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Resurrectionist #3
Infernal Vices
The thrilling final book in the M/M Historical trilogy, "Resurrectionist"
January 1898
Benedict Hannan has veered off his celibate, godly path and onto one of erotic exploration with his beloved criminal Sebastian Cavell. He is also trying and failing to rid himself of the insidious bonds of the deviant cabal Fratres Seminis. The cabal drew Benedict into their blasphemous schemes at the behest of his ex-lover Lord Euan Ardmillan. However, now Ardmillan is out of favour with the leader, Lawrence Blake, and considered to be a betrayer.
Benedict’s relationship with Sebastian grows ever closer, but it’s his friendship with fellow acolyte Charles Ashe that leads to a discovery that could end Lawrence Blake for good. They must tread carefully, for when the young, blond hedonist Leopold Von Liebenstein returns to London, Blake’s nefarious plan to dabble in ancient Greek magic and pass through the veil draws ever closer to completion.
Infernal Vices is an M/M historical romance and contains graphic descriptions of gay sex.
This book is a work of art created by human imagination. No AI was use for the writing or artwork in this book.
Theft of the contents of this book or cover artwork for machine learning (AI) is strictly prohibited.
January 1898
Benedict Hannan has veered off his celibate, godly path and onto one of erotic exploration with his beloved criminal Sebastian Cavell. He is also trying and failing to rid himself of the insidious bonds of the deviant cabal Fratres Seminis. The cabal drew Benedict into their blasphemous schemes at the behest of his ex-lover Lord Euan Ardmillan. However, now Ardmillan is out of favour with the leader, Lawrence Blake, and considered to be a betrayer.
Benedict’s relationship with Sebastian grows ever closer, but it’s his friendship with fellow acolyte Charles Ashe that leads to a discovery that could end Lawrence Blake for good. They must tread carefully, for when the young, blond hedonist Leopold Von Liebenstein returns to London, Blake’s nefarious plan to dabble in ancient Greek magic and pass through the veil draws ever closer to completion.
Infernal Vices is an M/M historical romance and contains graphic descriptions of gay sex.
This book is a work of art created by human imagination. No AI was use for the writing or artwork in this book.
Theft of the contents of this book or cover artwork for machine learning (AI) is strictly prohibited.
421 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 23, 2024
About the author
Isobel Starling
63 books245 followersAWARD WINNING AUTHOR OF GAY ROMANCE.
Born in Germany, Isobel Starling spent most of her twenty-year professional career making art in Ireland. Now she writes full-time and runs her publishing company, Decent Fellows Press.
The Shatterproof Bond series is Gay Romance bestseller in the US, Germany and France. It is also a bestseller in audiobook format, narrated by Gary Furlong
Isobel is currently working on "The Dark Harvest", (The Quiet Work #2) The follow up to her successful Fantasy novel "Apple Boy"
When that book is done Isobel will be working on "Infernal Vices" book #3 of the Resurrectionist Historical MM series, and then "The Rebel Candidate " Book #6 in the Shatterproof Bond series.
Born in Germany, Isobel Starling spent most of her twenty-year professional career making art in Ireland. Now she writes full-time and runs her publishing company, Decent Fellows Press.
The Shatterproof Bond series is Gay Romance bestseller in the US, Germany and France. It is also a bestseller in audiobook format, narrated by Gary Furlong
Isobel is currently working on "The Dark Harvest", (The Quiet Work #2) The follow up to her successful Fantasy novel "Apple Boy"
When that book is done Isobel will be working on "Infernal Vices" book #3 of the Resurrectionist Historical MM series, and then "The Rebel Candidate " Book #6 in the Shatterproof Bond series.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 5, 2025
4.5 stars. Audiobook. Trilogy, must be read in order, must read all three for full resolution to the story. Victorian era London plotting and scheming with a side of kinky cult. Well written, very interesting and sexy. Audio narration was just right, Gary Furlong does an exceptional suave British gentleman.
Some suspension is required, as we get a bit OTT. Keep in mind that this is a time when science was rarely believed and spiritualism, seances and rituals was a popular past-time of the bored wealthy class. It’s imaginative and entertaining, everything that fiction should be. The romance is A+, sweet, tender, secretive and spicy.
HEA, trilogy, read in order, London, Victorian era, m/m, vers, mild angst, mild drama, machinations, ritual, kinky sex cult.
Some suspension is required, as we get a bit OTT. Keep in mind that this is a time when science was rarely believed and spiritualism, seances and rituals was a popular past-time of the bored wealthy class. It’s imaginative and entertaining, everything that fiction should be. The romance is A+, sweet, tender, secretive and spicy.
HEA, trilogy, read in order, London, Victorian era, m/m, vers, mild angst, mild drama, machinations, ritual, kinky sex cult.
May 18, 2026
Three tentative Stars depending on how upset I make myself by writing this.
Uh... What the hell was that ending?? We'll talk about that LATER, cause while it was incredibly stupid, it was only the epilogue. Epilogues aren't that important if you think about it. The book itself had plenty of other issues I'd argue are a lot more problematic than Starling having possibly consumed happy mushrooms near the end of her novel.
First and foremost, let's do a what to expect from the perspective of someone who's finished the entire series, if you're wondering whether or not to start at all. I'll be adding this part to my review of the first book, for those who don't read reviews of all the books in a series (like I do) before deciding whether or not to bother.
THE GOOD:
- Silly plot and low stakes, but with a sprinkle of cultish fuckery for spice.
- All three books contain very hot smut.
- I enjoyed the descriptions of the food, lol.
- Audiobooks narrated by Mister Gary Furlong.
THE BAD:
- Some turn of events are entirely ridiculous, making the story feel like a spoof in the end.
- Too many plot holes that made it hard for me to take anything seriously.
- Terrible characterization (the heroes come off as self-serving hypocrites).
- The writing feels a little forced sometimes (plus all those exclamation marks!)
- TERRIBLE EPILOGUE.
With that out of the way, let's dive into this review proper. This next part contains mild spoilers. The big spoilers will come later but I'll mark those too.
Let's look at the plot first.
Books 1, 2 and 3 are connected by the Staff of Asclepius: a phallic object from Ancient Greece that is said to have magical sexual powers. You heard that right--a magic dildo.
Book 1 (The Shooting Season) is the introduction and the shortest of all three installments. In this book, Benedict is in search of the Staff of Asclepius because he wants to use it to "cure" himself from being gay. He meets Sebastian, who is there to steal another object from the auction, and they get ze butterflies for each other.
