No Man's Land

by Sally Malcolm

There are worse things than death…

It’s 1917, the height of the Great War, and Josef Shapel has one tell the people at home the truth about the slaughter. That’s why he’s smuggled a camera to the front line, risking charges of treason to photograph the carnage.

But everything changes when he meets handsome and charismatic Captain Winchester.

Although the charming officer isn’t his usual type, Josef finds Winchester impossible to resist. But the captain is not what he seems, and after spending one glorious night together Josef discovers he’s been betrayed...

Months later, back in London, their paths cross again and Josef finds himself pulled into a dark and secret world. A world he can scarcely believe is real; a world that’s bringing the horrors of no man’s land into the streets of London.

With both his life and heart at risk, Josef must rethink everything he knows to fight for his home—and for a future with the man who blew his world apart.

Genres: Historical, Romance, Fantasy, M M Romance, Paranormal, Horror, Queer

317 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 21, 2024

About the author

Sally Malcolm was bitten by the m/m romance bug in 2016 and hasn’t looked back. It’s fair to say she’s obsessed with the genre. She has four contemporary m/m romances out, set in the fictional Long Island seaside town of New Milton.

She's also the author of eight Stargate novels and novellas, including the hit "Apocalypse" trilogy. She has penned four Stargate audio dramas for Big Finish Productions, including Stargate SG-1: "An Eye for an Eye" starring Michael Shanks, Claudia Black, and Cliff Simon.

Sally lives in South West London.

Reviews

[Sandy Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrific historical forbidden romance with paranormal element

Sally Malcolm is right up there with KJ Charles and Joanna Chambers for her ability to immerse me in a time period and make me believe I’m there. Love it. And no, I’m not a historical expert and this could be rife with errors, I’d have no idea. The atmosphere breathes authenticity. This isn’t a perfect read, but I’m giving it 5 stars because I could not put it down and loved the romance.

This story is about the two men caught up in the grip of war times, fighting to survive and love one another in fraught circumstances. The characterizations are on page from word one, as Josef takes forbidden photographs of bodies in hopes of waking the general public to the atrocities of war, and Alex finds him in action and seems to know more than he’s letting on about the strange stench coming off one particular body.

So many secrets, so much tension, as Josef works to open eyes and Alex remains cryptic and aloof yet strangely attentive. Their first night together is intimate and searing hot, and the intense betrayal and incomprehensible things that follow keep pages turning and action high. There’s no dull moment here. Not for me, anyway.

Josef is a bit of a hard-ass about his goals (which, yes, are important), and it takes him a bit to really listen and absorb what’s going on. He’s admirable but also foolhardy, a frustrating combination that does make him interesting to follow, and serves him well in the end when it becomes a breathtaking testament to Josef’s feelings for Alex. Alex comes from privilege and doesn’t seem to understand where Josef is coming from a lot, yet they’re a terrific match in ways that matter, and I loved experiencing the development of their connection and affection. There is spice, though later encounters become more closed-door and aftermath rather than explicit. Still, their chemistry remains intense, and they felt like a strong match, one I believed in.

The paranormal element is the main source of intrigue and danger, rather than the war, and I’m not sure that serves the anti-war theme as well as it could. But it opens the door to future stories, and I’ll be first in line to read more, whether featuring these two (yes please!) or other characters in the world. I would have like more evidence of some of the witchcraft infused into the story, and it’s quite open ended, with the characters’ initial conflict and struggle being resolved, but the overall antagonist seeming rather out of control.

Secondary characters are lively and authentic and support the story well.

HFN/HEA (it’s a precarious world, so, who knows where they’ll go—but I do believe they’ll face it together!). No cheating, and no other-men/-women mentioned in the story, I believe they’re with only each other, despite a 3-month time leap/separation toward the end. There’s zero indication of any other romantic entanglements in the present. Highly recommended and I hope there’ll be more.

My thanks to Gay Romance Reviews for the ARC; this is my free and impartial opinion.

[Lily Loves 📚 · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This started out on such a high note and I was extremely excited. The book sort of petered out in the middle but the ending picked up and had me excited again. I didn’t have issues with the editing or storyline but I am not a big reader of historical fiction.

Josef grated on my nerves a bit, he was very stubborn and just made very rash decisions. He had a chip on his shoulder and just wanted to print his story and pictures, ignoring everything else that he was being warned about.

We only get Josef’s POV but I really wish we had Alex’s. He was a much more intriguing character but I felt like we didn’t get to truly know him. The society he works for is not fully fleshed out and I expected more. I really loved Lottie and Violet and I do wish the book had a more supernatural storyline. I felt like all of that was in the background for the romance yet I didn’t feel like the romance plot was that good.

