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The Brackenford Cycle #4
Grindhelm's Key
It’s the New Year and the whole world seems to have taken a resolution to make Trev Irwin’s life a misery. He’s trying to hold down two jobs, one of which involves dealing with dangerous, immoral and evil creatures of darkness. And if working in the property business wasn’t bad enough, he’s also got vampires, werewolves and angry elementals to deal with in his other job helping out the Custodians, the United Kingdom’s supernatural police force.
Turning up to work tired, battered and bruised isn’t conducive to good performance, and Trev is on his final warning at SmoothMove estate agents. He’s been given a short time in which to convince the management he’s worth keeping on, and he can’t afford any distractions or slip-ups. Such as his ex-girlfriend Sarah calling him out of the blue to tell him that she’s being held hostage and needs his help, or a psychotic zombie with a soul-sucking lantern ambushing him in an alley. Sadly both those things happen within the space of twenty-four hours, and neither can be ignored.
Trev needs to figure out a way to find Sarah, who’s been caught while trying to steal a dangerous item from its owner. But there are a number of other parties who also want the item, and they’re looking for Sarah too. To get to her first, Trev’s going to need the help of all his allies: his Granddad, a veteran Custodian; Oscar, the sardonic possessed cat; and Agatha, the prudish Victorian ghost. Against his better judgement, he’s also going to need the help and resources of the Custodians themselves, which presents a problem. There’s a traitor in the organisation who wants Trev dead. And this might just be the opportunity they’ve been waiting for.
Turning up to work tired, battered and bruised isn’t conducive to good performance, and Trev is on his final warning at SmoothMove estate agents. He’s been given a short time in which to convince the management he’s worth keeping on, and he can’t afford any distractions or slip-ups. Such as his ex-girlfriend Sarah calling him out of the blue to tell him that she’s being held hostage and needs his help, or a psychotic zombie with a soul-sucking lantern ambushing him in an alley. Sadly both those things happen within the space of twenty-four hours, and neither can be ignored.
Trev needs to figure out a way to find Sarah, who’s been caught while trying to steal a dangerous item from its owner. But there are a number of other parties who also want the item, and they’re looking for Sarah too. To get to her first, Trev’s going to need the help of all his allies: his Granddad, a veteran Custodian; Oscar, the sardonic possessed cat; and Agatha, the prudish Victorian ghost. Against his better judgement, he’s also going to need the help and resources of the Custodians themselves, which presents a problem. There’s a traitor in the organisation who wants Trev dead. And this might just be the opportunity they’ve been waiting for.
- GenresUrban FantasyFantasy
346 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 25, 2019
2 people are currently reading
18 people want to read
About the author
Nick Moseley
12 books38 followersNick Moseley is the author of The Brackenford Cycle, a series of humorous urban fantasy novels centred around Trev Irwin, a misanthropic estate agent who discovers a) that he has latent psychic abilities, and b) that most of the supernatural beings in Britain want to kill him.
The first novel in the series, "Location, Location, Damnation", was released in May 2013 and was followed in October 2013 by "Deceased Estate", a standalone novella set between book one and the full-length sequel, "Hangman's Pond", which was released in January 2014.
Nick lives in Worcestershire, England (yes, where the sauce comes from). He has previously worked as a salesman, warehouseman, estate agent and forklift truck driver, and proven himself mildly incompetent at all of them. Writing has been an invaluable aid to preserving his sanity.
The first novel in the series, "Location, Location, Damnation", was released in May 2013 and was followed in October 2013 by "Deceased Estate", a standalone novella set between book one and the full-length sequel, "Hangman's Pond", which was released in January 2014.
Nick lives in Worcestershire, England (yes, where the sauce comes from). He has previously worked as a salesman, warehouseman, estate agent and forklift truck driver, and proven himself mildly incompetent at all of them. Writing has been an invaluable aid to preserving his sanity.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
October 4, 2021
Elemental Outrage! Druid Wannabe Collaborates With Reluctant Custodian Trainee: "Well, Trev's going rate was five pints and a couple of bags of crisps to help bag a rogue earth elemental. I couldn't refuse a bargain like that." - The Woodland Wanderer.
I loved reading this book even more the 2nd and 3rd time around.
This is stellar stuff, witty, dramatic, and thoroughly entertaining.
Trev Irwin has to make a decision between being a full-time real estate agent, or a full-time psychic cop. You'd think that would be an easy choice - but it's complicated by the fact that nearly every villain wants him dead yesterday.
This is the best urban fantasy I've read.
So, do yourself a favor and read this book.
