A Matter at New Year’s

A Matter at New Year’s (2024) Ashley Gardner (Robert Archer Paranormal Mysteries, #1)

Set in Alt-London in 1824

Robert Archer, back from war, left the New Year’s celebrations thinking of little more than his bed, when he came across three were-beats.

It was said that weres couldn’t be killed with ordinary weapons. There was rumor that silver could take them down, but no one had verified this idea. I suppose if the theory were true, someone would be alive to relate that it had worked. However, if the three I’d seen tonight lived in London, they’d find it highly impractical to stay if they couldn’t touch silver.

He survived the encounter only by the action of the night-slayer he had previously befriended. Although he doesn’t know her name, they are allies of a sort, as Archer checks regularly on her daughter, who is being raised by a friend.

Is that a lot? It kinda felt like a lot when I was reading it.

I picked this up because I love the Kay Holloway series, and figured a paranormal historical mystery might be interesting.

It was interesting, in addition to being dropped right into the action, there is clearly past events that affect this story that made me feel as if I had missed something from previous books.

I just checked. This is the first book (novella) in the series.

Sometimes things like that pique my curiosity, but here I felt more as if I was missing something.

It wasn’t a bad story, I just felt the gaps in the story were a confusion rather than an enticement to read more.

Characters: Frederick Archer, Robert Archer, Derek Chase, Daniel Almay, Kieran Hacault, Ross McCall, Seamus Brodie, Jonathan Perkins, Sir Nathan Linton, James Copeland, Lizzie Greene, Stephen Jacobs, Gemma, Phillip Lanham

Cover design by Kim Killion

Rating: 5.5/10

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