The last chapter leaves much to be desired in that there really is no ending to the ghouls, which makes sense but I felt unsatisfied with that storyline plus the relationship between Alex and Josef. It felt extremely rushed and if there is a second book it would be ok but I’m not sure there will be.

Overall I enjoyed the beginning and the last chapters, except the last one. Sally Malcolm is an excellent writer but I think something was missing from this one.

ARC received for review

[Kathleen in Oslo · Rating 4 out of 5]

ETA: Apparently the author will be making fixes to some errors in the text (I have not been in contact with them; this info came from the ARC supplier). Depending on the extent of the changes made, this might bump up my rating, since I reference sloppy writing and a title/ address issue in the review. So keep in mind that these may be fixed in the final version! But as I'd already posted my review, I'll keep it up and update as necessary if anything changes.

3.5 ⭐️

Oh, so close! The idea is fantastic, but the execution ultimately fell short. The writing was a bit too repetitive and sloppy (typos and continuity errors throughout), and for large chunks of the book, Josef was rather too dogmatic and self-righteous for my taste. There is a fine line between principled obstinance and willful obtuseness, Josef! He came around eventually, but he should have flung himself off that doubt carousel a couple rounds earlier. Alex was great, though -- Captain Winchester, swoon -- and Lottie, Violet and May were pleasant, competent additions to the tiny cast.

Funnily enough, there is an exchange late in the book in which May comments to Josef that "there's no such thing as a good writer -- only a good editor." Please don't set yourself up this way, author.

Also, I feel compelled yet again to refer to KJ Charles's authoritative primer on aristocratic titles, because, well. Draw your own conclusions. (OK, I lied. Here is the relevant passage: Lord/Lady Firstname is used only for the daughters of an earl/marquess/duke or the younger sons of a marquess/duke-- which is to say, "Lord Firstname" and "Lord Lastname" are NOT interchangeable addresses for the same person, and "Lord Firstname Lastname" might be used in the context of an introduction but would NOT be the proper form of address in conversation -- it has to be either one or the other, and if it's one, then the other will necessarily be wrong. And yes, these sorts of mistakes slide all the cheese off my cracker. I can't tell you how many histroms have been ruined for me because KJC made me prize accuracy!)

Sorry for the grumbles -- it's just that this is a well-paced (if abruptly ended) banger of a story, which makes it all the more frustrating that the writing let it down. If only Malcolm had taken her own advice: a bracing turn with a stern editor and this would have ticked close to a 5-star read.

I got an ARC from GRR in exchange for an honest review.

[Shawna (endemictoearth) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars, rounded up - Some books are five stars outright, stem to stern perfect with no notes. And other books have five star moments within them that make you stop and reread. This book falls in the second category for me. I have a LOT of highlights throughout these pages. Yes, Josef is a frustrating character, but purposefully so. He holds his convictions with an iron grip, even when it would behoove him to reconsider a few things. While I did find myself muttering at my book occasionally, chiding him for being so obstinate, I still had to admire that tenacity: both in the character and in the author for making him stick to his guns and be a bit exasperating.

I think the limited third person POV from Josef's perspective is both the easiest way to the tell the story, and the one that makes the most sense. He's a conchie (conscientious objector) who volunteers to work the ambulance service at the front. Sure, he's not holding a gun, but he's seeing all the horrors of war, especially of death and disfigurement. He's very pragmatic and cannot believe that there could be a supernatural aspect to some of the horrors, not when he knows how evil men and governments can be. He's willing to see the world burn and be reborn "He was sick of this world, run by and for monied men who valued continuity over progress." (I don't know, feels a little . . . RELEVANT, I guess?)

But at the same time, he's drawn to Alex, the enigmatic officer soldier agent whatever-he-is, who he had an unforgettable night with back in Belgium and who he keeps running into and being saved by.

There's a bit of a lull in the middle, but the action really picks up in the final third of the book, and I love that libraries and women are integral to solving the mystery and saving the world.

And while Alex's injuries are paranormally inflicted, the parallels to all the walking wounded who returned from war are palpable. Sometimes people need a ghost story to distance themselves from the evil of men; sometimes they need a veil to watch war through, in order to deal with it at all. I think this book is showing us that by giving us some from column A and some from column B - the horrors of war and the horrors we invent to deal with reality. And the moments of solace that can be found in connections with others.