Book 2 (The Gentleman's Thief is where the real plot begins and a larger cast of characters is introduced. Benedict and Sebastian enter an "understanding" where they decide to become exclusive, and Benedict gets himself involved with a set of homosexual men who like to partake in somewhat theatrical group sex. These men too seek the Staff of Asclepius (which was stolen by Sebastian in book 1) but not to cure themselves, like Benedict, but to "become immortal". Cause apparently, this magical dildo can do that too.
Book 3 (this one right here) continues that storyline of the gay orgies and the magical dildo, only now, Sebastian and Benedict decide this group of men must be stopped at all costs because... reasons.
To summarize: The PLOT is stupid, but fun? I didn't mind at all the story line about the magical, immortality-giving dildo that powers up by absorbing sperm. The problem with the plot is the actual execution, and the myriad of plot holes Starling chose to ignore. The CHARACTERS are also stupid, but in an infuriating way. Most of my issues with this book relate to Benedict and Sebastian's characterization.
See, Sebastian and Benedict are supposed to be the good guys (the avenger thief who is "good" and the religious gay man who is "wholesome") but end up coming off as unlikable assholes (the thief who steals whatever he wants and the hypocrite who condemns everyone else but himself) and like I said in my review of book 2, it seems unintentional. I do genuinely believe that Isobel Starling thought she was doing right by her MCs and had no idea how unlikable she made them in the end.
Now, let's explore the situation into which these two idiots landed themselves: Fratres Seminis is a group comprised of powerful and influential men joined by their taste for the occasional secret orgy and their love for theatrics. One of them (Benedict's old lover) vouched for Benedict as a potential member, and he was invited to join.
You see, I dig that. Being a defender of sexual freedom with a particular fondness for historical romances where gay men huddle together to satisfy their desires and protect each other, I could not bring myself to think of what these dudes were doing as wrong. KJ Charles explores something similar in her Sins of the Cities series, and it's masterful. However in this case, Benedict's better-than-thou attitude, his condemnation of these men, and his continuous insistence that his monogamous arrangement with Sebastian is morally superior, landed very badly indeed.
Especially when he didn't actually need to join in the first place. He could have easily refused after that first time, since the other men wore masks and he didn't know anyone's real identities yet. So the big question is: WHY DID BENEDICT JOIN THIS SEX CULT IF HE DISAPPROVED OF IT SO BADLY? Two reasons, actually. Both fundamentally problematic.
Problematic reason #1: Benedict is a hypocrite.
Throughout the series, Benedict is actively disparaging about what these men get down to, constantly complaining about being forced to attend these "occult, unnatural, immoral" gatherings and oh, woe, having to WATCH these men having sex. But the fact is, Benedict could have refused. If he was so appalled by what they got down to, why attend at all? Why not make excuses? Why not feign sickness? Certainly nobody forced him to , did they? (FYI: THAT'S NOT REALLY A SPOILER, IT'S JUST REALLY GRAPHIC.) Benedict disapproves of just about everything about these gatherings, while constantly partaking in the group sex. Not once, not twice, not three but a grand total of four times throughout the series.
In fact, at some point outside of a gathering, he secretly watches Asher have sex with the stable boy and contemplates that "While he knows it's wrong, he gets off watching men fucking." So, you see, despite claiming that he abhors this kind of hedonistic behavior, he actually enjoys it. He enjoys it and jerks off with them and gets off by watching them, all the while continuing to moan that "this is wrong." He claims he had "no choice" but to join their cultish, evil gatherings, but the fact that he keeps coming and coming and coming (pun very much intended) tells a different story: That Benedict is a coward and a hypocrite.
Problematic reason #2: Benedict is an idiot.
When Sebastian is trying to earn Benedict's trust, he confides in him that he has a new "target", that is to say, while he is usually hired to return objects that have been stolen to their rightful owners, this time he has been tasked with retrieving a person. It doesn't sound as though he asked a lot of questions to his employers, and he happily takes up the job FOR MONEY. Benedict, who is a complete idiot, agrees to help him without questioning anything, because Sebastian is cute, I guess? It helps that he has a standing invitation to join a "club of sorts" and it appears that Leopold is a member.
At first, Benedict doesn't know that this is an invitation to join a sex club, or that Leopold is a VIP member for that matter. He is blindfolded and taken to a room where he watches a group of men have sex from behind a screen (and he jerks off, the hypocrite.) The men are all wearing hoods. The only one he recognizes is Leopold. Mission accomplished, all he needs to do is relay this information to Sebastian. There is no need for him to actually join the club afterwards, and yet they both act as though it is "imperative" that he continues to go to these gatherings, and make it sound like his entire life is in ruins if he doesn't comply. Why? I'm pretty sure Starling thought they were being clever about it, when in fact, Benedict comes off as a particularly inept idiot who just keeps getting into more and more trouble for no good reason but plot advancement.
Which brings me to another problem I can't just ignore. Lawrence Blake didn't deserve what happened to him. He's made to be the final boss in this dungeon of a book, but I find his punishment wholly disproportionate to his actual actions.
The rest of this review contains HEAVY SPOILERS.
After having finished the whole series, I'm struck by one particularly jarring problem: Lawrence didn't actually do anything to Benedict in order to justify his animosity and Benedict's desire to "end him". Sebastian's beef with Lawrence was 20 years ago and while I can see that he was a total dick ex-boyfriend, he didn't deserve this kind of "revenge" from Sebastian's daughter. His relationship with Leopold was entirely consensual up until five minutes before the end of the book. Most of his "real" crimes were committed abroad, jurisdiction anyone? His death was unnecessarily gruesome and rather unjustified. And yet, he is the biggest baddest villain ever? Pff.
Let's look at the accusations against him from least to most criminal, and rate their criminality in a scale from 1 to 5. And why not, let's add a score to rate Benedict and Sebsatian's comparable actions.
1. Lawrence is immoral and heretical.
Lawrence is a great public speaker with S-tier charisma. This is used against him as seen from Benedict's point of view. He dislikes the man for having a court of followers that make him look like a cult leader. He dislikes his hedonistic lifestyle and finds it immoral that he wants to know what happens after you die. Later, when he realizes that Lawrence seeks the Staff of Asclepius, he accuses him of occultism (even though Benedict himself wanted to use the Staff in the first place.)
Lawrence's score in the criminal scale: 1
Benedict and Sebastian's comparative score: 2 for hypocrisy.
