The Fire in the Glass
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.

Overall: 5 out of 5 fairies
Narration: 5 out of 5 fairies
Story: 5 out of 5 fairies

Overall: 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!

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Author

Jacquelyn Benson writes smart historical thrillers where strong women confront the stranger things that occupy the borders of our world.

She once lived in a museum, wrote a master’s thesis on the cultural anthropology of paranormal investigation, and received a gold medal for being clever. She owes a great deal to her elementary school librarian for sagely choosing to acquire the entire Time-Life Mysteries of the Unknown series.

Her debut novel, The Smoke Hunter, was nominated for Best Historical Fiction by RT Times. When not writing, she enjoys the company of a tall, dark, and handsome English teacher and practices unintentional magic.

If you’d like to be friends, you may find her everywhere @jbensonink or join the email list at jacquelynbenson.com

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Narrator

In the sixth grade, I wanted to be an Archeologist, until I realized that I liked the stories of the Pharaohs much more than digging in the dirt. Then I wanted to be an Astronomer, until I realized that I liked the stories of the Greek Gods and constellations much more than looking through a telescope. Luckily, before I started reading Agatha Christie, I realized it was the stories that I loved more than how I found them. That led me to the theatre and now, here. I bring over 20 years of acting experience to my narration of a variety of audiobook genres. Narration with truth, heart and connection. A love for complicated, dark and twisty characters, belly laughs, and hope.

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