[Caz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A / 5 stars

Sally Malcolm’s No Man’s Land is a darkly chilling paranormal historical romance set in 1917 that draws on ancient folklore and superstition to weave a compelling (and scary!) story of secrets, lies, and betrayals as the war raging in Flanders threatens to bring the horror of the battlefields to the streets of London.

Josef Shepel is a conscientious objector who drives ambulances for the Red Cross, transporting the dying and wounded between the dressing stations and clearing stations behind the front lines. It’s a gruesome business with little respite (this is his sixth night without sleep), and after he pulls up outside one of the bombed-out farmhouses the medical corps has co-opted into service, he climbs out of his vehicle, stretching out his back and looking around at the remains of barns and woodland silhouetted against the pre-dawn sky. Walking around the side of the building for a smoke, he doesn’t immediately notice that he’s made his way into the dying ground, men brought back from the front who hadn’t survived the journey, or hopeless cases who are deemed beyond help. Taking a furtive look around, Josef takes out the camera he keeps well hidden, and crouches to take some photographs, centring on the deathly face of a young man. For this is his true purpose in coming to Flanders; Josef works for the Daily Clarion, a small, London-based newspaper that campaigns on socialist issues such as universal suffrage and education and workers’ rights, and he believes, passionately, that the people back in England should be told the truth about the war, that once they know the truth about the needless, unending slaughter of their sons, brothers, fathers, they will rise up and demand an end to it.

Josef is startled when the young man he’s chosen as a subject croaks out a request for water - he’d thought he was dead. Quickly, Josef sets his canteen to the man’s dry lips, noting as he does so the strangeness of his glassy blue eyes and the awful stench coming from the putrefying wound on his arm. As Josef lays his head back down, he hears the clipped tones of an officer calling out to him, asking if the wounded man is still alive. The officer makes his way over in response to Josef’s affirmative; he’s wearing an RAMC (Royal Army Medical Corps) armband and a captain’s insignia, and Josef is more than a little surprised at his vehemence when he insists on being told everything the dying soldier said. Even though he’s not in the Army and thus not subject to the captain’s orders, Josef tells him – there’s nothing to hide, after all – angry at the other man’s assertion that “there are worse things than death.” It’s just another fucking platitude from a toff, he thinks, slightly mollified when the captain – Winchester – adds – “I meant suffering, of course.”

Josef crosses paths with Captain Winchester again a few days later, when he brings a patient into the resuscitation tent and Winchester is there, standing beside the bed of a man on the far side. After Winchester leaves, Josef makes his way over to the patient he’d been examining, and sees the wound on the man’s thigh – marked by the same creeping black putrefaction he’d seen on the arm of the boy he’d helped at the dressing station.

A couple of nights later, Josef meets Winchester once more, this time at a bar in Poperinge, and their encounter takes a much more pleasurable direction. The spark of attraction that flares between them burns bright and unmistakeable, and when Winchester – Alex - invites Josef to his rooms, they spend a glorious night together. When Josef wakes in the morning, however, he’s alone… and his camera is gone. In its place in his pocket is a short, handwritten note: “Take nothing home but yourself; souvenirs are dangerous. And stay out of the shadows.”

When he gets back to London a few weeks later, Josef, still smarting at Winchester’s betrayal, is even more fired up and resolute in his mission to expose the truth of what he suspects is the government’s creation of a new weapon even more deadly than the guns and bombs and gas that are already killing millions. His editor is less enthusiastic – the Defence of the Realm Act means that newspapers have effectively been gagged from printing anything negative about the war, and she’s worried that Josef’s story will get the Clarion shut down. Another chance encounter with Winchester – who, he learns, is not Captain Alex Winchester at all, but Lord Beaumont, the second son of an earl – makes Josef more determined than ever to get to the bottom of things, despite Alex’s repeated warnings about the danger he’s putting himself in. Josef isn’t deterred, and soon finds himself caught up in something far more sinister and fantastical than he could ever have imagined. It’s the stuff of nightmares.

No Man’s Land is an unnervingly creepy story that was impossible to put down and which had me on the edge of my seat on several occasions. Ms. Malcolm has done a superb job of injecting a real sense of encroaching dread and uncertainty into the novel as Josef’s investigation takes him further into a shadowy, hidden world he’d had no idea existed. The narrative moves along at a swift pace as we head towards a tense and exciting finale, a nail-biting hunt through the sewers and a terrifying race against time through the abandoned tunnels of the London Underground.

