Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Narrator: Chelsea Stephens, Shaun Grindell
Series: Grimm Chronicles #2
Published by Tantor Audio on January 21, 2020
Genres: Urban Fantasy
Length: 9 hours, 31 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Publisher
Goodreads
Amazon, Audible, Libro.fm





Welcome to a world of fantasy, fairy tales, and murder most foul...
Hook is back. Or at least that's what my partner the Mad Hatter, aka Maddox, claims. And I should totally believe him. He does have the sight after all. But I can't. I just won't. Because Hook...he was my world. And the day he died in my arms I nearly died too. It's taken me forever to get to a good place again, and that's why I won't go looking for him. I won't go searching for a ghost. Besides, I have a case.
Crow shifters. Bank heists. And lots and lots of stolen goodies. Just what I need to keep my mind off of Hook. But the crime syndicate known as the Slasher Gang they're not just small time crooks now, they're turning deadly. They're changing. No longer content just to rob and pillage, everywhere they go now they leave a sea of blood in their wake. And nothing about what they're doing makes any sense. A fae stronghold's been robbed. Dozens of the queen's royal guards have been killed. Whatever was taken, I know it's bad. Like crazy, stupid bad. Like end of the world kind of bad. I don't know how I know this, I just do. Something feels really wrong. I can feel it, taste it in the wind, hear it in the changing tides. Something super evil, super deadly, and super scary this way comes. I only hope I can stop it, whatever it is, or Grimm as we know it might never be the same again..
The Long Goodnight is the second book in The Grim Chronicles, you’ll want to read the books in order if you’d like to have any clue what is going on. Like I said in my review for It’s a Charmed Life, this series reminds me a little of the set up in the TV series Once Upon a Time with some of the fairytale and various book worlds you love coming to life and interacting with one another.
Elle, formally Ariel of Triton’s court, has partnered up with the one and only Mad Hatter of Wonderland. They have been pulled in on an case to take down a gang of bird shifters that have started to run amuck and have escalated from petty larceny to grand theft and murder. Elle and the Hatter are trying to remain professional in lieu of all the sexual tension building between them and they are put into enough compromising positions that the line between partner and Partner are starting to blur.
As they try to solve the case and protect the residents of Grimm, the other shoe is about to drop. Hatter saw Hook, Elle’s former, supposed to be dead lover, in a vision and so he is sure the man is coming back to claim the woman he loved and lost in death. Talk about competition.
I loved getting to some of the bigger reveals in this book, especially when we find out who is behind the escalation in violence and why. The case and stakes are bigger than Elle ever guessed and now she has to figure out how to survive when all the cards are played.
I’m going to consider this a reverse harem PNR set up where the main character might have multiple sex partners in a single book. I’m never sure how I’m going to feel about this but since technically our main character is a Siren and it’s a bit in her nature to seduce and has literally eaten men alive in her past it works for this story. Also, all the people involved in any escapades seem pretty open to multiple partner situations, I guess that is what happens when you aren’t human and live indefinitely.
There are some sexyish scene set ups and a lot of flirty heat building type situations. I feel like it is a bit of a love triangle but I have my clear favorite and I’m thinking the odds might just be in his favor.
I’m glad the next book in this series is out because the author leaves us at a major turning point in the story. It will be interesting to see where Elle goes from here and how she overcomes these new and exciting challenges.
Narration:
This book very much benefits from a dual PoV and dual narration. I appreciated the addition of Shaun Grindell to take on Maddox’s PoVs. Chelsea Stephens has grown on me since the first book and I felt this was a better performance on her part. I listened at my normal 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip: HERE
Rating Breakdown | |
---|---|
Plot | |
Writing | |
Characters | |
Dialogue | |
Narration (Audio) | |
Overall: | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
- Fan Service by Rosie Danan @rosiedanan @berkleyromance.bsky.social @BerkleyRomance @BerkleyPub @RobinBridgeFour - February 17, 2025
- 🎧 The Wraith King by Juliette Cross @Juliette__Cross @troyduran @MegSylvan #PodiumAudio #LoveAudiobooks #KindleUnlimited @RobinBridgeFour - February 10, 2025
- Grave Empire by Richard Swan @Richard_S_Swan @richardswanauthor.bsky.social @orbitbooks.bsky.social @RobinBridgeFour - February 3, 2025
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- Robin Audio20
I’m really curious about this series as well
I think the next book is the conclusion to the series and it will definitely made or break it depending on what happens in the wrap up.
So far it is enjoyable and a little on the PNR edge. Just hoping for a strong finish.
This does sound really interesting. I do like the general premise of the story. I will have to keep this in mind the next time I am looking for something different.
The premise totally dragged me in. 🙂