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Unseen (Rath and Rune, 2)
By Jordan L. Hawk
Published by the author, 2020
Four stars

Widdershins knows its own, a theme that worked as well for the original Widdershins series as it does for this one. This strange, magic-soaked city in Massachusetts, has drawn seekers of magic since its founding in the 17th century. Its old families are rich and corrupt, and sometimes evil, but always arrogant. Underneath a veneer of civility, darkness seethes. Much of the city’s complexity seems to be at home in the Ladysmith Museum and its labyrinthine library, where Sebastian Rath works as an archivist, and Vesper Rune as a binder.

The gruesome story that unfolds in this second book of the series continues Sebastian and Vesper’s quest to find and neutralize four sinister books made from the bodies of four magical siblings. Sebastian is already bound to one of those books—something he did in order to save the people he loves and possibly the city itself. Vesper, for all his semi-monstrous power, has no clue about these books. He and his even more monstrous little brother, Nocturn, only know that they have been pawns in a magical game all their lives, and have found shelter and family in Widdershins.

The people who start turning up dead seem to be tied to one of the old families. Then people who should be dead start turning up alive.

Hawk has a wonderful way of setting the stage and playing out the yarn of her storyline. At the warm center of this increasingly creepy tale is the love Sebastian feels for Vesper—a love that promises to save these two young men from the dark magic that swirls around them. The Rath family seem to be a bright light for the Rune siblings, but it becomes clear that there will be no easy road to happiness and safety.

Fast-paced, and with the appealing steampunk quality of early-20th-century America as a backdrop, this is a gripping page-turner, and an enticing continuation of what will surely be another epic series.