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A Study in Curses
Welcome to the Knight Curse-Breaking Agency, where curses are our business.
Olivia Knight has built her agency from the ground up, specializing in the darkest, most haunted artifacts. But business is dying, and desperation makes for dangerous decisions. So when a Viking beast of a Warden storms into her office with an offer she can’t afford to refuse, she agrees to take the job - transporting a cursed wand back to its homeland in Romania.
Simple enough. Except carrying the wand isn’t the problem... Surviving it is.
As Olivia and her team embark on their perilous journey, it becomes clear that dangers are everywhere on this mission, and not all are coming from the artifact.
Old forces are stirring. Forbidden magic is seeping through the cracks. And somewhere in the dark, unseen hands pull the strings, intent on claiming the wand’s power for themselves.
The deeper they go, the more lies are unraveled but one truth grows undeniable : that wand is much more than it appears.
For some, it could be the key to changing everything. And they will stop at nothing to possess it.
With suspense and dark magic at every turn, "A Study in Curses" is a thrilling adventure that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. Perfect for fans of dark academia, arcane mysteries, and high-stakes magical adventure.
Olivia Knight has built her agency from the ground up, specializing in the darkest, most haunted artifacts. But business is dying, and desperation makes for dangerous decisions. So when a Viking beast of a Warden storms into her office with an offer she can’t afford to refuse, she agrees to take the job - transporting a cursed wand back to its homeland in Romania.
Simple enough. Except carrying the wand isn’t the problem... Surviving it is.
As Olivia and her team embark on their perilous journey, it becomes clear that dangers are everywhere on this mission, and not all are coming from the artifact.
Old forces are stirring. Forbidden magic is seeping through the cracks. And somewhere in the dark, unseen hands pull the strings, intent on claiming the wand’s power for themselves.
The deeper they go, the more lies are unraveled but one truth grows undeniable : that wand is much more than it appears.
For some, it could be the key to changing everything. And they will stop at nothing to possess it.
With suspense and dark magic at every turn, "A Study in Curses" is a thrilling adventure that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. Perfect for fans of dark academia, arcane mysteries, and high-stakes magical adventure.
529 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 10, 2025
1 person is currently reading
10 people want to read
About the author
Jessica Martinet
1 book3 followersBorn on the windswept island of Corsica, France, Jessica has always been drawn to places steeped in mystique. After a month-long road trip through Scotland, she fell in love with everything about it, from its wild landscapes to its equally vibrant and spirited people. Years later, she made the move across seas to call it home.
Now based there, she draws inspiration from Scotland's gothic heritage, writing about characters who challenge destiny to carve their own path, no matter the cost.
When she’s not writing, she’s bringing her stories to life in a whole new way. As the co-founder of the Mist & Magic shop, she crafts replicas of artifacts from her books, turning storytelling into something immersive - because some worlds are too magical to stay on the page.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 1, 2025
I read this book as part of a mystery box from Mist and Magic, the author's company. This was a pretty special immersive experience where you got to open numbered packages containing documents and objects relating to events in the book. This was so cool and really made the author's world come to life.
The world building is detailed and very enjoyable. The main character is fresh and interesting. The plot is a page turner and I always wanted to find out what happened next.
The characters were another strong point for me as I found myself invested in not only the main characters but also the supporting cast who all had their own complex back stories and strong characterisations.
While the first two thirds of the book were well plotted out and evenly paced the last third seemed to speed up and become confusing and slightly illogical. The characters jump quickly from one location to the next and I wonder how they got to their destination with their luggage intact.
Although the story became a bit of a roller coaster towards the end, I really enjoyed it. If the author writes a sequel I'll definitely be reading it to find out what happens next as we were left with some tantalising loose ends.
The world building is detailed and very enjoyable. The main character is fresh and interesting. The plot is a page turner and I always wanted to find out what happened next.
The characters were another strong point for me as I found myself invested in not only the main characters but also the supporting cast who all had their own complex back stories and strong characterisations.
While the first two thirds of the book were well plotted out and evenly paced the last third seemed to speed up and become confusing and slightly illogical. The characters jump quickly from one location to the next and I wonder how they got to their destination with their luggage intact.
Although the story became a bit of a roller coaster towards the end, I really enjoyed it. If the author writes a sequel I'll definitely be reading it to find out what happens next as we were left with some tantalising loose ends.
July 16, 2025
Such a fun read! I purchased this on a whim, and I was absolutely GLUED from chapter 1. The world is fun, with a lot of potential for expansion, the characters are fun and likable (except for the ones that are written to be unlikable- they are deliciously infuriating!), and the story was surprisingly intense! It started out feeling a bit like a magical detective noire, then it quickly turned into a magical spy thriller, then ended up as a magical save-the-world story. I finished the entire book in 3 days, and, as I'm dyslexic, that is saying something. I highly recommend to anyone who liked Harry Potter but has since grown up and would like something with adult characters in magical jobs. It's not set in the same world as Harry Potter, but the worlds are similar, with this one having a more adult feel to it. Looking forward to the sequel!
October 26, 2025
Abso-friggin-lutely loved this book! Buying the deluxe version with all the replicas didn't hurt but loved the writing and so ready for more. Seriously though, this really really needs to be a movie but if nothing else, to be an audiobook. Just an idea, Harry Connick Jr to be Cornelious, Emily Blunt as Olivia or the assistant and Tom Hiddleston as Ryder. Just a thought
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews