Thanks to NetGalley and JIMMY Patterson for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Release Date: October 27th, 2020
448 Pages
Synopsis: Emilia and her twin sister Vittoria are streghe—witches who live secretly among humans, avoiding notice and persecution. One night Vittoria misses dinner service at the family’s renowned Sicilian restaurant. Emilia soon finds the body of her beloved twin…desecrated beyond belief. Devastated, Emilia sets out to discover who did this and to seek vengeance at any cost—even if it means using dark magic that’s been long forbidden.
Then Emilia meets Wrath, the outlier among the seven demon brethren, always choosing duty over pleasure. He’s been tasked by his master with investigating a series of women’s murders on the island. When Emilia’s and Wrath’s fates collide, it’s clear this disturbing mystery will take a bewitching turn…
I absolutely loved Kerri Maniscalco’s debut Hunting Jack the Ripper series, so to say that I’ve been looking forward to Kingdom of the Wicked is somewhat of an understatement. And, after devouring it in less than two days, I’m thrilled to say that it’s a stellar beginning to this new series and a witchy delight for the month of October. This has everything I look for in this genre: exquisite world building, captivating characters, smoldering romance, sharp and witty dialogue, exciting mystery and suspense, loads of action, and a unique storyline. The only issue I had was there needed to be more details as to what time period this is set in. I’m thinking 1860s, but it wasn’t really made clear. Oh! There’s also a humongous cliffhanger, so be prepared. I’m even more determined than I usually am not to give away any spoilers, so let me just say this. If you’re already a fan of Maniscalco, Kingdom of the Wicked will make you even more so. If you haven’t read her previous series (WHY?), but you enjoy historical fantasies you can’t miss this!
