Marshall Ryan Maresca does it again. Lady Henterman's Wardrobe is another wonderful heist. We learn more about the original members as they try to find out more about the moneyed interests who burned down their homes on Holver Alley and why. There are politics and violence and intrigue that relates back to Asti's chained beast an his spying days.

The strength of Maresca's books are his characters and their interactions between each other. The dialogue is witty and we are treated to Mila really growing into her own and becoming a very valuable asset to the team.

It's a fun quick read that ultimately left me dying to find out when Asti and Satrine will cross paths and how that will go. But this really only makes sense if you've read the Maradaine Constabulary series in addition to this one. Since this is book 2 of the third series in the world Marshall Ryan Maresca has created, it can be read as a standalone, but I don't recommend it. You're best off at least reading book 1 of The Holver Alley crew before diving it.

Disclaimer: I received these books from the publisher, Ace Books, in exchange for honest reviews.

As fond as I am of these characters and this world - and I am very fond of them indeed! -- the plot of this installment was kind of rocky. The supposedly central "heist" story starts strong but is quickly and too thoroughly waylaid by a series of outlying concerns and interests, and there are so many characters and concerns that they all get diluted to the point were it becomes difficult to take any single one of them seriously. By the time the original "heist" plan comes to fruition towards the end of the book, one barely understands why the gang even still bothers to go through with it, but for the fact that its ultimate resolution is a possible meta flashpoint for one of the other (upcoming) Maradaine books involving Secret Intelligence. There's just way too much deus in that machina.

That being said, there's some nice character work in this book. The Rynax brothers continue to please, secondary characters like Julien and Win and Ken all get interesting, if minor, arcs, and all of the female characters are great or at least intriguing. Mila is one of my favorite characters across all of the Maradaine books and I was so happy that I laughed out loud at her reaction to a certain late-stage deal made on her behalf (which I would be glad to see also tied, in some small way, to another subseries).

I look forward to the third Streets of Maradaine book.

Asti and Verci Rynax are following the money trail to figure out who was behind the fire that destroyed their homes and businesses (see THE HOLVER ALLEY CREW for more details). Their trail leads them first to the office of Colevar and Associates and later to the home of Lord Henterman. Can the Rynax brothers and their motley crew uncover what is going on, along with what secrets may be hiding in LADY HENTERMAN’S WARDROBE?


LADY HENTERMAN’S WARDROBE is the second book in the <i>Streets of Maradaine</i> series and picks up right after the events following the first book, THE HOLVER ALLEY CREW. The motivation for the entire operation conducted in LADY HENTERMAN’S WARDROBE is explained in the first book, so the first half of the book will probably be far more enjoyable if one has read it first. Fans of Marshall Ryan Maresca may already be familiar with Maradaine as the author has several series set within this particular world.


The first part of the story was a little slower paced than I expected but once the action starts to kick in, wow, does it ever take off! Marshall Ryan Maresca packs a lot of twists and turns into LADY HENTERMAN’S WARDROBE. I won’t reveal spoilers but we get to see a bit more of Asti’s past and the information only leaves me with so many more questions. I can’t wait to see how this unfolds in the next book!


However, as much as Asti’s past intrigues me, my favorite character continues to be Mila Kendish. She shows a lot of growth in LADY HENTERMAN’S WARDROBE and I wanted to cheer her on as she stood up to the mysterious and elusive Treggin to defend her boys. I enjoyed watching Mila work alongside Helene as well, as they are both starting to develop into very strong characters on their own merits- and the hints about Mila’s future have me more than a little intrigued to see if Marshall Ryan Maresca will have some of his Maradaine-based series cross over again.


LADY HENTERMAN’S WARDROBE is yet another solid fantasy novel from the very talented pen of Marshall Ryan Maresca. The world of Maradaine is a fascinating albeit a very dangerous and sometimes cruel one, and yet I can’t get enough of it. Marshall Ryan Maresca has me hooked with his phenomenal world building and solid character development. If you love fantasy that is full of intrigue and action, then LADY HENTERMAN’S WARDROBE and the <i>Streets of Maradaine</i> series may be just what you are looking for!

