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Comeuppance Served Cold
Seattle, 1929—a bitterly divided city overflowing with wealth, violence, and magic.
A respected magus and city leader intent on criminalizing Seattle’s most vulnerable magickers hires a young woman as a lady’s companion to curb his rebellious daughter’s outrageous behavior.
The widowed owner of a speakeasy encounters an opportunity to make her husband’s murderer pay while she tries to keep her shapeshifter brother safe.
A notorious thief slips into the city to complete a delicate and dangerous job that will leave chaos in its wake.
One thing is for certain—comeuppance, eventually, waits for everyone.
A respected magus and city leader intent on criminalizing Seattle’s most vulnerable magickers hires a young woman as a lady’s companion to curb his rebellious daughter’s outrageous behavior.
The widowed owner of a speakeasy encounters an opportunity to make her husband’s murderer pay while she tries to keep her shapeshifter brother safe.
A notorious thief slips into the city to complete a delicate and dangerous job that will leave chaos in its wake.
One thing is for certain—comeuppance, eventually, waits for everyone.
192 pages, Paperback
First published March 22, 2022
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2483 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 214 reviews
March 22, 2022
She pressed the mask, as light as a silk scarf, against her face. Tiny invisible claws gripped her flesh. Closing her eyes, she pictured the body that would veil her: a tall man with a crown of golden hair. She retrieved her valise from the coat closet and went into the study to make one final check.
The body sprawled on the sofa. Black hair spilled over the woman's white blouse, and her left hand trailed on the floor. One of her worn shoes hung half off her foot. Green eyes, already clouding, stared up at the marquetry ceiling.
The masked woman shut the study doors behind her, and crossed the marble foyer.
So opens Comeuppance Served Cold, a delightful jazz-age urban fantasy that took me a little by surprise. I just opened it to check it out - and here I am just after midnight having polished it off. Oops. Worth it though.
There's a lot going on here in a pretty short space, but I love that kind of kitchen-sink storytelling when it's done well - and it was. There's shady local government goings on involving criminalising shapeshifters, speakeasies, plots within plots, hints of fairy folk of the good old-fashioned kind (ie, worth fearing) - the list goes on, but it all contributed into building up a picture of this world without overwhelming the reader, and was balanced nicely. Dolly intrigued me, Violet, Phillipe, Gabe or Fiona were all side characters who could absolutely carry their own novels, and though I found the ending just a bit too quick, it did leave room for more. I'm new to Marion Deeds, but with any luck this is the first of many, and I get a chance to change that.
The body sprawled on the sofa. Black hair spilled over the woman's white blouse, and her left hand trailed on the floor. One of her worn shoes hung half off her foot. Green eyes, already clouding, stared up at the marquetry ceiling.
The masked woman shut the study doors behind her, and crossed the marble foyer.
So opens Comeuppance Served Cold, a delightful jazz-age urban fantasy that took me a little by surprise. I just opened it to check it out - and here I am just after midnight having polished it off. Oops. Worth it though.
There's a lot going on here in a pretty short space, but I love that kind of kitchen-sink storytelling when it's done well - and it was. There's shady local government goings on involving criminalising shapeshifters, speakeasies, plots within plots, hints of fairy folk of the good old-fashioned kind (ie, worth fearing) - the list goes on, but it all contributed into building up a picture of this world without overwhelming the reader, and was balanced nicely. Dolly intrigued me, Violet, Phillipe, Gabe or Fiona were all side characters who could absolutely carry their own novels, and though I found the ending just a bit too quick, it did leave room for more. I'm new to Marion Deeds, but with any luck this is the first of many, and I get a chance to change that.
May 24, 2022
3.5 speakeasy stars
Super interesting—an alternate history of 1920s Seattle with a dose of the magical framed around a heist. Harsh introduction made it difficult to get into, but once the story took off I was hooked.
Concepts: ★★★★
Intro to the story: ★★
Plot: ★★★ 1/2
This novella essentially asked itself: what would happen if we mixed up speakeasys, Ocean's 8, The Great Gatsby, shapeshifters, Fae, magical infrastructure, racial tensions, and aristocratic misogyny into one big pile—but kept it vague and to the point?
Comeuppance Served Cold is unlike any SFF novella I've ever read from Tordotcom Publishing. Which is saying something, as that publishing imprint is already known for its extremely varied body of work and includes the full spectrum of horror to historic to other to queer to metaphysical to satire to crime drama to speculative nonsense. (And that's just a sampling of concepts from the ones I have personally read.)
This novella is about a heist. It's also about a woman navigating a historic version of America. It's also about racism and its prevalence even in a society mixed with magic. It has a large cast of characters each with their own agendas and stories all piled together into one place in time during an crisis period in this version of 1920s Seattle.
I really can't get into it more than that without running the risk of sharing too much. It's always hard to review these short novellas—there's not enough there for a lengthy analysis.
In short: I liked this one a lot, but I think the sheer number of concepts, magical systems, and characters in play really suffered from the short format of the novella and therefore led to a frustrating reading experience for the first half.
You're introduced to this hyper complex alternate history, you're given a secretive main character to follow, and then you're immediately placed into a confusing nonlinear time structure that takes no prisoners and just waits for you to catch up.
In a longer novel, that wouldn't have been an issue—more could have been explained, more time could have been spent on more scenes and subplots, and frankly we would have had more words to read to get a grip on the worldbuilding. But for a novella it was tough.
However, that being said, I wouldn't say no to more stories in this world... Cough cough, Marion Deeds, if you felt like writing a full novel I'd be ready and waiting.
Blog | Instagram
Super interesting—an alternate history of 1920s Seattle with a dose of the magical framed around a heist. Harsh introduction made it difficult to get into, but once the story took off I was hooked.
Concepts: ★★★★
Intro to the story: ★★
Plot: ★★★ 1/2
This novella essentially asked itself: what would happen if we mixed up speakeasys, Ocean's 8, The Great Gatsby, shapeshifters, Fae, magical infrastructure, racial tensions, and aristocratic misogyny into one big pile—but kept it vague and to the point?
Comeuppance Served Cold is unlike any SFF novella I've ever read from Tordotcom Publishing. Which is saying something, as that publishing imprint is already known for its extremely varied body of work and includes the full spectrum of horror to historic to other to queer to metaphysical to satire to crime drama to speculative nonsense. (And that's just a sampling of concepts from the ones I have personally read.)
This novella is about a heist. It's also about a woman navigating a historic version of America. It's also about racism and its prevalence even in a society mixed with magic. It has a large cast of characters each with their own agendas and stories all piled together into one place in time during an crisis period in this version of 1920s Seattle.
I really can't get into it more than that without running the risk of sharing too much. It's always hard to review these short novellas—there's not enough there for a lengthy analysis.
In short: I liked this one a lot, but I think the sheer number of concepts, magical systems, and characters in play really suffered from the short format of the novella and therefore led to a frustrating reading experience for the first half.
You're introduced to this hyper complex alternate history, you're given a secretive main character to follow, and then you're immediately placed into a confusing nonlinear time structure that takes no prisoners and just waits for you to catch up.
In a longer novel, that wouldn't have been an issue—more could have been explained, more time could have been spent on more scenes and subplots, and frankly we would have had more words to read to get a grip on the worldbuilding. But for a novella it was tough.
However, that being said, I wouldn't say no to more stories in this world... Cough cough, Marion Deeds, if you felt like writing a full novel I'd be ready and waiting.
Blog | Instagram
January 9, 2022
It's 1929, and Dolly White--at least that's the name she's currently using--is a grifter, currently in Seattle. She is allegedly applying for a job as a minder to the wealthy Earnshaw daughter Fiona, ostensibly to keep her out of trouble until she can marry the man her father has selected. But Dolly is working with powerful magic, and without giving too much away, is going to help stop a powerful misogynistic scion from annihilating all of the shifters in the city. The timeline of this book is unique, because at first Dolly just seems like an out-of-town woman down on her luck applying for a job, but the author reveals gradually that there is much, much more going on. Recommended for readers who enjoy a bit of magic in their historical fiction. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the opportunity to review this advance copy.
August 4, 2022
C/W:
Comeuppance Served Cold was a fast-paced fantasy mystery that was fun to watch unfold. I really liked the historical urban fantasy setting of late 1920s Seattle with magic. The ways magic was used to make power imbalances even more apparent was incredibly well done. I would happily read another story set in this universe.
Comeuppance Served Cold was a fast-paced fantasy mystery that was fun to watch unfold. I really liked the historical urban fantasy setting of late 1920s Seattle with magic. The ways magic was used to make power imbalances even more apparent was incredibly well done. I would happily read another story set in this universe.
