Wards of the Roses

Wards of the Roses (2019) Celia Lake (Mysterious Charm)

Set in Wales & England in 1920

I still want these books to be edited. But the story and world building keep pulling me in.

Kate Davies doesn’t want a return to war, but she would like the more interesting assignments she got while all the men were away. So she is hopeful when she is told she is in the running for a special assignment.

“This is the house. Based on the architecture we believe it dates from the 1200s.” Kate frowned.

“Henry II, or thereabouts?” She reached out a hand to touch it.

“Good eye.” He saw her slight hesitation, and murmured, “Do speak freely, Davies, ask what you need to.”

“Is that when it disappeared?”

“We have a few records referring to it in the later 1400s, but it is difficult to identify precisely when something stopped being mentioned.”

Giles Lefton was blinded in a magical gas attack during the war. He now teaches at Oxford but is often called to consult on magical mathematical issues by the Guard.

His first name, apparently, was Aegidius, which told her everything she needed to know about his family.

The two head out to Wales, to try and learn about the house (and to figure out how to get inside) along with Giles’s companion, Vale.

I really do like the world building here. I’ll note that, like Faith Hunter’s Jane Yellowrock world, witches require mathematics to safely do magic, and higher magics require higher mathematics.

I like both Kate and Giles, and found the magical mystery interesting. I also liked how much work (especially mathematics) the two put into their work.

However, there were issues as with the previous books, and there were things were not clear, which was aggravating.

Rating: 7/10

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