I have just finished this book and had to sit for a few minutes to digest what I've just read. Reader I am not ok (in the best way).

The Legacy of Arniston House is the newest instalment in the Edinburgh Nights series and every time I read a new book in this series, I think "this is it, it can't possibly get any better" and oh boy am I proven wrong every time! T.L. Huchu is an absolute master of his craft. In the instalment we follow Ropa after the events of The Mystery at Dunvegan Castle and everything is a bit up in the air and off kilter for Ropa, especially when she discovers people she thought she knew have been keeping secrets and not everyone she holds dear can be trusted.

I absolutely adore Ropa as a main character, she's hilarious, sassy and absolutely suffers no fools, but at the same time she is loyal to a fault and wears her heart on her sleeve. I've said for so much of this year that I've gone off of YA because it often doesn't have the depth or content that I'm looking for but this series has it in droves and this book is no different.

Do yourself a favour, if you haven't picked up The Library of The Dead yet, do it.

I love the way this author writes this dystopian yet magical Edinburgh (and Scotland), it's so hard to find good books based in Scotland (coming from a Scot who's sick of reading them) but T.L. Huchu does the best job of any author I have encountered.

I literally cannot say a bad thing about this book or series, I absolutely love it and sincerely think it is something that a broad selection of readers will love, even if you don't read YA urban fantasy set in Scotland, I'm telling you, you want to read this one!

Thank you to Netgalley for approving me for this book, it is one of my most anticipated reads of the year and I could not wait to get my hands on this.

Creo que la serie Edinburgh Nights es una de las más minusvaloradas de la fantasía actual. Estamos hablando de un futuro distópico entremezclado con la magia más tradicional, luchas por el poder dentro de las escuelas mágicas, personas que pueden contactar con los muertos… vamos un dark academy tan de moda ahora y nadie lo está leyendo… bueno, nadie que yo conozca por que si se sigue publicando está claro que Tor ve el negocio.


En esta cuarta entrega T.L. Huchu hace un esfuerzo muy de agradecer para ir interconectando las novelas anteriores y lo que hemos podido ir entreviendo de la intrahistoria de esta Escocia mágica, de forma que el tapiz que antes veíamos bastante desdibujado comienza a esclarecerse. Y aunque la protagonista principal siga siendo Ropa, no es menos cierto que lo que empieza a conocerse sobre el pasado de su abuela es de lo más apasionante del volumen, junto con lo que se desvela sobre sus padres. ¡Ojo con la sinopsis, que viene cargadita de spoilers!

The Legacy of Arniston House comienza justo donde terminó The Mistery at Dunvegan Castle, con una Ropa que aspira a cambiar su destino con una alianza que en principio podría parecer bastante insólita. Este cambio implica también mudarse de la autocaravana en la que ha crecido llevándose como quien dice a toda su familia a cuestas. Todo parece prometedor, pero ya os podéis imaginar que el desastre espera a la vuelta de la esquina.

Me gusta mucho el tono conspiranoico con el que el autor ha logrado imbuir la novela. Ropa confiaba en su círculo más cercano, pero entre sus decisiones más o menos acertadas y las de los demás, que solo velan por sus propios intereses, se ve atrapada en una dinámica de desconfianza que Huchu maneja a las mil maravillas. Y también ciertas gotas de terror, porque los enemigos cada vez son más temibles y maquiavélicos y está en juego el futuro de la propia Escocia.

No os penséis que el autor ha dejado su crítica social, que está más presente que nunca, dando de paso también un buen golpe al capitalismo y a la avaricia sin fin que es el comienzo de todas las desgracias de este libro y de los anteriores. Estupenda manera de enlazar el pasado y el presente y ver las consecuencias que los actos aparentemente inanes tienen.

Si tengo alguna queja sobre el libro es el gargantuesco cliffhanger con el que acaba, es que dan ganas de ir a Escocia a buscar a T.L. Huchu para acordarse de su familia. Os podéis imaginar que ahora la espera por la quinta entrega va a ser mucho peor que las anteriores, pero os sigo recomendando su lectura, ya que merece mucho la pena.

