Serpent in the Heather is the second book in the Dark Talents series. This series essentially combines all of my favorite genres since it’s fantasy mixed with speculative historical fiction. After the events of the first book, Kim Tavistocks is officially working for the Secret Intelligence Service. Her first official case case – a serial killer with deep Nazi ties.

I absolutely loved the magic system set up in the first book. This installment selves deeper into the mysteries surrounding the Bloom and the abilities that arose after it. Additionally, some interesting new talents are introduced. Kenyon also explores the lengths individuals will go to try to get magic of their own. Plus, there’s some excellent spying. Kenyon makes it feel believable, including just enough bad timing and blunders. The plot was dark and twisty- it had the suspense of a spy thriller, the heart of a cozy mystery, and the magic of a fantasy book.

As for the characters, Kim was my favorite. She’s flawed, she makes mistakes, and she’s incredibly brave. However, I loved the secondary characters almost as much, particularly her father. All of the characters felt so lifelike and vibrant. I thought that the relationships between characters were well-done, I loved how nuanced and realistic they were.

Serpent in the Heather was a wonderful read! This series is so much fun, I can’t wait for the next installment! Definitely recommend if you’re looking for some historical fantasy.