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1 hr 7 mins

Griffin Flaherty wants nothing more than to create a perfect Valentine’s Day for his lover, Dr. Percival Endicott Whyborne. Dinner at a fancy restaurant, an evening at the theater, and a romantic interlude at home should do the trick.

But a new client with an urgent case puts Griffin’s plans in jeopardy. A magic talisman has been stolen, and if it isn’t returned by sundown, it may unleash disaster not only on the thief but the innocents around him.

Can Whyborne and Griffin track down the thief and return the amulet by nightfall, or will dinner reservations become the least of their worries?

2 pages, Audible Audio

First published February 9, 2014

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683 people want to read

About the author

Jordan L. Hawk

84 books2,634 followers
Jordan L. Hawk is a trans author from North Carolina. Childhood tales of mountain ghosts and mysterious creatures gave him a life-long love of things that go bump in the night. When he isn’t writing, he brews his own beer and tries to keep the cats from destroying the house. His best-selling Whyborne & Griffin series (beginning with Widdershins) can be found in print, ebook, and audiobook.

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5 stars
1,009 (35%)
4 stars
1,164 (40%)
3 stars
598 (20%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 354 reviews
Profile Image for Ms. Smartarse.
698 reviews369 followers
June 1, 2020
I'm not sure how you like to spend Valentine's Day, but Griffin Flaherty's idea for it definitely doesn't include the odd monster or two. Truth be told, a few years ago, the day wouldn't even have made ding on his radar, but then he fell in love. And the rest is history *cue dreamy little sigh*

dreamy blink

Unfortunately, our resident detective gets a last minute case dumped in his lap. He could postpone it, provided of course, that he takes responsibility for the possible death of any innocent bystander...


I had been eyeing the short stories from the Whyborne & Griffin series for quite a while, unsure if I should invest any effort in them.
On the one hand, the main novels do contain enough day-by-day scenes, with plenty of leisurely activities of the sizzling kind. On the other hand, the supposedly mundane content of the short stories, were just my own assumption. Suffice to say that I was wrong, and I'm glad to have given the story a chance.

Admittedly, things do start out by foreshadowing a lighter, rather cheesy interlude, however things quickly progress into a more serious world-building territory.
With less than 30 pages in length, saying anything more would spoil the whole thing. So I'll just stop here. Well OK, with maybe one small addition: if the story had given us just a bit more insight into the world-building aspects, I wouldn't have hesitated to give it 4 stars.

============================================
Review of book 1: Widdershins
Review of book 2: Threshold
Review of book 3: Stormhaven
Review of book 3.5: Remnant: A Caldwell & Feximal/Whyborne & Griffin Mystery
Review of book 4: Necropolis
Review of book 5: Bloodline
Review of book 6: Hoarfrost
Review of book 7: Maelstrom
Review of book 8: Fallow
Review of book 8.5: Undertow
Review of book 9: Draakenwood
Review of book 10: Balefire
Review of book 11: Deosil
864 reviews229 followers
February 7, 2014


Awwww...Valentine's Day! And from Griffin's POV!

Loved this! Seeing Whyborne through Griffin's eyes was so sweet and he showed such a vulnerability in his feelings for him. It makes me HAPPY that he loves Whyborne this much!

Fun and surprisingly tender/emotional short read!

GAH! I love these two!
Profile Image for Ingie.
1,480 reviews167 followers
March 2, 2014
Written March 2, 2014

3.9 Stars for a tiny tempting Valentine Day glimpse from these two star-eyed men's new life

....with a spooky mystery to solve, of course.



The former Pinkerton Detective, Mr Griffin Flaherty, is a quite newcomer in the small, a bit strange, town Widdershins. A very experienced gentleman, with thick skin and a dramatic, slightly dark past history from the big city. His lover, the younger, tall slender twenty-seven year old (..back then virgin) -Griffin recently very tenderly seduced- Dr Percival Endicott Whyborne, works as an comparative philologist at, the town's pride, The Ladysmith Museum.

These "honeymoon-phase" gentlemen are now living together in Griffins house. The house from which he also runs his private detective agency.

~**~**~**~**~**~

Griffin and Whyborne met each other, and fell in love, in a excellent, and very promising, first book (Widdershins - ★★★★☆), in this historical quite spooky, 'Whyborne & Griffin' series.

~**~**~**~**~**~

It's their first Valentine Day...
This time, a couple of months later - February 14, 1898, we get to meet these two interesting men in a short story told from Griffin's POV. Exciting, hot and just LOVELY.
‘And God, I'd let him. I'd let him do anything to me, as long as it made him happy.
I was utterly lost.’

