advantage this time. And Mila's growth is great as she learns more of the trade that can keep her alive on the streets. Almer gets more to work with too, the chemist playing a bigger role this time out (it's like he's the Basher Tarr of this group).

It's a lot of fun. You can see some of the mistakes coming...and you know exactly why people in this book would make them. but when someone's past rears its ugly head it's game on for everyone.

Seriously, just read these. They're a delight.

[Alysa H. · Rating 3 out of 5]

It pains me to round this 3.5 star review down instead of up, but as fond as I am of these characters and this world - and I am very fond of them indeed! -- the plot of this installment was kind of rocky. The supposedly central "heist" story starts strong but is quickly and too thoroughly waylaid by a series of outlying concerns and interests, and there are so many characters and concerns that they all get diluted to the point were it becomes difficult to take any single one of them seriously. By the time the original "heist" plan comes to fruition towards the end of the book, one barely understands why the gang even still bothers to go through with it, but for the fact that its ultimate resolution is a possible meta flashpoint for one of the other (upcoming) Maradaine books involving Secret Intelligence. There's just way too much deus in that machina.

That being said, there's some nice character work in this book. The Rynax brothers continue to please, secondary characters like Julien and Win and Ken all get interesting, if minor, arcs, and all of the female characters are great or at least intriguing. Mila is one of my favorite characters across all of the Maradaine books and I was so happy that I laughed out loud at her reaction to a certain late-stage deal made on her behalf (which I would be glad to see also tied, in some small way, to another subseries).

I look forward to the third Streets of Maradaine book.

** I received a Review Copy of this book via NetGalley **

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent capering. I also really liked how the pull between family and the normal life is getting harder.

[Ria Bridges · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maresca writes some of the most fun fantasy novels I’ve encountered in recent years, and this latest addition to the books written about Maradaine continues that trend. This one’s the 2nd book in the Streets of Maradaine series, picking up with Asti and Verci after they made their big score and began to seek info and justice for their burned-out neighbourhood. Asti’s past comes to bite him squarely in the butt, though, testing his resolve and sanity, which plots seem to go every which way and the life the brothers once knew seems to be crumbling around them.

I want to go into more detail about just how Asti’s past resurfaces, or what it means, but doing so would be a massive spoiler, and I don’t want to ruin the book for people who have yet to read it. Suffice it to say that the series is good, all of Maresca’s books are good, and I really enjoy reading them. They’re so much fun, full of action and intrigue and drama, with a world more complex than what it seems on the surface. I don’t think I’ll ever not be excited for one of his Maradaine novels, and while Lady Henterman’s Wardrobe took a little time to really pick up steam, the payoff was so very worth it.

(Book received in exchange for review.)

[Becca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt this one lacked some of the fun of the first book in the series, but that's to be expected. We get new information and new character tidbits doled out, which was good - the strength of this series, so far, relies on the characters, and on the heists. They characters are all written very well. Even if the author doesn't spend a ton of time on them, they still come through in little moments. The heist in this one was both without a defined purpose and kind of uncomplicated, more just chaotic, so that was a bit of a disappointment. I am interested to see if this series continues on - it kind of wrapped up a little, kind of not. I wonder if the ending was just in case he doesn't get a contract for any more in this series. I hope there will be more, I'm attached to the characters and to their struggle. I definitely recommend reading the first one, and if you like that, this one will be fun too.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always, a very well done book. It pretty much picks up where The Holver Alley Crew ended.

I do have to say that, although everything Maresca writes is amazing, this is my least favorite of his series'. There's just something about Verci and Asti where you feel that their lives really, really suck. Maresca's protagonists in the other books also have lives that suck, but somehow there's more hopefulness that the suck will end. If Maresca isn't careful, I could see this series devolving into the never-ending spiral that some series' get into where you get into a pattern of, "Yay we can escape!" *something bad happens* "Boo, we're screwed!" *something good happens* "Yay, we can escape!"

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars - While I have loved most of the Maradaine books, this one isn't my favorite because there simply isn't enough resolved at the end of the tale. This feels like a connector tale and doesn't stand alone in either the plot, the characters, or the situations. Even the carryovers from the previous book aren't resolved, and it starts to feel dragged out. I am giving it 3 stars because I still love the world and I like the Holver Alley characters as much or more than I like any of the other Maradaine characters. I will still read the next installments. But I'm hoping the next book offers fewer new puzzles and more closure to some of the ongoing ones.

[Tyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly, significantly better than "The Holver Alley Crew."

Perhaps because this story is focused less on the rather played-out heist trope and more on character and world development (which I think are the author's strengths to begin with) "Lady Henterman's Wardrobe" does a great job showing the depth of the characters involved and filling in some of the background of the city of Maradaine. As I've read quite a few of the books in the complementary series my enthusiasm for the background lore might be coloring my overall impressions of the book, but I still think it is significantly more entertaining than the first in the Streets of Maradaine series.

[Henry Lazarus · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Holver Alley Crew may have found and destroyed the mobster who burned down their street, but he was acting on higher orders. Marshall Ryan Maresca has put Asti and Verci Rynax looking into the nobility of Maradaine but find themselves opposed by an old spy who had Asti captured by the enemy. There’s also a mage using his powers to control the local gangs. The answers lie in the trapdoor found in Lady Henterman's Wardrobe (paper from DAW) in the end there are more questions than answers in this fun caper of a tale. Review printed by Philadelphia Free Press

[Kiki · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it.

The Streets of Maradaine is not my favorite of the Maradaine series, what with its cold, violent street gang kids; and with its protagonists who have less than a solid regard for human life.

But... the protagonists are likable. And Lady Henterman's Wardrobe moves the overall story along.

I'm hoping the next installment will round out the street gang kids a little, giving them a bit of a third dimension. A flash of compassion now and then (or at least of SOME emotion other than malicious glee at hurting someone) would make them more real.

[Thush · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Way more than the first one. Now that the characters were solidly established, I really got into learning about them and their roles in this haphazard adventure. And Asti and Verci's relationship really captured me.
Really looking forward to the next one....the overarching plot seems deliciously twisted and very, very intriguing. Hope it lives up to the hype.
(Actual rating 3.5 stars)

[L.E. Doggett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maresca does an excellent job with this tale. His plot flows along well, his descriptions are great, his action scenes are well done. He gets into the characters' psychic deeply and they stay in character.

Remember this is part of a longer work with two other series going along with this inventive world but it fits in quite nicely.

I recommend it but this is a second in this series so read the first one first. And get "The Thorne Of Dentonhill" to see where this full tale started.

[Nathan Keffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm enjoying reading the Streets of Maradaine back to back. On to # 3! The Streets of Maradaine are bit darker and lot more violent than the other books in Maresca's world so be warned. Perhaps its not that there more violent, but in the other series usually the people that die have it coming, there villians or reall assholes. In the Streets of Maradaine it feels like just as often its just the people caught up in a bad life or a bad situation .

[Abbi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm really enjoying this series. The twists and turns are interesting and characters are engaging. The world seems both steampunk-ish or fantasy but also alternate history but believable. The core of the brother's relationship is fascinating to see the dynamic of protectiveness and how childhood patterns can shape adult relationships --which I think adds to the believability.