Having Josef as the sole narrator helps heighten the tension as he is never sure who to trust – much as he wants to trust Alex, he can’t; Alex is keeping too many secrets - and it also means that the reader is as much in the dark about what Alex is involved in as Josef is, and enables us to make discoveries alongside him. Their romance is nicely done; there’s a strong connection between the two of them from the very start and they have excellent chemistry. There’s no doubt about their growing feelings for each other as the story progresses and their eventual HEA is hard-earned and well-deserved.

The author’s research into and knowledge of the period really shines, and all the folklore, myths and superstitions that appear in the story are known to have existed. The anti-war sentiment is strong – which makes sense given Josef’s status as a “conchie” - I enjoyed the social commentary on the events and attitudes of the time, and the underlying theme of ‘what is the difference between man and monster when man seems so intent on destroying humanity?’ permeates the story without being overwhelming. The one criticism I can make is that (being vague to avoid spoilers) the method by which the deadly third-act peril is resolved is something of a deus ex machina.

But that’s a minor blip and didn’t impact my overall enjoyment of this utterly gripping tale. No Man’s Land is a terrific blend of horror and mystery set in an unusual (for historicals) time period, wrapped up in a heartfelt and satisfying romance. I wholeheartedly recommend it – and if Ms. Malcolm wants to write more stories set in this world, I certainly won’t object!

[Kirsten · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s not terrible,
but sad war boys don’t need ghouls.
More inner demons. (please)

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

A paranormal historical romance that is legitimately creepy as hell and ties the real life horrors of WWI to supernatural horrors! This had great characters, a real sense of atmosphere and dread, mystery, and historical details that made you feel like you were right there.

Josef is a compelling MC, with a dedication to his principles and the pursuit of the truth that informs his decisions throughout the book - this isn’t someone that will easily believe in the supernatural, not when the wickedness of mankind is so apparent, and he won’t back down from a fight. Actions that might otherwise seem foolhardy make sense according to his character, which is so refreshing. We see entirely from his POV, which makes Alex a bit more of a mystery, but as Alex is tied up in the whole mystery that Josef is trying to solve it makes sense.

The romance does take a bit of a back-burner in this story, but given the storyline I wouldn’t have it otherwise. Sally Malcolm really is one of my favorite romance authors and this was great!! Highly recommend.

[Mab · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very much enjoyed this - Malcolm is a reliably clean and skilled writer, with a knack for interesting characters. Genuinely scary at times, and alive to the political and class issues of the WW1 period in a really satisfying way. Not quite five stars because the romance didn't have enough time to breathe, but it was still a lovely one and I would read a lot more in this world.

[- ̗̀ jess ̖́- · Rating 5 out of 5]

would you believe it? another wwi novel; it's paranormal this time. i'd read a sally malcolm wwi-era novel before and i do think i enjoyed this one rather more than the last kiss but this one is definitely heavier on the plot and less so on the romance.

we focus on josef shepel, who was truly a delight to read about. he's snarky and obstinate and principled -- he's a conscientous objector, which is really something we don't see all too much in fiction -- and has the air of fuck the aristocracy -- and the love interest happens to, in fact, be aristocracy. alex is secretive, charming, and just as snarky as josef is, which leads to some really great chemistry because both josef and alex are sort of creeping around each other's distrust for most of the book. if you liked will darling and kim secretan, you'll like their dynamic.

contrary to what the title and cover might indicate, this book does not mainly take place on the front lines but rather in london. sally malcolm does an excellent job of illustrating the weirdness of the home front and really situating characters in the time and place with their worldview, as in it doesn't feel too modern. and i also like how this book doesn't leave out the realities of colonialism during this time as well -- there's an indian major character, and josef makes it pretty well known that his objection against the war is because it's imperialist and classist, which i very much agree with. the conceit for the paranormal aspect also worked very well, very believable (not like i hadn't a similar idea). i really do love it when books feel wholly anchored in their setting!

all in all! really enjoyed! if you liked will darling, i'd definitely recommend!

[Sanne92 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Paranormal creatures in WW1 London, such a great idea!

I only wish..
- there'd been more romance. Josef and Alex didn't have that many scenes together, at least not when they weren't issuing warnings and defying these attempts to silence them (haha). More detailed sex scenes and/or Alex' POV would add to the story!
- the story would drag me into this era right from the start. I would love to read more about daily life, about what it was like to live then and there.

Overall, I very much enjoyed this story and its characters. Josef's view on the War and the government was a nice touch.

Patiently waiting for a sequel - or the 'main story' set in this universe, as mentioned by the author at the start of this book.

[PaperMoon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This proved scarier than expected in parts and kept my attention from the very start. Great action and plot pacing with lovely MCs.

