Genevieve Cogman continues her successful run of consistently turning out a delightful adventure with magic and action. In The Mortal Word there is a little change of pace from earlier books in the first half of the book, as it reads strongly like a Sherlock Holmes or Agatha Christie mystery with interrogations, interviews, and investigations; this is more measured pacing than usual. The action accelerates in the latter half of the book with Irene pivoting from crisis to crisis with grit and ingenuity. Spending time with Irene and listening to her internal commentary and asides is a pleasure.

Although the publisher’s note suggests that this can be read as a stand-alone book, I strongly discourage that, as an uninitiated reader would be completely lost. In fact, I had a couple of years gap since I read The Lost Plot and because there is no backstory in Ms. Cogman’s book (which in concept I appreciate), I was struggling to remember finer details and find my literary footing.

This is a fabulous series for anyone who likes magic, action, adventure, world-building, and top-notch characters. Yes, this series has it all!

Content Analysis:

Profanity/Language: 2 religious profanities; 17 mild obscenities; 3 derogatory names; 1 scatological word.

Violence/Gore: Report of a murder (details discussed throughout the book as investigation proceeds); murder scene briefly described with a stain of blood on the carpet; report/sounds of torture in a dungeon; struggle using magic resulting in knocking individuals unconscious ; verbal threat/promise of death/torture; character stabbed with knife, mention of blood; character knocked unconscious and bound; character held at gunpoint; verbal threats of torture; female slaps male across the face; rumors a character bathes in the blood of virgins (referred to several times); reference to folklore about devil worship; character tries to kill another with magic/ice; reports of deaths and how people were killed; character sees tools of torture; reference to theater that stages horror; struggle and character is hit in crotch; threats to kill/maim; scene in which animals gnaw off their own limbs so they can attack; struggle involving magic and electric shock; character knocked unconscious; extended climatic battle scene in which there is shooting, fighting, damage of property, magic used by a character until they begin coughing blood due to strain.

Sex/Nudity: Character thinks about/implies interest in progressing intimacy with another character (fleeting thought); male character embraces a female character and kisses forehead; innuendo; reference to theater where women lose their clothing; character passionately kisses another; character desires another (thought of); suggestion/order that someone seduce someone; characters sleep together (no details, it is just clear it happened the next morning); character naked and wraps self in thin robe and bedding sheet; character strokes wrist; reference to library section that contains erotica and pornography; character attempts to seduce/blackmail another.

Mature Subject Matter:

Betrayal, murder, death, politics.

Alcohol/Drug Use:

Adults drink alcohol in various social and private settings; cigarette smoking; chloroform used on individuals. character poisoned; gas; brandy enchanted and poured onto animals.