February 12, 2022
CW: According to the author’s note - patriarchal, racist, and ableist violence, both verbal and physical.
Also attempted sexual assault.
I only got to know about this book a few weeks ago while browsing netgalley and I was immediately taken in NG it’s bright cover and that super fun title. And I was quite excited when I got the arc. This totally lived up to that quirky title.
The writing is engaging right from the get go and I didn’t feel like putting it down once I started. It also helped that it was short because I was happy to finish such an entertaining story quickly. The setting of 1920s Seattle felt realistic with its Prohibition, stock market crash, the underlying racism, the speakeasies and more. The author does a great job giving us just enough world building and magic system details to propel the story, and never let us feel like she is infodumping. We also have a bit of timeline jumps and I’m not always a fan of this kind of storytelling style, but I think it worked well for this story which involves a heist and multiple players.
While it is a heist story, the planning and execution of it all mostly takes place in the backdrop in a way we know it’s happening, but we don’t go into the nitty gritty of it. Which was definitely fun once we realize how it all plays out towards the end. But it’s the characters who make this story so engaging. Dolly is a mysterious character, a great con artist, excellent at talking herself out of situations and getting her way, but also principled and empathetic in her own ways. I just loved how she finagled the whole thing right beneath everyone’s noses.
She is ably supported by many other wonderful characters. Violet is a Black woman and owner of a speakeasy - not an easy position to be in during those times, but she is strong and protective of her family. Her brother Philippe is a shapeshifter, who can be impulsive at times but ultimately has his heart in the right place. Gabe is his partner who also happens to be a magical tattoo artist. Fiona is another interesting girl who is privileged and rich, doesn’t see the faults in her family, doesn’t have the freedom that she wants, but can be kind in her own way. We also have some loathsome antagonists but they were written quite well and I wouldn’t wanna give them away.
In the end, how the stories of all these characters converge gives us a thoroughly entertaining story. It’s a heist, but it’s also personal in some ways for the players, so it makes for a more intriguing plot. This was total fun from beginning to end and I remained hooked. I wouldn’t mind if we get more stories featuring Dolly and her shenanigans.
Also attempted sexual assault.
I only got to know about this book a few weeks ago while browsing netgalley and I was immediately taken in NG it’s bright cover and that super fun title. And I was quite excited when I got the arc. This totally lived up to that quirky title.
The writing is engaging right from the get go and I didn’t feel like putting it down once I started. It also helped that it was short because I was happy to finish such an entertaining story quickly. The setting of 1920s Seattle felt realistic with its Prohibition, stock market crash, the underlying racism, the speakeasies and more. The author does a great job giving us just enough world building and magic system details to propel the story, and never let us feel like she is infodumping. We also have a bit of timeline jumps and I’m not always a fan of this kind of storytelling style, but I think it worked well for this story which involves a heist and multiple players.
While it is a heist story, the planning and execution of it all mostly takes place in the backdrop in a way we know it’s happening, but we don’t go into the nitty gritty of it. Which was definitely fun once we realize how it all plays out towards the end. But it’s the characters who make this story so engaging. Dolly is a mysterious character, a great con artist, excellent at talking herself out of situations and getting her way, but also principled and empathetic in her own ways. I just loved how she finagled the whole thing right beneath everyone’s noses.
She is ably supported by many other wonderful characters. Violet is a Black woman and owner of a speakeasy - not an easy position to be in during those times, but she is strong and protective of her family. Her brother Philippe is a shapeshifter, who can be impulsive at times but ultimately has his heart in the right place. Gabe is his partner who also happens to be a magical tattoo artist. Fiona is another interesting girl who is privileged and rich, doesn’t see the faults in her family, doesn’t have the freedom that she wants, but can be kind in her own way. We also have some loathsome antagonists but they were written quite well and I wouldn’t wanna give them away.
In the end, how the stories of all these characters converge gives us a thoroughly entertaining story. It’s a heist, but it’s also personal in some ways for the players, so it makes for a more intriguing plot. This was total fun from beginning to end and I remained hooked. I wouldn’t mind if we get more stories featuring Dolly and her shenanigans.
November 23, 2021
This is absolutely one of the best books I've read all year.
Objectively, it's got enough complications it that it runs the risk of being messy, and would easily be so in a lesser hand. It's got a heist, nonlinear storytelling, urban fantasy set in Seattle in 1929, shapeshifters (and fantasy racism), characters facing real racism (and sexism, and homophobia), blood magic, drinks and drugs and magical drugs and real life prohibition, and more.
However, it pulls everything in perfectly, creating a tense situation where I read the whole thing fully believing, based on the prologue and the title, that it was going to have a good ending where everyone (good and bad) got what they deserved. And even though I believed that, the situations were so thrilling and so tightly written that I kept having to put the book down to remember to, oh, blink and breathe.
The characters were fantastic, the setting was perfectly done, the non-linear storytelling was arranged in a way ideal to a heist where everything gets set up ideally so when it is finally pulled tight at the end it all makes sense. It reminded me a bit of Baccano, haha. I'm just so completely satisfied and I can't wait to read more Comeuppance stories (and I'm going to check out the rest of Deeds' work asap).
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Objectively, it's got enough complications it that it runs the risk of being messy, and would easily be so in a lesser hand. It's got a heist, nonlinear storytelling, urban fantasy set in Seattle in 1929, shapeshifters (and fantasy racism), characters facing real racism (and sexism, and homophobia), blood magic, drinks and drugs and magical drugs and real life prohibition, and more.
However, it pulls everything in perfectly, creating a tense situation where I read the whole thing fully believing, based on the prologue and the title, that it was going to have a good ending where everyone (good and bad) got what they deserved. And even though I believed that, the situations were so thrilling and so tightly written that I kept having to put the book down to remember to, oh, blink and breathe.
The characters were fantastic, the setting was perfectly done, the non-linear storytelling was arranged in a way ideal to a heist where everything gets set up ideally so when it is finally pulled tight at the end it all makes sense. It reminded me a bit of Baccano, haha. I'm just so completely satisfied and I can't wait to read more Comeuppance stories (and I'm going to check out the rest of Deeds' work asap).
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 18, 2022
A mystery/heist novella set in an alternate 1929 Seattle with a very rambling timeline, and lots of diversity.
The setting was fantastic but I did not love it, and I think that has mostly to do with me being frustrated, very frustrated by the storytelling.
It is a heist story, though I guess the mystery is what the heist is, because this story is told in a very complicated timeline - and that really did not work for me, it made me feel like I should be taking notes, and always going back and checking when some scene was set). But, no kidding, the order of the first scenes: NOVEMBER 17, 1929, NOVEMBER 4, OCTOBER 6, NOVEMBER 7, NOVEMBER 10, NOVEMBER 13, OCTOBER 4... (come on...come on...) .
Also this is clearly set up to be part of a series, there is mentions of previous events (San Francisco, and I did not get how Penske could have heard of it, but not the Earnshaws...), and dropping hints, tantalizing yeah, of Dolly's nature and motivations. Though we get told a LOT, maybe too much of why Dolly chooses to do something or the other, maybe it's too explicit when the reader should be paying attention to something, while some motivations are still kept hidden - and perhaps this juxtaposition of being told and things being purposefully unrevealed will work for many readers but it just hit me wrong. (And I think I would have found "Dolly" more fascinating if she had been more of a mystery). Also lots and lots of infodumps (most noticeably Marguerite) - I do not often complain about novellas being too short, but maybe this was.
And a small note, it starts with a warning "Author’s Note: This book contains instances of patriarchal, racist, and ableist violence, both verbal and physical." (well, it is a marketed as mystery set in alternate 1929, I expected that there will be violence) but it does not even hint at other triggering things which admittedly would be spoilers and are in the background .
I might read more of the series (because clearly this is just a small intro into a series about a character), though only if they have more linear timelines...
The setting was fantastic but I did not love it, and I think that has mostly to do with me being frustrated, very frustrated by the storytelling.
It is a heist story, though I guess the mystery is what the heist is, because this story is told in a very complicated timeline - and that really did not work for me, it made me feel like I should be taking notes, and always going back and checking when some scene was set). But, no kidding, the order of the first scenes: NOVEMBER 17, 1929, NOVEMBER 4, OCTOBER 6, NOVEMBER 7, NOVEMBER 10, NOVEMBER 13, OCTOBER 4... (come on...come on...) .
