The Raven Spell cover art

The Raven Spell

A Novel (A Conspiracy of Magic, Book 1)

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The Raven Spell

By: Luanne G. Smith
Narrated by: Susannah Jones
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About this listen

In Victorian England a witch and a detective are on the hunt for a serial killer in an enthralling novel of magic and murder by the Amazon Charts and Washington Post bestselling author of The Vine Witch.

After a nearly fatal blow to the skull, traumatized private detective Ian Cameron is found dazed and confused on a muddy riverbank in Victorian London. Among his effects: a bloodstained business card bearing the name of a master wizard and a curious pocket watch that doesn’t seem to tell time. To retrieve his lost memories, Ian demands answers from Edwina and Mary Blackwood, sister witches with a murky past. But as their secret is slowly unveiled, a dangerous mystery emerges on the darkened streets of London.

To help piece together Ian’s lost time, he and Edwina embark on a journey that will take them from the river foreshore to an East End music hall, and on to a safe house for witches in need of sanctuary from angry mortals. The clues they find suggest a link between a series of gruesome murders, a missing person’s case, and a dreadful suspicion that threatens to tear apart the bonds of sisterhood. As the investigation deepens, could Ian and Edwina be the next to die?

©2022 Luanne G. Smith (P)2021 Brilliance Publishing , Inc., all rights reserved.
Fantasy Historical England Detective Fiction Magic Users Witchcraft Mystery Victorian Supernatural
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Critic reviews

“Magnificently performed by the impressive vocal storytelling talents of Susannah Jones, this…will have immense appeal to historical fantasy fans and gothic fiction enthusiasts.”Midwest Book Review

“This fun, atmospheric outing is ideal for fans of C. L. Polk’s Kingston Cycle.”Publishers Weekly

“Smith wraps up the plot neatly while leaving a clear hook to entice delighted readers back for the next book.”Booklist

What listeners say about The Raven Spell

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Good story, great characters, poor narration

This is a favourite author of mine with what looks like a new series of books. The story is good, the characters were developed within the writing and I’m really looking forward to hearing more from this series. However, the narration lets the book down. The narrator is American (in accent), the two English witches would have had regional accents in the time the book is set and the Scottish accents would also have been regional. The Scottish accents were poor, I have not figured out what accent Hob is supposed to but as an old Elf surely that would be an old regional Scottish accent. Getting the right narrator will be important for the development of key characters in audio. Poor narration can kill a book, the narration in this book was just about acceptable. Having said that, I loved the story, I listened straight through and didn’t want it to end. I look forward to the next book in this series.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Performance definitely ruined the story for me!

The story in itself was not bad; but it wasn't amazing. It felt a bit repetitive in places, with length emphasis put on points that were obvious. But I enjoyed it well enough.

That being said, the performance of this book really ruined it for me, and irked me throughout. An American accent to read a London based book was irritating, but not nearly as much as the fact that the reader couldn't pronounce very very simple words such as 'shone' and 'rifiling.' In addition, there was a really bad Scottish accent put on for a good few of the main characters, which at times sounded Russian. It was very unnecessary, and made the overall experience very irritating.

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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fascinating story

totally loved this book, it's supernatural potency was infectious and left me unable to pause as I wanted to know more!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Most enjoyable

Very intriguing story. I look forward to the others in the series to see where things go.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Brilliant!

This is the first book I have read by Luanne G Smith and I really enjoyed it and will be seeking out more titles! Very well written, engaging characters, good plot twists & very well narrated!

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Great story

Had this for a while and finally got around to it. It’s a great story. Was performed extremely well. Also it Has fascinating characters and I’m looking forward to the next one.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Thank you

Something different but I couldn't stop listening or reading = thank you Luanne G Smith and Susannah Jones for a delightful experience.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Nice story strange breaks

The story was nice - similar to the trilogy but lovely in its own right. The recording seemed to have odd breaks or lack there of.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Wrong narrator

Why would you use an American voice for a book set in Victorian London? It creates such a dissonant sensation that I gave up - the atmosphere was just completely wrong, and I couldn't get into the story at all.
Very disappointing.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Bizarre choice of narrator

The book is set in London. The two main POV characters are English and Scottish respectively. So why on earth is the narrator American? Seriously distracted me from enjoying the story.

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