2. Lawrence is a pornographer.
In book 3, it is discovered that Lawrence published a book of pornographic photos during his stay in France some 20 years before. One of the men he is photographed with is an 18-year-old Sebastian. Their relationship was consensual at the time. The publication of the book was illegal in France, but so was the purchase and distribution of it! I'd like to point out that Benedict was literally getting off looking at the photos (and considering getting a handie from Charles who was sitting next to him) until he recognized Sebastian as one of the men in the photographs. I'd also like to point out that Benedict OWNS and COLLECTS erotic books also of the illegal variety and has a secret collection of dildos in his bedroom, but as always, Benedict is above all judgment.
Lawrence's score in the criminal scale: 2
Benedict and Sebastian's comparative score: 3 for sheer volume.
3. Lawrence is a rake who seduces young, impressionable men.
Both Sebastian and Leopold were in a relationship with Lawrence, the former at 18, the latter at 22. I don't see anything wrong with this, given that they were both of age at the time and their relationships were consensual. Sebastian speaks of how Lawrence (at the time named Nathaniel) courted him and it sounded... kinda nice. Took him to the theater, showered him with compliments. Later, he says that Nathaniel ordered him to flog himself, and he did. Claims that's how "deep under his control he was". But you know? That's like... also kind of okay if you're into it? Ever heard of BDSM? The man's tastes are used against him retrospectively, and while I'm not condoning emotional manipulation in relationships, it's hardly a crime. Likewise, I could argue that Sebastian stole a priceless historical artifact for Benedict's sake. Would it be used retroactively as well, 20 years in the future? Would Sebastian claim that "he stole it while being under Benedict's thrall"? I wouldn't put it past him...
Lawrence's score in the criminal scale: 1
Benedict and Sebastian's comparative score: 2 for hypocrisy.
4. Lawrence manipulates and drugs Leopold.
As mentioned before, Lawrence being manipulative and controlling of his paramours is hardly a crime. The drugging is a crime--today. Back then, we're talking 1800s France and England, it only fell under poisoning if the person was actually poisoned. And how is it any different from Sebastian and Benedict drugging Leopold in order to kidnap him? Oh, right. I forgot. It's okay if they do it because they are above justice.
Lawrence's score in the criminal scale: 1
Benedict and Sebastian's comparative score: 4 for drugging AND KIDNAPPING.
5. Lawrence sells Benedict stolen silver.
Yes, a real crime. We are told the total value of the stolen silver amounts to 3 pounds. I checked--that's about 500 pounds of today's money. The punishment for that would have been transportation, however, and this is very important, SEBASTIAN IS A PROFESSIONAL THIEF. He has admittedly carried out 15 thefts throughout his criminal career, not including the staff. Why is Sebastian allowed to steal for love and retribution, but Lawrence isn't allowed to steal for profit? Oh, yeah. It's cause they are above justice.
Lawrence's score in the criminal scale: 3
Benedict and Sebastian's comparative score: 5 for sheer volume.
6. Lawrence committed a series of financial crimes in the United States.
And please, just hear me out. These are serious crimes, no argument there, but Starling is applying 21st century expectations to a 19th century setting, where there was no legal mechanism to allow US police to arrest an American in foreign soil. These crimes are used against him as the absolute proof that Lawrence is a bad man an deserves to be stopped. But he didn't commit these crimes in England. On top of it all, he fled the country at least 20 years prior to the events of the book--why are these Pinkerton men looking for him now? They're going on things that happened in another country almost a quarter of a century ago. And again, let us not forget that SEBASTIAN IS A THIEF. Ugh.
Lawrence's score in the criminal scale: 2 (I'll apply 21st century expectations to a 19th century setting and claim the statute of limitations has expired on these charges.)
Benedict and Sebastian's comparative score: 5 because Sebastian's thefts are recent AND Benedict was complicit by accepting one of said stolen goods.
7. Lawrence has Lord Ardmillan committed to a mental hospital.
After losing his fortune (thanks to Sebastian), Lord Ardmillan steals Benedict's silver to gift to Lawrence in the hopes that he'll be allowed to rejoin their sex club. Lawrence uses his connections with a judge (another member of the sex club) to have him sent to a mental hospital. I'd say rightfully so, since Ardmillan was a raving lunatic at the time, desperate to rejoin his fuck buddies, distraught at his sexual impotence, stealing silver from a "friend" to come back into Lawrence's good graces, abandoning his family and children, and claiming--without proof--that the Staff of Asclepius had witchy powers that could make them all immortal. The fact that the staff's magical powers were real is irrelevant. The guy was mad, and Lawrence didn't do anything wrong by arranging this.
Lawrence's score in the criminal scale: 1
Benedict and Sebastian's comparative score: 3 for being directly responsible for at least one of the reasons Ardmillan lost his mind.
8. Lawrence plans to commit a murder-suicide with Leopold.
Ah, yes. This is the big one, I'll give you that one. It's pretty evil to want to kill someone else as part of a sex ritual. But again, hear me out. Sebastian and Benedict are planning to have Lawrence arrested for a crime he has not yet committed. This is Victorian England. Thoughts and plans are not crimes. Preparation is not a crime. Only the act itself is a crime. This entire bullshit plan of our heroes is entirely unhinged, because not only do they actively participate in the ritual (they literally ) they actually hold Leopold down as they watch Lawrence How is this not completely fucked up? They aren't heroes, they are complicit.
Lawrence's score in the criminal scale: 1 He did NOT commit any crimes.
Benedict and Sebastian's comparative score: 100 They are directly RESPONSIBLE for this, since literally gave the staff to Lawrence and participated in the ritual, despite suspecting what would happen.
Yes, you heard right. It was Benedict who gave Lawrence the Staff of Asclepius in the first place. Where is the fucking logic in this? If they're SO worried Lawrence is going to kill Leopold halfway through the ritual, WHY THE FUCK DO THEY GIVE HIM THE STAFF?
Oh, oh. That's right. Because they want him to be caught in flagrante delicto. Do these two knuckleheads not realize that if the police come in right at the moment of the sacrifice (which is how they planned it to go down), they will all be caught with their dicks out surrounding a naked, slain German lord covered in jizz? Now, THAT's a crime in Victorian England. That's a real 100/5 in the criminal scale.
You see what I mean when I say the execution is all wrong? Doesn't Starling realize the stupidity of their own plan? The asymmetry of the morality of her main characters? The blatant hypocrisy of their actions? I am SO angry at this book because you know what? IT HAD SO MUCH POTENTIAL.