I discovered the Edinburgh Nights by chance. I actually got the first book second hand from a friend who didn’t click with it and thought it would be my style. I have to say they knew me too well because by the first chapter I was hooked. So much so I have constantly preordered the others in the series and even got them on kindle as well. Needless to say Ropa is a big favourite of mine. I was so excited to learn there was a fourth instalment coming out and I was not disappointed.

Ropa, as I already said, is a joy of a protagonist. She’s sassy, funny, smart and most of all Scottish. Being from the UK I adore some of the things she says and mannerisms. It can’t help but make me smile. But it’s not just Ropa, all the characters are fantastic, even the ‘bad guys’ and it’s hard not to get so invested in these characters lives.

The story is perfectly paced and mixes fantasy, a little horror, realism and mystery with so much more. There’s funny moment, action and everything in between. If you haven’t read the Edinburgh Nights series yet you really need to, especially if you are a fan of speculative and magic fiction. I really hope we continue to follow Ropa for a long time yet.

As always thank you to Pan Macmillan and Netgalley for the copy to review. My review is always honest, truthful and freely given.

I have a complicated relationship with this series. When I requested this book on NetGalley, I hadn’t even read the first installment, but I was convinced it would be a hit for me. And in many ways, it was. The magic, the mystery, the setting, and the characters all stood out. Yet, the writing style posed a significant challenge for me. Despite that, I found myself pushing through and finally got to this ARC kindly provided by Tor.

The third book in the series started to win me over. However, this fourth installment felt more like the earlier ones, with a plot that seemed scattered and hard to follow. While everything ultimately ties together neatly in the finale—every small detail finding its place—it was a struggle to keep up with the chaos along the way. Ropa’s journey felt scattered, the magic felt unanchored, and I often found myself lost trying to make sense of it all.

This is especially frustrating because the series has so much potential! Set in a post-apocalyptic Edinburgh, the world feels both familiar and alien. The magic system is fascinating—full of endless possibilities yet grounded by enough limitations to keep it balanced. This book also unveiled major secrets that reframed much of what we learned in earlier installments, which was incredibly thrilling.

But despite its brilliance, the storytelling feels like a mismatch for my brain. The books are both enjoyable and challenging, leaving me constantly trying to keep up. I’ll likely continue with the series, especially after that intriguing finale, but I know I’ll always wrestle with the whirlwind of chaos before I reach the resolution.

This is the 4th book in the Edinburgh Nights series and picks up fairly soon after the events of book 3. Things have moved on and Ropa is now working for Lord Samarasinghe (England’s Sorcerer Royal) and she’s still looking for a way to support her Gran and baby sister, Izwi. However, when her Gran is murdered, Ropa ends up on the run and trying to figure out who the murderer is. While trying to clear her name, she ends up embroiled in trying to uncover a dangerous cult’s plot that could have repercussions for Scottish magic…

I’ve really enjoyed reading this series over the last few months and this instalment is a brilliant addition to the series. I loved how little threads from the previous books all start to come to together in this and everything starts to make sense. There are some questions that are also answered in this and I loved that deeper sense of understanding the world that T.L Huchu has created. I can’t really describe it without spoilers, but it was satisfying to say the least!

I can’t talk about this series without mentioning Ropa. She’s a fantastic character and one I have immensely enjoyed getting to know over the course of the series. She has so much to lose on this book and she really does go through it in this - there were moments where my heart just ached for her. Ropa’s relationship with Priya though is still a stand out for me and I love the dynamic between the two.

Given how this book ends, I and so hoping that there is another book in the series. I’m not quite ready to let Ropa and the gang go just yet!

