“Richly Drawn Personalities.” I recently received a review for the first book in the Immortal Holmes series from BookLife, and much to my delight, Folk-Spelled was an Editor’s Pick. It’ll appear in an upcoming printing of Publisher’s Weekly, but I thought it’d be nice to share the full review with readers here. If you haven’t picked up Folk-Spelled yet, I hope you will. And if you did … hey! Thanks for your trust!

This gaslit Holmesian steampunk mystery from Forthright (author of the Amaranthine Saga) opens with a scene as cozily inventive as it is tantalizing: in the fog of a reimagined London called Newcomb, in which humans coexist with magical beings called the Folk, a young “badge”—i.e., constable—named Varti encounters a big, lovable hound. As he bends to pet and scruff the happy beast, Varti says, “You look ready to tear my throat out”—it turns out that Forthright’s protagonist suffers under a curse that makes his every utterance a lie, making communication and trust a daily challenge. With a friendship and a mystery established, Folk-Spelled gets down to business. When a series of murders marked by Folk magic shakes the city, Varti’s best friend, Phil Kemp, is assigned the case, while Varti works from the shadows.

… as cozily inventive as it is tantalizing”

Newcomb comes alive with hexagonal streets, spell-cast coins, and communal kitchens called “mothers.” At its heart, the story is driven by Varti and Phil’s friendship, with Phil serving as translator and emotional anchor, while Varti pushes him to see beyond appearances. Alongside them, that mysterious hound, Doggerel, becomes an unlikely but vital ally between “grumpy wuff”s. Fittingly, for a series starter, Varti’s investigation is shaped not only by clues but by a likable cast: Ramage, the flamboyant harpy who runs The Speckled Hen, is his chosen family; Dr. Kang, the pathologist who first diagnosed his curse; and Tybalt, Varti’s friend from the badge academy, offering tough love and unwavering loyalty.

Varti’s investigation is shaped not only by clues but by a likeable cast…”

The case takes a shocking turn when Doggerel’s true nature is revealed—and eventually Sherlock Holmes himself tasks Varti with a surprising investigation. The web of plot threads and character dynamics can feel dense at times, but the richly drawn personalities, slow-burning mystery, and spirited sense of mist-choked fae atmosphere keep the story consistently engaging. A promising series-starter about a truth-seeking liar, a city cloaked in ancient magic, and a detective who distrusts his own mind.

Takeaway: Promising Holmesian series starter, rich with mystery and magic in a transformed London.

Comparable Titles: James Lovegrove’s Cthulhu Casebooks, Natasha Pulley’s The Watchmaker of Filigree Street series.

Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A