But then comes that stupid ending where "several things happen at once" and Sebastian gets stabbed and dies in Benedict's arms--but don't worry, the magic dildo had already been fully charged and was at 100% battery so it brings back Sebastian from the dead AND MAKES HIM AND BENEDICT IMMORTAL and you know what? THAT'S NOT THE WORST PART.
Because then we get THE EPILOGUE.
Benedict and Sebastian have officially been immortal for many years and go on many adventures and they SURVIVE THE TITANIC???? As immortals. Because of the magic dildo. Please kill me. Lawrence, take me with you. I cannot. I simply CANNOT with this ending.
Forget what I said before. This book is now 2 stars. Shit, I literally maxed out the allotted characters for this review.
Uh... What the hell was that ending?? We'll talk about that LATER, cause while it was incredibly stupid, it was only the epilogue. Epilogues aren't that important if you think about it. The book itself had plenty of other issues I'd argue are a lot more problematic than Starling having possibly consumed happy mushrooms near the end of her novel.
First and foremost, let's do a what to expect from the perspective of someone who's finished the entire series, if you're wondering whether or not to start at all. I'll be adding this part to my review of the first book, for those who don't read reviews of all the books in a series (like I do) before deciding whether or not to bother.
THE GOOD:
- Silly plot and low stakes, but with a sprinkle of cultish fuckery for spice.
- All three books contain very hot smut.
- I enjoyed the descriptions of the food, lol.
- Audiobooks narrated by Mister Gary Furlong.
THE BAD:
- Some turn of events are entirely ridiculous, making the story feel like a spoof in the end.
- Too many plot holes that made it hard for me to take anything seriously.
- Terrible characterization (the heroes come off as self-serving hypocrites).
- The writing feels a little forced sometimes (plus all those exclamation marks!)
- TERRIBLE EPILOGUE.
With that out of the way, let's dive into this review proper. This next part contains mild spoilers. The big spoilers will come later but I'll mark those too.
Let's look at the plot first.
Books 1, 2 and 3 are connected by the Staff of Asclepius: a phallic object from Ancient Greece that is said to have magical sexual powers. You heard that right--a magic dildo.
Book 1 (The Shooting Season) is the introduction and the shortest of all three installments. In this book, Benedict is in search of the Staff of Asclepius because he wants to use it to "cure" himself from being gay. He meets Sebastian, who is there to steal another object from the auction, and they get ze butterflies for each other.
Book 2 (The Gentleman's Thief is where the real plot begins and a larger cast of characters is introduced. Benedict and Sebastian enter an "understanding" where they decide to become exclusive, and Benedict gets himself involved with a set of homosexual men who like to partake in somewhat theatrical group sex. These men too seek the Staff of Asclepius (which was stolen by Sebastian in book 1) but not to cure themselves, like Benedict, but to "become immortal". Cause apparently, this magical dildo can do that too.
Book 3 (this one right here) continues that storyline of the gay orgies and the magical dildo, only now, Sebastian and Benedict decide this group of men must be stopped at all costs because... reasons.
To summarize: The PLOT is stupid, but fun? I didn't mind at all the story line about the magical, immortality-giving dildo that powers up by absorbing sperm. The problem with the plot is the actual execution, and the myriad of plot holes Starling chose to ignore. The CHARACTERS are also stupid, but in an infuriating way. Most of my issues with this book relate to Benedict and Sebastian's characterization.
See, Sebastian and Benedict are supposed to be the good guys (the avenger thief who is "good" and the religious gay man who is "wholesome") but end up coming off as unlikable assholes (the thief who steals whatever he wants and the hypocrite who condemns everyone else but himself) and like I said in my review of book 2, it seems unintentional. I do genuinely believe that Isobel Starling thought she was doing right by her MCs and had no idea how unlikable she made them in the end.
Now, let's explore the situation into which these two idiots landed themselves: Fratres Seminis is a group comprised of powerful and influential men joined by their taste for the occasional secret orgy and their love for theatrics. One of them (Benedict's old lover) vouched for Benedict as a potential member, and he was invited to join.
You see, I dig that. Being a defender of sexual freedom with a particular fondness for historical romances where gay men huddle together to satisfy their desires and protect each other, I could not bring myself to think of what these dudes were doing as wrong. KJ Charles explores something similar in her Sins of the Cities series, and it's masterful. However in this case, Benedict's better-than-thou attitude, his condemnation of these men, and his continuous insistence that his monogamous arrangement with Sebastian is morally superior, landed very badly indeed.
Especially when he didn't actually need to join in the first place. He could have easily refused after that first time, since the other men wore masks and he didn't know anyone's real identities yet. So the big question is: WHY DID BENEDICT JOIN THIS SEX CULT IF HE DISAPPROVED OF IT SO BADLY? Two reasons, actually. Both fundamentally problematic.
Problematic reason #1: Benedict is a hypocrite.
Throughout the series, Benedict is actively disparaging about what these men get down to, constantly complaining about being forced to attend these "occult, unnatural, immoral" gatherings and oh, woe, having to WATCH these men having sex. But the fact is, Benedict could have refused. If he was so appalled by what they got down to, why attend at all? Why not make excuses? Why not feign sickness? Certainly nobody forced him to , did they? (FYI: THAT'S NOT REALLY A SPOILER, IT'S JUST REALLY GRAPHIC.) Benedict disapproves of just about everything about these gatherings, while constantly partaking in the group sex. Not once, not twice, not three but a grand total of four times throughout the series.
In fact, at some point outside of a gathering, he secretly watches Asher have sex with the stable boy and contemplates that "While he knows it's wrong, he gets off watching men fucking." So, you see, despite claiming that he abhors this kind of hedonistic behavior, he actually enjoys it. He enjoys it and jerks off with them and gets off by watching them, all the while continuing to moan that "this is wrong." He claims he had "no choice" but to join their cultish, evil gatherings, but the fact that he keeps coming and coming and coming (pun very much intended) tells a different story: That Benedict is a coward and a hypocrite.
Problematic reason #2: Benedict is an idiot.
When Sebastian is trying to earn Benedict's trust, he confides in him that he has a new "target", that is to say, while he is usually hired to return objects that have been stolen to their rightful owners, this time he has been tasked with retrieving a person. It doesn't sound as though he asked a lot of questions to his employers, and he happily takes up the job FOR MONEY. Benedict, who is a complete idiot, agrees to help him without questioning anything, because Sebastian is cute, I guess? It helps that he has a standing invitation to join a "club of sorts" and it appears that Leopold is a member.
