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The Merlin Mysteries #2
Witch on Probation
Trouble follows me like a curse. Which, to be fair, is kind of accurate.
I thought Gallows Gate couldn’t get any worse after the missing-teen fiasco. Turns out, it can. The Council’s breathing down my neck, dark magic is leaking through the cracks in the veil, and every supernatural creep in town seems to want a piece of me. Lucky me.
Now I’m stuck juggling a probationary badge from the Merlin Group, a ghost with boundary issues, and a case that shoves me straight into the crosshairs of Gallows Gate’s most dangerous players. If I dig too deep, I risk blowing open every secret I’ve been trying to keep buried.
If I screw this up, I’m finished. Fired. Erased. Maybe worse.
But hey, no pressure.
I thought Gallows Gate couldn’t get any worse after the missing-teen fiasco. Turns out, it can. The Council’s breathing down my neck, dark magic is leaking through the cracks in the veil, and every supernatural creep in town seems to want a piece of me. Lucky me.
Now I’m stuck juggling a probationary badge from the Merlin Group, a ghost with boundary issues, and a case that shoves me straight into the crosshairs of Gallows Gate’s most dangerous players. If I dig too deep, I risk blowing open every secret I’ve been trying to keep buried.
If I screw this up, I’m finished. Fired. Erased. Maybe worse.
But hey, no pressure.
376 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 7, 2025
467 people are currently reading
47 people want to read
About the author
Kim Richardson
205 books1,267 followersKim Richardson is the award-winning author of the bestselling SOUL GUARDIANS series. She lives in the eastern part of Canada with her husband, two dogs and a very old cat. She is the author of the SOUL GUARDIANS series, the MYSTICS series, and the DIVIDED REALMS series. Kim's books are available in print editions, and translations are available in over 7 languages.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
January 26, 2026
If you were on the fence about reading the second book in this series, this one is more of the same. I won’t continue with this series. The main character is too immature and what did they train her? She bumbles around and spends most of her time swooning about the hot dragon guy. Yes there is a murdered teenager, yes she was framed for it, yes the town is about to explode, but I can’t concentrate because, swoon, his golden eyes! Also the constant snarky analogies, a building with a side of doom, following like interns in a haunted hotel. They are constant and almost everyone uses them. Such a pity because the actual story and set-up are engaging.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 7, 2026
The Story Moves Forward, Even If the Characters Don’t
This is the second book in the series, and it does show forward momentum in the overall story.
Rhea is accused of murder after being the first to discover the victim another teenager, who was killed using her magical signature. As the local Merlin, it’s her responsibility to investigate and clear her name. She does demonstrate some investigative ability, but there are moments where her lack of basic investigative knowledge is noticeable. Given that Merlin training is meant to prepare her as the primary investigator for the area, it feels like examining the victim’s background should have been an obvious early step. Once she does focus on the victim—despite resistance from the victim’s mother, who believes Rhea is guilty—it leads her to the key clues she needs.
There is forward movement in Rhea’s relationship with Eyrk, which adds continuity to the series. The supporting cast returns as well: Morty, Selene, and Marla all appear at key moments to help her along. However, they continue to feel more like supporting tools than fully developed characters. Their appearances are mostly limited to brief interactions or quips, and I’d like to see more depth and background for them.
At 287 pages, the story moves quickly, which may explain why certain elements feel underdeveloped. The mystery resolves neatly, with the antagonists exposed and imprisoned, but their motivations remain vague. Several ideas are introduced without being fully explored, which makes parts of the resolution feel a little thin.
Overall, this book continues the series and advances the plot, but it still feels like it’s skimming over ideas that could be more engaging if given greater depth. I’ll keep reading, but for me this remains a 3 out of 5.
This is the second book in the series, and it does show forward momentum in the overall story.
Rhea is accused of murder after being the first to discover the victim another teenager, who was killed using her magical signature. As the local Merlin, it’s her responsibility to investigate and clear her name. She does demonstrate some investigative ability, but there are moments where her lack of basic investigative knowledge is noticeable. Given that Merlin training is meant to prepare her as the primary investigator for the area, it feels like examining the victim’s background should have been an obvious early step. Once she does focus on the victim—despite resistance from the victim’s mother, who believes Rhea is guilty—it leads her to the key clues she needs.