Griffin has made a nice little plan for a surprise evening with the man he loves so much but there is a new client and she redefines all the evening's plans. Is it time to find a stolen magic talisman and STILL have time to nurture this precious love object, Whyborne, this Valentines Day evening?

 photo image_zps8fbffecd.jpg

‘But something about his long limbs and ridiculous hair, his dark eyes, and boyish smile made me desire him from the first moment I'd glimsed him.’


A tender and great Valentine Day shortie on 30 pages about a couple of lovebirds I really like. - I got so I was silent again... Yea!!
It's nice to know it could be this hot and romantic for two men already over a hundred years ago. So yummy and enjoyable to take part of.

Looking forward to book two really soon. ~ Hurry up Ingela!

I LIKE - no doubt, this author can deliver words with content and feeling

~~~~~~~~~~

The 'Whyborne & Griffin' series by Jordan L. Hawk:

Widdershins (Whyborne & Griffin, #1) by Jordan L. Hawk Eidolon A Whyborne & Griffin Short Story by Jordan L. Hawk Threshold (Whyborne & Griffin, #2) by Jordan L. Hawk Stormhaven (Whyborne & Griffin, #3) by Jordan L. Hawk
Profile Image for Alex ✰ Comets and Comments ✰.
173 reviews2,921 followers
Read
July 19, 2017
"As if he meant to devour me body and soul. And God, I’d let him. I’d let him do anything to me, as long as it made him happy. I was utterly lost."

Note: I do not tend to rate novellas, as in all fairness - I find there doesn't tend to be enough substance for me to lean my rating on. This doesn't go to say that I haven't enjoyed it!
_______________

I loved this short story from Griffins POV!! Contrary to the first novel, I actually found myself paying attention to the mystery aspect as much as the romance - I am really intrigued and want to know more about the magic that roams the streets of Widdershins...

“You worry too much, my dear,” I said, striding to the small tool shed I’d spotted amidst the weedy patch meant to be a back garden. “And you don’t worry enough,” he shot back, following me.

The duo provided tongue-in-cheek humor and I found myself loving Whyborne more than usual, missing Christine more than normal, and just wanting to hit Griffin and tell him that everything would be alright.

Nevertheless, it wasn't all compassion.
It was based around Valentines Day...

You know what that means ladies and gents ;)

"No one who saw him on the street, so very proper and contained, would imagine him a sheer wanton in bed."
description

...

Ok one more...

"It brought a warm flush to my skin and roused my cock. The passionate devotion to his work was one of the first things I’d noticed about him, and when he turned that focus on me in bed, as if he might devour me whole…"
description
Profile Image for Gerbera_Reads.
1,679 reviews154 followers
April 30, 2020
I just love Whyborne and Griffin! As this is only the beginning of their relationship, Griffin is so endearing in his doubts about his worth and the strength of Whyborne's commitment. It's such a treasure for me since I know how their love story goes and how strong their feelings will grow to be, I just love this little snippet of unsure Griffin and my first glimpse of how he sees Whyborne in the beginning of the series. So good. When he addresses Whyborne My dear I simply melt.
Profile Image for Deborah.
3,836 reviews496 followers
January 2, 2020


A cute little valentine romance. Griffin has big plans for Whyborne but a case gets in the way.
Profile Image for Ami.
6,238 reviews489 followers
February 13, 2014
3.5 stars

After having three books strictly from Whyborne's perspective, it is always nice to have a change of view. Unfortunately, in only 9k, I still feel I haven't had enough of Griffin's.

Having said that, all in all, it is still a good and lovely read. We get a glimpse of how Griffin feels for Whyborne, in this early stage of their relationship. How humble he is with Whyborne at his side. I thought Griffin wanting to have a perfect Valentine's day for his lover as adorable.

I wish to know more about the talisman mystery though (, even if that is probably not the main idea behind this short Valentine's story.
Profile Image for Richard Derus.
4,167 reviews2,263 followers
January 30, 2018
Rating: 3* of five

That missing half-star is due to a tenuous, unexplored use of the wonderful concept of the eidolon of the title. What a missed chance to deepen the mythos of Widdershins! (And how deeply unlikely it is that a town in Puritan Massachusetts could survive with such a witchy name as this old one for "counterclockwise.")

The wonderful and fun aspect of this quick hit of a tale is the narrative voice shifting from Whyborne to Griffin. The series protagonists are charmingly convinced that they each are the lucky one, the one whose existence their beloved had no special reason to notice. It is as Iris Murdoch once said: “Writing is like getting married. One should never commit oneself until one is amazed at one's luck.”

I think Author Hawk is amazed at their luck in having this idea for a romantic suspense series. I suspect that the men are in for many fun times ahead, a kind of gay version of Peabody and Emerson in Elizabeth Peters' tremendous series of mysteries.