[Sidonie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is exactly what I wanted to read this autumn. Atmospheric, tense, horror-tinged, thoughtful, romantic. Josef in particular is sharply drawn, his stubborn, uncompromising dedication to his beliefs by turns delightful and frustrating. I love that the book clearly admires him for it, even when his skepticism impedes the forward motion of the plot, and allows him to fully inhabit his radical ideals—they never feel like window dressing. At the same time, however, he’s still a believable historical character who doesn’t have perfect politics by modern progressive standards (shown most clearly in his interactions with women).

The horror here is both deeply grounded in the historical setting and folklore of the time and very consciously thematic. Occasionally the narration draws the thematic connections in ways that feel a bit heavy-handed, but I appreciated that those facets didn’t fall away even when the supernatural threat was at its most real and present. I do wish there had been a bit more resolution of the supernatural plot—the end of the book felt more like this was the first installment in a series (which, to be clear, I would absolutely read) than a stand-alone.

I was interrupted in my reading by a few extremely busy weeks, so I feel like my thoughts are not as organized or cohesive as they could be, but the main takeaway is just that I enjoyed the hell out of this and would read a hundred more of it in a hot second. The balance between the romantic and paranormal/thriller plots is good (at least until the ending), the horror is effective, the writing is assured (it could use another editing pass, but so could everything these days), and the author clearly has a strong knowledge of the period. It’s also refreshing to read historical romance that stars a genuinely radical character, and not in a placating-a-modern-audience way. I liked most things about the book, but I loved Josef.

This perfectly suited my taste and mood at the moment. I’d love to find more like it. I think objectively it’s probably 4 stars for the roughness around the resolution of the non-romance plot, a little fuzziness of Alex as a character (especially compared to how vibrant Josef is), and the sometimes too-didactic tone, but I had a great time regardless, so it gets 5.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

“They’re creatures of the Otherworld, ancient and slumbering, for the most part, in the deepest parts of the earth. But now we’ve woken them, and they’re hungry. … This bloody war has woken them, the violence and blood and agony of it sinking into the earth.”

Ghouls and witches and World War II and class tension and the love that dare not speak its name. Terrific.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A genre-bending, fast paced thriller of a tale, I could spend a lot more time in Alex and Josef’s world!

It’s 1917 and Josef Shepel is a journalist and a conscientious objector to WWI. He travels to the front with the Red Cross to take illegal photographs of the war’s impact, hoping to stoke resistance back home. After a couple chance meetings with a Captain Alex Winchester, their attraction is evident and the two spend a tender and intimate evening together, but don’t part on good terms. Josef, home from the front and thinking the worst is behind him, finds himself embroiled in a gruesome mystery that may be more than he’s prepared to confront. And Alex is right in the middle of it…

Everything about the paranormal mystery at the heart of this tale worked for me. I love Alex as the shadowy, upper-class operative. Josef is so relatable as the stubbornly prosaic working-man who is sure he’s being put on. The action was thrilling and even scary at times! Malcolm has blended elements of several genres, from mystery to horror to romance, with a strong commentary on the shifting planes of society during and after the Great War.

While I loved the action and mystery, the romance felt a bit underdeveloped to me. I loved the connection between Alex and Joe, and the moments it shone through were truly lovely. The spice isn’t as explicit as most of what I read, but the tension and emotion are on point. I simply would have enjoyed more time with that side of the story, and I wonder if this would have been better suited to being drawn out over more books.

Well-suited for fans of historical romance, paranormal mystery, and nail-biting action, this is definitely worth a read! I’ve yet to be disappointed by this author and will be picking up more of her books.

*I received an advanced reader copy from Gay Romance Reviews and am voluntarily leaving my review*

[Tashyka · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1917, journalist Josef Shepel was a vocal opponent of World War I. In an effort to inspire resistance at home, he goes to the front with the Red Cross to capture the effects of the war through illicit photography. They meet by coincidence twice with Captain Alex Winchester, and after an obvious desire develops, they share a passionate evening together before breaking up. Just when Josef thought the worst was over, he returns home from the front and is faced with a horrific mystery that he isn't sure he can handle. And Alex is smack dab in the thick of it all... I was captivated by the story's central paranormal mystery. As the mysterious, affluent assassin, Alex is fantastic. Being the obstinately ordinary worker who is certain he is being conned is a role that Josef nailed. It was exciting and, at times, terrifying! With a heavy commentary on the social stratification that occurred during and after the Great War, Malcolm has skillfully woven together elements of mystery, horror, and romance. The relationship seemed underdeveloped, but the action and mystery were great. The chemistry between Alex and Joe was wonderful, and I cherished the scenes when it was on display. The spice level isn't quite as high as what I usually read, but the emotional depth and tension are spot on. I only wish that aspect of the plot had gotten more attention; I even wonder whether it would have worked better spread out over multiple novels. Reading this will satisfy your cravings for thrilling adventure, historical romance, and paranormal mysteries. This author has never let me down, therefore I'll definitely be reading more of her work.I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Soooo close to 5 stars, but…..