Also this is clearly set up to be part of a series, there is mentions of previous events (San Francisco, and I did not get how Penske could have heard of it, but not the Earnshaws...), and dropping hints, tantalizing yeah, of Dolly's nature and motivations. Though we get told a LOT, maybe too much of why Dolly chooses to do something or the other, maybe it's too explicit when the reader should be paying attention to something, while some motivations are still kept hidden - and perhaps this juxtaposition of being told and things being purposefully unrevealed will work for many readers but it just hit me wrong. (And I think I would have found "Dolly" more fascinating if she had been more of a mystery). Also lots and lots of infodumps (most noticeably Marguerite) - I do not often complain about novellas being too short, but maybe this was.
And a small note, it starts with a warning "Author’s Note: This book contains instances of patriarchal, racist, and ableist violence, both verbal and physical." (well, it is a marketed as mystery set in alternate 1929, I expected that there will be violence) but it does not even hint at other triggering things which admittedly would be spoilers and are in the background .
I might read more of the series (because clearly this is just a small intro into a series about a character), though only if they have more linear timelines...
April 4, 2022
Comeuppance Served Cold by Marion Deeds was an excellent, excellent novella brimming with all kinds of intrigue and magic. Tightly written, highly engaging and original plot that jumps back and forth in time. It makes you discover things in your own time and never before you’re meant to. Well done and I would love for Dolly to have more capers in the future.
I highly recommend!
Themes: Hard-boiled Noir, Seattle 1929, prohibition, magic, thief, the long con, shifters, speakeasy, changeling, patriarchal, racist, and ableist violence, both verbal and physical, attempted sexual assault, homophobia, magical drugs.
5 Stars
I highly recommend!
Themes: Hard-boiled Noir, Seattle 1929, prohibition, magic, thief, the long con, shifters, speakeasy, changeling, patriarchal, racist, and ableist violence, both verbal and physical, attempted sexual assault, homophobia, magical drugs.
5 Stars
May 8, 2022
really, really enjoyable. solid writing, interesting characters and writing and a very engaging story. and i liked the size of the book, not too long and not too short, nearly perfect.
April 4, 2022
The nitty-gritty: Intricately plotted with nuanced characters, Comeuppance Served Cold is a fun heist story with plenty of surprises.
What a nice surprise this was! Comeuppance Served Cold is a wonderful mix of magic and Jazz Age elements, a heist story that takes place in 1929 Seattle. Marion Deeds has captured the essence of the era, and I loved her bold female characters who are not about to conform to the wishes of the men who are trying to control them. There is a lot going on for a novella length story, but it was masterfully written with never a dull moment.
Dolly White has come to Seattle in search of a job, and she’s hoping to be hired as a companion to socialite Fiona Earnshaw, a young woman whose drinking and wild ways don’t befit someone who is about to be married, at least according to her father. Helping Fiona is only the first of many things Dolly has come to Seattle to do, though, as the reader is about to find out. During a few short weeks in November of 1929, Dolly will make the acquaintance of a variety of characters, including a bootlegger, a blind tattooist, shape shifters, a couple of star-crossed lovers, and several unsavory men who have no idea just who Dolly is—or what she’s capable of.
The story jumps back and forth from the present to different points in the past, and at first this format was a little confusing, but it didn’t take long to figure out what Deeds was up to. At first we’re presented with a bit of a mystery. An unknown, mask-wearing woman exits a room, leaving a dead body behind. Next we jump back in time a couple of weeks to Dolly’s job interview. From there, it becomes clear that Dolly herself is the biggest mystery in the story, and as each chapter unfolds, the reader learns exactly what Dolly is up to. This method of storytelling doesn’t always work, but here it mimics the intricate game Dolly is playing and made the story so much better.
The 1929 time period is perfect for the story. Deeds includes period details like a speakeasies and prohibition, but adds magic to the mix with a character who is trying to make magic illegal for the lower classes. He’s also trying to persecute shape shifters, who in his eyes aren’t much better than animals. I’ve always loved mysteries set in the 1920s, because there are oh so many opportunities for secrets and lies, and the author uses this to her advantage by populating her story with characters who don’t always tell the truth.
Also true to the time period is the elitist attitude the rich have towards anyone considered to be “lesser” than them. Ambrose Earnshaw, the Commissioner of Magic, is a terrible man who has something nasty to say about anyone he considers beneath him, including Dolly, who has deliberately worn mended clothing to her interview in order to throw off her employer. His dialog smacks of racism, not only when talking about people of color, but his attitudes towards shifters. One of the characters, Philippe, is a Black shifter, so you can only imagine what Earnshaw has to say about him.
The worldbuilding is fascinating and surprisingly fleshed out for such a short story. Deeds mixes up all sorts of standard fantasy elements like magical tattoos, shifters, gem magic, even references to the fae (although not in the story, one of the characters has a past experience with them), with bootleggers, grifters, and murder. It’s a great combination that isn’t necessarily unique, but is made better by the characters.
And speaking of characters, I absolutely loved Dolly. She’s a multi-layered character who is full of surprises, which are revealed little by little. Dolly doesn’t have any magic of her own, but that doesn’t stop her from getting what she wants. By the time all the pieces of Dolly’s plan are revealed, I couldn’t help but cheer for her, especially when everyone in the story who deserves it gets their “comeuppance” at the end.
Other favorite characters were Violet, a bootlegger with a heart of gold who only wants to protect her shifter brother, Philippe; Gabe, Philippe’s blind boyfriend who has a gift for creating magical tattoos; and Fiona, who seems at first to be nothing but a flighty socialite but later turns out to have a good amount of grit and a sense of humor.
The ending is delightfully shocking, and Dolly eventually reveals a secret that gives new meaning to the title of the book. I do not know if Marion Deeds is planning to make this a series, but I can say that I would love to follow Dolly on many more adventures.
Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.
What a nice surprise this was! Comeuppance Served Cold is a wonderful mix of magic and Jazz Age elements, a heist story that takes place in 1929 Seattle. Marion Deeds has captured the essence of the era, and I loved her bold female characters who are not about to conform to the wishes of the men who are trying to control them. There is a lot going on for a novella length story, but it was masterfully written with never a dull moment.
Dolly White has come to Seattle in search of a job, and she’s hoping to be hired as a companion to socialite Fiona Earnshaw, a young woman whose drinking and wild ways don’t befit someone who is about to be married, at least according to her father. Helping Fiona is only the first of many things Dolly has come to Seattle to do, though, as the reader is about to find out. During a few short weeks in November of 1929, Dolly will make the acquaintance of a variety of characters, including a bootlegger, a blind tattooist, shape shifters, a couple of star-crossed lovers, and several unsavory men who have no idea just who Dolly is—or what she’s capable of.
The story jumps back and forth from the present to different points in the past, and at first this format was a little confusing, but it didn’t take long to figure out what Deeds was up to. At first we’re presented with a bit of a mystery. An unknown, mask-wearing woman exits a room, leaving a dead body behind. Next we jump back in time a couple of weeks to Dolly’s job interview. From there, it becomes clear that Dolly herself is the biggest mystery in the story, and as each chapter unfolds, the reader learns exactly what Dolly is up to. This method of storytelling doesn’t always work, but here it mimics the intricate game Dolly is playing and made the story so much better.
The 1929 time period is perfect for the story. Deeds includes period details like a speakeasies and prohibition, but adds magic to the mix with a character who is trying to make magic illegal for the lower classes. He’s also trying to persecute shape shifters, who in his eyes aren’t much better than animals. I’ve always loved mysteries set in the 1920s, because there are oh so many opportunities for secrets and lies, and the author uses this to her advantage by populating her story with characters who don’t always tell the truth.
Also true to the time period is the elitist attitude the rich have towards anyone considered to be “lesser” than them. Ambrose Earnshaw, the Commissioner of Magic, is a terrible man who has something nasty to say about anyone he considers beneath him, including Dolly, who has deliberately worn mended clothing to her interview in order to throw off her employer. His dialog smacks of racism, not only when talking about people of color, but his attitudes towards shifters. One of the characters, Philippe, is a Black shifter, so you can only imagine what Earnshaw has to say about him.
The worldbuilding is fascinating and surprisingly fleshed out for such a short story. Deeds mixes up all sorts of standard fantasy elements like magical tattoos, shifters, gem magic, even references to the fae (although not in the story, one of the characters has a past experience with them), with bootleggers, grifters, and murder. It’s a great combination that isn’t necessarily unique, but is made better by the characters.