*review is in the editing queue at Fresh Fiction*

As always, a very well done book. It pretty much picks up where The Holver Alley Crew ended.

I do have to say that, although everything Maresca writes is amazing, this is my least favorite of his series'. There's just something about Verci and Asti where you feel that their lives really, really suck. Maresca's protagonists in the other books also have lives that suck, but somehow there's more hopefulness that the suck will end. If Maresca isn't careful, I could see this series devolving into the never-ending spiral that some series' get into where you get into a pattern of, "Yay we can escape!" *something bad happens* "Boo, we're screwed!" *something good happens* "Yay, we can escape!"

A nice addition to the series. I enjoy how the series interlocks with others set in the same world.

We start this story with the crew from Holver Alley breaking into an office building to uncover the machinations behind whoever destroyed their homes. They are adjusting to the displacement the fire caused and the tensions put them from their new situations.

Someone has also been buying up the property left after the raging fire. Giving the team one more thing to uncover. And that is just what they do, imbedding themselves in positions to find out the truth behind the loss of Holver Alley.

Verci’s wife is against his involvement, but he is not going to let his brother Asti face the upcoming danger alone.

The team dynamics are quite interesting with a wide and diverse group of characters all ultimately facing similar circumstances and goals.

This was a 4 star read for me. It is definitely not a stand alone and if you missed the first book in the series you will be in the same shoes, I was in, playing some serious catch up.

Once I got past playing catch up and trying to understand the whos and whys of what was going on, I discovered a fun, highly entertaining and easy following but gritty tale that incorporates an epic fantasy feel. My recommendation, start with book 1 and your sure to find a series to devour.

I received this copy of Lady Henterman's Wardrobe from Berkley Publishing Group - DAW. This is my honest and voluntary review.

My Rating: 4 stars
Written by: Marshal Ryan Maresca
Series: Streets of Maradaine
Sequence in Series: Book 2
Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: DAW
Publication Date: March 6, 2018
ISBN-10: 0756412641
ISBN-13: 978-0756412647
Genre: scifi | Fantasy

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LADY HENTERMAN’S WARDROBE is full of fast-talking one-liners, antiheroes, and complex heists. Despite not having read the first book, I was sold on the promise of thievery, shenanigans, and wit. Although I love a not-so-good gang, the Holver Alley Crew has a lot of members, alliances, and enemies. All of which means that LADY HENTERMAN’S WARDROBE had more plot than it really needed. Too many side characters were held up in safe houses, hunted by the police, or off running another con.

It took a few chapters for me to get comfortable with the setting and the characters. The pace is bogged down by fetch quests before we finally get to the main heist. While there are many steps to create a successful con, all the side trips to fetch plot item A or B meant we don’t get to the Henterman’s until later in the book. In addition to the fetch quests, almost every character had their own B story, which added up to too much plot. I would have loved the plot streamlined and solely focused on the Holver Alley Crew in the Henterman’s house.

LADY HENTERMAN’S WARDROBE shines with its dialogue. There are times when it feels like watching a movie as each character plays off each other. I appreciated that members of the crew weren’t just archetypes, they all wanted someone even if it made them unlikeable. History is also hugely important to the characters and the plot, past cons and past loves affect them all. If you have a deep love of heist films and don’t mind an overly large crew, you’ll get a lot of enjoyment out of LADY HENTERMAN’S WARDROBE.

3.5 of 5 stars

Nobody does light frothy fun better than Marshall Ryan Maresca, and his latest series set in Maradaine seems like the perfect avenue to showcase his skill and passion for stories featuring boisterous action and rollicking adventure. Lady Henterman’s Wardrobe is the second installment of The Streets of Maradaine starring the Rynax brothers and their ragtag crew of con artists and thieves, and like its predecessor, it is once again a heist novel.

In the aftermath of the events seen in The Holver Alley Crew, Asti and Verci Rynax finally have proof of what they suspected all along—that the fire that gutted their entire street, robbing them and their neighbors of their homes and livelihoods, was in fact no accident. But to get to the roots of the conspiracy, they’ll need to dig deeper. After uncovering a development project funded by some powerful people, the brothers follow the clues to a Lord Henterman, a rather empty-headed nobleman who likes to throw a lot of parties—hardly the criminal mastermind they’ve envisioned. But then, of course, looks can be deceiving, leading the crew to devise a plan to infiltrate Henterman’s next big soiree to see what he’s all about.

