Cassidy Kincaide owns Trifles & Folly, an antique/curio store and high-end pawn shop in Charleston, South Carolina that is more than what it seems. Dangerous magical and supernatural items sometimes find their way into mortal hands or onto the market, and Cassidy is part of a shadowy Alliance of mortals and mages whose job it is to take those deadly curiosities out of circulation.
Welcome to Trifles & Folly, an antique and curio shop with a dark secret. Proprietor Cassidy Kincaide continues a family tradition begun in 1670—acquiring and neutralizing dangerous supernatural items. It’s the perfect job for Cassidy, whose psychic gift lets her touch an object and know its history. Together with her business partner Sorren, a 500 year-old vampire and former jewel thief, Cassidy makes it her business to get infernal objects off the market. When mundane antiques suddenly become magically malicious, it’s time for Cassidy and Sorren to get rid of these Deadly Curiosities before the bodies start piling up.
Deadly Curiosities, is a curiosity in its self. There are many Urban fantasy facets to the novel and plenty of new twists.
Cassidy is a psychometric, which means she can touch things and know where it is has been and its history. She runs an antique shop in Charleston, South Carolina called Trifles & Folly as cover to trace and neutralize magically artefacts. With her group of friends/employees and help of an ancient vampire they hunt down possessed antiques.
There are a few Scooby -Doo moments but over all, it had a cozy feel to it. It is labelled Young adult, which may explain why it never went truly to the dark side.
Charleston is portrayed as a village in a city and every magically being seems to know each other and there was a great sense of community.
I did enjoy Deadly Curiosities, I thought the characters were rich and fleshed out and plenty of new takes on supernatural powers to keep this novel innovative.
What disappointed me, was there was no romance- not even a hint of sexual tension between the characters. I think that is why this book lacks a certain pizzazz.
With that being said, Deadly Curiosities isn’t a run of the mill UF or YA book for that matter, and definitely a worthwhile read.
I am a big fan of Gail Z. Martin and I will be looking forward to the next book in the series.
Elder Park Book Reviews 