Strongly Recommended: 5, 'The Hero Steps Up,' stars
Read this series three times now.
I loved reading this book even more the 2nd and 3rd time around.
This is stellar stuff, witty, dramatic, and thoroughly entertaining.
Trev Irwin has to make a decision between being a full-time real estate agent, or a full-time psychic cop. You'd think that would be an easy choice - but it's complicated by the fact that nearly every villain wants him dead yesterday.
This is the best urban fantasy I've read.
So, do yourself a favor and read this book.
Strongly Recommended: 5, 'The Hero Steps Up,' stars
Read this series three times now.
February 13, 2019
Having devoured the rest of the series in a matter of days, Grindhelm's Key had a lot to live up to, and completely delivers.
Trevor Irwin has come a long way since we first met him - and his is the kind of character development that happens so organically, I didn't even question it until he was mulling it over himself. Other characters have grown along with him (except Barry, of course), and it's very much a book that starts bringing loose ends together.
The usual high points of this series apply here too - Nick and Oscar continue to have delightful banter, the supernatural community are inventive in their secrecy, and Trev is a magnet for trouble of the deadliest kinds.
A standout series, one I'll come back to time and time again. And hopefully to be continued soon!
Trevor Irwin has come a long way since we first met him - and his is the kind of character development that happens so organically, I didn't even question it until he was mulling it over himself. Other characters have grown along with him (except Barry, of course), and it's very much a book that starts bringing loose ends together.
The usual high points of this series apply here too - Nick and Oscar continue to have delightful banter, the supernatural community are inventive in their secrecy, and Trev is a magnet for trouble of the deadliest kinds.
A standout series, one I'll come back to time and time again. And hopefully to be continued soon!
November 21, 2019
5 spooky stars!
From the time Trev Irvin discovered his sight, his life has been as he discontentedly grumbles, 'Nothing but smooth sailing.'
He spends his Friday evenings sailing through the air and landing on his back while facing something that looked like the offspring of an improbable one-night stand in between a horse and a porcupine.
He has been practically declared UK's foremost walking health-hazard and if any more people died in his company he suspects he'd be probably issued with a black robe and a scythe.
He arrives at work battered and bruised, which doesn't really help his performance and the rotten cherry on top of a very mouldy cake is that even Barry is out-performing him.
So Trev finds himself on his final warning at SmoothMove estate agents. He’s been given a short time in which to convince the management he’s worth keeping on, and he can’t afford any distractions or slip-ups. Such as his ex-girlfriend Sarah calling him out of the blue to tell him that she’s being held hostage and needs his help, or a psychotic zombie with a soul-sucking lantern ambushing him in an alley - the infamous Mr. Smith. Sadly both those things happen within the space of twenty-four hours, and neither can be ignored.
Whoever this Smith was, he was as sane as a concrete chicken at a roller disco and if Trev was to outwit the half-decomposed psychopath he needed to think on his feet. Which was yet again a pretty difficult task for him to achieve, since he is already running on fumes. The fact that he goes through his morning routine like a sloth on tranquilisers should be enough of a sign that Trev needs a break. Unfortunately, the supernatural has other plans and Trev is yet again hurled head-first one seemingly hopeless situation after another.
'Granddad', Trev said. 'Do you get the feeling that there's a lot of shit going on in the background here that we know absolutely bugger-all about?
And do you also get the feeling that the aforementioned lack of knowledge is going to bite us pretty badly on the arse sometime very soon?'
'Regrettably, yes.'
Trev needs to figure out a way to find Sarah, who’s been caught while trying to steal a dangerous item from its owner. But there are a number of other parties who also want the item, and they’re looking for Sarah too. To get to her first, Trev’s going to need the help of all his allies: his Granddad, a veteran Custodian; Oscar, the sardonic possessed cat; Agatha, the prudish Victorian ghost; as well as that of Miss Pine, the leader of the Werewolves'Self-Help Group and that of the aloof Druids.
Against his better judgement, Trev's also going to need the help and resources of the Custodians themselves, which presents a problem. There’s a traitor in the organisation who wants Trev dead. And this might just be the opportunity they’ve been waiting for.
A high paced adventure with lots of twists and turns that you won't see coming, filled with snarky comments, witty banter and downright laugh-out-loud moments, this 4th installment in The Brackenford Cycle makes for a pretty cool and entertaining read. New elements and characters are added, old villains resurface and a downright awesome creep has the stage. I absolutely loved it!
If you're in a mood for some great Urban Fantasy with a touch of horror and more than a pint of first class supernatural, this is the perfect choice for you. In fact, I'd wager it is a MUST READ! and highly recommend it!
