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

Narrator: Iggy Toma
Published by Tantor Audio on October 12, 2021
Genres: Urban Fantasy
Length: 7 hours, 48 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Publisher
Goodreads
Amazon, Audible, Libro.fm





As a former con-artist, I love a convoluted, mind-bending scheme as much as the next guy. But as a recently promoted MagiPol agent, I love it significantly less than that guy.
Especially when the life of a kidnapped teen hangs in the balance.
Between confusing orders and conflicting evidence, this whole investigation has me and my partner, Lienna, spinning in circles. Why is our boss keeping this case off the books? Why is our top suspect, the most notorious rogue in Vancouver, mired in contradictions? And why am I the only one who cares more about the victim than their own ulterior motives?
Everyone wants me to shut up and follow orders, but that’s not my style. I’ll do whatever it takes to save this kid—even if that means returning to my roguish roots.
I continued with the third book in the Guild Codex Warped. The overall story arc is connected and like most urban fantasy, I would read them in order. This one is somewhere in the middle of the Demonized series and before Spellbound ends also, in the overall Guild Codex Universe. It shows up as book 15, but Spellbound ends with book 12 and Demonized with book 13 and this is before those books in the overall story. I found this reading order on the author’s website and I believe it to be the correct one.
Kit and Lienna are now agents working cases for the MPD.  Blythe takes them outside the department because she believes the MPD has a leak and has been compromised. She is sure Darius King is involved. Also, a series of teens have been kidnapped and then 3 adults.  Kit is especially upset about the teens and how no one has found them or been following up well.
They follow up all the leads and Kit terrifies the suspects into talking. Things do seem to connect a lot to the Crow & Hammer. The MPD believes the Ghost, ie the Crystal Druid, is responsible for the kidnapping. They manage to track him down and not die. The Ghost says someone is framing him. They aren’t sure if they believe him but they work together to find the missing. The Ghost and Lienna are very distrustful of each other but Kit likes him and admires his abilities.
Many of the usual suspects show up like Vera, Darius King, and Robin Page, as well as the Ghost. We meet some new players too.  Lienna is upset with Kit for the way he interrogates the witnesses and how he works with the Ghost.  Kit feels as though she doesn’t trust him. He’s not physically harming anyone. But he comes to see how the emotional terror is perhaps a step too far. He continues to learn more about his own magic skills.
Kit and Lienna are in great danger on this case. They are up against the most skilled criminals in town. But they have some smart strategies with some help from Darius and the Ghost. It’s a great time to see these sort of newbie, underdogs win the fight. I love how fun this series is and blends with the rest of the universe.
Narration:
I’ve enjoyed this narrator throughout the series. The voices are distinct and seem especially fitting for Kit who is our main perspective for the story. Both male and female voices were comfortable for me. I was able to listen at my usual 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip: HERE
Rating Breakdown | |
---|---|
Plot | |
Writing | |
Characters | |
Narration (Audio) | |
Overall: | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
- 🎧 Cold as Hell by Kelley Armstrong @KelleyArmstrong @kelleyarmstrong.bsky.social #TheresePlummer @macmillanaudio.bsky.social @MinotaurBooks @stmartinspress.bsky.social @MacmillanAudio#LoveAudiobooks - February 18, 2025
- Sunday Post – 16 February 2025 @caffeinatedreviewer.com @kimbacaffeinate @readingreality - February 16, 2025
- 🎧 Wooing the Witch Queen by Stephanie Burgis @stephanieburgis @stephanieburgis.bsky.social #AmandaLeighCobb@torbooks @torbooks.bsky.social @BrambleRomance @MacmillanAudio @macmillanaudio.bsky.social #LoveAudiobooks - February 15, 2025
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- C21-Summer
Love when authors do a reading order when they have interwoven series. These look good and I’ll get to them eventually.
They are excellent and fun. I would like to do a Read-along someday but there are getting to be a lot of them. They are relatively short though.
This sounds really good. I love underdogs in a story too. I keeping meaning to start this series but always get distracted by other books. Some day though…
I love them because even though they are well written and developed, they are just fun. Maybe they aren’t quite as complex as some things I read but I love them. I may do a Read-along in a couple years although it is getting to be a big pile of books.
I’m a bit late in this series. I need to read more of the books.
There are certainly plenty to read. I enjoy them on audio.
That sounds like a fun story.