I’m in a cozy reads moment, but Edinburgh Nights is among my favourites, and I couldn’t help but read it as fast as I could. I rooted for Ropa, hoped for the best, and was on the edge of my seat.
There’s a lot going on: tension, darkness, some heart-breaking moments, and we learn a lot about Ropa’s background and secrets that were kept hidden.
There’s an excellent mix of mystery, dystopia, fantasy, and a pinch of horror—enough to have a lot of fun and keep turning pages.
The beginning made me think, “Oh, wow, Ropa is being lucky,” then hell broke loose, and it was a wild ride till the last page with a lovely (joking) cliffhanger.
I hope the next novel will be out soon as I must know what will happen.
This was a wild and very entertaining novel with great storytelling and character development.
Give me another Ropa story soon! This one is strongly recommended (better if you read the rest of the series before).
Many thanks to TOR UK for this ARC; all opinions are mine.

This was my first encounter with both TL Huchu's work and this particular series, and I really enjoyed my time in their world. The magic system is engaging and understandable, the politics of it all is believable, and the mix of otherworldly and real-life is seamless. I've had the pleasure of visiting Edinburgh, and can absolutely see how this undercurrent lies beneath those ancient streets and hills!

I very much appreciated Ropa's pragmatism and feet-on-the-ground attitude to life, both in her social status as she fought against those 'above' her and in her magical training. I love that she has a fox-friend and really connects with life on her own terms; the opposite of some wishy-washy heroes spending so long in denial of what they have to do to move forward.

My only frustration was that while this does stand alone up to a point, I sometimes felt that I had missed something by not having read the previous titles in the series. Relationships have been established that I'd like to have seen, for example, but that simply means I'll have to go back and explore those books now - no chore at all!

And I did feel my age and experience as a reader a bit, when our plucky protagonist is told 'get home now' and doesn't... I was practically screaming at the pages that something bad was going to happen! But such is the nature of plot getting where it needs to go.

Excellent magical adventures with great characters that I'll absolutely be looking up for more.

I’ve never done a book review tour before but when Pan Macmillan, Tor gave me the opportunity to review the latest book in the Edinburgh Nights series by T.L. Huchu, one of my favourite series by one of my favourite authors I didn’t really feel like I could say no.

Point of fact my very first book review on this site was Our Lady of Mysterious Ailments, the second book in the series, and since then, I also went on to review The Mystery at Dunvegan Castle, so despite me, not having written a review on the page for a while, this felt like the perfect opportunity to get back to it. I first came to T.L. Huchu’s writing through Ben Aaronovitch’s recommendation with the very first of the Edinburgh Nights series The Library of the Dead, which started me waiting for each new installment.

So fanboy credentials revealed now, in some ways it feels like I’m more likely to give this a good review, and in others, it feels like I’m far more likely to try compare it to the previous books. The last book, The Mystery at Dunvegan Castle ended with the main character Ropa Moyo, leaving her previous role with Sir Callander who was the input here and then taking up a new role with Lord Samarasinghe, England’s Sorcerer Royal, and a man who very much feels like he has an agenda, and one that may not be in Ropa’s best interests.

This is the fourth book in the series, and when I was lucky enough to see Tendai talking about this series at WorldCon earlier this year and I think it was mentioned that this would be a series of five books. It certainly feels like this is leading towards what is going to be an epic finale. There’s a lot of plot in this book and I’m going try really hard not to put big spoilers in.

As in previous books relationships are very much at the heart of this story, and that’s Ropa’s relationships with her friends, her family and the people that she’s working with. This book also starts pulling together a lot of threads that have been hanging sometimes noticeably, sometimes not since the first book. We start to see elements going very going way back to that first book which start to make more sense – and in some ways the world building in this book in terms of the history of this version of Edinburgh is the biggest we’ve seen so far. For those who have been following the series, you will learn what the catastrophe was – this was something I didn’t actually like about the first book because I wanted to know all the history there and then, but as time went on I realised I was wrong and it didn’t matter, albeit at times it felt a little strange that people seemed to avoid talking about such an important thing.

Ropa’s, experience, and skills, as a ghostwalker have been growing from the first book. It’s interesting to see also how much of her choices in that area she feels are made because of the position of poverty that her family find themselves.

