The Traitor and the Chalice

Jane Fletcher does do a good job of balancing the mystery and the fantasy/adventure aspects of her books. I really enjoyed this sequel just as much as I did the original book, and you can't say that about every series. The author sticks to the things we loved about these characters initially: the honesty, courage and wit Tevi displays, and the skill and intelligence Jem embodies. They make a really good team, each shoring up the other's weak points, and the strength of that bond and union are a central theme to this story, serving as an anchor to the growth and change each character experiences as they overcome obstacles. I really like the authors grasp and use of language. She also has a good eye for the details that help flesh out a realistic world, without becoming bogged down in description and exposition that would mess up the pacing. I was a touch disappointed that there wasn't more Klara in this book. She was so delightfully sarcastic in the first book, but circumstances force her to hold back for most of this book. That's probably not a bad thing ultimately, it was just something I noticed. Also, while the closeness of the characters was built upon in a satisfying manner, the heat was toned down significantly on average: a minor disappointment that certainly doesn't detract from the quality of the story. Definitely read the first book before this one. Then enjoy how this novel brings Tevi's quest to a satisfying conclusion, while laying the ground work for future adventure.

"The Traitor And the Chalice" is the 2nd installment of the Lyremouth series. In Book One "The Exile And the Sorcerer (Lyremouth Chronicles)" introduces two main characters Tevi & Jemeryl and how they encounter. The main mystery is that chalice and finding it is Tevi's "quest". Who brought it to Storenseg, Tevi's home island? Why stole it? To where? And who stole it? This first book tells us how Tevi got herself into this quest and answers these questions except the last one, which is uncovered in the this installment, "The Traitor and the Chalice". In Book Two Tevi & Jemeryl work together, without any backup, to solve the puzzle and to find the traitor who not only stole the chalice from Tevi's homeland but also engaged in several deaths. They have no idea what kinds of dangers and troubles they'll face during their investigation and chase. In the land where the ability of performing magic sets the difference among people, it isn't easy for them, especially Tevi, to work and be together. But we can see how they overcome the troubles, albeit some compromise, without losing their faith with each other. Jane Fletcher has done a good job to bring both mystery and adventure together in one story. She keeps us suspended during the reading of how they find out the traitor and set for the hunt. For this series, it is probably better to read the first two books in order if you want to have better understanding about some questions mentioned above (I think the 3rd one is not connected to the chalice). However, Jane has crafted her works such that you can pick up any book to read and still can catch up the story without too much difficulty. No matter whether you read the speculative fictions or not, you should try Jane's works. If you have read the book one, you shouldn't miss this one. If you haven't, it's not too late to pick it up, especially that now you can read these two one by one without the wait.