There is forward movement in Rhea’s relationship with Eyrk, which adds continuity to the series. The supporting cast returns as well: Morty, Selene, and Marla all appear at key moments to help her along. However, they continue to feel more like supporting tools than fully developed characters. Their appearances are mostly limited to brief interactions or quips, and I’d like to see more depth and background for them.
At 287 pages, the story moves quickly, which may explain why certain elements feel underdeveloped. The mystery resolves neatly, with the antagonists exposed and imprisoned, but their motivations remain vague. Several ideas are introduced without being fully explored, which makes parts of the resolution feel a little thin.
Overall, this book continues the series and advances the plot, but it still feels like it’s skimming over ideas that could be more engaging if given greater depth. I’ll keep reading, but for me this remains a 3 out of 5.
November 4, 2025
good
When Rhea is called out in the middle of the night, she is both surprised and dismayed to discover the body of a troll teenager— one apparently killed by arcane magic.
Since Rhea is the only know wielder of arcane magic in town, suspicion immediately falls on her, which hampers her investigation into finding the true culprit.
The victim was in possession of some dangerous information about some of the magic holding the veil closed in Gallows Gate, and if Rhea can’t find the answers soon, then catastrophe is going to be the result…
The story picks up a few weeks after the events in the first book. Rhea Morven is still a Merlin on probation, and the town (and merlins as a whole) are on the fence about her cursed existence. Her curse is also becoming more of a problem for her, although I have my own suspicions about what the curse truly means.
It’s a very fast paced story, with the snark and action one expects from the fantasy-mystery genre. There’s definitely a spark of romance for Rhea, not yet a flame but close; and the mysteries surrounding her curse seem to be deepening- I’m definitely hoping for some answers in the next book!
Ultimately, this book is part of an ongoing series, with a quick resolution to the immediate mystery, and some long term storylines that make you want to get answers. It’s an engrossing read, set in a fascinating world, with a team of likable characters. It doesn’t end on a cliffhanger, but there is definitely a hook or two for the books to come; so if you’re an urban fantasy lover, who enjoys fast paced stories with a slow burn romance, then you’ll enjoy this story.
When Rhea is called out in the middle of the night, she is both surprised and dismayed to discover the body of a troll teenager— one apparently killed by arcane magic.
Since Rhea is the only know wielder of arcane magic in town, suspicion immediately falls on her, which hampers her investigation into finding the true culprit.
The victim was in possession of some dangerous information about some of the magic holding the veil closed in Gallows Gate, and if Rhea can’t find the answers soon, then catastrophe is going to be the result…
The story picks up a few weeks after the events in the first book. Rhea Morven is still a Merlin on probation, and the town (and merlins as a whole) are on the fence about her cursed existence. Her curse is also becoming more of a problem for her, although I have my own suspicions about what the curse truly means.
It’s a very fast paced story, with the snark and action one expects from the fantasy-mystery genre. There’s definitely a spark of romance for Rhea, not yet a flame but close; and the mysteries surrounding her curse seem to be deepening- I’m definitely hoping for some answers in the next book!
Ultimately, this book is part of an ongoing series, with a quick resolution to the immediate mystery, and some long term storylines that make you want to get answers. It’s an engrossing read, set in a fascinating world, with a team of likable characters. It doesn’t end on a cliffhanger, but there is definitely a hook or two for the books to come; so if you’re an urban fantasy lover, who enjoys fast paced stories with a slow burn romance, then you’ll enjoy this story.
December 1, 2025
You've got a young dead troll that presents quite a problem when her mother thinks Rhea is responsible. You've got an underground machine that has been tampered with and if not fixed she can kiss the entire town goodbye.
Then there's Eryk who ends up kissing her which leads to a lot of thinking on her part.
Several 'auditors' arrive to check up on her. Seems the council still has major doubts about her. Demons and ghouls start to appear and the situation seems to be getting worse all the time.
Then someone ends up trying to do something rather bad to her. So, either she finds a way to deal with all this rather quickly or she'll no longer have to worry about what others think of her because she'll be quite dead.
A lot going on and it stays interesting throughout. I think one of the major strengths of the book is how well the author does with making the characters realistic and rather different from each other.
Then there's Eryk who ends up kissing her which leads to a lot of thinking on her part.
Several 'auditors' arrive to check up on her. Seems the council still has major doubts about her. Demons and ghouls start to appear and the situation seems to be getting worse all the time.
Then someone ends up trying to do something rather bad to her. So, either she finds a way to deal with all this rather quickly or she'll no longer have to worry about what others think of her because she'll be quite dead.