Josef Shepel is at the Front, hoping that pictures of war-time atrocities will somehow help to end it. After snapping pictures of a dying soldier at a battlefield aid station, he encounters Capt. Alex Beaumont, and finds himself drawn to Beaumont’s gentle care for his fallen comrades; soon their mutual attraction blazes to life. After returning to London to publish his photos, Joseph is surprised to find Beaumont there as well, and that he’s not just ‘Alex Beaumont,’ but a member of a secret group dedicated to keeping the world safe from the unimaginable horrors that are only a shadow away. As Josef is reluctantly drawn into Alex’s life, he discovers that reality isn’t fixed, and that there’s different kinds of courage.

I wanted to like this more than I actually did.

The action and suspense are first-rate. The world- building is great, as is the setting and atmosphere.

But….

Initially…and honestly for most of the book, I found Josef rather hard to like. I get that he’s had a tough life, and that in pre-WW1 England, someone like him would have had to fight hard for any advantage. But..he’s got the personality of a box grater. His sharp edges just kept annoying me. I got tired of his utter refusal to take Beaumont seriously, though Beaumont doesn’t do himself any favors: it would be tough to take his vague and sketchy answers as the truth.

While their relationship is sweet, I never really got the sense of any real emotional connection.

Also, gotta say, I’d just re-read KJ Charles’s “Spectred Isle,” and this suffers a lot in comparison. While there’s some similarities, Charles’s writing sets her work apart, and sadly this book just can’t keep up.

[Aldi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sally Malcolm tends to be fully hit or fully miss with me, so I’m happy to report this was lovely – engaging characters, wonderfully creepy atmosphere and a very strong setting that combines WW1 London with secret supernatural shenanigans.

I adored Josef, the POV character. He’s a socialist with the courage of his convictions, a conchie, a journalist, queer, working class, and has zero fucks to give about society’s opinions about any of that, which was refreshing. After the very beginning, the setting moves from frontline Flanders to London and I was a little worried that the creepy supernatural plot was going to overshadow the everyday human awfulness, so I was very glad that Joseph’s stance on the horrors of the war was not sidelined once the supernatural element came into play; on the contrary, it keeps informing his every action.

The romance was real and achey, and I enjoyed how the class divide was treated as something very much real and problematic, not just a token opposites-attract thing. The steam was on a lower setting, which I thought was a slight drawback, because the chemistry and the emotional intimacy were there and more attention to the physical connection could have heightened it.

Delightful side characters as well, Violet and Charlotte were a treat.

By complete coincidence, I’d actually looked at pictures of King William Street station a little while ago while reading about some of London’s abandoned/closed tube stations, so that whole part of the plot and the descriptions of the tunnels really came to life for me.

Would happily read more set in this universe!

[Jenny Saul-Avila · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish and I really, REALLY hope that it's the start of a series. I would LOVE to see Josef and Winchester battle more monsters and questionable side characters and I very much want to see them develop as individual characters and together. I want to learn more about all of the characters, the good & the questionable ones.

It's not a cheerful book and it's not for the faint of heart, but one should expect that in a book that takes place in this period of time - with the words "carnage" and "slaughter" in the blurb. However, there is dry wit, bittersweetness, love, and respect for humanity, the lattermost driven by the kind of battered, but not broken idealism on Josef's part.

I do highly recommend this book, especially for readers who enjoy creepy urban fantasy and historical period books. It reminded me at times of bits of KJ Charles' Spectred Isle, one of the Magpie world books, and the Will Darling books, with the paranormal folk legend inspiration, the wartime brutality, and the bureaucrats of a kind. There's probably other common traits & tropes from fiction and legend in general, but I loved the ways it was all tied together in its own way, in its own world, with really interesting characters whose interactions were just as enjoyable as the circumstances they were dealing with.

Fingers crossed that Ms. Malcolm will have all sorts of inspiration in this world. Maybe she could leave things as they are, but hope springs eternal.

I received an ARC of this book from GRR and this is a completely unbiased review.

