The Fire in the Glass: (The London Charismatics, Book 1)

Written by Jacquelyn Benson

Narrated by Alex Picard

London, 1914. Lily's visions could stop a killer... if she'll trust a reclusive aristocrat with her darkest secret.

A monster stalks the gaslit streets of Edwardian London, draining the blood of the city's mediums. Lily Albright knows who's next.

Lily is plagued by visions of the future she can never change. When a mysterious fiend threatens someone she loves, she's determined this time will be different.

But she can't do it alone. To save a life, Lily must reveal her darkest secrets to someone she has little reason to trust—the reclusive Lord Strangford, a man haunted by his own unusual powers.

From the glittering galleries of Bond Street to the rookeries of Southwark, Lily and Strangford plunge into a dark conspiracy that lies at the heart of England's rising eugenics movement.

To thwart it, Lily must face a past rife with betrayal—and embrace the power she has spent her entire life trying to escape.

First in a gripping historical fantasy series narrated by twenty-year acting veteran Alex Picard.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Vaughan Woods Publishing
• Release date: Nov 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9781959050001

Reviews for The Fire in the Glass

[lilyroseshadowlyn · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Audiobook reviewOverall: 5 out of 5Narration: 5 out of 5Story: 5 out of 5Overall: A great story brought to life by an excellent narrator.Narration: Picard did an excellent job of bringing both the story and characters to life. It was easy to get lost in the story while listening, and really made time fly by. Picard has perfect pacing and cadence, and I didn't need to adjust my listening speed while enjoying this book. It was easy to distinguish which characters were which, and Picard managed to carry their attitudes and emotions through seamlessly. I'd absolutely listen to more books read by this narrator.Story: A great story, with wonderful characters, and a plot that moves along smoothly. I love the addition of a magical world to early 20th century London. I loved Lily from the start, she's smart, strong, and has her own quirks and struggles, but that doesn't make her shy away from a challenge and wanting to help others. Strangford was an interesting character, and I enjoyed getting to know him better as the story unfolded. I won't spoil anything, but this is one fantasy you won't want to miss. I can't wait for the next installment!Disclaimer: I received this audiobook at no-cost from Audiobook Empire. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.

[passion4reading_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Lily Albright has a secret: she has visions of the future, and they have an unfortunate habit of turning into reality, no matter how hard she tries to prevent what she sees from happening. So when she has yet another vision, this time of her friend Estelle, a medium, being murdered, she is determined to change the outcome. For this purpose she enlists the help of others with paranormal abilities. Will she be able to save Estelle?I very much enjoyed Jacquelyn Benson's debut novel, The Smoke Hunter, and was interested to find out what she would come up with next, considering that the publisher had refused to publish a sequel. The Fire in the Glass shares with its predecessor a location (London, England) and an approximate time period (the former takes place in 1914, compared to the latter's setting in 1898), but while the paranormal aspects in The Smoke Hunter are almost incidental to the story, here they take centre stage. The narrative travels along some well-worn tropes, but they are handled and integrated into the story well, so that I found myself sucked into the plot almost despite myself. The two main characters in particular are drawn with care and skill, even if the odd cliché is unavoidable. I finished the novel faster than I expected because I couldn't wait to find out what happened next, and I will definitely be on board for the sequel.Just a shame that there were so many errors to be found that distracted from the enjoyment, including some duplicated text and a major time continuity error, which should have been picked up prior to publication.

[rachdani · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. The synopsis sounded interesting enough, but I didn't know how a murder mystery set in 1914 England would mix with some supernatural elements. It mixes brilliantly. By the time I was a quarter of the way through, I was hooked and couldn't put it down. Lily is a sweet, fiercely independent woman living in a society that is ruled by status and secrets. She has plenty of secrets, but no status to speak of. The result is a character that is stubborn, loyal and deeply likable. When Lily starts trying to prevent a murder she sees in a vision, she doesn't have much hope that she will succeed, but she knows she has to try. She also has no idea what events she will set in motion, or what horrible and painful truths she will uncover along the way, even about herself. The book is fast paced and all around well written. Aside from Lily, the characters are colorful and full of secrets, which turns a good story into a great book. There is murder, hidden agendas, a splash of romance, and through it all Lily discovers just how far she will go to save someone she loves. I can't wait to read the next of Lily's adventures!