At first, Benedict doesn't know that this is an invitation to join a sex club, or that Leopold is a VIP member for that matter. He is blindfolded and taken to a room where he watches a group of men have sex from behind a screen (and he jerks off, the hypocrite.) The men are all wearing hoods. The only one he recognizes is Leopold. Mission accomplished, all he needs to do is relay this information to Sebastian. There is no need for him to actually join the club afterwards, and yet they both act as though it is "imperative" that he continues to go to these gatherings, and make it sound like his entire life is in ruins if he doesn't comply. Why? I'm pretty sure Starling thought they were being clever about it, when in fact, Benedict comes off as a particularly inept idiot who just keeps getting into more and more trouble for no good reason but plot advancement.
Which brings me to another problem I can't just ignore. Lawrence Blake didn't deserve what happened to him. He's made to be the final boss in this dungeon of a book, but I find his punishment wholly disproportionate to his actual actions.
The rest of this review contains HEAVY SPOILERS.
After having finished the whole series, I'm struck by one particularly jarring problem: Lawrence didn't actually do anything to Benedict in order to justify his animosity and Benedict's desire to "end him". Sebastian's beef with Lawrence was 20 years ago and while I can see that he was a total dick ex-boyfriend, he didn't deserve this kind of "revenge" from Sebastian's daughter. His relationship with Leopold was entirely consensual up until five minutes before the end of the book. Most of his "real" crimes were committed abroad, jurisdiction anyone? His death was unnecessarily gruesome and rather unjustified. And yet, he is the biggest baddest villain ever? Pff.
Let's look at the accusations against him from least to most criminal, and rate their criminality in a scale from 1 to 5. And why not, let's add a score to rate Benedict and Sebsatian's comparable actions.
1. Lawrence is immoral and heretical.
Lawrence is a great public speaker with S-tier charisma. This is used against him as seen from Benedict's point of view. He dislikes the man for having a court of followers that make him look like a cult leader. He dislikes his hedonistic lifestyle and finds it immoral that he wants to know what happens after you die. Later, when he realizes that Lawrence seeks the Staff of Asclepius, he accuses him of occultism (even though Benedict himself wanted to use the Staff in the first place.)
Lawrence's score in the criminal scale: 1
Benedict and Sebastian's comparative score: 2 for hypocrisy.
2. Lawrence is a pornographer.
In book 3, it is discovered that Lawrence published a book of pornographic photos during his stay in France some 20 years before. One of the men he is photographed with is an 18-year-old Sebastian. Their relationship was consensual at the time. The publication of the book was illegal in France, but so was the purchase and distribution of it! I'd like to point out that Benedict was literally getting off looking at the photos (and considering getting a handie from Charles who was sitting next to him) until he recognized Sebastian as one of the men in the photographs. I'd also like to point out that Benedict OWNS and COLLECTS erotic books also of the illegal variety and has a secret collection of dildos in his bedroom, but as always, Benedict is above all judgment.
Lawrence's score in the criminal scale: 2
Benedict and Sebastian's comparative score: 3 for sheer volume.
3. Lawrence is a rake who seduces young, impressionable men.
Both Sebastian and Leopold were in a relationship with Lawrence, the former at 18, the latter at 22. I don't see anything wrong with this, given that they were both of age at the time and their relationships were consensual. Sebastian speaks of how Lawrence (at the time named Nathaniel) courted him and it sounded... kinda nice. Took him to the theater, showered him with compliments. Later, he says that Nathaniel ordered him to flog himself, and he did. Claims that's how "deep under his control he was". But you know? That's like... also kind of okay if you're into it? Ever heard of BDSM? The man's tastes are used against him retrospectively, and while I'm not condoning emotional manipulation in relationships, it's hardly a crime. Likewise, I could argue that Sebastian stole a priceless historical artifact for Benedict's sake. Would it be used retroactively as well, 20 years in the future? Would Sebastian claim that "he stole it while being under Benedict's thrall"? I wouldn't put it past him...
Lawrence's score in the criminal scale: 1
Benedict and Sebastian's comparative score: 2 for hypocrisy.
4. Lawrence manipulates and drugs Leopold.
As mentioned before, Lawrence being manipulative and controlling of his paramours is hardly a crime. The drugging is a crime--today. Back then, we're talking 1800s France and England, it only fell under poisoning if the person was actually poisoned. And how is it any different from Sebastian and Benedict drugging Leopold in order to kidnap him? Oh, right. I forgot. It's okay if they do it because they are above justice.
Lawrence's score in the criminal scale: 1
Benedict and Sebastian's comparative score: 4 for drugging AND KIDNAPPING.
5. Lawrence sells Benedict stolen silver.
Yes, a real crime. We are told the total value of the stolen silver amounts to 3 pounds. I checked--that's about 500 pounds of today's money. The punishment for that would have been transportation, however, and this is very important, SEBASTIAN IS A PROFESSIONAL THIEF. He has admittedly carried out 15 thefts throughout his criminal career, not including the staff. Why is Sebastian allowed to steal for love and retribution, but Lawrence isn't allowed to steal for profit? Oh, yeah. It's cause they are above justice.
Lawrence's score in the criminal scale: 3
Benedict and Sebastian's comparative score: 5 for sheer volume.
6. Lawrence committed a series of financial crimes in the United States.
And please, just hear me out. These are serious crimes, no argument there, but Starling is applying 21st century expectations to a 19th century setting, where there was no legal mechanism to allow US police to arrest an American in foreign soil. These crimes are used against him as the absolute proof that Lawrence is a bad man an deserves to be stopped. But he didn't commit these crimes in England. On top of it all, he fled the country at least 20 years prior to the events of the book--why are these Pinkerton men looking for him now? They're going on things that happened in another country almost a quarter of a century ago. And again, let us not forget that SEBASTIAN IS A THIEF. Ugh.
Lawrence's score in the criminal scale: 2 (I'll apply 21st century expectations to a 19th century setting and claim the statute of limitations has expired on these charges.)
Benedict and Sebastian's comparative score: 5 because Sebastian's thefts are recent AND Benedict was complicit by accepting one of said stolen goods.
