A Case of Possession ( A Charm of Magpies #2) by K. J. Charles

Today I have a review for a wonderful ebook that I have been chomping at the bit to read.  I loved The Magpie Lord (the first book in the series) and I bought this second book almost as soon as it came out.  Here's the cover and blurb:

Magic in the blood. Danger in the streets.

A Charm of Magpies, Book 2

Lord Crane has never had a lover quite as elusive as Stephen Day. True, Stephen’s job as justiciar requires secrecy, but the magician’s disappearing act bothers Crane more than it should. When a blackmailer threatens to expose their illicit relationship, Crane knows a smart man would hop the first ship bound for China. But something unexpectedly stops him. His heart.

Stephen has problems of his own. As he investigates a plague of giant rats sweeping London, his sudden increase in power, boosted by his blood-and-sex bond with Crane, is rousing suspicion that he’s turned warlock. With all eyes watching him, the threat of exposure grows. Stephen could lose his friends, his job and his liberty over his relationship with Crane. He’s not sure if he can take that risk much longer. And Crane isn’t sure if he can ask him to.

The rats are closing in, and something has to give…

Warning: Contains m/m sex (on desks), blackmail, dark pasts, a domineering earl, a magician on the edge, vampire ghosts (possibly), and the giant rats of Sumatra.

I love the way that this series is written!  So lovely!  I really am enjoying this series.  Lord Crane is absolutely adorable in this book when he comes to realize how he truly feels for Stephen.  I loved seeing him work it all out in his mind.  I also appreciated the friendship between Crane and Merrick that allowed Merrick to tell the Earl what he did not want to hear but NEEDED to hear.  It was a great friendship moment.  Leo Hart was also an interesting character to watch interact with Lord Crane.  She has a lot of depth and has lived a hard life.  She makes some tough choices in this book.  I thought that the scenes between Stephen and his partner were pretty great as well.  They truly love one another and are friends if not really family.  All in all, this book was a lovely sequel to Magpie Lord and I thought it really built the world.  I wonder what else K. J. Charles has in store for us!

Click here to find A Case of Possession on Goodreads.  You can also find it on Amazon.  You can find author K. J. Charles on her blog and on Twitter.  I give A Case of Possession 5 Fairies for a delightfully mysterious historical romance with great characters.