A Death at the Dionysus Club, by Melissa Scott and Amy Griswold, is being re-released to the world today, Dec. 7, by Queen of Swords Press. Originally published in 2014, it’s the sequel to the gaslamp fantasy Death by Silver, which was reissued in April. I gave Death by Silver a very enthusiastic review on my own blog back then, before Skiffy and Fanty resumed publishing reviews here, and I’m happy to say that I enjoyed this book very much, too. The mysteries and people’s motivations are very interesting, and the romantic relationship continues to deepen.
The protagonists of both books are metaphysician (magician) Ned Mathey and detective Julian Lynes, who are drawn together during cases. In the first novel, an investigation reconnects the on-and-off lovers while forcing them to relive some very unpleasant memories from their former school. In the second novel, they start out working on separate cases (mysterious deaths for Mathey, blackmail for Lynes); meanwhile, they’re both struggling to solidify their connection but having trouble figuring out what they want, let alone communicating that.
I really enjoy how A Death at the Dionysus Club builds out from Death by Silver, expanding the lives of the protagonists and connected characters as well as the worldbuilding. More is revealed about Ned Mathey’s enigmatic secretary, Cordelia Frost, and one of her friends, although it’s still unclear to Ned and Julian (and readers) how much she knows about the men’s illegal relationship; Scotland Yard organizes a Metaphysical Squad, and Inspector Hatton puts Ned on retainer; various London men’s clubs are explored, from the hearty, sports-mad Mercury to the aesthetic, exhibitionistic Dionysus; and Ned and Julian discuss the possibility of moving abroad.
Naturally, metaphysics gets a deeper examination in this book, too. It turns out that murders are being committed via “non-conforming metaphysics,” i.e. old, illegal forms of magic. The ban on non-conforming practices is not just due to modernistic guild snobbery, but because mixing the practices can lead to literally explosive results; however, it did make me wonder how differently metaphysics might be practiced on the Continent, let alone in the Americas, Asia and Africa. For instance, although metaphysicians may have worked in groups in the past, metaphysicians are now taught to work alone, “to the point that group work is almost non-conforming by definition.” If more books get written in this series, as I certainly hope they do, then Ned and Julian may end up finding out.
(This question also reminds me of some of the surprises Jane Vincent encountered in the West Indies in Mary Robinette Kowal’s Of Noble Family, learning that the English form of glamour she’d learned was far from the only style of magic in the world. But I’m digressing.)
Beyond these intrigues, I also really enjoy the character development here. As a small example, Ned acts sympathetically to “help” some bespelled magic objects fulfill a goal, even though he knows perfectly well that they’re inanimate and don’t really have feelings; I love how this shows his soft side. Julian, on the other hand, is forced to confront that some of the friends he’s always admired for their wittiness are really not nice people at all.
I don’t want to spoil how the mysteries or the romantic issues get resolved, but the puzzles are intriguing, the perils are exciting, and it’s great how the lovers end up standing for and standing by each other. Anyone who enjoyed Death by Silver should definitely enjoy A Death at the Dionysius Club, too; also, I think a reader new to the series could probably start with the second one, but why deny yourself a double dose of pleasure?
Content warnings: Violent death, evil magic, blackmail, historical societal homophobia, and sexual encounters (not too graphic).
Comparisons: Mary Robinette Kowal’s Of Noble Family (fifth in The Glamourist Histories series); K.J. Charles’ A Charm of Magpies series (starting with The Magpie Lord).
Disclaimer: I received a free Advanced Reader Copy of this ebook for the review.
From Queen of Swords Press:
Julian Lynes and Ned Mathey are back and this time, the stakes are everything they hold dear. A murderer is finding their victims in the London gentlemen’s clubs where gay men find refuge and each other. Julian and Ned’s friends, their former lovers, their antagonists, are all under threat from both the murderer and the terrible risk of exposure. Mathey has started working as a metaphysician for Scotland Yard and being outed could destroy the life that he’s building for himself. Even his relationship with Julian. How high a price are they willing to pay to stop a killer?