Profile Image for LenaRibka.
1,463 reviews433 followers
July 20, 2016


Even if I risk to get a reputation of somebody who spoils BR!...

I'm so sorry!



You can just ignore me, but I soooo NOT LIKE this book!

If by the first book I was not sure if it was a 3 stars or a 3,5 stars read for me, here I didn't have any hesitation at all -
I DIDN'T LIKE IT.
It was too short, thank God, and it was the only reason I managed to read it up to the end!

The Griffin's POV - no, NOT LIKE IT, why his POV sounds suddenly like a woman's POV?!
A cemetery house childish mystery...
NOT PRESENCE of any chemistry, confused sex with a sudden role change. I couldn't enjoy it!!!

This one goes directly to my everybody-likes-but-me shelf.
I'm sooo not impressed that I lost any inspiration to read the next sequels.
Profile Image for Sheri.
1,418 reviews196 followers
January 11, 2020
YES!
We slip into Griffin's mind AND we find out the story behind the card.
It was so sweet.
I'm falling further and further into my W&G rabbit hole...and I'm more than okay with that.
And of course, leave it to Hawk to take us to an undertaker's home on Valentines!

* 4.5 just-can't-get-enough stars*
Profile Image for Linda ~ they got the mustard out! ~.
1,893 reviews139 followers
August 7, 2019
Reread 2/1/19: Really have nothing to add. Still fun but short. I also reread the even shorter "Home," that takes place shortly after Widdershins, which is also from Griffin's POV. Reading these two back to back, the story structure and character beats both became a little redundant.

Original review 6/13/15: This was a fun little adventure. Griffin plans the perfect Valentine's Day for him and Whyborne, only for it to fall completely apart. It was nice to get into Griffin's head here and see just how deep his own insecurities run, and we get a glimpse at another creepy family in this quaint little devil town of Widdershins.
Profile Image for Meags.
2,476 reviews697 followers
March 17, 2017
3.5 Stars

I loved getting Griffin's pov in this short, spooky, yet utterly sweet Whyborne and Griffin mini story. I found Griffin's relationship insecurities quite surprising, but completely endearing - doesn't he know that he and Whyborne are for keeps!? *sigh*
Profile Image for Elena.
965 reviews119 followers
August 12, 2019
Reread in 2019
This time in the correct order before Threshold, and I still think it's better read after book 2.
There aren't any actual spoilers in Eidolon, but by being in Griffin's POV, this short gives away more about Griffin's thoughts and feelings than Whyborne is aware of at the time Threshold is set. For me, it's best to learn about that as the same time Whyborne does.
-------
Original review in 2016:

Short story narrated by Griffin, who seems to have organized the perfect evening for him and Whyborne on Valentine’s Day, until a last-minute case threatens to ruin his plans.

This story is set between the first and the second book in the series, but I read it after the third book, after finding out it existed while I was in the middle of Threshold.
I’m glad I didn’t read it sooner, though, because here Griffin thinks about a couple of important details of his past, details that Whyborne became privy to only in Threshold. I think as a reader the second book is better enjoyed without reading this story first, so I’ll read the other short stories following the publication date more than their position in the series’ timeline.

Anyway, I really liked being in Griffin’s head. I already knew from the other books that
I’m looking forward to other stories in his POV.
Profile Image for Mandy*reads obsessively* .
2,197 reviews341 followers
February 28, 2014
I finished Widdershins today and immediately went out and bought this short Valentine's day short.
This one is from Griffin's perspective, which was great. The first one was all from Whyborne's and although I love him, I was so happy to see what Griffin is thinking. And honestly? I was surprised at his doubts about himself.
Whyborne revealed his feelings of inadequacies in the first book, and now it's Griffin's turn.
“I was in love.
Moreover, I was in love with a man who, with his intelligence and breeding, could have his pick of a dozen others.”

Griffin has his own demons and how wonderful that his lover gives him the same sense of peace and love that he can give Whyborne.

“Whyborne changed all that. Like the missing shard of a shattered mirror, whose presence made the rest of the pieces fit again. Not perfectly, or without seam, but enough to trick the eye into thinking maybe it had never been broken in the first place after all.”

He is such a sweet romantic man, and this short is a must for all fans of the first book. The case is closed and a little more about the town itself is revealed in this short too.
I wonder if we will hear more about the things that came up in this book later on in the others?
Profile Image for Heather C.
1,480 reviews222 followers
February 13, 2014
Griffin! Oh, how I ♥ thee!