Meanwhile, the gangs of the city are becoming unsettled as a new boss known only as Treggin begins to move in on their territories. He’s quickly amassing a fair number of followers, enough to make Josie, the Rynax brothers’ patron, a little nervous. The constabulary forces have also stepped up their game, sniffing around the neighborhood for the perpetrators of the crew’s last heist, forcing them all to lay low. Asti himself is trying to deal with some personal demons, and the constant struggle to reign in his beast is putting him off his game. Even without all the distractions, their plan to infiltrate the Henterman party is a little more slapdash than usual, and that’s before they discover the truth about the lady of the house, which is when all hell breaks loose.

Indeed, the energy of the story was rather subdued until this point. Lady Henterman’s Wardrobe had a slower start compared to the first one, and it wasn’t until halfway that things began to pick up. As a result, I thought this sequel was a little weaker than the original, and also because the story wasn’t as tightly told. Heist books can be tricky, and the best ones are always those that involve elaborate plans and unexpected plot twists which keep up the level of suspense. Unfortunately, readers have come to expect the Rynax brothers’ plans to become “skunked”, which in turn diminishes any surprise or appreciation for their cleverness that might have been felt. In truth, the characters’ plans felt sloppy in this one, and there was also too much chaos. For instance, the heist on Henterman’s house was proposed by Asti with no distinct goal in mind, and yet the rest of the crew was simply content to go along with his idea to just wing it and see what happens? I just don’t buy it.

The aim of a heist book is also to get the reader to root for the main characters who are essentially the criminals trying to break the law and get away with their nefarious schemes. As such, your crew needs to be likable and they must have a sympathetic cause. While finding out who ruined their lives with the Holver Alley fire is unquestionably a good reason for everything the Rynax brothers are doing, I nonetheless found myself starting to become frustrated and annoyed with them both. Asti is a lot more careless and irresponsible in this sequel, and his dogged determination became more of a nuisance than a strength. And Verci, I just wanted to shake him for going along with Asti’s half-baked plans. Loyalty to your brother is one thing, but Verci’s choices repeatedly put the lives of his wife and young son directly at risk, making you wonder what the hell is going through his mind and why Raych puts up with him when he’s always choosing reckless Asti’s side over her and Corsi. There was really only one character who stepped up in this book, and that was Mila. She came across as more perceptive and competent than both brothers combined, often taking matters into her own hands and bringing the real leadership.

Still, in spite of the book’s weaknesses, I found it entertaining. Even though I didn’t think it was quite as good as the first book, Lady Henterman’s Wardrobe is a solid sequel and readers who enjoyed The Holver Alley Crew will want to continue the series to see how the characters have grown and how their quest has developed. Fans of heist stories should put this series on their list right away.

Lady Henterman's Wardrobe, by author Marshall Ryan Maresca, is the second installment in the Streets of Maradine series. This is actually the third series from Maresca and they are all set in the same fantasy world known as the Archduchy of Maradine. The others are Maradine and The Maradine Constabulary. A fourth series called the Maradine Elite, featuring an entirely new cast of characters, will be releasing in the fall of 2018. One of the key selling points is that eventually, all three series will crossover.

That's a good thing since there is so much that has been happening to the Rynax brothers, Asti and Verci, and their crew known as the Holver Alley Crew since the beginning of this series. Having been burned out of their homes, the brothers, along with a few others like Helene Kesser, Kennith, Julian, and Mila Kendish make up the backbone of the Holver Alley Crew. There are others, but I chose to keep the cast of characters to a minimum. While sitting on a small fortune from their brilliance in the first installment, Asti and the HAC continue to plot revenge on those who did nothing while their neighborhood burned down.

In the opening sequence, the crews goal is to enter a secure office building and gain access to files that will reveal the other players in this political machination. Unfortunately for one of the characters, things don't go as well as he thought and he spends much of the story in the background, except in key storylines. Asti's past also comes back to haunt him and in a huge way. I don't want to spoil the name of the character who really did Asti wrong. So wrong, that Asti has rage in his mind, and he often loses himself when danger is happening around him.

