Copper Script

There is something so engaging in the way KJ Charles writes. The characters are fully formed, the plot draws you in, there's a sense of tension and the pacing never feels slugish, it's clever. There are often charming doses of levity to help lighten the tension, and his characters are witty. I am drawn to stories about magical realism, and I wouldn't say that's what this is - but there's a hint of it - there is no explanation for why Joel can do what he does, so maybe I just choose to attribute it to a little bit of magic. I also read the Will Darling Adventures which I also highly recommend.

Really good read. Interesting characters and an unlikely romance. DS Aaron Fowler of the Metropolitan Police is investigating graphologist involved in the break-up of his cousin's engagement. Once he was convinced the graphologist could actually determine a person's personality by looking at their handwriting, DS Fowler hires him to review several other letters of people involved with the Police Department. Thus he meeting involves spending more time with the intriguing, flirtatious Joel Wildsmith than feels quite safe. The action and romance goes from there. Thoroughly enjoyable.

Wow, another amazing story by KJ Charles! I fell in love with both MCs within a few pages, before I'd even met one of them on page, and the story just pulled me in more the further I got into it! Amazing characters, a fascinating, gripping mystery, and a heartfelt love story--there was so much to love in this book. I also enjoyed all the historical details (it's set in 1924) and KJ Charles's notes about her research at the end. Can't wait to see who does the audio!

This book showed up on my kindle as a little gift from past me who apparently pre-ordered it. Good job past me! Between 4-5 stars, so rounding up because I had a great time reading it. Aaron is a detective sergeant with the police, and when his awful cousin complains about a graphologist who saw something in his handwriting that made his fiancee break off with him, he drops by for a little informal investigation. Joel is a war veteran who came back from the front minus one hand. He (ironically) can't write fluidly himself, since he was "red-headed, left-handed, and queer" (I know this is too much quote for this, but the context was so funny, he was being asked if he was vegetarian for...reasons). What he can do is read into the handwriting of others. And as Aaron investigates him, they both get embroiled in a larger, dangerous investigation. No one does repressed men living sub rosa like Charles. Aaron is locked down, "keeping hold of himself till the muscles seize up," and Joel is acerbic and uses humor and sarcasm as a weapon and a wall. Of course they are drawn together, and the smiles and jokes and meals they share make that bond tighter and tighter. Typical for Charles, her MCs actually don't spend as much time in proximity to one another as we expect in a romance. It sometimes feels like the mystery, graphology as a whole, and the romance (and for that matter, cuisine trends of the 1920s, history of London gangs, and social dynamics in the police force) are all being…

If you're looking for a comfort read where the drama isn't too intense this is the book for you. The characters are well drawn and they work well together. The narrator for this story Cornell Collins does an extremely good job and I have fallen asleep many hours to the sound of his voice. The nuances in the way he inhabits each character gives so much depth to the story. For me the combination of this author and narrator makes this a winning team.