7. Lawrence has Lord Ardmillan committed to a mental hospital.
After losing his fortune (thanks to Sebastian), Lord Ardmillan steals Benedict's silver to gift to Lawrence in the hopes that he'll be allowed to rejoin their sex club. Lawrence uses his connections with a judge (another member of the sex club) to have him sent to a mental hospital. I'd say rightfully so, since Ardmillan was a raving lunatic at the time, desperate to rejoin his fuck buddies, distraught at his sexual impotence, stealing silver from a "friend" to come back into Lawrence's good graces, abandoning his family and children, and claiming--without proof--that the Staff of Asclepius had witchy powers that could make them all immortal. The fact that the staff's magical powers were real is irrelevant. The guy was mad, and Lawrence didn't do anything wrong by arranging this.
Lawrence's score in the criminal scale: 1
Benedict and Sebastian's comparative score: 3 for being directly responsible for at least one of the reasons Ardmillan lost his mind.
8. Lawrence plans to commit a murder-suicide with Leopold.
Ah, yes. This is the big one, I'll give you that one. It's pretty evil to want to kill someone else as part of a sex ritual. But again, hear me out. Sebastian and Benedict are planning to have Lawrence arrested for a crime he has not yet committed. This is Victorian England. Thoughts and plans are not crimes. Preparation is not a crime. Only the act itself is a crime. This entire bullshit plan of our heroes is entirely unhinged, because not only do they actively participate in the ritual (they literally ) they actually hold Leopold down as they watch Lawrence How is this not completely fucked up? They aren't heroes, they are complicit.
Lawrence's score in the criminal scale: 1 He did NOT commit any crimes.
Benedict and Sebastian's comparative score: 100 They are directly RESPONSIBLE for this, since literally gave the staff to Lawrence and participated in the ritual, despite suspecting what would happen.
Yes, you heard right. It was Benedict who gave Lawrence the Staff of Asclepius in the first place. Where is the fucking logic in this? If they're SO worried Lawrence is going to kill Leopold halfway through the ritual, WHY THE FUCK DO THEY GIVE HIM THE STAFF?
Oh, oh. That's right. Because they want him to be caught in flagrante delicto. Do these two knuckleheads not realize that if the police come in right at the moment of the sacrifice (which is how they planned it to go down), they will all be caught with their dicks out surrounding a naked, slain German lord covered in jizz? Now, THAT's a crime in Victorian England. That's a real 100/5 in the criminal scale.
You see what I mean when I say the execution is all wrong? Doesn't Starling realize the stupidity of their own plan? The asymmetry of the morality of her main characters? The blatant hypocrisy of their actions? I am SO angry at this book because you know what? IT HAD SO MUCH POTENTIAL.
But then comes that stupid ending where "several things happen at once" and Sebastian gets stabbed and dies in Benedict's arms--but don't worry, the magic dildo had already been fully charged and was at 100% battery so it brings back Sebastian from the dead AND MAKES HIM AND BENEDICT IMMORTAL and you know what? THAT'S NOT THE WORST PART.
Because then we get THE EPILOGUE.
Benedict and Sebastian have officially been immortal for many years and go on many adventures and they SURVIVE THE TITANIC???? As immortals. Because of the magic dildo. Please kill me. Lawrence, take me with you. I cannot. I simply CANNOT with this ending.
Forget what I said before. This book is now 2 stars. Shit, I literally maxed out the allotted characters for this review.
October 29, 2025
I’m so sad that I built this ending up in my mind before reading the actual book! I thought every one would get their just desserts, and then my favorites would live happily ever after. And some did. But some got a golden parachute and I wasn’t happy about it. I LOVED our new leading lady though. So much. I’d read her spinoff series for sure (hint hint Isobel).
Also, the extended time line epilogue was not for me. I would certainly have enjoyed more special collection room moments, or more of Charles’ adventures. But no, milestone tragedies only.
Also, the extended time line epilogue was not for me. I would certainly have enjoyed more special collection room moments, or more of Charles’ adventures. But no, milestone tragedies only.
September 20, 2025
This was a great end to this trilogy. Everything came to a head and climaxed in this novel in a very satisfying way (lol all of the double entendre in that sentence). I will say the ending was wildly unexpected for me and kind of took me aback a bit. I enjoyed it but it was just a bit of a shock because for some reason I just never expected the story to end that way. Overall a very interesting series and I will look forward to more works by Isobel Starling in the future.
October 1, 2025
A ridiculous ending to a ridiculous story but entertaining nevertheless
May 11, 2026
This is 3rd in a trilogy, it is not a stand alone...
Ben and Sebastien decide to blame the theft (in the Book 2) on the mysterious Dandy Rogue, so the cult won't know Euan was there.
Detective Dancer, assigned to the Dandy Rogue case, is very observant, making Ben fear that Sebastien could be exposed as the Dandy Rogue.
Meanwhile, Ashe, a cult member and news illustrator, visits Ben and makes him increasingly uneasy with his persistent advances. Ben's not sure how to reject him while avoiding suspicion from the cult. Then Sebastian shows up disguised as his alter ego, Birdie Robins, and they all have dinner together while discussing The Dandy Rogue. Ashe seems interested in one of the stolen items, the fish shaped spice box that cult leader Blake had sold to Ben.
Ashe realizes that Ben and Sebastian/"Birdie" are in love and good-naturedly confronts Ben while Birdie is out of the room. Ben claims that Birdie knows nothing about the cult, and Ashe agrees not to mention it.
Ashe invites Ben to a soirée at his father's house. Ben accepts because Ashe's father collects rare books, a professional interest for him as an antiques dealer, though he worries Ashe expects sex.
That night, Ben and Sebastian use the Rod of Asclepius while making love. The rod glows, but nothing else happens, revealing it is in fact magical, but leaving its true purpose a mystery.
The following morning, Detective Dancer reveals that he was a masked cult member at Ben's Exeter Hall initiation. He explains that Euan gave Blake the stolen silver to try and buy his way back in, and confessed to committing the theft while everyone slept. Since no one knows Ben helped Euan, Ben is in the clear.
Sebastian disappears for several weeks. During his absence, Ben socializes with Blake, Ashe, and Cavendish to avoid suspicion. They reveal that the Vessel, Leopold, will soon return to London, but needs a respectable courtship to reassure his family. They chose Ashe's sister for his beard.
At the soirée, Ashe shows Ben how to see the contents of the blank monogrammed diary from the previous book. Its pages unfold into a single large sheet that, when heated, reveals a translation of the Rod of Asclepius ritual. Ben admits that he had seen the original scroll, written in Greek, at Euan's country house years ago, but lies that he's never seen the rod.