And speaking of characters, I absolutely loved Dolly. She’s a multi-layered character who is full of surprises, which are revealed little by little. Dolly doesn’t have any magic of her own, but that doesn’t stop her from getting what she wants. By the time all the pieces of Dolly’s plan are revealed, I couldn’t help but cheer for her, especially when everyone in the story who deserves it gets their “comeuppance” at the end.
Other favorite characters were Violet, a bootlegger with a heart of gold who only wants to protect her shifter brother, Philippe; Gabe, Philippe’s blind boyfriend who has a gift for creating magical tattoos; and Fiona, who seems at first to be nothing but a flighty socialite but later turns out to have a good amount of grit and a sense of humor.
The ending is delightfully shocking, and Dolly eventually reveals a secret that gives new meaning to the title of the book. I do not know if Marion Deeds is planning to make this a series, but I can say that I would love to follow Dolly on many more adventures.
Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.
March 23, 2022
A delightful fantasy noir channeling both the witty and hardboiled sides of Dashiell Hammett's literary coin, Marion Deeds' Comeuppance Served Cold depicts a Prohibition-era Seattle controlled by rival magicians, and an industrious thief, newly arrived in town, with a heist in mind that will set it all to fall like dominoes. Readers may see some similarities with a current series of wizard-centric films set between World Wars, and fans of that series will certainly enjoy this, but Deeds' slim volume's intricate attention to worldbuilding, diversity, and pace reveals this as the superior product. And the mansions, speakeasies, and haberdasheries of old Seattle make for wonderful settings as the plot unfurls and the characters chew through the scenery with dialogue recalling Hammett's The Thin Man. If I am to level a single criticism at Comeuppance Served Cold, it's that the novel felt a bit like a well-written pilot to a TV show, leaving me wanting more. Hopefully, this becomes a series.
March 18, 2022
I'm so sad I didn't love this one. I really expected to, because after all, it was a heist novel. I love heists. I love watching everything tie together, and I love the cast of characters they bring
But this one just didn't manage to pull it off. The characters formed into a blob, and the plot tried to do wayyyy too much. The timelines were a mess. Instead of it being fun to watch together, I spent the entire time confused. The timeline wasn't linear, and although that can be fun in some cases, it didn't work too well in this one.
I can see why some people will love this (short, fun read), but it just wasn't my thing. I went into it expecting one thing, and it didn't deliver well enough for my tastes.
Thanks to Turn the Page Tours for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
But this one just didn't manage to pull it off. The characters formed into a blob, and the plot tried to do wayyyy too much. The timelines were a mess. Instead of it being fun to watch together, I spent the entire time confused. The timeline wasn't linear, and although that can be fun in some cases, it didn't work too well in this one.
I can see why some people will love this (short, fun read), but it just wasn't my thing. I went into it expecting one thing, and it didn't deliver well enough for my tastes.
Thanks to Turn the Page Tours for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
January 21, 2024
3.5
I love historical fantasy, and I love magical heists even more! This had both, so there was really no way I wasn’t going to enjoy this book.
Taking place in 1920s Seattle, this novella has speakeasies, racial tension, gender stereotypes, corrupt government organizations, homophobia, and class differences mixed in with magic, shapeshifting, and charmed artifacts.
There was a pretty large cast of characters for such a short novella, and there were multiple agendas and storylines going on. I never got them mistaken, but I do wish we’d gotten more backstory and detail about the magical systems and characters. The story felt a bit rushed and messy at times because of this. Otherwise, though, I quite enjoyed the book and would gladly read others in the same world if ever there are more!
April 28, 2022
Good book. Missing a star because..wth was that ending?!??! I feel like I missed an entire book or at least some chapters at the end of the book. The rest was perfectly fine.
August 11, 2022
"I saw your name in the Star-Invocation this morning. Violet Solomon."
"Mr Earnshaw's latest opinion piece." Violet said. "He must have been in a good mood. He only called me a 'dissolute temptress'. Last time it was 'vicious negress of dubious intelligence', although he didn't use my name that time."
"He's quite the admirer."
"Oh, yes." — Dolly White and Violet Solomon (p.114)
Warnings: The author herself provides a list of warnings be aware in an author's note. "This book contains instances of patriarchal, racist, and ableist violence, both verbal and physical." It is a broad disclaimer but all relevant, for those who need it stated explicitly there is an attempted sexual assault.
Comeuppance Served Cold is an engaging and well-written heist story, starting at the end and it jumps through time following two women until it reaches the end again. This is a female lead story, the women call the shots, use their power and own their situations. There are two male characters aiding the women both are minorities, both are gay, one, Philippe is coloured (his words) and the other, Gabriel is blind. The antagonists are both male and as complex as they can be, everything is a matter of perspective. It is only a short book but it is divided up into three parts, Orphan (pp. 12-82), Grifter (pp. 84-134) and Changeling (pp. 132-187). There are of course meanings to these names, meanings that become apparent as you read and I won't spoil them here. But everything comes back to the prologue.
The two lead characters, the two who share the narration are Dolly White and Violet Solomon, a thief lady's companion and the owner of a speakeasy. Dolly is a woman of mystery, she shows herself as she feels she needs to for the moment. She is working an angle and knows how to get what she wants, what buttons to push, and how to present herself properly in a situation (I present to you Trevor the male escort). She has a repeated line... "Does that bother you?"
"Few things bother me, and that's not one of them." (Gabriel and Dolly, p.113) Dolly is also a very accepting woman, though she does have lines. Violet is a savvy woman who wants nothing more than the head of the man who killed her husband, Pedro Avila y Lopez. That he tried to kill her brother and his love is secondary. That he nearly killed her is barely a blip on her radar. Knowing who killed Pedro is one thing, proving it is a whole other thing, let alone getting revenge. one way she has gone about getting some revenge is opening her speakeasy.
Other characters that should be noted. Philippe Solomon, is Violet's older brother and a shape-shifter. His animal is a swamp puma/ cougar. I appreciate the shifter lore, we see Philippe in his animal form and he is so much more animal than human when he is in that form. So few could get through to him, one of these is his love (and mate) blind tattooist Gabriel. Gabriel is handled with grace, I really like his character design and the lore around his tattoos. Gabe's eyesight loss comes with a story, it was a price paid in a magical deal with an infamous tool, his tattoo needles. Fiona is a smart enough creation. Her love story and complicity in all around her are endearing, it empowers her. I do kinda feel bad for Tony, Fiona's fiancee. It may have been hard for women but it must have been harder for queer men of status.
The plot is an unravelling of how Dolly got where she did. It is actually a fairly simple plot, if it was told in a linear manner it would be almost boring. But the way Deeds has chosen to wind details and players in makes it readable and engaging. The characters are used well and are diverse. The racism subplot doesn't feel out of place. What it is necessary to remember while reading is the time that the book is set in, 1929. Judge it in its time frame for bootlegging, racism and social structures. The writing is perfect for this time. It is all just so pretty and powerful. Not for everyone but I think those to whom the blurb appeals or who have an interest in the heist genre would probably appreciate it.
Finishing with my usual dump of quotes
• "Miss White, I must warn you off my brother."
"Fiona!" Francis straightened up. Honestly! Miss White may be poor. That's no reason to treat her like a gold digger!"
"My warning is for her," — (Fiona and Francis, p.22) Francis is a creep. And his ability to veil himself in shadows makes it so, so worse. nuf said. Daddy dearest's enabling, saying he is just playing is patriarchal bull***t.
• "We're going nowhere. Once you're out of here, they'll leave us alone."
Pedro lowered his gaze "You can't count on that. They aren't like us, these northern gangsters, they have no honor."
"Honor, you? You won't even marry my girl!" Mama pointed at him. "You, Pedro Avila y Lopez, I curse you, your child"
"Mama, no!" Violet said. — (Camille, Pedro and Violet, pp.42-43) I wanted to mention Camille Soloman, Philippe and Violet's mother. There is a story here but I love the one scene we see of her. There is nothing as intimidating as a pissed-off mother of colour. Their Aunt Lily is just as brilliant with the line. "Don't you 'Tia Lily' me, you hooligan! What have you brought down on us?" (Lily, p.42).
• Every society wife knew about this shop or one like it. Sometimes even wealthy families fell on hard times, and sometimes last year's clothes were not given to servants but taken and sold to someone whose watchword was discretion. Sometimes the family fortune was intact but a society wife or daughter had a bootlegger to pay off, an important medical potion to procure, or a special friend to keep in jeweled cuff links and fine shoes. — (Dolly, p.85) There is something timeless and feministic about this. The recognition that women take lovers as well and will, of course, make sacrifices for them and abortions would be necessary.