The author uses a variation of characters, like Mila, to tell his story. Mila has really grown up as a character. She genuinely cares for the boys that are under her protection. To add even more of a rush to the story, someone is buying up the buildings that were burnt down, and sending groups of thugs into the streets in order to push the residents into paying money for protection. There is also an internal challenge in the form of Verci's wife who really wants out. Her drive and determination to go legit will definitely have bearings on what happens next.

On the plus side, there is plenty of betrayal, twists, turns, action, suspense, and mystery to keep even the most finicky reader happy from cover to cover. There are several things that bothered me about the story. Without spoilers. The villain. When a villain is defeated, I want them gone. Forever. I don't want them suddenly reappearing in future installments, or in another series causing problems that should have been taken care of in this story. Especially this villain who did so much wrong to Asti. Asti needs his revenge and should have been given the chance for redemption. That leads me to the ending. So much happens in this story that I've only scraped the top of mentioning key storylines. The fact that the next book doesn't come out until 2020, is disheartening. Too much can happen between now and then to get my hopes up of actually reading book # 3.

Lady Henterman’s Wardrobe is second in the Streets of Maradaine series, and the first of Marasca’s many Maradaine books that I've read. This story follows Asti and Verci Rynax as their crew of thieves continue to look into those behind the Holver Alley fire that destroyed many homes. Though they've already taken care of those immediately responsible, with a nice monetary haul to boot, they know others are ultimately behind the fire. This tale opens with the crew attempting a break-in at offices in Pomoraine. Things go sideways quickly, and they barely escape, though not all were unscathed. They do get a few new leads, though- the Creston Group and the Andrendon Project, which lead to Lord and Lady Henterman.

I found Maresca's writing style interesting. It didn't mesh with me right off, but the opening sure hooked me. As the story went on, I really began to enjoy his style. I'm looking forward to reading other of the myriad Maradaine novels. Definitely going to check out the first Streets of Maradaine book, The Holver Alley Crew. I think I'm most interested in checking out the Maradaine Constabulary series next.

I found this a fast-paced adventure story, and an enjoyable, clever heist tale. Asti's group and their elaborate heists so remind me of the Leverage crew! I enjoyed each of the characters, but I think my favourites were the two brothers, especially Verci. Asti gets him in so much trouble! Verci is very loyal to his brother, but seems he'd be happier just inventing things. I love reading stories where people in fantasy/etc settings are inventing things so common to us today, but brand-new to them. Another series I recently read like that is Michael J Sullivan's Legends of the First Empire. I love Verci’s creating a wheeled chair to help him get around after he breaks his ankle.

Besides being an exciting adventure, it's filled with emotional moments as well. I appreciated the strong themes of Loyalty and family, and the trouble with both standing by your loyalties, or when those loyalties are torn between people who want you to do two completely opposite things. Learning more about Asti and Verci's pasts was neat, and there was enough subtle recap from the previous book that I didn't feel I was missing too much from not having read it first.

I loved the cover to this book! That, and it's title, are what drew me in. I've seen several reviews where people didn't like the title, but I did. It's similar to other fantasy books I've read with like titles that telegraphed to me exactly what sort of world I could expect, and I wasn't disappointed.

***Many thanks to Netgalley and Berkley/DAW for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Lady Henterman’s Wardrobe is the latest in Maresca’s on going series in the Maradaine universe. It’s the sequel to Holver Alley Crew, which I have to admit is my favorite book 1 in any of his series so far. I’m happy to report that this follow up is just as exciting and fun as the last one.

Verci and Asti are still working with their crew, with the ultimate goal of finding whoever was responsible for the fire that destroyed Holver Alley. They have all had to make some adjustments as they have been displaced by the fire, they also are keeping their huge payday from the last heist underwraps, and living the modest lives that might be expected, trying to not draw attention to the themselves.