It’s no secret that Whyborne and Griffin are one of my all time FAVORITE couples, even though their adventures together have only just begun! When I read the second sentence of Eidolon: “Unexpected visitors weren’t unusual, given my profession as a private detective,” I threw my Kindle down and immediately text Nikyta, “Eidolon is from G’s POV!” Let’s just say I’ve been dying to get inside that man’s head since I read Widdershins right at a year ago. I mean, I already knew how he truly felt about Whyborne since I’ve already read Threshold, but I finally get to read it with my own eyes from THE man himself…shared ONLY with me! Gah!!

So what is this little story about?

It's Valentine's Day, 1898.  Griffin has planned the perfect evening for Whyborne in hopes of further proving he is worthy of Whyborne's love, but then an urgent case is brought to him that must be resolved before nightfall.  Will it interfere and ruin all of Griffin's romantic plans for Valentine’s?

What can you expect?

♥ Finally get to see Whyborne through Griffin’s eyes…he is so in love with his Ival

♥ There’s another creepy mystery…the hint is in the title

♥ Get to know how vulnerable and scarred Griffin really is; I have no question whatsoever of how perfect Griffin and Whyborne are for each other

♥ Hmmmm, Griffin and Whyborne making love by the fire. *sigh*

I think Valentine’s Day is what you make of it. Just being with your lover; whether its dinner and a movie or fighting off magical creatures together. As long as “I love you” is shared at the end of the night, then that is the perfect Valentine’s. Just ask Whyborne and Griffin.

Don’t miss this if you are a fan of the series. And if you aren’t a fan yet, be sure to start with Widdershins.

4.5 Stars

Reviewed for The Blogger Girls
Profile Image for Chelsea.
978 reviews7 followers
October 20, 2015
What a lovely miniature story. A few things you can take from this. Giggling is freaky. Griffins just as insecure as Whyborne, but in a sadder way. Buggering is hot.
Profile Image for Eugenia.
1,898 reviews320 followers
May 26, 2023
Fantastic, sexy Valentine’s Day short from Griffin’s POV.
Profile Image for Tj.
2,225 reviews67 followers
May 2, 2017
Oh! It was a cute, little story. I loved getting Griffin's perspective. I wish it had been longer and the case most interesting but it was still quite lovely.

Re-read: I still loved getting Griffin's perspective. I also could wish it was longer but this was only a small read and only written at a later point as a fun read for us readers. I really like that the author did this. Since this was an audio...The narration is different for this series than I am use to the voice seems...less "refined?". I really enjoy the narrator though and he does a good job of putting in the different voices and the action into the scene.
Profile Image for BevS.
2,853 reviews2 followers
September 18, 2021
A little Valentine's Day novella featuring Ival & Griff, and what's the saying...oh yes, the best laid plans of mice and men 😉. Poor Griff has made lots of plans for Valentine's Day to surprise his lover, and of course nothing goes right. Nice to catch up with the two of them again. 4 stars
Profile Image for Gina.
753 reviews112 followers
April 21, 2015
A short adorable and fun Valentine's day story told from Griffin's POV.

love love love..
Profile Image for Meredith Katz.
Author 16 books211 followers
January 27, 2021
Oh, this was FUN. It did a good job of balancing a spooky proper horror story (in its full open-ended brushed-upon Lovecraftian horror non-ending) with a Griffin POV where we got to see his insecurities -- after a lot of Whyborne feeling like, oh, I'm ugly and nobody would ever love me, seeing Griffin going on and on about how Whyborne is gorgeous and smart and could have anyone he wanted so why would he want Griffin...well, it was a lot of fun.

In proper W&G style, Hawk takes on a Lovecraftian monster here -- a not very well-known one from a story called "The Hound". It's got the amulet that must be returned to the old ghoul who is the Hound itself or death will follow, the grave business, and all the rest. (Except of course instead of as the Lovecraft story does, it ends in romance, because that's the cosmic horror Hawk likes to write).

4.5 stars -- I found that -- rounded up to 5.
Profile Image for Sofia.
1,349 reviews293 followers
April 10, 2014

3.5 stars

More pieces falling into place. Was surprised to see the world through Griffen's eyes. I did not suspect what he had inside, he appears so put together. Food for thought.

I'm begining to suspect that Ms Hawks likes me to earn my reading, in that she makes me look up things. This time it was the title Eidolon, which I now know what it means and St Valentine's and she is right no anachronism here.

This made me eager for the next book as I definitely need more Why & Griff.


Profile Image for Em.
648 reviews139 followers
March 4, 2014
I really enjoyed seeing things from Griffin's perspective, it was a surprise to learn he has the same doubts about hanging onto the relationship as Percival does. I loved all the thought he put into Valentines day golden-haired cupid riding a swan-shaped boat card, so so sweet!


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