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Whitney & Davies #2
Glamours and Gunshots
Maia Whitney has held men as they died before, but never in peacetime, and never in her aunt’s front hall. And this unexpected death is only the beginning. Someone is stealing magic and life from England’s magicians and using them for his or her own gain. No one is safe, not even Magical Intelligence Agent Lennox Davies, whose targeting by the parasite brings him his own set of challenges to work through. Though she is only an apprentice, Maia will not sit back and wait for others to bring about justice, and teams up with Len as she did once before. Using a blend of magical skills and detective work, together Maia and Len dig deep into a case that has its roots buried in the shadows of the past … and could leave one of them magic-less forever.
268 pages, Paperback
Published August 30, 2018
1 person is currently reading
9 people want to read
About the author
E.L. Bates
8 books46 followersE.L. Bates is a writer of fantasy and adventure, usually (though not always) historical in nature.
When not writing, she enjoys reading, knitting, ice dancing, and spending time with her husband and two children. She is usually seen with a cup of tea in hand, and keeps a stash of dark chocolate hidden in her desk for emergency inspiration.
Perhaps as a result of reading and writing so many adventures, she can't help but feel that life is best lived with a sense of anticipation, seeking adventure around every corner, looking for the magic that still lurks in the hidden places of the world, waiting for those with the eyes to see it.
When not writing, she enjoys reading, knitting, ice dancing, and spending time with her husband and two children. She is usually seen with a cup of tea in hand, and keeps a stash of dark chocolate hidden in her desk for emergency inspiration.
Perhaps as a result of reading and writing so many adventures, she can't help but feel that life is best lived with a sense of anticipation, seeking adventure around every corner, looking for the magic that still lurks in the hidden places of the world, waiting for those with the eyes to see it.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 5, 2021
3.5 stars
It was another enjoyable foray into the alternate world of magicians and magic in early 20th century England introduced in Magic Most Deadly.
Maia is now an apprentice magician under the often vexing tutelage of her Aunt Amelia, but her instruction is interrupted when a man dies of a dangerous curse on their doorstep. She and her friend Helen, with the aid of agent Lennox Davies and Becket, set out to solve the case.
I liked that we truly got to know Maia and Len much better (still desperate for more Becket!) and really progressed Maia along in learning magic and specifically controlling her own powerful abilities. Here is to another adventure soon!
It was another enjoyable foray into the alternate world of magicians and magic in early 20th century England introduced in Magic Most Deadly.
Maia is now an apprentice magician under the often vexing tutelage of her Aunt Amelia, but her instruction is interrupted when a man dies of a dangerous curse on their doorstep. She and her friend Helen, with the aid of agent Lennox Davies and Becket, set out to solve the case.
I liked that we truly got to know Maia and Len much better (still desperate for more Becket!) and really progressed Maia along in learning magic and specifically controlling her own powerful abilities. Here is to another adventure soon!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 12, 2018
Finally, more Whitney & Davis! I got to beta-read this book in its first incarnation, then re-read it when it came out and loved it all over.
Maia and Len are back at it in full force. Four years after the end of the last story, Maia is studying magic under the tutelage of her domineering aunt, and she is getting frustated with still only being an apprentice. Then her life is turned upside down. A man stumbles into the front hall and dies right in front of her; Len has his magic stolen; and to top it all off, Maia has to figure out what to wear to the Magician's Ball. Fortunately, her friend Helen is there to help with the latter problem - she is a dab hand at casting glamour spells. As it turns out, there might be more to glamours than dazzles the eye...
This story is written with E. L. Bates' customary style and attention to detail; a thoroughly enjoyable and satisfying addition to the series.
Maia and Len are back at it in full force. Four years after the end of the last story, Maia is studying magic under the tutelage of her domineering aunt, and she is getting frustated with still only being an apprentice. Then her life is turned upside down. A man stumbles into the front hall and dies right in front of her; Len has his magic stolen; and to top it all off, Maia has to figure out what to wear to the Magician's Ball. Fortunately, her friend Helen is there to help with the latter problem - she is a dab hand at casting glamour spells. As it turns out, there might be more to glamours than dazzles the eye...