I think I can say the main protagonists in this are often the same people who were the main protagonists in The Mystery at Dunvegan Castle, and it is very much the next chapter in that story and it follows directly on minutes after that book ends.

I think in many way, this is actually been my favourite of the books, but possibly with a caveat – it wouldn’t be if I hadn’t read the previous books because I feel a lot of what this is doing is pulling together the threads that have been cleverly laid since very first book. Ropa, as a character is a lot of fun to spend time with. You can feel the legacy of her Zimbabwean and family past mixed with her streetsmart, helps to make her quite possibly a unique character in this kind of literature. As I said I don’t want to give away spoilers, but I feel like I can give away a few plot points that won’t ruin your reading of the book.

Relationships with her friends change with some becoming stronger and some potentially fragmenting in a way that I don’t think anyone could see coming. The history of her family comes very much to the fore and with that we learn more about her background and how she became the person she is, and how much of that is nature and how much of that was planned nurture. She also goes on the run. There is a seismic change at the Library of the Dead, and the fairy flag from Dunvegan Castle plays an important role and what happens next. Arniston house itself isn’t in the book that much, we visit the house a few times, but what happens there changes the events of the book and with it Roper life .

As I said, this is one of my favourite book series and this one didn’t disappoint. It really draws things together. It also starts to prepare me for the final book – something that I’m very sad about as I feel these characters could go on and on. It’s a great book which blends together fantasy, a slight dystopian future, but is also frequently funny. Whilst I’ll be very sad to see this series go with the next book I’m very excited to see what Tendai does next as I feel he is one of the great voices in British and Scottish fantasy today.

So in conclusion, if you have read the previous books, I would recommend that you get this as quickly as possible! If you haven’t read the previous books in the series, then please, please go and get them go on the journey and get to know these characters – I think you’ll love them – I did and this books is a worthy addition, massively growing the world we have come to love!

Thank you so much to the author, T.L. Huchu and Olivia-Savannah and the team at Tor Books for running this book tour and for giving me the chance to continue to follow Ropa’s adventures, and if you have any interest in this book, go back, get the Library of the Dead and start reading until you get to this one!

I have a strange relationship with this series. When I requested this book via Netgalley I had not even read the first book, but I was convinced I was gonna love it. I ended up loving a lot about it. The magic, the mystery, the setting, the characters. I just had one big issue: the writing style. However, for some reason I kept on reading anyway and now it was finally time to dive into this arc Tor had granted me.

The third book in this series really grew on me. But, this fourth book was more like the first and second book than it was like the third. The plot felt, once more, all over the place. In the end we of course discover that all of it is connected and that even the smallest detail ties into the finale quite neatly. However, up until the finale it's hard to keep track of everything. Ropa is all over the place, magic is all over the place and my brain just can't keep up.

Which is truly a pity, because this series contains so many amazing ingredients! It takes place in some sort of apocalyptic version of Edinburgh and therefore the world both feels familiar and unfamiliar at once. The magic is amazing. The possibilities are endless and yet there are also more than enough limitations to not make it all powerful. This book also revealed so many secrets, putting a lot we've learned in the previous books in a different light. It's all really exciting.

It just feels like the author's brain and my brain are wired so differently that the books are just as entertaining as they are a struggle. I'm trying. I'm constantly trying. I probably will keep on trying, because the finale made me curious about what's gonna happen next. And yet I will constantly struggle with following, with understanding everything that's being said, with finding the common thread within the chaos.

And yet, the fact that I keep on reading, says everything.

Review of Legacy of Arniston House by T.L. Huchu

Legacy of Arniston House is the gripping fourth instalment in T.L. Huchu’s Edinburgh Nights series, a compelling blend of urban fantasy and magic set in a futuristic Edinburgh where magic is real, but human nature remains frustratingly unchanged. The story follows Ropa, a young ghost-talker and aspiring magician, as she navigates the unsettling discovery that her life is not what she thought it was. Secrets from her past threaten to upend everything she knows, with devastating consequences.