A lot going on and it stays interesting throughout. I think one of the major strengths of the book is how well the author does with making the characters realistic and rather different from each other.
November 5, 2025
Magical Mayhem in a Mystery
Rhea is an arcane witch in a new job for the Magic council. She finds a dead troll and is immediately and wrongfully blamed for the young woman’s death, which sets off a series of crazy magical events.
Thankfully Rhea has a small group of friends in the community of Gallows Gate including her romantic interest, dragon Eryk.
The story is full on magical mayhem wrapped in a mystery and adrenaline junkies will LOVE the fast action and even faster pace of activity throughout the novel - this would make a terrific novel.
When the killer is unmasked, I was stunned. Well written, very much in the good versus evil theme, this series will not disappoint those who enjoy archetypes and archetypal themes and is an absolutely worthwhile read
Rhea is an arcane witch in a new job for the Magic council. She finds a dead troll and is immediately and wrongfully blamed for the young woman’s death, which sets off a series of crazy magical events.
Thankfully Rhea has a small group of friends in the community of Gallows Gate including her romantic interest, dragon Eryk.
The story is full on magical mayhem wrapped in a mystery and adrenaline junkies will LOVE the fast action and even faster pace of activity throughout the novel - this would make a terrific novel.
When the killer is unmasked, I was stunned. Well written, very much in the good versus evil theme, this series will not disappoint those who enjoy archetypes and archetypal themes and is an absolutely worthwhile read
November 9, 2025
The snark is strong with this one
I love this cursed and traumatised witch, who is powered by caffeine, sarcasm, and a thirst for justice. The slow burn between her and her dragon is a refreshing change from all the instalove romances flooding the market - this is a powerful urban fantasy thriller with a romantic arc. What is also refreshing is that we learn about this world and how the magics work as the FMC does, which means that things are messy, mysterious, and frustrating for much of the story. I personally enjoy this, but if you need everything neatly laid out and explained by an omniscient narrator, then this isn't the series for you. I can't wait to read the next one!
I love this cursed and traumatised witch, who is powered by caffeine, sarcasm, and a thirst for justice. The slow burn between her and her dragon is a refreshing change from all the instalove romances flooding the market - this is a powerful urban fantasy thriller with a romantic arc. What is also refreshing is that we learn about this world and how the magics work as the FMC does, which means that things are messy, mysterious, and frustrating for much of the story. I personally enjoy this, but if you need everything neatly laid out and explained by an omniscient narrator, then this isn't the series for you. I can't wait to read the next one!
October 8, 2025
First was good; this one’s better
I really like this series by Kim Richardson. It’s got the right amount of mystery, fantasy and romance to be really enjoyable without being too overwhelming. I was looking forward to this one coming out and grabbed it as soon as it popped up on my Kindle account. I thought this one was even better than the first because you know the world a bit now. I’m looking forward to seeing Nov 30 when the third drops!
I really like this series by Kim Richardson. It’s got the right amount of mystery, fantasy and romance to be really enjoyable without being too overwhelming. I was looking forward to this one coming out and grabbed it as soon as it popped up on my Kindle account. I thought this one was even better than the first because you know the world a bit now. I’m looking forward to seeing Nov 30 when the third drops!
November 4, 2025
It keep getting better and better with each saga
This series has captivated me in ways I never expected. The characters are incredibly compelling and deeply nuanced, drawing me into their world. The world-building is masterful, yet it still takes a backseat to the richly defined and complex characters that truly drive the narrative. An absolute must-read that has completely won me over.
This series has captivated me in ways I never expected. The characters are incredibly compelling and deeply nuanced, drawing me into their world. The world-building is masterful, yet it still takes a backseat to the richly defined and complex characters that truly drive the narrative. An absolute must-read that has completely won me over.
Read
February 8, 2026I absolutely loved this book! The perfect mix of fantasy, mystery, and action kept me hooked from start to finish. The banter and humor were fantastic, and the sexual tension between the two main characters was chef’s kiss—so well done and incredibly fun to read. I loved the magical world, the fast-paced plot, and how the mystery unfolded alongside the character development. This book had me smiling, laughing, and eager to keep turning the pages. I can’t wait to continue the series!
November 6, 2025
Oh good lord, the ending… whew, I need a shower
Talk about saving the best for last. Whatever you do, make sure you read all the way to the end. And maybe do those last few pages in private in case you need to fan yourself. Or drool. Or both.