• "I... Fiona is like a daughter to me. If you harm her..."
"Yes, I know how much your set values its daughters. Fiona will be unharmed." — (Mr. Lester and Dolly, p.108) I know it's not how it was meant to be read but I read this with such disdain. Dolly honestly doesn't intend on hurting Fiona. But the high social set in this canon does not respect their daughters as anything other than political pawns.
• The bartender stared in her direction as she walked back to the bar, but he wasn't watching her, he was watching Gabe. Whatever the tattooist felt for him, it was reciprocated. Dancing on the edge of a volcano, those two. — (Dolly, p.113) I love this mostly for the last line, dancing on the edge of a volcano. It is such a brilliant way to describe blinding, undeniable chemistry.
"Do you care for him?"
"I do. We're friends. We just... don't love each other. Think of us as the children of two royal families, cementing a political alliance."
"That's medieval," Dolly said.
"That's Seattle," Fiona said, "at least for magical families. Daddy believes strongly that we must marry and produce children so the affinities are not lost." — Dolly White and Fiona Earnshaw (pp.67-68)
Read for QBD Reading Challenge 2022. Filling the prompt: "A Book With a Three World Title"
When I was trying to fill this prompt I really wanted to use a book that didn't use an article (a, an or the) as one of them.Comeuppance Served Cold definitely suits that and isn't exactly my usual thing. I will also promote the hell out of anything that is female lead. 😁
A representative gif:
April 18, 2022
Mon avis en Français
My English review
I love novels set in the 1930s, so it didn’t take me long to get into this one. And then if you add mages to the story? Yes, it’s impossible to resist.
An influential mage in town is looking for someone to get his life back on track. It’s a win-win for our heroine, Dolly White, who is looking to join his house. Dolly is not the only character we follow, but she is the main one. We don’t know what connects all the characters, but little by little, with a timeline that is not linear from one chapter to another, we discover who they are to each other.
This type of format was quite intriguing and I had a good time with the characters. It’s a fairly short novel, that we can read very quickly.
March 25, 2022
I had been highly looking forward to this book, but I found myself disappointed by it.
I believe the issue with my review here is that I don’t necessarily think the book is bad–it just wasn’t for me.
I found the narrative style to be too weak on actual narrative and too strong on descriptions, which is something I dislike in a book because it can easily lean from necessary descriptors into purple prose. The non-linear time frame is something that usually works for me in novels (I greatly enjoy them, actually), but in this novel it grated on my nerves as I felt myself getting bored with the stop-and-go of the book. Every time there was another break in the time frame filled with telling me exposition I sighed heavily and wondered how much longer I had to go in the book. Since this book is less than 200 pages, that isn’t a good thing.
I did, however, greatly enjoy the characters and the overall premise. I just wish it made up for the rest of the book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for early access to this title in exchange for a fair and honest review. As per personal policy, since this review is rated 3 stars the review will not be appearing on any bookseller sites or on social media.
I believe the issue with my review here is that I don’t necessarily think the book is bad–it just wasn’t for me.
I found the narrative style to be too weak on actual narrative and too strong on descriptions, which is something I dislike in a book because it can easily lean from necessary descriptors into purple prose. The non-linear time frame is something that usually works for me in novels (I greatly enjoy them, actually), but in this novel it grated on my nerves as I felt myself getting bored with the stop-and-go of the book. Every time there was another break in the time frame filled with telling me exposition I sighed heavily and wondered how much longer I had to go in the book. Since this book is less than 200 pages, that isn’t a good thing.
I did, however, greatly enjoy the characters and the overall premise. I just wish it made up for the rest of the book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for early access to this title in exchange for a fair and honest review. As per personal policy, since this review is rated 3 stars the review will not be appearing on any bookseller sites or on social media.
February 7, 2022
This is the rare occasion of me being like "it's too short", but some of the world-building was done via info dump (and it's pretty complicated world-building) and I wish some of the many many many fantastical elements had more of a change to breathe/be introduced more organically. Also, like, it's pretty easy to figure out how our heist is going to play out. Otherwise, it's fun! I liked the setting (1929 Seattle), the characters had distinct voices and were interesting (though I wish we got to spend more time with some of them) and it's something of a heist, which, who doesn't love a heist! Recommended to those who like a "fantastical mystery" sort of deal (so like, if you like Charlaine Harris, Jim Butcher, etc., you'll probably like this). 3 stars.
Thanks to Netgalley and Tor for the eARC which I received in exchange for an unbiased review.
Thanks to Netgalley and Tor for the eARC which I received in exchange for an unbiased review.
November 9, 2022
So thrilled to find a novella that actually tells a novella sized story. A fun heist story set in prohibition era Seattle infused with magic. I would love to read more stories in this world if the author ever wrote more
October 1, 2021
I was happy to blurb this book! "This fierce magical heist tale is as smooth as gin and jazz. There’s something beautiful about highly competent characters doing what they do best. What a wild ride!"
September 8, 2023
I absolutely love the title of this quick read. It was a library recommendation and it roped me in from the get go. Marion Deeds has an interesting voice and the story as a whole was unique with some great premises.
Here is what I loved :
a)It was set in my hometown of Seattle in 1929, which translated really to streets and locales…although that does lead to the first mistake that would be really obvious to any local (like me, my parents and my local coworkers), the Bon Marche building may have been completed in 1929, but the wealthy (or any one trying to look posh) would be shopping at Frederick and Nelson’s (all true locals know that).
b)The structure was different and at the same time enjoyable…it starts at the end and then goes back in time in both part one and part two. Each chapter header remarked on the time in reference to a final event.
c)The title, which I already mentioned, and the naming of the parts: part one-Orphan, part two-Grifter and part three-Changeling. (I actually missed the title of part one until I got to part two and saw the Grifter, then went back…and appreciated it.)
d)Interesting concepts like that natural stones could both be used to detect magic (like a hand held metal detector at the airport) and force a shape shifter to shift, using magic for remote detonation or fire in WWI, magick-ing stones to become listening devices, unlicensed magickers, Commission of Magi, and that people who use “mer-magic” might be well suited for ship building and have a propensity to die of a lung condition.
e)Strong and driven female characters.
Some of my favorite quotes:
About grief: “In her mind, she thrashed in a night river, no difference between the starless sky and the water that sucked her down. Voices howled in the distance, and more than anything, she just wanted to stop fighting, to sink and sink.”
“He must have been in a good mood. He only called me a ‘dissolute temptress’. Last time it was ‘vicious negress of dubious intelligence,’ although he didn’t use my name that time.”-Violet (the proprietress of a speakeasy run with a hat shop for a cover)
“The fog carried a metallic smell above the brine of Elliot Bay.”
“Harsh with women. She made it sound as if Francis were a stern disciplinarian, sending disobedient girls to bed without supper.” (He wasn’t, he was an abuser.)
“New York was a place where terrible things happened-some of them had happened to her-but it was also the place where you could make the biggest scores, if you were willing to take a risk, and she always was.”
I think this is a recommendation from me for fantasy readers, particularly those who enjoy both magic and intrigue. It was definitely different, it’s also very short…so might be worth the risk. Thanks King County Librarian!
Here is what I loved :
a)It was set in my hometown of Seattle in 1929, which translated really to streets and locales…although that does lead to the first mistake that would be really obvious to any local (like me, my parents and my local coworkers), the Bon Marche building may have been completed in 1929, but the wealthy (or any one trying to look posh) would be shopping at Frederick and Nelson’s (all true locals know that).
b)The structure was different and at the same time enjoyable…it starts at the end and then goes back in time in both part one and part two. Each chapter header remarked on the time in reference to a final event.
c)The title, which I already mentioned, and the naming of the parts: part one-Orphan, part two-Grifter and part three-Changeling. (I actually missed the title of part one until I got to part two and saw the Grifter, then went back…and appreciated it.)
d)Interesting concepts like that natural stones could both be used to detect magic (like a hand held metal detector at the airport) and force a shape shifter to shift, using magic for remote detonation or fire in WWI, magick-ing stones to become listening devices, unlicensed magickers, Commission of Magi, and that people who use “mer-magic” might be well suited for ship building and have a propensity to die of a lung condition.
e)Strong and driven female characters.
Some of my favorite quotes:
About grief: “In her mind, she thrashed in a night river, no difference between the starless sky and the water that sucked her down. Voices howled in the distance, and more than anything, she just wanted to stop fighting, to sink and sink.”
“He must have been in a good mood. He only called me a ‘dissolute temptress’. Last time it was ‘vicious negress of dubious intelligence,’ although he didn’t use my name that time.”-Violet (the proprietress of a speakeasy run with a hat shop for a cover)
“The fog carried a metallic smell above the brine of Elliot Bay.”