Having left behind her apprenticeship in Scottish magic, Ropa now works for the English Sorcerer Royal. But just as she begins to adjust to her new role. Ropa’s life is thrown into chaos when she finds her grandmother murdered, with no clear suspect in sight—and she becomes the prime suspect. To clear her name and uncover the true killer, Ropa is drawn into a dangerous investigation that leads her into the clutches of a cult. Faced with this looming threat, Ropa must rely on her wits and growing magical abilities to survive.

Huchu’s writing excels in balancing intricate world-building with a fast-paced narrative. In just a few pages, he manages to provide enough context to draw you into his richly imagined future Edinburgh, while leaving enough mystery to keep you wanting more. The world-building is one of the strongest aspects of the series, painting a vivid picture of a familiar yet darkly altered Edinburgh, complete with a hidden magical underworld. The sense of place is immersive, with the city’s streets imbued with a haunting atmosphere that adds depth to the story’s tension.

Ropa is a standout protagonist—complex, resourceful, and deeply relatable. Her journey of self-discovery, fuelled by both magical and personal revelations, keeps you invested in her struggles. Even the secondary characters in the novel are richly developed, each with their distinct personalities and motivations, making the world feel lived-in and real. The diversity of the cast is also noteworthy, bringing a refreshing realism that is often absent in the fantasy genre.

One of the most fascinating elements of the series is its nuanced take on magic as a controlled resource, heavily regulated by those in power. Huchu cleverly explores how magic, much like technology, is hoarded by the elite, highlighting themes of class and power that feel particularly relevant.

The plot is gripping, with plenty of twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat. There are layers of intrigue, blending themes of nostalgia, fear of the future, and the dangers of regressive thinking. This tension between old and new gives the novel a thematic richness that elevates it beyond a simple fantasy adventure.

In terms of pacing, Legacy of Arniston House strikes a fine balance between action and quieter, more introspective moments. The action sequences are well-executed, propelling the plot forward without sacrificing the emotional depth of the story. The stakes continue to rise, building to an explosive and satisfying conclusion that leaves you eagerly anticipating the next book.

Overall, Legacy of Arniston House is a standout entry in the Edinburgh Nights series. With a well-crafted plot, strong character development, and immersive world-building, it’s a thrilling read that offers both excitement and emotional depth. Huchu’s exploration of complex themes, along with his fresh take on magic, make this a series that deserves a wide readership. Highly recommended for fans of urban fantasy looking for a unique and thought-provoking story.


My thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for an advance copy.

This is the fourth title in the Edinburgh Nights series and is a marvellous continuation of Ropa Moyo story as she navigates the magical world. We are back in Edinburgh and Ropa has moved allegiance to the English Sorcerer Royal - in part for better pay, an improved situation for her family, respect and her disillusionment with Scottish magic after the debacle at Dunvegan Castle.
Ropas first task in her new role as assistant to the Sorcerer Royal falls back on her original skills of spirit talking. She is taken to Arniston House and what should be a simple task of driving out a spirit from a young woman turns into a fight in the astral plane to save a soul and shed the possessing spirit. Although paid for this work it leaves Ropa feeling uneasy, but her focus is on how this benefits her Gran and wider family.
However life soon becomes more complicated with a bombshell of information on her parents and grandmother, This leads to murder and Ropa being falsely accused, and needing to use all her street smarts to stay free so she can find the true culprit. Her search leads Ropa to uncover a covert cult who want to resurrect and ancient power, in her fight to stop this finds who her true friends and allies are.
Ropa is complex, her drive is to be in a secure situation for her family and herself, and to be the best practitioner in magic that she can be. The twists and turns in this book test Ropa to her limits, with personal loss, betrayal, intrigue and political intrigue in the magical world. Those people she thought who would have her back are not always there for her, but as always her resilience and wits see her through.
I will be part of a book blog tour so please do drop in to my Instagram Sonia @sonictomato88 on 15th November.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for access to this ARC, so good I have read it twice!