Things literally heat up in this second installment. If you liked the first book, you’ll love this second one.
Talk about saving the best for last. Whatever you do, make sure you read all the way to the end. And maybe do those last few pages in private in case you need to fan yourself. Or drool. Or both.
Things literally heat up in this second installment. If you liked the first book, you’ll love this second one.
December 3, 2025
So much tension, gracefully built, perfectly executed.
Such an addictive read! Slow burn romance that doesn’t detract from the intriguing main story line, just adds the perfect amount of spice, enough additional depth in Rhea’s backstory to keep the reader engaged without giving it away, and another “episode” in the impressively expanding Gallows Gate. On to the next one!
Such an addictive read! Slow burn romance that doesn’t detract from the intriguing main story line, just adds the perfect amount of spice, enough additional depth in Rhea’s backstory to keep the reader engaged without giving it away, and another “episode” in the impressively expanding Gallows Gate. On to the next one!
December 29, 2025
Love this series!
Rhea and Eryk, so much fun! Lots of action and tons of surprises. Usually I can guess what's happening next, not this series. I am really coming to like Rhea and Eryk, I need more!
Rhea and Eryk, so much fun! Lots of action and tons of surprises. Usually I can guess what's happening next, not this series. I am really coming to like Rhea and Eryk, I need more!
January 14, 2026
Well written
I enjoyed the book, the tension had me hooked and turning pages. The charrectors were well thought out and amusing. I'll be keeping my eye out for the next book in this series.
I enjoyed the book, the tension had me hooked and turning pages. The charrectors were well thought out and amusing. I'll be keeping my eye out for the next book in this series.
January 26, 2026
Just keeps getting better
A much better storyline than Book 1, but that may just be me as the first book was enjoyable, much I liked this one more.
Rhea is truly an interesting character and I like her dragon boyfriend, or is he? Gus’s I will find out as I delve into Book 3!
A much better storyline than Book 1, but that may just be me as the first book was enjoyable, much I liked this one more.
Rhea is truly an interesting character and I like her dragon boyfriend, or is he? Gus’s I will find out as I delve into Book 3!
February 3, 2026
Dragon-borne
Wow, I thought Hollow Cove was cool. Gallows Gate and Rhea are to cool. Love anything different agon related. Fourth Wing is a great book. But, I love the witches and romance,with all things paranormal. Thank you for writing these books. Can't wait to read more.
Wow, I thought Hollow Cove was cool. Gallows Gate and Rhea are to cool. Love anything different agon related. Fourth Wing is a great book. But, I love the witches and romance,with all things paranormal. Thank you for writing these books. Can't wait to read more.
February 4, 2026
This is becoming one of my favorite series
Well written characters are real unique. Storyline is great book will leave wanting to read more . rhea is set up for murder in this book .
Well written characters are real unique. Storyline is great book will leave wanting to read more . rhea is set up for murder in this book .
November 9, 2025
another great read!
Kim Richardson never fails to write a great story very memorable and entertaining. I highly suggest any of her books, especially the series.
Kim Richardson never fails to write a great story very memorable and entertaining. I highly suggest any of her books, especially the series.
November 30, 2025
Rhea is a really firecracker.
December 23, 2025
Dealing with power hungry people
A fun series with a lot of investing to puzzle over and a slow burn love interest.plus when you can not trust head office who do you trust.
A fun series with a lot of investing to puzzle over and a slow burn love interest.plus when you can not trust head office who do you trust.
December 28, 2025
great story
Wow great twist and love the build up of relationship. Can’t put book/series down. On to the next book. keep them coming
Wow great twist and love the build up of relationship. Can’t put book/series down. On to the next book. keep them coming
February 3, 2026
Book 2, now onto 3
Enjoyed the premise, however in two minds
about hiding the truth from those who have s
hown their support.
We'll see how this unravels.
Enjoyed the premise, however in two minds
about hiding the truth from those who have s
hown their support.
We'll see how this unravels.
February 4, 2026
Fabulous - this outing has everything ..
February 5, 2026
FANTASTIC !!!!!
This was such an entertaining read in the series. The stories are getting better and better with each book. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
This was such an entertaining read in the series. The stories are getting better and better with each book. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
February 9, 2026
Full Merlin
This was an interesting story. I enjoyed the characters and plot twists. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
This was an interesting story. I enjoyed the characters and plot twists. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
February 11, 2026
Loving this series and the main character, Rhea! It's another page turner!
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews