Relative Truths

The Familiar's Legacy #2

by R. Lindsay Carter

Cressida Curtain doesn't let much get under her skin when it comes to bounty hunting. In fact, there's only one person who can really ruffle her her work nemesis, Gavin St. Cloud. Still, she's a natural at her job, and she's been offered an exclusive high-stakes bounty to prove it. There's just one this bounty may have a link to her family's history, and she has serious doubts about the guilt of the person she's been hired to hunt. Now it's a race to find the truth before any other hunters find the bounty first. And the truth may be messier than even Cressida imagined. She might need some help from the last person she'd ever ask-if he's trustworthy enough.

354 pages, Paperback

Published November 17, 2022

About the author

R. Lindsay Carter wanted to be a zookeeper when she was a girl. Now, she is content to stick with her small menagerie at home, which includes her supportive husband and her two daughters. When she isn’t in the throes of writing, you can find R. Lindsay creating art, reading, gardening, ignoring household chores, and otherwise lounging about, usually with her lap taken up by her dog and/or one of her three cats. Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, R. Lindsay happily lives in Oregon.

Reviews

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Relative Truths is the second book in The Familiar's Legacy series, and while I really enjoyed the first book in this series, I absolutely loved this book. This book has everything I love in a cosy-fantasy type story; secrets galore, a mystery to solve, great world building, good character development, and enough new threads built in to the story, continuing into the next one, without being overwhelming or left so unfinished you get frustrated.

Cressida is a really fun main character. A shape-shifting cat, I loved her personality and her reactions to all things human. While she is spunky like a cat, she also gets spooked, and I was trying to imagine her with her tail all puffy while in human form. Too funny. Her escapades as a cat were some of the best pasts of the book. I really enjoyed the Gavin as a secondary character and the growth we saw from him throughout the book. Although there is potential here as a love interest for Cressida, the way things went in this book, I am not sure what is going to happen, but I am enjoying how things are playing out for the moment. Gavin was not fond of cats at the beginning of the book and I really enjoyed his reactions to some of the scenarios in which he found himself with Cressida. Also, without giving too much away, the end of the book had me sputtering with laughter as Gavin took on his next task, something I bet he thought he would never do.

While the series is interconnected, the actual books could be read as stand-alones. The plot moved rather quickly, with Cressida jumping from clue to clue, tracking her father to figure out what was happening. Because she didn't know him at all, and she wasn't sure of his guilt or innocence, she still had to be careful. Realizing there was a lot more going on than she though, she had to team up with Gavin in order to get more information and to figure out who was involved. I enjoyed the banter and the competitiveness between them as they searched for clues, loved the witty dialogue, and thought the way Cressida used her cat identity to sleuth was downright fun. There was definitely a lot going on, and while the focus was on her father, there were clues to the curse that has involved Cressida's family for generations twisted around everything as well.

Relative Truths has everything from ballroom scenes to prison breaks to a scene straight out of the musical CATS, at least that was how I kept picturing it in my head. There were a lot of adventure and great creativity in this book. Highly recommend this series to anyone who is looking for a fun read with lovable characters and a great story.

I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Tiffany Ewald · Rating 5 out of 5]

While book one didn't end on a cliffhanger, you definitely knew it was far from over! I love it when I can pick up the next book in a series and feel like I never put the first one down - makes for a flawless transition. Similar to book 1, Cressida is once again faced with another "get the bounty or save the mark" task, but this time it's much much closer to home! Not quite "beat to the punch", more like "walked in on" - her bounty hunter rival interrupts her meet with their target and in a surprising turn of events, they come out as temporary business partners. Few know anything about her and even fewer know who/what she really is - that is unless you're a member of gogs - a secret organization set out to protect Cressida and her family line -like her manager/closest friend Florette - or a member of acf - a secret organization out to bring back the evil witch - like Elkins who has now been behind both of her latest moral conflicting bounties. Unfortunately their plans go awry when they are caught snooping at a party they weren't invited to and hauled away as prisoners. They discover something more shocking has been going on and now they need to desperately escape before the worst can happen!

