After binge-reading Jane Austen, I needed a completely different book to get over my book hangover so I decided on a fun, quick read: The Obsidian Dagger by Catherine Webb, the second in the Horatio Lyle series.

In The Obsidian Dagger, Horatio is compelled to investigate the murder of two people – a Captain with no money but an incredibly valuable item on him, and an agent of Lord Lincoln (the reason why Horatio is being compelled to investigate). As Horatio and his two assistants – Tess and Thomas – investigate, they realise that the solution to the mystery may not be as scientific as Horatio would like.

This book was such a fun read! I first discovered it when I was in secondary school (over a decade ago) and I think I still enjoy it as much. The style of the book is pretty unique – it can switch perspectives rapidly and, in some cases, tell the story from the point of view of inanimate objects, but I liked the effect that it had. The story is pretty whimsical (Horatio, Tess, and Thomas could be a stand up comedy if they bothered) and the style of the book added to the fun for me.

I also like the bittersweet ending, which I don’t think I noticed before. Given that most of the book is on the lighter side, the sacrifice needed for our heroes to prevail over the villains of the story is pretty big. I liked it and I would read on just to see if this sacrifice has any effects on the previous book, given that elements of Book 1 are continued here (the fact I still remember Book 1 despite not owning a copy or reading it in years says a lot about the book).

Overall, a fun and memorable adventure!