The Legacy of Arniston House is the thrilling fourth book in the Edinburgh Nights series. In this novel, things get personal for Ropa Moyo who not only uncovers a family secret but is also accused of murdering her Gran. Dealing with the grief and shock of this revelation, she must work to find the real killer. There are creepy cults, murder mysteries, and plenty of magic.

I loved how high the stakes were in this book! Not only does our protagonist have to deal with the emotional impact of her loss, but she also has to stop a group of maniacs from trying to resurrect an army of the dead! Throughout the book I laughed and worried at the same time which is great because that’s how you know that you care about the characters.

Once again, Huchu has created a wonderfully dark picture of Scotland. Having lived there in the past, I found myself smiling at the cultural references and wishing to return to the haunted streets. But I also think that people who have never been to Scotland or Edinburgh will be able to picture the setting very well. The author is good at describing this world and creating an atmosphere.

Just a warning for unprepared readers, this book does end on a cliffhanger. I hope that this means that there are more Edinburgh Nights books in the works. There will be so many people waiting to read the fifth book when it comes out!

I received an Arc of this book from Netgalley and from the Publisher and I loved it.

This is the fourth book in the series and therefore we are well established in Edinburgh and in the chaotic life of Ropa. This book carries on straight away from the explosive events in book three and what follows is another twisty turney time full of secrets, heartbreak and action.
Ropa has fast become one of my favourite characters for her unbeatable spirit, humour and need to stand up for what is right. This book was much more emotional that the previous books (which is saying something) and left me almost in tears at parts. The way the author manages to define the grind of living and grief into his sentences was so accurate and breath-taking to me. I also really appreciate the way that they have managed to tie all the previous books' plots into this one so seamlessly.
As with the last book this one leaves on a bit of a cliff hanger that will leave you gagging for the next book yesterday.

've been enjoying Huchu's Edinburgh Nights series. The setting - a chastened Scotland, humbled in the aftermath of "Catastrophe" and held down by a resurgent England - has complex politics, magic and, above all, the authentic texture of an alternate Edinburgh.

Huchu's main character, Ropa Moyo, is engaging and spiky, a marginalised figure (literally - she and her gran live squatters' lives in a caravan encampment on the edge of the city) who is trying to make her way in the world of Scottish magic whose leading lights, snooty and entitled as they are, don't want to bothering with her. At the one of the previous book, The Mystery at Dunvegan Castle, Ropa seemed to have caught a break when she was hired by the English Sorcerer Royal. While was concerned this might take her away form Edinburgh, I needed have worried: it seems that Lord Samarasinghe has ongoing business in the North. (That can't bode well, can it...?) Ropa is therefore still hanging round her old home town, albeit cut off from magical society, something that pains her more than she's expected. She's even able to revive her old gig as a ghost talker, albeit not everything seems to be well in the spirit realms... there could be trouble ahead.

Huchu definitely ramps up the tension in this book. After a deceptively calm opening (if you now read the first few chapters you may say to yourself "David's talking nonsense again" because they don't seem that way but JUST YOU WAIT, IT'S ALL RELATIVE) mayhem of all sorts erupts with rioting and Ropa being hunted by both magicians and Police, framed for a heinous crime and seeing the whole world she was used to torn apart. All this leads up to a fast-moving conclusion in which we both learn more about Ropa's past and about recent Scottish history - and are then left, literally, on a cliffhanger. Or perhaps, over one.

Compared with the first three books, which we more self-contained, The Legacy of Arniston House represents a clear change of gear and of focus. There is, as in each of the others, a self-contained mystery and injustice to be solved and righted (you might think, actually several). But there is also a much more intricate and visible connection to the plot that's been glimpsable in the background, with certain puzzles finally closed from those earlier stories. At the same time, the implications of Ropa's own history and background are made plain for the first time.

A fun return to what is shaping up to be one of the most interesting and readable series of the past few years. I'll wait for the next book with a great deal of anticipation.