“Harsh with women. She made it sound as if Francis were a stern disciplinarian, sending disobedient girls to bed without supper.” (He wasn’t, he was an abuser.)
“New York was a place where terrible things happened-some of them had happened to her-but it was also the place where you could make the biggest scores, if you were willing to take a risk, and she always was.”
I think this is a recommendation from me for fantasy readers, particularly those who enjoy both magic and intrigue. It was definitely different, it’s also very short…so might be worth the risk. Thanks King County Librarian!
July 5, 2022
On reflection, this is 2.5 stars for me, almost rounded up for a cool world where I would read more stories (so it's in the same boat as Upright Women Wanted), but ultimately rounded down because I just didn't enjoy it much-- I fell asleep between the last two chapters. There are some great ideas here, but the story needed either more POVs or fewer. As it is, there are a lot of half-developed elements that don't feel quite finished, like this is either book two of a series or a series opener that's spending a lot of time setting up characters for future volumes.
On paper, this story does a lot of things I normally like: it's a heist novel with an unusual timeline, starting at a critical moment and then skipping back through the preceding weeks. I'm a sucker for time-skip stuff and think that heist novels are normally a great place to do that, but this one didn't quite land-- instead of working forwards or backwards, the chapters just feel shuffled around in a way that's supposed to produce surprise but just felt clunky and had me constantly asking "wait, when was this bit again?".
The world was great fun, though. The story takes place in the months around the Black Tuesday stock market crash of 1929, which gives it a distinct sense of time and place. We get lots of casual details like "remote fire" and listening-device earshot gems being used in the Great War, which otherwise seems to have played out as expected, but this does feel like a world with magic deeply woven into its fabric. People drink in speakeasies, but they also take drugs cut with blood magic to increase the effects (and suffer accordingly).
However, some of the worldbuilding seems like it's just there because the author liked it, and that bogs the story down. For example, the secondary character Gabe is a blind tattoo artist, which is a cool profession. We learn that the dark-magic tattoo needles he uses took his sight but also show him the shape of the tattoo a person needs. He offers to tattoo our main character, she doesn't take him up on it, and then that conversation never comes back around-- we don't ever see him doing a tattoo during the story, the needles have no further part of play, it's just a sidebar for "isn't this character neat?". I do think his blindness was written well, though. The author pays attention to how he uses his cane and navigates spaces as well as how his friends help make things easier for him in how they arrange their space. I would have liked to see him (or his lover Philippe, or Violet the speakeasy owner) as more of a major player, but all of them get big chunks of backstory to explain why they want to see Earnshaw fall and then seem secondary to Dolly, less members of her crew and more like quirky locals who can help her out but don't do anything serious to surprise her (whether in a positive way or to derail some element of her plans).
All of this could have worked better if Dolly White, our protagonist, had more personality. We know that she's crafty and that her emotions aren't quite as normal, but an arc that gestured at "do I have a human heart" instead manifested as Dolly just having a muted reaction to events and wondering why she's having stomach pain at the thought of betraying a new friend, very predictable "is this an emotion I'm having?" stuff. That new friend, Fiona Earnshaw, also has a potentially good role in the story-- she's a privileged young woman, but she's trapped by her father's control of her money and the family expectations that go with it. She gets a few good scenes, but there's also a late-game "but my brother couldn't really be a bad person" turn that could have gone somewhere intriguing (what are people's incentives to identify with the powerful figures in their lives, how does familial love distort your ideas of safety) but instead stalled out in a few dull conversations.
For me, the joy of a good heist story is seeing how things come together and how they go wrong, all with the extra flourishes of where the reader/viewer was only shown a tiny hint of the larger picture and now sees another layer of the plan. The story doesn't really deliver on that, partly because of the jagged timeline but mostly because things just... go according to plan in a way that was reasonably telegraphed from the dramatic opening scene. Spoilers for specific complaints:
Overall, this story was full (perhaps too full) of great ideas that didn't land... but this is an interesting world and it could have been a great book with about twice the pagecount to let the secondary characters grow and provide more meaningful twists. Novellas just don't have the space for this many subplots, unfortunately.
Content warnings: moderate to severe;
Other recommendations:
-If you're looking specifically for Prohibition-era fantasy that's just a half-twist off from our world (and have a keen appreciation of The Great Gatsby), try The Chosen and the Beautiful.
-If you want to venture out of fantasy and into TV, Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries really delivers on the flash and glamour of this general era-- though Phryne Fisher solves crimes rather than committing them.
On paper, this story does a lot of things I normally like: it's a heist novel with an unusual timeline, starting at a critical moment and then skipping back through the preceding weeks. I'm a sucker for time-skip stuff and think that heist novels are normally a great place to do that, but this one didn't quite land-- instead of working forwards or backwards, the chapters just feel shuffled around in a way that's supposed to produce surprise but just felt clunky and had me constantly asking "wait, when was this bit again?".
The world was great fun, though. The story takes place in the months around the Black Tuesday stock market crash of 1929, which gives it a distinct sense of time and place. We get lots of casual details like "remote fire" and listening-device earshot gems being used in the Great War, which otherwise seems to have played out as expected, but this does feel like a world with magic deeply woven into its fabric. People drink in speakeasies, but they also take drugs cut with blood magic to increase the effects (and suffer accordingly).
However, some of the worldbuilding seems like it's just there because the author liked it, and that bogs the story down. For example, the secondary character Gabe is a blind tattoo artist, which is a cool profession. We learn that the dark-magic tattoo needles he uses took his sight but also show him the shape of the tattoo a person needs. He offers to tattoo our main character, she doesn't take him up on it, and then that conversation never comes back around-- we don't ever see him doing a tattoo during the story, the needles have no further part of play, it's just a sidebar for "isn't this character neat?". I do think his blindness was written well, though. The author pays attention to how he uses his cane and navigates spaces as well as how his friends help make things easier for him in how they arrange their space. I would have liked to see him (or his lover Philippe, or Violet the speakeasy owner) as more of a major player, but all of them get big chunks of backstory to explain why they want to see Earnshaw fall and then seem secondary to Dolly, less members of her crew and more like quirky locals who can help her out but don't do anything serious to surprise her (whether in a positive way or to derail some element of her plans).
All of this could have worked better if Dolly White, our protagonist, had more personality. We know that she's crafty and that her emotions aren't quite as normal, but an arc that gestured at "do I have a human heart" instead manifested as Dolly just having a muted reaction to events and wondering why she's having stomach pain at the thought of betraying a new friend, very predictable "is this an emotion I'm having?" stuff. That new friend, Fiona Earnshaw, also has a potentially good role in the story-- she's a privileged young woman, but she's trapped by her father's control of her money and the family expectations that go with it. She gets a few good scenes, but there's also a late-game "but my brother couldn't really be a bad person" turn that could have gone somewhere intriguing (what are people's incentives to identify with the powerful figures in their lives, how does familial love distort your ideas of safety) but instead stalled out in a few dull conversations.
For me, the joy of a good heist story is seeing how things come together and how they go wrong, all with the extra flourishes of where the reader/viewer was only shown a tiny hint of the larger picture and now sees another layer of the plan. The story doesn't really deliver on that, partly because of the jagged timeline but mostly because things just... go according to plan in a way that was reasonably telegraphed from the dramatic opening scene. Spoilers for specific complaints:
Overall, this story was full (perhaps too full) of great ideas that didn't land... but this is an interesting world and it could have been a great book with about twice the pagecount to let the secondary characters grow and provide more meaningful twists. Novellas just don't have the space for this many subplots, unfortunately.
Content warnings: moderate to severe;
Other recommendations:
-If you're looking specifically for Prohibition-era fantasy that's just a half-twist off from our world (and have a keen appreciation of The Great Gatsby), try The Chosen and the Beautiful.
-If you want to venture out of fantasy and into TV, Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries really delivers on the flash and glamour of this general era-- though Phryne Fisher solves crimes rather than committing them.
March 22, 2022
I really enjoyed this noir-style story. The plot was well done and made sense. I really liked how the different reveals were handled. I do wish there was just a bit more personality in the main character. Overall I would recommend this story to people who like soft fantasy stories and noir.
*Big thank you to Tordotcom books and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for review!*
*Big thank you to Tordotcom books and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for review!*
Read
May 30, 2022Historical-fantasy blends are my favourite genre, and the Roaring 1920's is one of my fav periods, so of course this drew my attention.
