Title: Fallen Splendour
Series: The Clearwater Mysteries Book Four
Author: Jackson Marsh
Genre: Mystery, History, Gay
LGBTQ+ Category: Gay
Publisher: Self
Pages: 284
Reviewer: Maryann
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About The Book
“We have his sisters. Involve your catamite, and they will die before the shortest day.”
A kidnapping, a threat and a deadly showdown force Lord Clearwater and his coachman, Andrej, on a secret mission to save two innocent girls. But where are they? The clue to the location is wrapped up in a Tennyson poem, and time is fast running out.
Left at Clearwater House to crack the code, James finds himself with another ominous responsibility when Inspector Adelaide makes an arrest. With his master missing, it falls to the footman to crack the code, fight a court case, and save Archer’s reputation.
With only three days to find the answers, all evidence points to a location known only to Tennyson himself, and an enemy thought dead.
But what if James is wrong?
An interconnected double mystery, Fallen Splendour is the fourth in the Clearwater Mysteries series. The books are best read in order.
The Review
As the promise to spend Christmas at Larkspur grows closer for Silas and Archer, excitement is in the air. Now with a fierce snow storm that has reared down on Clearwater, Viscount Archer receives a strange message from a dead man. He plans his travel to go on a mission to save two girls. He takes James Wright into his confidence and makes him swear not to tell his lover, Silas Hawkins. With a deadly snow storm hindering every mod of travel Archer sets out with Andrej Borysko Yakiv Kolisnychenko, (aka Fecker), to save Silas’ sisters.
With Thomas already at Larkspur, it leaves James and Silas alone at Clearwater. James has to do all he can to try and figure out this twisted poetic message before lives are lost. Even though Archer left a brief message for Silas, one word has left Silas feeling hurt, abandoned and depressed. Unbeknownst to James and Silas there is even a greater problem to come.
With Archer and Andrej on their mission and Thomas in search of a dead man. Silas is facing a danger of his own. It all boils down to a race against time for James who searches for the key to Tennyson’s poem “The Princess”.
So many lessons learned by Archer in this novel. Even though Archer has declared Silas, Thomas, James and Andrej his friends, he realizes he really doesn’t know them. His journey with Andrej is an eye-opener and he now sees Andrej is more than just a loyal friend to Silas and an expert horse handler.
As more pieces of the puzzle from the poem “The Princess” come to light, James’ race against time takes him on a mission that brings him face to face with Lord Alfred Tennyson. I got so wrapped up in this mystery that I downloaded the poem that brings fantasy into the story. “The Clearwater Mysteries” has become one of my favorite historical mystery series. I love this group of men that have come together to form a special bond.
As this story comes to a close it may give off the feeling HFN. There’s still evil lurking and the revenge to destroy Archer, Silas and the men of Clearwater.
Jackson Marsh is a talented writer and delivers another well plotted, chaotic mystery from the 1800’s of England. Besides the action, danger, and moments of emotion, he brings a little fantasy and terror.
The Reviewer
Hi, I’m Maryann, I started life in New York, moved to New Hampshire and in 1965 uprooted again to Sacramento, California. Once I retired I moved to West Palm Beach, Florida in 2011 and just moved back to Sacramento in March of 2018. My son, his wife and step-daughter flew out to Florida and we road tripped back so they got to see sights they have never seen. New Orleans and the Grand Canyon were the highlights.
Now I am back on the west coast again to stay! From a young age Ialways liked to read. I remember going to the library and reading the “Doctor Dolittle” books by Hugh Lofting. Much later on became a big fan of the classics, Edgar Alan Poe, Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker and as time went by Agatha Christie, Ray Bradbury and Stephen Kingand many other authors. My first M/M shifter book I read was written by Jan Irving the “Uncommon Cowboys” series from 2012.
She was the first author I ever contacted and sent an email to letting her know how much I liked this series. Sometime along the way I read “Zero to the Bone”by Jane Seville, I think just about everyone has read this book! As it stands right now I’m really into mysteries, grit, gore and “triggers” don’t bother me. But if a blurb peaks my interest I will read the book. My kindle collection eclectic and over three thousand books and my Audible collection is slowly growing.
I have both the kindle and audible apps on my ipod, ipads, and MAC. So there is never an excuse not to be listening or reading. I joined Goodreads around 2012 and started posting reviews. One day a wonderful lady, Lisa Horan of The Novel Approach, sent me an email to see if I wanted to join her review group. Joining her site was such an eye opener. I got introduce to so many new authors that write for the LGBTQ genre.
Needless to say, it was heart breaking when it ended. But I found a really great site, QRI and it’s right here in Sacramento. Last year at QSAC I actually got to meet Scott Coatsworth, Amy Lane and Jeff Adams.
