The Librarian of Crooked Lane by C.J. Archer

Author of the Glass and Steele series, C.J. Archer brings the first in a new series, The Glass Library, featuring Gabe, a war hero with a secret and Sylvia, a young woman on the search for her past. Sylvia’s mother had moved them from place to place, never talking about her father or past events. When Sylvia finds an entry in her brother’s diary that indicates there might be silver magic in family, she is determined to find out about her family history. She encounters Gabe, a consultant for Scotland Yard, when he is investigating a theft of a magical painting, and together they become embroiled in uncovering the mystery of the missing paintings. When Gabe inadvertently makes Sylvia lose her most recent job as a librarian, he secures her another position in the Glass Library which houses books about magic.

Set in 1920, the author brings the post war period to life. Young women like Sylvia, a journalist during the war, has lost her job now that men have returned from the war, and men like Gabe are suffering from the trauma of the battle scenes. The pace of life is fast, as young people try to put the past behind them and concentrates on having fun.

The pace of the novel is slow, and the mystery of the art heist is interesting, but it is the interaction between the main characters that kept me engaged. The main characters, Syliva and Gabe, Syvia’s best friend Daisy, and the members of the Glass household came alive for me and I will follow up their stories in the next in the series, The Medici Manuscript.

This is a solid introduction to the series and will please fans of the 1920’s historical period, as well as those who enjoy a mystery laced with magic.

Themes: Mystery, Magic, 1920's, Art heist, Books, Libraries.

Pat Pledger