What to Expect
Expect a half-heist half-revenge story, told in a somewhat non-linear way (lots of skipping back and forth). The story mostly follows Dolly White, with occasional other points of view, as she gains employment and trust at the Earnshaw family. In between, we get glimpses of magic integrated into society (with government licenses and public prejudices), allusions to more happening (like the world of faery), and a good mix-in with your usual culture of speakeasies and bootleggers.
What I liked
Good setting and world building, nice storytelling techniques and prose, and engaging characters. A quick and entertaining read, that holds a lot of promise.
What to be aware of
I found the world-building at the beginning somewhat heavy-handed and overdone, although that improves quickly. Surprisingly, at the later parts I found it somewhat underdone - not enough of certain aspects (like shifters and faery) that were built up earlier in the novel. One only hopes they will be expanded in future installments.
Due to the time jumps, the story can get a tad confusing in the first half (until your understanding of characters and events cements), and I found the ending somewhat anti-climatic as Deeds skips around too quickly over what events are building towards and what I feel should have been the intense climax. It's a good technique, but falls shy of the mark in execution.
Felix's Review
Felix enjoyed the novel. Though his specialty is solving crimes, he certainly has no moral qualms with being the servant of revenge and dipping his hands in the occasional safe. He certainly isn't a fan of any abusive authority figures, so applauds Ms White on her efforts and choices. He thinks she'll be a good resource to keep in touch with, even if he'll never fully trust her.
Summary
There's a lot going for this novel, and (as much as I hate such comments) I think the issues are more with the editor than with the author. Certainly one to read for lovers of the period and the historical-fantasy genre, with hopes that there will be sequels and that Deeds will get into her stride.
Enjoying the reviews, but wondering who the heck is that Felix fellow? Glad you asked! He's the protagonist of the Togas, Daggers, and Magic series, an historical-fantasy blend of a paranormal detective on the background of ancient Rome.
Assaph Mehr, author of Murder In Absentia: A story of Togas, Daggers, and Magic - for lovers of Ancient Rome, Murder Mysteries, and Urban Fantasy.
What to Expect
Expect a half-heist half-revenge story, told in a somewhat non-linear way (lots of skipping back and forth). The story mostly follows Dolly White, with occasional other points of view, as she gains employment and trust at the Earnshaw family. In between, we get glimpses of magic integrated into society (with government licenses and public prejudices), allusions to more happening (like the world of faery), and a good mix-in with your usual culture of speakeasies and bootleggers.
What I liked
Good setting and world building, nice storytelling techniques and prose, and engaging characters. A quick and entertaining read, that holds a lot of promise.
What to be aware of
I found the world-building at the beginning somewhat heavy-handed and overdone, although that improves quickly. Surprisingly, at the later parts I found it somewhat underdone - not enough of certain aspects (like shifters and faery) that were built up earlier in the novel. One only hopes they will be expanded in future installments.
Due to the time jumps, the story can get a tad confusing in the first half (until your understanding of characters and events cements), and I found the ending somewhat anti-climatic as Deeds skips around too quickly over what events are building towards and what I feel should have been the intense climax. It's a good technique, but falls shy of the mark in execution.
Felix's Review
Felix enjoyed the novel. Though his specialty is solving crimes, he certainly has no moral qualms with being the servant of revenge and dipping his hands in the occasional safe. He certainly isn't a fan of any abusive authority figures, so applauds Ms White on her efforts and choices. He thinks she'll be a good resource to keep in touch with, even if he'll never fully trust her.
Summary
There's a lot going for this novel, and (as much as I hate such comments) I think the issues are more with the editor than with the author. Certainly one to read for lovers of the period and the historical-fantasy genre, with hopes that there will be sequels and that Deeds will get into her stride.
Enjoying the reviews, but wondering who the heck is that Felix fellow? Glad you asked! He's the protagonist of the Togas, Daggers, and Magic series, an historical-fantasy blend of a paranormal detective on the background of ancient Rome.
Assaph Mehr, author of Murder In Absentia: A story of Togas, Daggers, and Magic - for lovers of Ancient Rome, Murder Mysteries, and Urban Fantasy.
March 26, 2022
Originally published at Reading Reality
This story opens at the close. Literally. It begins at the end, then works its way backwards, just like all the best caper stories. Which this most definitely is.
When we first meet Dolly White, she is leaving the scene of the crime she has just committed, wearing a mask that allows her to appear as the man she has just framed for that crime. We don’t really know who she is, or more importantly why she has just gone to all this trouble to set this man up, why she wants to bring him down, or what led both of them to the place she has just left.
We just know it’s going to be fascinating.
The story moves backwards, inexorably, until we know who Dolly White is – as much as anyone ever does – and why it was so extremely necessary that Francis Earnshaw get his just desserts. His comeuppance. And why and how the mysterious Dolly White turned out to be the instrument of so many people’s justice.
Escape Rating A-: This one is a lot of fun, especially for readers who have been wondering where urban fantasy went. Because this feels a lot like it, to the point where I’m starting to wonder if the genre isn’t coming back with a slightly historical twist under the “gaslamp” moniker.
There’s also just a bit of Seanan McGuire’s Wayward Children here. Dolly White, or Comeuppance Rather as she was named at birth, seems to be one of those Wayward Children who came back from wherever her door took her and either never found it again, or never looked for it again. As this story takes place in 1929, it’s considerably before Miss West opened her school, and Dolly/Comeuppance seems to have the nightmares and missing pieces to fit her right into that series.
Dolly is also the Tin Man. She isn’t certain that the fae didn’t take her heart when they abducted her as a child. She’s certain she doesn’t have one now. Not even when she feels like it’s breaking.
Comeuppance Served Cold sits on that uneasy border between fantasy and historical mystery. The setting is Seattle in 1929, just as the Great Depression is about to rain on EVERYONE’s parade. The magic added to the setting is a fascinating, darkly sparkling gloss on the story, but this didn’t HAVE to be fantasy. All the elements would work just as well in a historical thriller, as the story is about rich men behaving very badly and using money, influence and lies to slither out from under the consequences. Only to have someone they don’t expect exert some surprising leverage. And comeuppance.
The magic makes the explicit commentary about rich people, abuse, political shenanigans and misdirection a bit easier to swallow. And also sucks the reader in and makes everything just that bit more fascinating.
So if you’re looking for a little bit of magical sparkle to liven up your historical thrillers, Comeuppance Served Cold is a lovely, chilly little treat. Especially as it feels like the opening to a series. Which would be especially magical.
This story opens at the close. Literally. It begins at the end, then works its way backwards, just like all the best caper stories. Which this most definitely is.
When we first meet Dolly White, she is leaving the scene of the crime she has just committed, wearing a mask that allows her to appear as the man she has just framed for that crime. We don’t really know who she is, or more importantly why she has just gone to all this trouble to set this man up, why she wants to bring him down, or what led both of them to the place she has just left.
We just know it’s going to be fascinating.
The story moves backwards, inexorably, until we know who Dolly White is – as much as anyone ever does – and why it was so extremely necessary that Francis Earnshaw get his just desserts. His comeuppance. And why and how the mysterious Dolly White turned out to be the instrument of so many people’s justice.
Escape Rating A-: This one is a lot of fun, especially for readers who have been wondering where urban fantasy went. Because this feels a lot like it, to the point where I’m starting to wonder if the genre isn’t coming back with a slightly historical twist under the “gaslamp” moniker.
There’s also just a bit of Seanan McGuire’s Wayward Children here. Dolly White, or Comeuppance Rather as she was named at birth, seems to be one of those Wayward Children who came back from wherever her door took her and either never found it again, or never looked for it again. As this story takes place in 1929, it’s considerably before Miss West opened her school, and Dolly/Comeuppance seems to have the nightmares and missing pieces to fit her right into that series.
Dolly is also the Tin Man. She isn’t certain that the fae didn’t take her heart when they abducted her as a child. She’s certain she doesn’t have one now. Not even when she feels like it’s breaking.
Comeuppance Served Cold sits on that uneasy border between fantasy and historical mystery. The setting is Seattle in 1929, just as the Great Depression is about to rain on EVERYONE’s parade. The magic added to the setting is a fascinating, darkly sparkling gloss on the story, but this didn’t HAVE to be fantasy. All the elements would work just as well in a historical thriller, as the story is about rich men behaving very badly and using money, influence and lies to slither out from under the consequences. Only to have someone they don’t expect exert some surprising leverage. And comeuppance.
The magic makes the explicit commentary about rich people, abuse, political shenanigans and misdirection a bit easier to swallow. And also sucks the reader in and makes everything just that bit more fascinating.
