Firstly, thank you to Laura Laakso and Louise Walters Books for providing an ARC of Echo Murder and apologies for the delayed review – it’s high time I published this (also on GoodReads) In common with Fallible Justice, Echo Murder is a very enjoyable and gripping read. The book is the second instalment in the Wilde Investigations series and hence builds upon the uniquely magical vision of London established in Fallible Justice and retraces Yannia and Karrion’s working lives as private investigators.
The plot, centring on Yannia’s next commission (no spoilers!), is very well considered; balancing magic, mystery and suspense with a solid measure of action. As the menace of the Echo Murder unfolds so too are certain antecedents of the book’s main characters revealed. We learn more about Yannia, Karrion, Lady Bergamot and Dearon; each bringing very different personas to the story and each vividly enriching the realm of Old London and beyond.
While Laakso writes very well as a fantasy author, Echo Murder also has the hallmarks of a contemporary crime thriller. The world within Old London is enchanted but it is intricately described and plausibly reflects the city’s landmarks, geography and atmosphere (particularly for anyone who works in the City of London!).
Echo Murder is a robust and engaging sequel to Fallible Justice, delivering a meaningful elaboration of the Wilde Investigations series. The book is a must-read for fans of fantasy and crime fiction, and deserving of 5*. I’m looking forward to the next instalment.
>> Echo Murder is due for release early in June 2019 and is available to pre-order from Amazon.
Philip D. Hume 
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