I’d guessed that this story would have old-timey steampunk vibes based on the cover design and I was so glad to be right. I didn’t realize the two people featured were a couple though, and that’s a big YES for me - there just aren’t enough Battle Couples in fantasy that start the story happily married, kicking ass together and staying alive and married at the conclusion of the story. 

The story follows a pair of established sort-of detectives that use magic to solve the cases that come their way. Naturally along comes a big case full of secrets and conspiracies and hidden enemies (it’s not an old-timey detective story if there’s no royal intrigue amirite?).  I have to admit, it was a little slow-going at first because of all the exposition in order to build the world, but as the exposition dwindled and the mystery picked up, I found myself thoroughly enjoying the ride. Classism is explored as is greed and rebellion, but only on a surface level. Things get really dark towards the end, especially because we know stuff like this happens in real life and rarely does justice prevail. 

While The Hexologists reads exactly like a set-up to a series (hence half-star knockoff), I think it has a lot of promise and fun in its future, and I look forward to the next one.