[ButtonsMom2003 · Rating 5 out of 5]

★彡 5 𝘚𝘛𝘈𝘙𝘚 彡★

I didn’t know what to expect when I requested a review copy of this book. Well, that’s not exactly correct… I knew that it was going to be a historical, paranormal, MM romance. The thing is I’ve read nearly all of Sally Malcolm’s MM books (but none of her Stargate books) and I’ve loved them. As far as I can remember, none of those were paranormal stories so this one would be different for me to read.

OMG – I loved this book! I know I say that about a lot of the books I read (probably most of them) because I’m kind of a love it or meh kind of reader and I have learned to DNF if I just can’t get into a book. But that was absolutely never the case with this story. I was pretty much glued to my e-reader and was a bit mad a myself because I started it too late at night to be able to finish it without getting some sleep first. Pretty much as soon as I was conscious in the morning, I started reading it again.

I’m not going to regurgitate the story; other reviewers are better at that than I am. I’m just going to rave about how much I loved reading about Josef/Joe and Alex and the fantastic world-building that Sally did. The story has a satisfactory ending – a good HFN – but I admit that I wanted more. I sincerely hope that Sally Malcolm has more planned for Joe and Alex. I think they could have a lot of good adventures together.

An advanced copy of this book was provided to me at my request; my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author.

[Harrison Hicks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable paranormal tale from Malcolm, with some very intriguing settings and some strong characters. Set during World War I, the story shows Josef, a journalist and pacifist, stumble upon horrors of a supernatural kind on the battlefield. Already aware of man's ability to inflict dire situations upon one another, Josef finds it hard to believe that there's a supernatural element at play with what he's been witnessing first on the battlefields and then later in London. It falls to Alec, a man he met in Belgium, to try to convince him of the supernatural forces allied against him. Eventually the two band together against a foe neither is quite ready for.

I particularly liked the reasoning behind the supernatural presence's appearance - it gave the plot a bit of weight and helped present a compelling dilemma. And there were some nice plot twists with Alec and Lottie, in particular. I didn't quite buy Alec and Josef's relationship completely as it seemed to jump from bickering constantly to not being able to live without the other - it just seemed like we missed a bit of relationship development.

Still, all in all, I found the book quite entertaining overall, and I'd look forward to reading further paranormal adventures with Alec and Josef along with their comrades.

[Ellie Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ll read anything by Sally Malcolm, but I was particularly intrigued by the WW1 setting coupled with a paranormal element in No Man’s Land. Nothing prepared me for the spills, chills and thrills of this unputdownable story.

From the first page, we’re plunged into the horrors of the front line in Flanders with MC Joseph, a working class man from London’s Spitalfields with fiercely held principles, an investigative journalist who will risk life and limb to uncover the truth. Joseph is immediate suspicious of charming, aristocratic Alex, apparently an army captain, but has no idea of the extraordinary secrets he is hiding.

Joe’s healthy contempt for the ruling classes means he ignores enigmatic Alex’s warnings not to dig deeper into what seems like an official cover up. I loved the way that Sally Malcolm forewarned the reader, so that we were more aware than Joe of the peril he faced.

I cared so much about Joe that some climactic scenes were almost unbearably tense. I kept wanting to shout out, “He’s behind you!”

This is an engrossing story, with a meticulous historical background, hugely imaginative paranormal leaps and wonderful characters, especially Joe and Alex, whose growing love crosses class and supernatural barriers. Nothing short of brilliant!

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

There just aren’t words for how much I enjoy Sally’s writing, whether it’s her contemporary series or her historicals. And now, she’s merged historical fiction with paranormal and come up with a riveting tale of war, social conscience, romance – and possibly the only thing that could make World War I more horrifying to those who lived through it: zombies. The story starts innocuously enough, if a bit sad, in the killing fields of Ypres, but moves quickly back to London. Josef has found himself a whole pile of trouble in his efforts to investigate the war and let the people know the true extent of its horrors. I particularly admire his response to Alex’s initial – and several subsequent – attempts to get him to let go of his investigations, and even when he sees the horrors himself, his reluctance to accept the truth felt very realistic. There’s a great deal of action as the two eventually do team up to save England from the scourge, and the romance grows gradually from lust through trust and into love at the most awful moment. There is truly never a dull moment. The writing is excellent and the characters, twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat.

