Widdershins

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Synopsis

Shy, reclusive scholar Percival Endicott Whyborne is a philologist who specializes in deciphering dead languages. Ever since losing his best friend--someone he was secretly in love with--in his youth, he has ruthlessly suppressed his desire for other men. But when ex-Pinkerton agent Griffin Flaherty comes to him for help with a case he's working on, the handsome private investigator tests Whyborne's resolve. Griffin is trying to figure out who murdered the son of one of the most prominent members of Widdershins society, and the only clue he has to go on is a mysterious ancient book written in a language he can't read. Whyborne is the perfect person to help, and they soon discovers that it's a book of spells that a dangerous cult wants to get their hands on. As the two men work the case together, they grow closer, and eventually Whyborne can no longer resist Griffin's charming personality. However, when Whyborne finds Griffin's case notes, he can't help thinking that the other man was just using him as an asset to solve the case, which breaks his heart. But when the cult starts creating hideous monsters and resurrects an evil sorcerer bent on casting spells that will certainly destroy the world, Whyborne must find courage he never knew he had to put a stop to it and save the man he's come to love.

Review

Widdershins is the first book in Jordan L. Hawk's Whyborne & Griffin series that's part historical romance, part mystery, and part paranormal fantasy. Percival Endicott Whyborne is a doctor of comparative philology at the Ladysmith museum in Widdershins, Massachusetts, where he studies and interprets languages, mostly dead ones. Shy, reclusive, and brilliant, he has just one friend, Christine, the only woman scientist at the museum. One day, while helping Christine prepare for an upcoming gala in which a new exhibit on Egyptology is going to be revealed, the museum director insists that Whyborne put everything aside to help Griffin Flaherty, a private detective who is investigating the murder of the son of a prominent Widdershins resident. Griffin has in his possession a mysterious book of medieval origins that belonged to the deceased and he thinks it holds clues to his demise, but it's written in a language he can't decipher. At first, Whyborne isn't thrilled to be taken off his current projects, but as he works on decrypting the book, it becomes more and more interesting, as he starts to realize it's a grimoire of supernatural spells. Griffin pulls him into the physical investigation as well, which proves both invigorating and frightening, to say the least, when they encounter strange nightmarish beasts that appear to have been cobbled together from the remains of both humans and animals. As they work together to solve the mystery of where these beasts originate and why they're being created, Whyborne finds himself intensely attracted to Griffin, and the two men eventually become lovers. But when he finds Griffin's case notes, he fears the man he's come to love was just using him as an asset in the investigation. Then the Brotherhood, the secret cult behind the supernatural dealings, abducts Griffin, leaving Whyborne to decide whether he can forgive Griffin and screw up his own courage enough to save him.

Whyborne (he goes by his last name because he hates Percival) has a troubled relationship with his family because he chose to become a scholar instead of going into the family business as his father and older brother expected. The only person he's close to is his mother, but she's ill. A tragic boating accident in his youth resulted in the death of his best friend, the only boy he'd ever been in love with. Ever since, he's blamed himself for it and has kept his attractions to other men ruthlessly tamped down. That all changes in an instant when he meets Griffin, who makes him long for things he thought he couldn't have. When Griffin pays attention to him and even invites him to take an active part in the investigation, the lonely Whyborne can't resist even though he's always been more comfortable behind a desk. He successfully translates the grimoire and in doing so, realizes the power that it holds. He and Griffin also get into more than one scrape with supernatural beings that shouldn't exist. As their investigation progresses, Whyborne becomes more and more enamored with Griffin, and once they become lovers, he's a total goner. But when he reads Griffin's case notes, he's heartbroken, thinking the other man was just using him. However, when Griffin is kidnapped by the evil Brotherhood, Whyborne can't just leave him to his fate. I absolutely loved Whyborne. I'm crazy about virgin heroes, as well as those who have brilliant minds like his. He was also deeply relatable to me with his extreme shyness, loneliness, and delightful geekiness. After all that he's been through in his life and feeling like he's not much of a catch, it was understandable that he often couldn't fathom why Griffin wanted to be with him, as well as him thinking the worst of Griffin when he read the notes. That said, though, he has a forgiving nature, and I admired how he found his courage to go up against the Brotherhood to save the man he loved.

The story is told entirely from Whyborne's first-person POV. Therefore we only see Griffin through his eyes, but I felt like I got a good picture of who he is. Griffin was an orphan who was adopted and grew up in the West. His parents were good people, but they basically turned him out when he was caught dallying with a neighbor boy. He went on to join the Pinkerton Agency, where he was a well-respected agent until working a case in which his partner was killed by some sort of supernatural creature. Afterward, no one believed him and thought he'd gone mad, and he still suffers PTSD episodes from that tragic incident. After mostly recovering from his brush with death, he moved to Widdershins and started his own private detective business. One of his first clients is the father of a young man who was murdered, but before his death, he mailed his dad an old book written in some sort of mysterious language. Hence, why Griffin needs Whyborne's help. From the moment they meet, Griffin seems both amused and bemused by the shy, nerdy linguist. Although Whyborne doesn't exactly pick up on Griffin's signals, I was pretty sure Griffin was attracted to him from the start. I like that Griffin always treats Whyborne with kindness and respect, when others often don't, and that he had occasion to stand up for him, too. I also loved that he could see Whyborne's passionate side underneath the buttoned up exterior. He's very sweet their first time together, but a delicious touch of dominance emerges the more they get to know each other. Griffin is a genuinely good man with a past as difficult as Whyborne's that makes him an equally relatable and sympathetic character.

Whenever I try out a new-to-me author and/or series, I never quite know what to expect, but I'm thrilled to report that I was absolutely delighted by Widdershins. Whyborne and Griffin are both wonderful heroes with richly drawn backstories that make them fully fleshed out characters. I love how they treat each other with kindness, decency, and respect right from the start and that never really changes throughout the story. Neither is afraid to show their vulnerabilities to one another. They're a perfectly matched couple as well, with their strengths and weaknesses complementing each other superbly. Their love scenes are deliciously steamy but also express the deep emotional connection I crave in a romance. Whyborne's friend, Christine, is a fantastic supporting character. As the only woman at the Ladysmith, she faces a lot of prejudices from her male colleagues, but she handles it all with grace and dignity. I think she and Whyborne probably connected because they're both different, and she's a great friend to keep his confidences. The romantic aspects of the story are delicately balanced with the mystery and supernatural elements, both of which were extremely well-written. There were a few surprises for me in the mystery portion, things that I didn't quite expect. The paranormal creatures are a little frightening but not too much so and they help to raise the stakes for our intrepid heroes. I really liked how these parts wrapped up. Everything came together to create a story that engaged me right from the start and didn't let go until the final pages. I genuinely loved everything about Widdershins, and I can confidently say that I've found a new author and series that has made me extremely eager to read more. I just can't wait to see what new adventures these two characters will go on and how their love will deepen over time.

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Jordan L. Hawk

Themes

Amazing Animals
Beta Heroes
Book Lovers
Geniuses, Scholars & Scientists aka Geeks - Heroes
Physically Ordinary Heroes
Tortured Heroes
Virgin Heroes