There is tension as Verci’s wife wants him to live a clean and straight life, and blames his brother Asti for always dragging him into the less than legal activities the Rynax brothers always seem to find themselves a part of. And really, who can blame her? He is her husband and the father of their child. The consequences if they get caught impact more than just Verci, as opposed to Asti who’s only commitment in life seems to be exacting justice on whoever is responsible. To widen the mystery a bit more, someone has begun buying up all the properties that were destroyed in the fire. Who and why? Well, Asti is determined to find out. And Verci can’t let his brother go at it alone, so the happy band of thieves is at it again, but while they may be thieves, their motivation is pretty honorable.

We get to learn more about Asti’s backstory in this one, and it is definitely interesting (and full of betrayal). So pair that with all the excitement of heists and going undercover? This book left me completely happy and wanting more. The team dynamics again are fun and diverse and I enjoy all the characters that show up in this series.

This may sound superficial, but honestly my only complaint with this book is not so much anything within the book itself, but the title. I feel like its such a nitpicky thing to bring up in a review as it really has no bearing on my enjoyment of the book whatsoever. You know that saying, Dont Judge a Book by its Cover? Admit it, we all do it to some degree. even if we know we shouldn’t. An amazing eye catching cover gets more attention, a lackluster one gets over looked. That’s hardly a ground breaking revelation, but while I’ve never heard a Dont Judge a Book By Its Title rule, I think I need to make that a new rule and hope people follow it for this book. For me, this title sounds like a completely different type of book than it is. It brings to mind a materialistic histoical fiction maybe? Probably with a strong romance element? I would never suspect it is a book about a group of thieves attempting pull off a major heist and get vengeance for a fire that destroyed their lives and community. And that’s my concern with the title, that it sounds so far from the type of book it is, that it could deter readers. Having read the book, I get the connection, the title is not completely random, but for a first impression I feel like it’s not the best choice. The largest consolation with that is that this is a book 2, and anyone who read Holver Alley Crew should know what’s in store in this book. Who knows, maybe I am alone with this concern, if so, ignore me, but if not, just ignore the title and dive in, you wont regret it.

I sometimes feel like calling a series or book “fun” almost sounds too simplistic. But when it comes down to it that is the trait that stands out for me most with the Maradaine books. It is a highly desirable trait in books like this, one that can be hard to pin down and one that not everyone can easily achieve. Maresca again gives us a book that is just a pleasure to sit back, read and enjoy. Have fun with it.

Lady Henterman’s Wardrobe is the second in Marshall Ryan Maresca’s “The Streets of Maradaine” sequence, the first of which I thoroughly enjoyed reading last year. There’s a larger Maradaine universe being explored in other sequences, including youthful and magical vigilantes, and Holmesian mage-detectives, but this sequence focuses on the Rynax brothers, who have a penchant for elaborate heists, a number of slightly strange friends with specialist skills, and a serious desire to find out who burnt down their neighbourhood, in order to express their disapproval.

The city of Maradaine has always seemed like another character in these books, putting different aspects of itself on display, depending on which characters were looking at it. Here, we see both the more run down, un-examined parts of the city, where law enforcement treads quietly, carefully, or in large numbers – and parts prone to the roaring revels of the wealthy, where private guards make sure that nobody who isn’t there to cause the correct kind of trouble is let through the door.

The first of these is epitomised in the lively neighbourhood where the Rynax brothers make their home. It has several excellent craftspeople, and a sense of community. There’s a history there, across generations, and a sense of people looking out for each other. If the law is far away, the local criminal element operates within rules, operates with respect, and knows where to push and put its boundaries. It’s a place where being an outsider could get you a knife in the kindeys, sure, and one where a moments inattention might lead to a broken head, but where reputation is everything, good and bad.

By contrast, the opulent manors of the rich are a baroque haven, full of enough glinting gild to satiate even the most demanding magpie. These are people happy to stand on the shoulders of others to get where they are – or, if necessary, hold the heads of others under water. Security’s tight, and the spaces are vast – if not overly populated by anyone with much sense of responsibility. That said, the owners are at the top of the socio-economic heap, and they’re certainly willing to keep it that way.