So if you’re looking for a little bit of magical sparkle to liven up your historical thrillers, Comeuppance Served Cold is a lovely, chilly little treat. Especially as it feels like the opening to a series. Which would be especially magical.
May 6, 2023
My theory is that Marion Deeds wrote this novella to make us feel like we're high on shimmer-shim. Oh, you don't know what that is? Don't worry. Pick up the book and start reading. After the first few pages, you might roll your eyes thinking you know exactly where this is going. Keep reading. Don't stop even when you realise nothing makes sense, when the timeline is nonlinear, when your head hurts and the room is spinning. At the halfway mark, gather your bearings. You finally feel a bit steadier. You start to feel arrogant again and believe you can keep up with the twists and turns. You think you know where this is going. You congratulate yourself for being smart. You are wrong.
I read this in a couple of hours. I have no idea what the story is about. Yes, there's a heist. And murder. There's fae folk....and fairy magic? And elemental magic? There are also shape-shifters and the Prohibition? Gangsters too? Don't forget about magical tattoos and a main character that we don't know anything about. The story is a combination of TMI and Go Girl Give Us Nothing.
I'm sorry if you're reading my review to decide whether to pick this book up. I genuinely don't know if this is a good or a bad story. It's the kind of book that gives you an okay vibe. You already know how you'll rate it before you're done with it.
It was unhinged enough to keep me reading, even though I did get bored several times and by the time I finished I felt like I was in a haze. I don't regret picking this up and I have a suspicion it might go over better on a second read.
Recommended to anyone who wants a headache or is looking to capture the feeling of "Wtf did I just read?".
Please enjoy!
I read this in a couple of hours. I have no idea what the story is about. Yes, there's a heist. And murder. There's fae folk....and fairy magic? And elemental magic? There are also shape-shifters and the Prohibition? Gangsters too? Don't forget about magical tattoos and a main character that we don't know anything about. The story is a combination of TMI and Go Girl Give Us Nothing.
I'm sorry if you're reading my review to decide whether to pick this book up. I genuinely don't know if this is a good or a bad story. It's the kind of book that gives you an okay vibe. You already know how you'll rate it before you're done with it.
It was unhinged enough to keep me reading, even though I did get bored several times and by the time I finished I felt like I was in a haze. I don't regret picking this up and I have a suspicion it might go over better on a second read.
Recommended to anyone who wants a headache or is looking to capture the feeling of "Wtf did I just read?".
Please enjoy!
December 13, 2022
This is a great heist/mystery/revenge novel set in the Jazz Age in Seattle, WA. I particularly enjoyed the storytelling style, where we start (nearly) at the end of the story and then the book's timeline jumps backward until we can see the full measure of the plot. It was masterfully done—several times I thought I knew what was going on, only to have a switch pulled so that the resolution was something other than what I had expected. Even though there were multiple twists, though, I never felt like the author was trying to pull a fast one or just add a twist for the sake of a "gotcha" moment. This really worked for me, and I loved it.
One warning, though, for those who like heist novels: this *is* a heist novel, but very little of the storyline is actually dedicated to the heist itself. More of the plot surrounds the mystery behind how the person (or people, I'll leave that for you to decide which is more appropriate) gets away with the job. It worked for me, because I was caught up in the mystery and the character development, but if what you're looking for is a detailed description of how the job is done this might not be the book you're looking for. (I would venture to say it is worth reading anyway, just adjust your expectations.)
I loved how vivid the jazz age setting was, and how realistic all of the characters felt even though they came from such different backgrounds. While it feels very much like a standalone novella, I would be happy to read another story featuring the main character... either with what they get up to in the future, or what happened in the past to bring them to this point in life.
One warning, though, for those who like heist novels: this *is* a heist novel, but very little of the storyline is actually dedicated to the heist itself. More of the plot surrounds the mystery behind how the person (or people, I'll leave that for you to decide which is more appropriate) gets away with the job. It worked for me, because I was caught up in the mystery and the character development, but if what you're looking for is a detailed description of how the job is done this might not be the book you're looking for. (I would venture to say it is worth reading anyway, just adjust your expectations.)
I loved how vivid the jazz age setting was, and how realistic all of the characters felt even though they came from such different backgrounds. While it feels very much like a standalone novella, I would be happy to read another story featuring the main character... either with what they get up to in the future, or what happened in the past to bring them to this point in life.
April 5, 2022
Received a copy for review from the publisher.
This was a pretty interesting quick read. I enjoyed the characters and plot line a lot. Going with a 4.5 star rating for this one. I enjoyed the world. I think the atmosphere was amazing. Definitely gave off that noir kind of vibe.
I enjoyed Dolly and how bold she was. She was authentic from start to finish and deadly. The way she handled herself against those men was insane. Fiona was an okay character. She was a hurt daughter who knew only how to lash out against her father and brother. Violet was a cool character as well. I like how she kept working even when Mr. Earnshaw kept coming for her, plus she was black!!
Mr. Earnshaw and his son Francis were the epitome of twisted men! I couldn't stand either one of them. I wished they had real consequences for their actions, but in dealing with Dolly I guess it was good enough.
The magic was simple. I wish there was more to it, but it was good enough for me to enjoy. Overall, this was a fun read and I look forward to reading more from Marion.
This was a pretty interesting quick read. I enjoyed the characters and plot line a lot. Going with a 4.5 star rating for this one. I enjoyed the world. I think the atmosphere was amazing. Definitely gave off that noir kind of vibe.
I enjoyed Dolly and how bold she was. She was authentic from start to finish and deadly. The way she handled herself against those men was insane. Fiona was an okay character. She was a hurt daughter who knew only how to lash out against her father and brother. Violet was a cool character as well. I like how she kept working even when Mr. Earnshaw kept coming for her, plus she was black!!
Mr. Earnshaw and his son Francis were the epitome of twisted men! I couldn't stand either one of them. I wished they had real consequences for their actions, but in dealing with Dolly I guess it was good enough.
The magic was simple. I wish there was more to it, but it was good enough for me to enjoy. Overall, this was a fun read and I look forward to reading more from Marion.
March 21, 2022
Told non-linearly with multiple POVs, Comeuppance Served Cold is a fascinating historical fantasy novella set in 1929 Seattle. In this version of Seattle, magic is becoming increasingly regulated against the backdrop of Prohibition.
The cast of characters is slowly revealed as the novella begins with the heavy implication that they all are hiding bits and pieces. This is one of the novel/novellas that works better when you don’t know too much about the plot, as the plot and characters become clearer as the story goes on. I also wouldn’t mind more books or novellas about this cast of characters – there’s a lot of mystery surrounding some past exploits and some room for some future adventures.
I really enjoyed this quirky mystery. Comeuppance Served Cold kept taking me by surprise whether it was a new piece of the past, a new character development, or a new insight about the setting.
Many thanks to Tor Dot Com for a NetGalley eARC and Turn the Page Tours for inclusion on the Comeuppance Served Cold Book Tour.
Full Tour Stop will be on my blog and Instagram on 3/24
The cast of characters is slowly revealed as the novella begins with the heavy implication that they all are hiding bits and pieces. This is one of the novel/novellas that works better when you don’t know too much about the plot, as the plot and characters become clearer as the story goes on. I also wouldn’t mind more books or novellas about this cast of characters – there’s a lot of mystery surrounding some past exploits and some room for some future adventures.
I really enjoyed this quirky mystery. Comeuppance Served Cold kept taking me by surprise whether it was a new piece of the past, a new character development, or a new insight about the setting.
Many thanks to Tor Dot Com for a NetGalley eARC and Turn the Page Tours for inclusion on the Comeuppance Served Cold Book Tour.
Full Tour Stop will be on my blog and Instagram on 3/24
June 2, 2022
This is a clever, short book; so clever, in fact, that I can't get rid of the conviction that I feel like I don't quite understand what happened. It starts with a little two-page scene of a young woman finding a body and getting a taxicab; then, after that, the chapter headings are marked with a date in 1929 and parenthetical notations such as "thirteen days before." This is clever, but I feel that there was a lot of skipping around with the dates and that was a little confusing. I enjoyed the setting, mostly Seattle in 1929, and the characters, and the atmosphere was wonderful. The way the story and the characters' motivations unfolded kept me reading, waiting with bated breath for the reveal. However, there is never a big reveal moment, the backstory unfolds so gradually it's impossible to put a finger on any big turning point. I love this but I am unclear about exactly what happened and why. I could read it again, I guess. Maybe I will, later.
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