The soiree attendees are allowed to view a secret erotic collection, including pictures of men with male prostitutes. One of the pictures is Blake, whom Ashe recognizes, with a much younger Sebastian, whom Ashe doesn't recognize. The photo caption has Blake's alias, Nathaniel. Ashe admits he remains in the cult for mutual protection and influence, not belief. Now Ashe is worried that there isn't any real protection, since Blake is obviously a charlatan using a fake name. Ben already knew that, but never had an ally in the cult to talk to about it.
Ben tells Ashe about Blake's plan to use his sister as Leopold's beard, which Ashe refuses.
Ben sends Sebastian a message about all this through their emergency communication protocol, but Sebastian never responds.
One morning, after not seeing Sebastian for several weeks, Ben sees him out walking with a woman he is obviously courting. After being ghosted for so long, Ben feels like Sebastian is betraying him for another, the way Euan did. Ben refuses to see Sebastian after that.
A few days later, Sebastian sneaks into Ben's house and admits that the real reason he was disowned by his father is because he got one of their Indian housemaids pregnant (awkward teenage sexual experimentation). He met his daughter, Nissa, when she hired him to steal the golden tiger (the job he was on when he met Ben). She knows all about Ben, but he never told Ben about her, and he was caught off guard in the park. Ben doesn't seem bothered by the lie of omission and immediately forgives Sebastian, since he's just so relieved the girl is not Sebastian's lover.
Ben asks Sebastian to live with him when he's not away on a job, which Sebastian accepts.
Ben tells Sebastian about the erotic exhibit, then reveals he stole the photo so that Sebastian could decide whether to keep it or burn it. Ben warns him that Blake is probably setting up all the cult members for blackmail, and they may want to keep it as insurance.
Ben gets an invitation from Nissa to meet for dinner. She offers to be Leopold's beard, because she wants to help take Blake down, after everything Blake did to Sebastian.
They tell Blake that "Indian Princess Nissa" is a lesbian who is willing to fake-date Leopold to avoid male suitors. Ben also tells Blake that he has located the Rod of Asclepius and will bring it to the final ritual taking place at Cavendish's country house on Easter Sunday, April 10, 1898. This is all part of Ben's plan to take Blake down, although the details aren't revealed yet.
They go to the country house on April 6. Ashe, Ben, Nissa, and Sebastian (disguised as Nissa's lawyer Fairfax), are all there with all the other cult members and their wives.
Ashe tells Ben he wants to bring Detective Dancer into their anti-Blake plans. In the final ritual, both Blake and Leopold will have to actually die, then return to describe the afterlife. Dancer doesn't believe that the rod of Asclepius can resurrect a dead person, and he doesn't want to be involved, but he can't leave the cult for fear of retaliation. Sebastian is wary of telling any cult members their plans, but eventually agrees. They convince Dancer that helping them will also help himself in 2 ways: first getting out of the cult, and second by solving the Dandy Rogue case by pinning it on Blake. Ashe can confirm Blake stole the fish shaped box from him.
They let the ritual proceed so that Blake won't be tipped off, and the police are supposed to show up before anyone kills Leopold. When Leopold starts using the rod, Cavendish is about to stab him, with no police there yet. Sebastian removes his disguise, tells Blake to stop this nonsense, and wrestles the knife away from Cavendish. Blake is surprised to see Sebastian, and Ashe is surprised to see "Birdie"!
Nissa bursts in with a gun, Cavendish stabs Sebastian, Blake makes a run for it, and Nissa kills Cavendish and Blake. Sebastian dies in Ben's arms, but then the rod of Asclepius soaks up his blood and he comes back to life.
Nissa comes up with the story to tell the police: Blake kidnapped her into the woods, and the other men formed a search party. Cavendish died trying to stop Blake. And Blake was also exposed as the Dandy Rogue.
Sebastian and Ben return home to start a totally ordinary life. Except, they notice that they don't age. And when they die in accidents, they are soon resurrected. They are still alive today. (Remember, we learned in Book 1, the ritual participants must "know his heart." Love was the secret ingredient that Ben and Sebastien have, but Blake and Leopold did not.)
Ben and Sebastien decide to blame the theft (in the Book 2) on the mysterious Dandy Rogue, so the cult won't know Euan was there.
Detective Dancer, assigned to the Dandy Rogue case, is very observant, making Ben fear that Sebastien could be exposed as the Dandy Rogue.
Meanwhile, Ashe, a cult member and news illustrator, visits Ben and makes him increasingly uneasy with his persistent advances. Ben's not sure how to reject him while avoiding suspicion from the cult. Then Sebastian shows up disguised as his alter ego, Birdie Robins, and they all have dinner together while discussing The Dandy Rogue. Ashe seems interested in one of the stolen items, the fish shaped spice box that cult leader Blake had sold to Ben.
Ashe realizes that Ben and Sebastian/"Birdie" are in love and good-naturedly confronts Ben while Birdie is out of the room. Ben claims that Birdie knows nothing about the cult, and Ashe agrees not to mention it.
Ashe invites Ben to a soirée at his father's house. Ben accepts because Ashe's father collects rare books, a professional interest for him as an antiques dealer, though he worries Ashe expects sex.
That night, Ben and Sebastian use the Rod of Asclepius while making love. The rod glows, but nothing else happens, revealing it is in fact magical, but leaving its true purpose a mystery.
The following morning, Detective Dancer reveals that he was a masked cult member at Ben's Exeter Hall initiation. He explains that Euan gave Blake the stolen silver to try and buy his way back in, and confessed to committing the theft while everyone slept. Since no one knows Ben helped Euan, Ben is in the clear.
Sebastian disappears for several weeks. During his absence, Ben socializes with Blake, Ashe, and Cavendish to avoid suspicion. They reveal that the Vessel, Leopold, will soon return to London, but needs a respectable courtship to reassure his family. They chose Ashe's sister for his beard.
At the soirée, Ashe shows Ben how to see the contents of the blank monogrammed diary from the previous book. Its pages unfold into a single large sheet that, when heated, reveals a translation of the Rod of Asclepius ritual. Ben admits that he had seen the original scroll, written in Greek, at Euan's country house years ago, but lies that he's never seen the rod.
The soiree attendees are allowed to view a secret erotic collection, including pictures of men with male prostitutes. One of the pictures is Blake, whom Ashe recognizes, with a much younger Sebastian, whom Ashe doesn't recognize. The photo caption has Blake's alias, Nathaniel. Ashe admits he remains in the cult for mutual protection and influence, not belief. Now Ashe is worried that there isn't any real protection, since Blake is obviously a charlatan using a fake name. Ben already knew that, but never had an ally in the cult to talk to about it.