This story is written with E. L. Bates' customary style and attention to detail; a thoroughly enjoyable and satisfying addition to the series.
May 6, 2021
This sequel to Magic Most Deadly has been sitting on my shelf far too long, waiting for the perfect moment to be read. After a particularly hard week, I plucked it off at last and sat down to be delighted. I wasn't disappointed!
Picking up a few years after the end of the first book, Glamours and Gunshots follows Maia and Len as they encounter a dangerous person who's out to steal other people's magic--starting with Len's. I loved the conflict of having a magical detective suddenly working without his magic. It immediately elevated the stakes and put both our main characters in a new place, which is exactly what you'd want from a sequel.
I thought the mystery in this one was good, and it did keep me guessing. I was hoping for a few developments that didn't end up happening () but it didn't impede my enjoyment of the read. I'm once again left looking forward to the next installment!
Picking up a few years after the end of the first book, Glamours and Gunshots follows Maia and Len as they encounter a dangerous person who's out to steal other people's magic--starting with Len's. I loved the conflict of having a magical detective suddenly working without his magic. It immediately elevated the stakes and put both our main characters in a new place, which is exactly what you'd want from a sequel.
I thought the mystery in this one was good, and it did keep me guessing. I was hoping for a few developments that didn't end up happening () but it didn't impede my enjoyment of the read. I'm once again left looking forward to the next installment!
December 10, 2018
Exhillerating Reading
I’ve been waiting ages to return to Maia and Len, and this was well worth the wait. It was like returning to friends, slipping back into this world, and better to acquire a few new ones. The due credit given to Helen’s sewing as much as her magic pleased this sewer especially. As with all the best mysteries, this one is about characters foremost, but there’s also a healthy dose of magic, red herrings and the 1920s. The personal stakes were high here, and I read almost compulsively through a dreich, dour day, and felt the better for it. I’ll happily wait four more years for more on this detective duo,if that’s what it takes for writing like this. Well worth a read.
I’ve been waiting ages to return to Maia and Len, and this was well worth the wait. It was like returning to friends, slipping back into this world, and better to acquire a few new ones. The due credit given to Helen’s sewing as much as her magic pleased this sewer especially. As with all the best mysteries, this one is about characters foremost, but there’s also a healthy dose of magic, red herrings and the 1920s. The personal stakes were high here, and I read almost compulsively through a dreich, dour day, and felt the better for it. I’ll happily wait four more years for more on this detective duo,if that’s what it takes for writing like this. Well worth a read.
August 29, 2021
Note that I did not read the first book in the series, so I might be missing some context, though I didn't feel like I had trouble understanding the world and magic system. I did have trouble with the characters, though, especially Len, who I felt was very inconsistent. I did like the setting and enjoyed the magic system, but there were too many holes for me to really enjoy this.
May 9, 2020
Could not put it down
This book kept me riveted. I thought I had it figured out then I would be led down another path and after another suspect. The characters are becoming my friends and I am enjoying getting to know them
This book kept me riveted. I thought I had it figured out then I would be led down another path and after another suspect. The characters are becoming my friends and I am enjoying getting to know them
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March 1, 2024At long last, the sequel to 2013's Magic Most Deadly is here! It was a long road to publish this one, but worth it. I'm so proud of this story, and I hope the readers enjoy it as well. Maia, Len, Becket, and the rest of the cast of characters are a delight to spend time with, and I have thoroughly enjoyed working out the magical system of their world, figuring out the ins and outs of it all, and stretching my world-building abilities as well as my plotting skills. The manuscript took many twists and turns before it reached this final product, surprising me as much as anyone else, but here it is and I have no regrets!
Also, I am already at work on the third book, this one set in Cambridge, where I'll be living for the next three years. Nothing like getting firsthand experience of your setting!
Also, I am already at work on the third book, this one set in Cambridge, where I'll be living for the next three years. Nothing like getting firsthand experience of your setting!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews