Wrexford and Charlotte once again are caught up in investigations, and this time the stakes are very personal to Wrexford. When the laboratory of an inventor caught up in a race to develop ocean going steamships burns down, Charlotte becomes both interested and suspicious especially when another workshop working on the issue seems to have been sabotaged. Meanwhile, Wrexford was called to Oxford by an old aqquaince only to arrive there to find the man has been murder. He also happened to be the best friend for Wrexford’s brother and the only survivor the ambush that killed most of their unit.
The fact that our team has basically split the party to investigate the two mysteries is something new for them, and it introduces a new dynamic for things. It’s nice to see how Peregrine is fitting in with the family, and just about all of our supporting cast gets a moment to shine. We also learned a little bit about Mac’s background and how she ended up working for Wrexford. And a few familiar faces pop up again as well. The two mysteries do converge in an interesting ways, though I have to admit that I was far more invested in Wrexford’s mystery than the other one.
While Wrexford’s brother and his death have been mentioned before, this is the first that we really learn any details about what happened. It’s very clear that his brother’s death is a wound that’s still healing for Wrexford, and I think he’s at his most vulnerable and emotional in this book that we’ve seen him. This is certainly the case that is most personal to him, with perhaps the exception the first book. It adds another layer to his character, and this particular plot shows just how much he actually cares about people despite his sarcastic and cynical attitude most of the time. This is a really strong addition to the series and a really enjoyable read. It’s probably tied with Murder at Queen’s Landing as my favorite book in the series so far. Five out of five stars.