Ben tells Ashe about Blake's plan to use his sister as Leopold's beard, which Ashe refuses.
Ben sends Sebastian a message about all this through their emergency communication protocol, but Sebastian never responds.
One morning, after not seeing Sebastian for several weeks, Ben sees him out walking with a woman he is obviously courting. After being ghosted for so long, Ben feels like Sebastian is betraying him for another, the way Euan did. Ben refuses to see Sebastian after that.
A few days later, Sebastian sneaks into Ben's house and admits that the real reason he was disowned by his father is because he got one of their Indian housemaids pregnant (awkward teenage sexual experimentation). He met his daughter, Nissa, when she hired him to steal the golden tiger (the job he was on when he met Ben). She knows all about Ben, but he never told Ben about her, and he was caught off guard in the park. Ben doesn't seem bothered by the lie of omission and immediately forgives Sebastian, since he's just so relieved the girl is not Sebastian's lover.
Ben asks Sebastian to live with him when he's not away on a job, which Sebastian accepts.
Ben tells Sebastian about the erotic exhibit, then reveals he stole the photo so that Sebastian could decide whether to keep it or burn it. Ben warns him that Blake is probably setting up all the cult members for blackmail, and they may want to keep it as insurance.
Ben gets an invitation from Nissa to meet for dinner. She offers to be Leopold's beard, because she wants to help take Blake down, after everything Blake did to Sebastian.
They tell Blake that "Indian Princess Nissa" is a lesbian who is willing to fake-date Leopold to avoid male suitors. Ben also tells Blake that he has located the Rod of Asclepius and will bring it to the final ritual taking place at Cavendish's country house on Easter Sunday, April 10, 1898. This is all part of Ben's plan to take Blake down, although the details aren't revealed yet.
They go to the country house on April 6. Ashe, Ben, Nissa, and Sebastian (disguised as Nissa's lawyer Fairfax), are all there with all the other cult members and their wives.
Ashe tells Ben he wants to bring Detective Dancer into their anti-Blake plans. In the final ritual, both Blake and Leopold will have to actually die, then return to describe the afterlife. Dancer doesn't believe that the rod of Asclepius can resurrect a dead person, and he doesn't want to be involved, but he can't leave the cult for fear of retaliation. Sebastian is wary of telling any cult members their plans, but eventually agrees. They convince Dancer that helping them will also help himself in 2 ways: first getting out of the cult, and second by solving the Dandy Rogue case by pinning it on Blake. Ashe can confirm Blake stole the fish shaped box from him.
They let the ritual proceed so that Blake won't be tipped off, and the police are supposed to show up before anyone kills Leopold. When Leopold starts using the rod, Cavendish is about to stab him, with no police there yet. Sebastian removes his disguise, tells Blake to stop this nonsense, and wrestles the knife away from Cavendish. Blake is surprised to see Sebastian, and Ashe is surprised to see "Birdie"!
Nissa bursts in with a gun, Cavendish stabs Sebastian, Blake makes a run for it, and Nissa kills Cavendish and Blake. Sebastian dies in Ben's arms, but then the rod of Asclepius soaks up his blood and he comes back to life.
Nissa comes up with the story to tell the police: Blake kidnapped her into the woods, and the other men formed a search party. Cavendish died trying to stop Blake. And Blake was also exposed as the Dandy Rogue.
Sebastian and Ben return home to start a totally ordinary life. Except, they notice that they don't age. And when they die in accidents, they are soon resurrected. They are still alive today. (Remember, we learned in Book 1, the ritual participants must "know his heart." Love was the secret ingredient that Ben and Sebastien have, but Blake and Leopold did not.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 5, 2024
Audio: 5 stars for Gary Furlong, like that was a surprise lol
Book: 3.5-4 stars
I would say compared to the first and second books, I didn't love this one as much. Don't get me wrong this still was engaging and an enjoyable read. But I felt like it dragged a little bit in the middle. Yes, I still love Benedict and Sebastian as much as when we saw them meet in book 1! I do see myself rereading these books in the future.
Also, for those who didn't like Charles Ashe in book 2, I did enjoy seeing how Charles Ashes's character redeemed himself in a way in this book!
I don't want to give anything away since this is the third book in the series, but this book took some interesting turns that I wasn't expecting to happen and that kept me on my toes. Which is why it was hard to put down during the second half of the story!
I do love the duo that is Gary Furlong and Isobel Starling, so I look forward to reading and listening to more in the future!
Book: 3.5-4 stars
I would say compared to the first and second books, I didn't love this one as much. Don't get me wrong this still was engaging and an enjoyable read. But I felt like it dragged a little bit in the middle. Yes, I still love Benedict and Sebastian as much as when we saw them meet in book 1! I do see myself rereading these books in the future.
Also, for those who didn't like Charles Ashe in book 2, I did enjoy seeing how Charles Ashes's character redeemed himself in a way in this book!
I don't want to give anything away since this is the third book in the series, but this book took some interesting turns that I wasn't expecting to happen and that kept me on my toes. Which is why it was hard to put down during the second half of the story!
I do love the duo that is Gary Furlong and Isobel Starling, so I look forward to reading and listening to more in the future!
June 28, 2026
Honestly kept going because if the audiobook narrator.
Last was a little bit better as there was more conversations regarding emotions between the main two protagonists. Still, it kept feeling like an excuse to keep writing sex scenes and giving an afterthought to everything else, but pretending otherwise.
Last was a little bit better as there was more conversations regarding emotions between the main two protagonists. Still, it kept feeling like an excuse to keep writing sex scenes and giving an afterthought to everything else, but pretending otherwise.
August 30, 2024
This was book 3 in a series and to be honest I had read the first 2 books so long ago I really couldn't remember what had happened but I could read this book ok.
Benedict and Sebastian take on the Cabal. A cult who are proposing to sacrifice a young man.
Benedict and Sebastian take on the Cabal. A cult who are proposing to sacrifice a young man.
May 11, 2025
An odd ending to an odd series. There was a lot of potential here with the main character and his love interest, but I felt the nuance of them got lost on the ridiculous plot. Don’t regret reading them, but wouldn’t recommend them either.
January 15, 2026
Skip the epilogue. SKIP the epilogue. SKIP. THE. EPILOGUE.
March 12, 2026
Terrific conclusion to the story!! Great narration.
February 15, 2025
Enjoyable story that is well written with likeable characters and good world building.
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