I felt that the pace picked up more in this book, more action in her human form, but more information in her cat form. I really enjoy the consistency throughout and the new friends made along the way! Lots of twists to keep you guessing and engaged!

[Caroline Hurry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Espionage, enchantment, and emotional depth!
Oh my! I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I discovered something magical in this wild fantasy spy thriller with the purring sass of a part woman, part cat protagonist.
Despite her mysterious family past, Cressida Curtain, a sharp-tongued, shape-shifting bounty hunter, prowls into a high-stakes mission. There's no shortage of action - prison breaks, ballroom brawls, and slick moves, especially regarding her rival-turned-reluctant-ally Gavin St. Cloud. Cressida doesn’t flinch when danger calls.
The chemistry between them - expect banter and buried emotion - is handled with teasing finesse, as Gavin grapples with his growing admiration for a woman who can cough up furballs.
The author balances breakneck pacing with a thoughtful supporting cast, including side characters like Mouse, Gin, and the enigmatic Annie Coddle fans.
As Cressida zips from clue to clue, her conflicting feelings about her father and growing trust in Gavin bring the fantasy to life.
Relative Truths had me laughing with delight. Highly recommended for fans of fast-paced fantasy, quirky characters, and stories that aren’t afraid to mix magic with a bit of heart.

[Helen Huber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous!

This second instalment in the ‘Familiar’s Legacy’ series is even better than the first and is one of the best books I’ve read this year. With wonderful characters, exciting adventures, and a beautifully handled enemies-to-friends (and possibly lovers?) story arc, what’s not to love? Cressida and Gavin’s ‘Will they, won’t they?’ relationship grows ever more intriguing, as does Grimm’s reaction to this development. With sweet side stories (‘Mouse’, Gin, and Cressida’s parents), and new revelations concerning Fleurette’s mother and Annie Coddle’s supporters, I can’t wait to discover how it all pans out, and have already lined up the next book in the series on my Kindle. Highly recommended.

[J. Moody · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even better than the first! I did not think I would be adding a new book review on the very first day of January, but I could not put this book down for the last two days! The new adventure is a fun puzzle to be solved. Add in just the right amount of romantic intrigue and this sequel really shines. This book has everything from daring prison breaks to Cinderella ballroom scenes. It felt like watching a spy movie with a bit of magic and loveable characters. Did I say I loved this book yet?

[Teri S · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second installment of The Familiar's Legacy moved at a good pace, revealing more of the mystery surrounding Cressida's fated life. This story satisfied my "need to know" more about the quirky characters - their individual backgrounds and interwoven relationships. Nothing is as it seems. Imaginative imagery and adventurous situations combine for one delicious read! More please.

[Katt · Rating 3 out of 5]

I LOVE THIS SERIES!

Bounty hunters and enemies to lovers and found family - it's everything I could want in a book. A sweet, easy read.

It's so fun. I am a big fan and I absolutely cannot wait for the next book to come out.

[Kendra Pennington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 2 was even better than book 1! It spoke directly to my cat loving heart.

Mystery ✅️
Adventure ✅️
Suspense ✅️
Magical Realism ✅️
Cats ✅️

What more could anyone ask for? Book 3 recently published and I can't wait to continue on with this tail, I mean tale.

[Eileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another 5 star story from R Lindsay Carter. The only thing making me sad is having to wait till June for her next book, Chasing Tails. I can't wait!!

[Judy Neilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the 2nd book in this series. Enough adventure and intrigue to make for a good story. Looking forward to the next installmant.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second book in the series did not disappoint. Cressida is such a strong and gutsy female character. I loved getting to know some of the other characters a little bit better and meeting some new characters as well. This book was immensely exciting; it was almost impossible to put down! My bedtime may have been profoundly later than normal while I was reading this book, but it was so worth it. I am eagerly (and somewhat impatiently) waiting for the rest of the series to be released!