[J.L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This creepy and engrossing paranormal/horror romance is the perfect palate cleanser amidst all the holiday love stories, while also helping us appreciate everything worth celebrating. Malcolm doesn't stint on highlighting the brutality of WW1 in the adventure element of this plot, using the tragic plight of the common man versus the "special" supernatural element to mirror the inherent conflict between Josef and Alex as their stories intertwine in more ways than one. This is a true paranormal romance, with a love story that would not have developed without the external conflict that brings these two men together, but where the well-crafted conflict also stands on its own without the added drama of the relationship. Josep and Alex are a wonderfully unlikely pair, because war does create strange bedfellows, but their connection and chemistry feel strong enough to stand the test of time. I'd absolutely love to read about their ongoing adventures, or at least more stories set in Malcolm's vibrant version of England and beyond during this time period.

Disclaimer: I received a digital review copy of this book from the author.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Full Review at Smexy Books on December 4th)

This is the romance I didn’t know I needed.  

No Man’s Land by Sally Malcolm is a gay historical paranormal romance. It is set during the First World War, both at the war front in Flanders. Amidst the horrors of war and the brutal workload of a Red Cross medic, Josef Shepel tries to photograph what he sees at the front in the hopes that it will change minds at home. The senseless deaths of thousands of men in the name of imperialism infuriates him. He is a socialist, a conscious objector, and a photographer for one of the underground papers in London. During a break, Josef meets the enigmatic and aristocratic Captain Winchester, who is and isn’t who he says he is.  You could call this an enemies to lovers romance, because of Josef’s antipathy to the upper class and his mistrust of the Captain and his skirting of the truth. Josef is gripped with the desire to know and expose what he believes is a new weapon of war: an infection that is taking over soldiers, leading to stench and rot on their bodies.

The book asks the question: during this war, when soldiers’ and civilians’ minds turned to fantastical explanations for what they saw and experienced, what if at least one of those explanations were true? We get to watch Josef, who is idealistic but also rooted in the world of evidence, grapple with understanding what is outside the boundaries of realistic thought. The Captain is a reluctant guide, immersed as he has been all his life in concealing the fantastic truth.

...

[Caitlin (Dork.of.the.books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

No Man’s Land is a historical paranormal romance set in World War One. I’m not going to give away the paranormal ‘monster’ of this story, but I will say that there are several creepy moments, danger and violence, plus some gory scenes. I like this; I quite enjoy the MCs and their dynamic. I will say that the second quarter is a bit repetitive, or at least some conversations definitely seem that way. There is a turning point in the story that results in the urgency suddenly dialing up, and then I clicked in to it a bit more. I got nervous for a second that this wasn’t an HEA situation, but it is. I think the way it ends actually could open the door for a book 2. I'd definitely give this one a read!

[Juniper · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the premise of this book, which deserves to be experienced on its own terms, and I liked the central characters as well: Josef can be beyond stubborn and has plenty of blind spots but there’s something deeply relatable about him. Alex is a bit more of an enigma, but in a good way. Paranormal mystery, historical detail, and powerful personalities make for a heady blend, and while the narrative balance wasn’t always perfect for me (some things felt rushed, others didn’t quite go anywhere) overall I found this to be a compelling and memorable read.

*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a historical romance set during the First World War. Josef Shepel, a journalist, is against the war and travels to the front with the Red Cross to take illegal photographs to show how horrible the war is. He meets Captain Alex Winchester and they are attracted to each other. They spend an intimate night together and go their separate ways. Months later, Josef finds himself involved in a mystery and unexpectedly meets Alex again.
The writing is great, the characters are well developed and the plot has the right pace. I think the author has done a great job of portraying the political and class issues of the time.

I really enjoyed this book and hope to read more by this author.

[Deb Kel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was disappointed yet I wasn't! Let me explain the storyline had plenty of action, twists and turns mystery and started with a bang! However I felt that there was a lull halfway through but as I was committed I carried on through! I'm glad I did as it soon picked up pace and kept me hooked until the end. Great characters but I did feel the relationship development was a weak point but I am hoping that perhaps Sally might continue their story further! I would still recommend you read as it is worth it!
I received a free arc copy and this is my honest review

[Maria Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect balance of historical accuracy of the world war and stories of the supernatural - the writing is impeccable and creates a world around you as you read, drawing you in. The characters feel realistic and human, unlike the commonly romanticised versions of characters usually found in novels. I like that the to characters are a mix of a realistic and a believer and it makes the plot even more encapturing as a read. While there could be a desire for some expansion, the plot more than makes up for it and leaves the story with an overall perfect balance.

[Tess · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

When I first saw this book release, I was excited because it’s Sally Malcolm and I generally love her writing. I was doubly excited when I found out it was set in WWI … but then I found out it was paranormal and decided to put off reading. I finally picked it up and it was pretty much what I thought - generally enjoyed the writing, romance and historic period but wasn’t crazy about the paranormal storyline.