Which brings us to the characters. The Rynax boys are still as wonderfully drawn and complex as ever. One suffering the after effects of a covert operation gone wrong, the other happy to try and build a respectable life and a respectable family – but both determined to track down the cause of their woes. It’s great to see the edges here – there’s someone who might have been an action/anti-hero in another story, struggling with life after being shattered and rebuilt. Then there’s his brother, who is genuinely happy not being the hero of the week, and just wants to settle down, make interesting mechanisms, and have a quiet life with his family. They’re not stereotypical heroes, but they do act as very relatable people, shaped by their experiences, and living with the consequences of their choices.

They’re joined by a thoroughly enjoyable cast of other reprobates. I particularly enjoy the hard-edged markswoman with a penchant for precision and a small crush on the married Rynax, and the street girl who has started to take the children of the streets and make them her own, lending them her own strength when necessary, and pushing forward in an effort to be something more.

There’s a delightful bevy of dubious coves as well. The eponymous Lady Henterman is smooth and cold as ice, definitely someone worth watching. There’s the mysterious gang leader moving in o n the formerly safe territory occupied by the Rynax twins, with his programme of extortion and brutality. There’s Lord Henterman, a man almost frighteningly vague. And, of course, there’s the police – no fan of people they consider nuisances at best, and outright dangerous at worst. Whether some of these erstwhile antagonists are actually bad people is open to debate, which is a nice change – they may just be working their own agenda, without the necessity of malevolence. But there’s some wonderful diversity and personality on display here, and watching them face off against our protagonists was always delightful.

Plot-wise – well, I won’t say much, for fear of spoilers. The Rynax brothers are known for their heists, and this is definitely a story of a plan which needs split second precision, and the ability to react properly when…er..I mean if…it all goes wrong. There’s some wonderful moments where your expectations are subverted, and some wonderful duels, the kind where wit and blade matter as much as each other. There’s some reasl emotional heft in the dialogue between the Rynax gang, and a sense that they’re starting to look forward, and out of their current circumstances. There’s also the white knuckle, every-second-counts high-wire tension, of course, and some revelations that will hit hard, down in the gut. It’s a heist story, an adventure story. A story about family, about friendship, about betrayal, murder, and making a heap of money.

It’s fast paced, it’s smart, it made me laugh aloud more than once, and it also kicked me right in the feels more than once. This is kick-arse fantasy, and if you’ve been waiting to find out what the Rynax brothers did next, or you’ve always wondered how a fantasy heist would go down, this one’s worth checking out.

Lady Henterman’s Wardrobe is not one of Marshall Ryan Maresca’s best novels. Still, it is entertaining, with plenty of fast paced action.  Indeed there is so much action, there is very little room for plot.  

Asti & Verni Rynax are criminals, but their goal is to protect their community, rather than to simply line their pockets.  But good intentions aren’t always enough to solve problems. In this case, the Rynax crew are trying to discover why their old neighborhood was burnt down and who is leading the toughs terrorizing the city.  Plans as always go awry, but there is always some stopgap whether it is in the form of Verni’s inventions or Asti’s beast.  Their crew is one of diverse talents.  Things aren’t easy, but then again neither are they too difficult.

One small point that I disliked was the frivolous name.  It made it difficult to take the novel seriously from the start.  

Lady Henterman’s Wardrobe is an amusing concoction, fun and fast paced but not overly serious.  It is a good read, but Maresca has definitely written better.

4 / 5

I received a copy of Lady Henterman’s Wardrobe from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review .

— Crittermom

I felt this one lacked some of the fun of the first book in the series, but that's to be expected. We get new information and new character tidbits doled out, which was good - the strength of this series, so far, relies on the characters, and on the heists. They characters are all written very well. Even if the author doesn't spend a ton of time on them, they still come through in little moments. The heist in this one was both without a defined purpose and kind of uncomplicated, more just chaotic, so that was a bit of a disappointment. I am interested to see if this series continues on - it kind of wrapped up a little, kind of not. I wonder if the ending was just in case he doesn't get a contract for any more in this series. I hope there will be more, I'm attached to the characters and to their struggle. I definitely recommend reading the first one, and if you like that, this one will be fun too.

This wasn't my cup of tea, Victorian steampunk is hard for me to get into.