Happy reading Bookdragons and smooth sailing! :)
Find this review and more on my book review and cover art blog The Magic Book Corner
From the time Trev Irvin discovered his sight, his life has been as he discontentedly grumbles, 'Nothing but smooth sailing.'
He spends his Friday evenings sailing through the air and landing on his back while facing something that looked like the offspring of an improbable one-night stand in between a horse and a porcupine.
He has been practically declared UK's foremost walking health-hazard and if any more people died in his company he suspects he'd be probably issued with a black robe and a scythe.
He arrives at work battered and bruised, which doesn't really help his performance and the rotten cherry on top of a very mouldy cake is that even Barry is out-performing him.
So Trev finds himself on his final warning at SmoothMove estate agents. He’s been given a short time in which to convince the management he’s worth keeping on, and he can’t afford any distractions or slip-ups. Such as his ex-girlfriend Sarah calling him out of the blue to tell him that she’s being held hostage and needs his help, or a psychotic zombie with a soul-sucking lantern ambushing him in an alley - the infamous Mr. Smith. Sadly both those things happen within the space of twenty-four hours, and neither can be ignored.
Whoever this Smith was, he was as sane as a concrete chicken at a roller disco and if Trev was to outwit the half-decomposed psychopath he needed to think on his feet. Which was yet again a pretty difficult task for him to achieve, since he is already running on fumes. The fact that he goes through his morning routine like a sloth on tranquilisers should be enough of a sign that Trev needs a break. Unfortunately, the supernatural has other plans and Trev is yet again hurled head-first one seemingly hopeless situation after another.
'Granddad', Trev said. 'Do you get the feeling that there's a lot of shit going on in the background here that we know absolutely bugger-all about?
And do you also get the feeling that the aforementioned lack of knowledge is going to bite us pretty badly on the arse sometime very soon?'
'Regrettably, yes.'
Trev needs to figure out a way to find Sarah, who’s been caught while trying to steal a dangerous item from its owner. But there are a number of other parties who also want the item, and they’re looking for Sarah too. To get to her first, Trev’s going to need the help of all his allies: his Granddad, a veteran Custodian; Oscar, the sardonic possessed cat; Agatha, the prudish Victorian ghost; as well as that of Miss Pine, the leader of the Werewolves'Self-Help Group and that of the aloof Druids.
Against his better judgement, Trev's also going to need the help and resources of the Custodians themselves, which presents a problem. There’s a traitor in the organisation who wants Trev dead. And this might just be the opportunity they’ve been waiting for.
A high paced adventure with lots of twists and turns that you won't see coming, filled with snarky comments, witty banter and downright laugh-out-loud moments, this 4th installment in The Brackenford Cycle makes for a pretty cool and entertaining read. New elements and characters are added, old villains resurface and a downright awesome creep has the stage. I absolutely loved it!
If you're in a mood for some great Urban Fantasy with a touch of horror and more than a pint of first class supernatural, this is the perfect choice for you. In fact, I'd wager it is a MUST READ! and highly recommend it!
Happy reading Bookdragons and smooth sailing! :)
Find this review and more on my book review and cover art blog The Magic Book Corner
December 13, 2020
Story threads start to come together in Grindhelm's Key, book four of The Brackenford Cycle. Trev finds he must make a decision he's been putting off for as long as possible: To commit to his supernatural life and join the Custodians or turn his back on it all forever. As if that wasn't enough pressure, Sarah's back in town and needing some sort of help, a psychotic walking corpse wielding a soul-sucking lantern is stalking him and Cled needs some help dealing with an elemental. Just another average week in Trev's double life.
Trev has come a long way in these four books. While still fairly reluctant, he's finally living up to the promise of the hero we all hope he'd become, consciously choosing to do the right thing and stand up for those in need of his help. In a small way I think Bad Trev helps with this, though that aspect can easily get out of hand. It's definitely something to keep an eye on.
Oscar the kitten has to be hands down my favorite at this point. So much mayhem and snark in one adorable, tiny package! And so many opportunities for for him to show up unexpectedly since his size lets him sneak around easier.
This story is jam packed with action that keeps the pace moving. Moseley continues to layer on the world building, adding even more unique twists to common urban fantasy staples, this time elementals and a fresh take on jack o'lantern. The tone continues to stay on the darker side though thankfully it's a little less bleak than Spectre's Rest. Now that events from previous books are weaving back in to the narrative, I'm excited to see where the story will go from here. I'm (im)patiently waiting for book 5.
