A Marvellous Light

Marske’s sparkling debut, a queer fantasy set in Edwardian England, features newly minted baronet Robin Blyth, who joins forces with government official Edwin Courcey to investigate a sinister magical plot. Robin’s first day working for the Office of Special Domestic Affairs and Complaints, a shadowy government division that liaises with the magical world, is completely shocking. Not only does he learn that magic is real, but he is also attacked and marked with a deadly curse. Attempting to remove the curse, Edwin and Robin seek answers among the magical elite and discover that Robin’s curse is part of a deeply rooted conspiracy. In the course of their travels, a tender and sensual romance blooms between the two, lending depth to this already captivating tale. Narrator David Thorpe skillfully conjures Marske’s painstakingly crafted world, populating it with characters that range from perfectly affable to deliciously evil. Thorpe’s depiction of Robin and Edwin’s sexual encounters is superb, exquisitely bringing out the eroticism while also emphasizing the tenderness and love that runs throughout.