Title: Stormhaven
Series: Whyborne & Griffin book 3
Author: Jordan Hawk
Genre: Paranormal/Historic Gaslight/Murder Mystery
Length: Novel (250 pages)
Publisher: Jordan Hawk (December 3rd, 2013)
Heat Level: Explicit
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥5Hearts
Blurb: Mysterious happenings are nothing new to reclusive scholar Percival Endicott Whyborne, but finding one of his colleagues screaming for help in the street is rather unusual. Allan Tambling claims he can’t remember any of the last hour—but someone murdered his uncle, and Allan is covered in blood. Whyborne’s lover, dashing ex-Pinkerton detective Griffin Flaherty, agrees to prove Allan’s innocence. But when Allan is deemed insane and locked away in the Stormhaven Lunatic Asylum, Griffin finds himself reliving the horrifying memories of his own ordeal inside a madhouse.
Along with their friend Christine, the two men become drawn deeper and deeper into a dark web of conspiracy, magic, and murder. Their only clue: a missing artifact depicting an unknown god. Who stole the artifact, and why can’t Allan remember what happened? And what is the truth behind the terrible experiments conducted on Stormhaven’s forbidden fourth floor?
It will take all of Whyborne’s sorcery and Griffin’s derring-do to stop the murderers and save Allan. But first, they must survive an even greater challenge: a visit from Griffin’s family.
Reviewer: GiGi
Review: The entire Whyborne & Griffin series has me enthralled. Hawk has set this story in the gaslight era, industrial revolution at hand, electricity weaving its way into the dark alleys of the eastern coast of the United States.
This is a series I believe should be read in order, so do dig out Widdershins, and Threshold first.
The environment and time the story is set adds to the magical, superstitious and mystical feel of the book. We are quickly finding that there is more to Percival Whyborne than his bookish pursuits and his research of language. All this does, however, lend to his natural ability to cast spells…or in his words, conduct repeatable experiments with the Arcanorum. Could there be a sorcerer in our midst?
Stormhaven is a wonderfully creepy place, a mental institution like so many closed down and vacant now, that Percival and Griffin must infiltrate in order to help save a friend they believe to be wrongly accused of murder and madness. But with Griffin’s history will it prove too painful and dangerous a mission to complete?
Along with the murder and mayhem, Griffin’s adoptive parents come to town and Percival is forced to up the charade that he and Griffin are simply friends and colleagues. Christine isn’t happy with this arrangement, and eventually all the lying and hiding becomes exposed. Will Griffins parents understand and protect their adoptive son’s secrets, much as Percival’s have? Can they help their friend in Stormhaven without risking Griffin’s sanity, and what is really going on with Ival? So much mystery and mythology in this series and I love it!
Layers of intrigue, and who can forget the sensuality between Griffin and Percival! Jordan can just keep casting her spell because I can’t wait for the next installation of the Whyborne & Griffin series!