Trev has come a long way in these four books. While still fairly reluctant, he's finally living up to the promise of the hero we all hope he'd become, consciously choosing to do the right thing and stand up for those in need of his help. In a small way I think Bad Trev helps with this, though that aspect can easily get out of hand. It's definitely something to keep an eye on.
Oscar the kitten has to be hands down my favorite at this point. So much mayhem and snark in one adorable, tiny package! And so many opportunities for for him to show up unexpectedly since his size lets him sneak around easier.
This story is jam packed with action that keeps the pace moving. Moseley continues to layer on the world building, adding even more unique twists to common urban fantasy staples, this time elementals and a fresh take on jack o'lantern. The tone continues to stay on the darker side though thankfully it's a little less bleak than Spectre's Rest. Now that events from previous books are weaving back in to the narrative, I'm excited to see where the story will go from here. I'm (im)patiently waiting for book 5.
February 13, 2019
Oh my, is Trev growing up and taking responsibility for his power?
‘Only when his back’s against the wall and every other alternative’s been ruled out,’ said Oscar.
Well, that will do kitty.
I was so happy to be back in this action packed well-written world of urban fiction.
Dislikable characters are hardly my favorite, but the banter Trev has with Oscar, and balanced with the other characters, Trev has grown on me.
Easy 4.5 stars rounded up. Lysander’s Revenge can’t come quickly enough!
October 30, 2019
So our favorite dilettante, Trevor, is back with a vengeance. This book was a lot of fun to read. The witty banter-especially the asides from Trev, make for constant chuckles. The interplay between all the characters in on point, new faces and old friends alike. One of the evil baddies from a previous novel becomes a likable kinda guy and Trev just might get his life straightened out a bit...as if!!!
All in all quite a good book!
All in all quite a good book!
October 17, 2019
It’s the New Year and the whole world seems to have taken a resolution to make Trev Irwin’s life a misery. He’s trying to hold down two jobs, one of which involves dealing with dangerous, immoral and evil creatures of darkness. And if working in the property business wasn’t bad enough, he’s also got vampires, werewolves and angry elementals to deal with in his other job helping out the Custodians, the United Kingdom’s supernatural police force.
Turning up to work tired, battered and bruised isn’t conducive to good performance, and Trev is on his final warning at SmoothMove estate agents. He’s been given a short time in which to convince the management he’s worth keeping on, and he can’t afford any distractions or slip-ups. Such as his ex-girlfriend Sarah calling him out of the blue to tell him that she’s being held hostage and needs his help, or a psychotic zombie with a soul-sucking lantern ambushing him in an alley.
This ended up being one of my favorite books in the series so far. I was pleased at some of the revelations. In particular regarding Sarah. And that we got more info on Nona. Everyone was present for this book. I didn't realize how much I had missed Grandad and Agatha in the previous book, and even the real estate office. Yeah...I have no idea why I missed that part, but anyway, Trev finally makes a decision about joining the Custodians, who by the way I always want to call the Guardians for some reason. I think it may be because custodians make me think of janitors.
There was some really cool inter-dimensional (I guess that's the right way to say it?) travel in this book, and I'm really interested in finding out more about that stuff. But the real treat in this book was Jack. He was a creepy good character, and not someone I would ever want to meet. I also may be looking at those Jack-0-Lanterns on my front porch a little differently this Halloween.
Not only are Trev's allies, ex girlfriend, and coworkers all in this book, but there is also Ezekiel Barker, who is fast becoming a favorite character of mine. I loved every chapter he was in. I hope he continues to pop up in future books. I'm not sure sure when the next book will be published, but I'm looking forward to reading it.
Review also posted at Writings of a Reader
Turning up to work tired, battered and bruised isn’t conducive to good performance, and Trev is on his final warning at SmoothMove estate agents. He’s been given a short time in which to convince the management he’s worth keeping on, and he can’t afford any distractions or slip-ups. Such as his ex-girlfriend Sarah calling him out of the blue to tell him that she’s being held hostage and needs his help, or a psychotic zombie with a soul-sucking lantern ambushing him in an alley.
This ended up being one of my favorite books in the series so far. I was pleased at some of the revelations. In particular regarding Sarah. And that we got more info on Nona. Everyone was present for this book. I didn't realize how much I had missed Grandad and Agatha in the previous book, and even the real estate office. Yeah...I have no idea why I missed that part, but anyway, Trev finally makes a decision about joining the Custodians, who by the way I always want to call the Guardians for some reason. I think it may be because custodians make me think of janitors.