Unfortunately it’s a DNF for me! When I requested this I didn’t realise it was the 4th in a series, however I feel if it were your type of book you could easily pick up the story. I got to about 100 pages in and apart from an exorcism not a lot really happened, especially what the blurb tells us has happened. There seems to be a look of chatter about the politics of the world and all these different groups etc, but none of it really makes a lot of sense.
All in all, too slow going for me and not my thing at all :(

The Legacy of Arniston House plunges readers into a thrilling world of magic, murder, and dark secrets. Ghoststalker Ropa Moyo, already no stranger to the supernatural, learns a devastating truth about her family’s history. But when she confronts her grandmother with this revelation, tragedy strikes—Gran is brutally murdered, and Ropa becomes the prime suspect. Struggling with grief and the weight of accusations, she embarks on a desperate quest to uncover the real killer. Her search leads her to a sinister magical cult, one that aims to resurrect an army of the dead to take control of Scotland, under the command of a dark lord. Ropa will need every ounce of her magic and experience to face her biggest challenge yet.

Coming into this book without any prior knowledge of the series, I was quickly drawn in by Huchu’s writing. Within just a few pages, I had enough context to follow the story without feeling overwhelmed, yet I was also eager to learn more. Ropa Moyo stands out as a fascinating protagonist with a rich, complicated past—though as the story unfolds, even she realises her past isn't what she thought it was.

One of the book’s strengths lies in its diversity, which adds a strong sense of realism to the fantasy setting. Huchu skilfully portrays a world where magic is a valuable resource, controlled and restricted by the powerful. The inclusion of class dynamics—particularly the importance of money and the way magic is gatekept by the elite—gives the novel a fresh edge in the fantasy genre.

Overall, The Legacy of Arniston House is an exciting, fast-paced read with layers of mystery, magic, and depth. Huchu’s grasp of world-building and his ability to interweave social commentary with supernatural thrills make this a compelling addition to any fantasy lover’s collection.

Read more at The Secret Bookreview.

3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you so much to PanMacmillan and NetGalley for an e-arc of this book.

I liked this better than the previous instalment, things are coming together a bit more, back in Edinburgh which is nice, but for some reason I thought this was the last book so the end was very rushed for me - after finishing on a cliffhanger it looks like there will be another book (maybe more - couldn’t readily see anything online).

I still have issues with Ropa as a character, she is really intelligent and doesn’t see herself as less due to living in the slums, but then sometimes does things thqt seem to contradict those traits.

4-4.5 Stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for the arc.

This is the fourth volume in the Edinburgh Nights series and a welcome return to the urban setting of Edinburgh after the previous volume’s brief foray to the Isle of Skye. Ropa Moyo is a ghoststalker and wannabe magician and this story follows her attempts to turn her back on Scottish magic and accept a position working for the English Sorcerer Royal. Inevitably, political intrigue, betrayals, back-stabbing and foul-deeds aplenty follow close behind.
I am a massive fan of this series and this volume did not disappoint. The beginning, setting the scene, was perhaps a little slow to get going, but once it did, my goodness, this was a real page-turner. The character of Ropa is, I feel, much better presented against the backdrop of (alternative history) Edinburgh, where her street smarts are more easily put to use. The plot twists were very well done and the cliff-hanger of an ending? Well, I can’t wait for volume 5…
Thoroughly recommended (but it helps to have read the series from the start).

I enjoyed this third instalment in this series. Watching Ropa grow with each book has been interesting. The same magic elevated from each book to the next and once again leaving the reader wanting more.

I struggled a bit with this book. It had some really exciting bits and some plodding bits. Also I know Ropa is precocious but she's sounding more and more like a middle aged man every book.
My favourite bits were (unsurprisingly) casting out ghosts and my least favourite were the long and drawn out lists of various roads and areas everyone visited.

There was a gigantic cliffhanger so I'll clearly have to read the next one, even though this one was a bit flat.