Trifles and Folly is a short story volume that is set in the Deadly Curiosities universe and it is the first of several of these volumes. If you've never read anything in her universe, no worries, these stories are completely comprehensible on their own. This volume will definitely make you go read everything in Deadly Curiosities.

Gail Z. Martin is such good author - her stories of any length are a delight to read and this collection gives the reader better insight to her characters, especially Cassidy, Teag, and Sorren. Each story is a quick read with an engaging story, so you will fly through this one and want to read the next one! There are more volumes of these short stories, so if you don't want to read the main books, you will still have plenty more short stories about characters in Deadly Curiosities.

I am embarrassed that it took me so long to get through this anthology. I started it a while ago on a vacation trip and since lost track of it in my kindle. A short story anthology is both good and bad that way because I was able to stop easily at the end of a story and pick up with the next one years later without missing anything.

I don't have experience with this world outside of this short story set, so needed the intro that is tacked on to every story in the set. It introduces you to Cassidy, the touch psychic who runs the shop, Teag, her partner, and Sorren, the last silent vampire partner. They work together to using intelligence, magic, connections in the neighborhood, and sheer luck to remove antiques with bad mojo from the market. I will say, while I appreciated the intro when starting and then picking the book up, the way this anthology is designed, I would almost recommend that as your strategy for reading it, otherwise it quickly becomes redundant.

There are a ton of stories packed into this set, some that I enjoyed more than others, but the highlights for me were at the end, in the bonus section. This included Sorren centric stories of his history and "onboarding" into the magical saving community. The world is unique, the stories are interesting, and the size of each story was very manageable for a quick read. I would recommend this set for someone who wants to casually read a short story anthology, perhaps with different breaks for books in between.

I read this after the first three main books, though I think it could be read at any time without confusion or spoilers. Some seem to take place before the main books, others between books.

Each of these stories is basically a mini book, as they each use the same format of supernatural things happening and then Cassidy and co. solving the mystery and saving the day. Most of the stories don't really add any extra info to the main series, and you won't be missing anything if you don't read it. But...

There were three stories from Sorren's POV! I enjoyed that because I've been wanting to know more about him. You get to learn how he got started in the Alliance, as well as some other things mentioned in the main books. You also get to see a bit of his jewel-thieving skills.

Overall, this is fairly focused on plot and mystery and is nice if you like these sorts of little mysteries or just want to hang out with these characters some more, especially if you're curious about Sorren.

Trifles and Folly was a fun read. I wish I could do what Cassidy does. Well actually it would be fun just to own a curiosity/antique shop. The book does get a little dark but I like that to. The characters are well developed and relatable. A good read all the way through.

Trifles and Folly (A Deadly Curiosities Collection), by Gail Z. Martin, and Trifles and Folly 2 (SOL Publishing)

“Trifles and Folly” is the name of an antique store in Charleston, South Carolina, run by Cassidy Kincaide, with a bit of help from Teague, her magically talented hacker and weaver-witch assistant, and Sorren, vampire and silent business partner. But it’s not an ordinary store, it’s a front for the collection, safeguarding, and occasionally the destruction of magically dangerous objects.

In the early stories, each featuring a different cursed or otherwise evilly charged object, Cassidy is new to the business of keeping the world safe from ghouls, ghosts, and wraiths. She’s just coming into her own as a psychometrist who can experience the history of those who owned those objects, as well as forming a network of allies, each with their own particular skill. My favorites were “Father Anne,” an Episcopal priest skilled in exorcism, and “Bo,” the ghost of Cassidy’s golden retriever, still fiercely loyal and protective.

As the stories unfold, Cassidy gains in skill and experience. The bonus stories to the first volume feature Sorren in his early life, a mere century into his vampiric existence, charged after the death of his maker with continuing the work through the shop, Vanities, a precursor to Trifles and Folly. I love that Sorren isn’t infallible, and that even his vampiric strength can be overcome with sufficiently ancient and evil sorcery. Like Cassidy, he finds allies, both human and supernatural. His shortcomings and limitations give him add to him being a sympathetic character.

Although the entries in the first volume are all short stories, those in the second include longer novellas. The “Deadly Curiosities” novel series offers even more complex delights for readers like me who find the characters and their challenges enchanting in the best possible way.

This is a collection of 12 short stories set in the Deadly Curiosities universe starring Cassidy Kincaide, Teag and Sorren, the almost 600 year-old vampire who deal with dangerous artifacts, magical events, and occasional ghosts. The first nine stories are set in Charleston, SC, in the present day while the last three stories are set in Antwerp in Europe back in the 1500's when Sorren was on his own and learning the trade of artifact containment. The stories deal with haunted house, en-scrolled items and a death curse. If you have an interest in this universe, you will like the stories. Will definitely be looking for the next volume of stories.

This was a fun scif novel, the characters were great and I enjoyed the mystery going through the novel. I'm interested to see where the series is going.

Trifles and Folly by Gail Z. Martin, a great book of short stories. Charleston SC, is a great historic town, that is haunted in more ways than one. Cassidy and Teag run the antique store that also takes care of those problem items that people always inherit....

Well, now I clearly need to start from the beginning of this series. #SneakyAuthor Reading this collection didn’t spoil the series for me, but it definitely made me want to read more (and more, and more…) Deadly Curiosities just got moved WAY up on my TBR list.

Each of the shorts in this compilation drew me in and made me fall in love with these characters even more. Now I need to get to know them better and I can’t wait to delve into the rest of this series. I’ve already picked up a couple of other books by Gail Z. Martin/Morgan Brice and I love the way the series by both alter egos weave together. So much so, it would be impossible to pick a favorite character or series. I’ve found myself falling in love with them all.

What isn’t listed in the blurb about what is included in the first edition of Trifles and Folly are the bonus chapters at the end. Readers are treated to Sorren’s past and I’m so glad that I continued reading all the way to the end. Whatever you do, if you pick up this edition of Trifles and Folly, don’t skip it. You can thank me later 😉

Trifles and Dolly is a good collection of stories. There are some stories that were great and well written.

I enjoyed this collection of stories. I had already read one of the newer stories and enjoyed it but felt a little lost. This book helped clear up the questions I had. The characters are great and the plots and world building are unique. I will be reading more!

Great series of stories, a couple I'd read before, some I didn't remember. A really good introduction to the series and another great book by this author who rarely disappoints.

I really enjoyed the first couple of stories in this anthology, not realising it was an anthology when I requested it. The first couple of stories made me actually want to go and buy the series. But then I kept reading and realised all the stories are the same. There was no character building or evolution it was all pretty bland. This put me of attempting to read the series in case its the same.