There was some really cool inter-dimensional (I guess that's the right way to say it?) travel in this book, and I'm really interested in finding out more about that stuff. But the real treat in this book was Jack. He was a creepy good character, and not someone I would ever want to meet. I also may be looking at those Jack-0-Lanterns on my front porch a little differently this Halloween.
Not only are Trev's allies, ex girlfriend, and coworkers all in this book, but there is also Ezekiel Barker, who is fast becoming a favorite character of mine. I loved every chapter he was in. I hope he continues to pop up in future books. I'm not sure sure when the next book will be published, but I'm looking forward to reading it.
Review also posted at Writings of a Reader
December 4, 2020
Grindhelm's Key is the seventh work and fourth full novel in the Brackenford Cycle. Moseley's ability to spin a yarn has grown noticeably stronger over the series, allowing for him to fully showcase his creativity here. I feel as though any of the first three novels could be read as a standalone book, as they all tell a complete story, and while they are impacted by the prior books, Mosley does an incredible job of gently bringing the reader up to date on any returning element.
I don't think the above is true for Grindhelm's Key. The narrative here felt deeper, and was a direct continuation of the storyline from Killing Lazarus. The author brought back elements started in earlier books, and seemingly created additional plotlines that he had no intention of developing here. That distinction felt more rewarding for me.
The tone of this book continued to resonate with the darker vibrations that formed in Spectre's Rest. And for me that was problematic. I read fantasy to escape from some of the stressors of regular life, so reading hundreds of pages where the main character continually runs into the same issues isn't my cup of tea. I hope some of the levity from the first two books returns soon, and the home team can pile up some victories.
The series seems to be really hitting in stride, and while I'm not sure how many books Moseley intends to include in the BC, I think we're close to understanding seeing the bigger picture.
I don't think the above is true for Grindhelm's Key. The narrative here felt deeper, and was a direct continuation of the storyline from Killing Lazarus. The author brought back elements started in earlier books, and seemingly created additional plotlines that he had no intention of developing here. That distinction felt more rewarding for me.
The tone of this book continued to resonate with the darker vibrations that formed in Spectre's Rest. And for me that was problematic. I read fantasy to escape from some of the stressors of regular life, so reading hundreds of pages where the main character continually runs into the same issues isn't my cup of tea. I hope some of the levity from the first two books returns soon, and the home team can pile up some victories.
The series seems to be really hitting in stride, and while I'm not sure how many books Moseley intends to include in the BC, I think we're close to understanding seeing the bigger picture.
February 27, 2019
Now that was a real sucker punch of a story.
Trev is really stuck in a bad place having to choose between his normal life and his supernatural one. This is not made easy as everything is going badly, hes being threatened, beaten up and exhausted not to mention his sales figures being beaten by Barry!
Oscar the super cute kitten is great and learning a bit more about his past is nice, Barkers involvement is a nice contintuation of his redemption and Jack is just a superbly evil bad guy. All in all a real treat and lets not forget the demon dogs, other dimensional evil and of course Bad Trev.
This series just sucks you in and keeps getting better and better, theres a great story with great characters and a fantastic world to play in. Looking forward very much to the next installment whether it be another novella or the next full blown chapter.
Trev is really stuck in a bad place having to choose between his normal life and his supernatural one. This is not made easy as everything is going badly, hes being threatened, beaten up and exhausted not to mention his sales figures being beaten by Barry!
Oscar the super cute kitten is great and learning a bit more about his past is nice, Barkers involvement is a nice contintuation of his redemption and Jack is just a superbly evil bad guy. All in all a real treat and lets not forget the demon dogs, other dimensional evil and of course Bad Trev.
This series just sucks you in and keeps getting better and better, theres a great story with great characters and a fantastic world to play in. Looking forward very much to the next installment whether it be another novella or the next full blown chapter.
March 19, 2019
I've been eagerly awaiting Trev's return, and I'm pleased to report - I wasn't disappointed.
I mean, if you're here, then I assume you've read the previous books in the series. I obviously have, and liked them enough to continue.
But seriously - start with Location, Location, Damnation, and if you enjoy that (and I think you will) you'll enjoy this.
Once more Trev's off causing trouble with trying to hold down a 'real' job, alone with some 'dealing with magical problems' side jobs.
Only... the magical problems seem to keep getting bigger.
I mean, if you're here, then I assume you've read the previous books in the series. I obviously have, and liked them enough to continue.
But seriously - start with Location, Location, Damnation, and if you enjoy that (and I think you will) you'll enjoy this.
Once more Trev's off causing trouble with trying to hold down a 'real' job, alone with some 'dealing with magical problems' side jobs.
Only... the magical problems seem to keep getting bigger.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews