Sparks fly in this Gilded Age novel of mystery, magic, and romance by the author of the New York Times–bestselling Beasts of Prey. This program is read by actor Renika Williams-Blutcher.
Nineteen-year-old Vesper Evans has always resented Basalton’s high society, and the sorcery that provides them with a luxurious life unimaginable to most. Orphaned as a child and rescued by the editor of The Basalton Globe, Vesper is now an ambitious reporter determined to keep her newspaper afloat.
While covering a lavish society gala, Vesper happens upon a shocking the murdered body of an inventor whose new machine promised to bring the benefits of sorcery to everyone. Several of the powerful magical elite may want the man dead, but the prime suspect is wealthy industrialist Maximilian Kite.
Max soon makes Vesper a tempting Find the culprit and restore his reputation in exchange for a substantial fee. Despite her distaste for Max’s world, Vesper agrees—the money would save the Globe, and the story would be the scoop of a lifetime. There’s only one In order for her to infiltrate society, the two must pose as a courting couple.
Their investigation takes them from the highest echelons of privilege to the seediest backstreets of Basalton. As they unearth the city’s secrets and scandals, Vesper finds herself in grave danger—while falling for one of the most infuriating, arrogant, handsome men she has ever met.
Nineteen-year-old Vesper Evans has always resented Basalton’s high society, and the sorcery that provides them with a luxurious life unimaginable to most. Orphaned as a child and rescued by the editor of The Basalton Globe, Vesper is now an ambitious reporter determined to keep her newspaper afloat.
While covering a lavish society gala, Vesper happens upon a shocking the murdered body of an inventor whose new machine promised to bring the benefits of sorcery to everyone. Several of the powerful magical elite may want the man dead, but the prime suspect is wealthy industrialist Maximilian Kite.
Max soon makes Vesper a tempting Find the culprit and restore his reputation in exchange for a substantial fee. Despite her distaste for Max’s world, Vesper agrees—the money would save the Globe, and the story would be the scoop of a lifetime. There’s only one In order for her to infiltrate society, the two must pose as a courting couple.
Their investigation takes them from the highest echelons of privilege to the seediest backstreets of Basalton. As they unearth the city’s secrets and scandals, Vesper finds herself in grave danger—while falling for one of the most infuriating, arrogant, handsome men she has ever met.
Title: Hawk & Sparrow
Author: Ayana Gray
Publisher: Blazer & Bray/Macmillan Audio
Expected Publication Date: September 1, 2026
Review:
Thank you to Macmillan Audio, Blazer and Bray, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
This book was not what I was expecting at all. I had the feeling it would be more of a fantasy/romantasy. But it turned out to be a mystery with fantasy elements. The setting was almost steampunk in nature set in what seemed to be the 1800s, given how the characters dressed and the societal norms expressed throughout the story.
I enjoyed the narrator. I do believe I've listened to books narrated by her in the past. She has an easy cadence to her voice and kept the story exciting and focused. She did a good job voicing the different characters.
Told from the POV of Vesper, a female journalist navigating a news story about a magical invention, we follow along as the story she covers suddenly becomes a murder mystery. Paired up with a young sorcerer, Max, Vesper investigates the mysterious death of an inventor who claimed he didn't need magical incantations to perform magic; he could do it with his special machine.
I was a bit lost on the magical system. I think it's sometimes harder to listen to fantasy than read it in print. I did find myself rewinding a few times to make sure I understood things and that would take me out of the story.
This story definitely has a Sherlock Holmes vibe to it with how the mystery is investigated. I enjoyed getting to know Vesper and Max and watch them work together to get to the bottom of what happened.
There's some romance thrown in, though I didn't really think it was necessary. And it's very clean, just some kissing. If you're expecting romance, this book is not the one for you. It's very minimal.
I appreciated this was a stand alone. At first I thought it might actually be a series. So many books now are series and sometimes I just want a story to wrap up and be concluded.
My only other complaint about this story was the pacing. I did find it slow at times. I felt like some of the scenes were not necessary to move the story forward. It was a very slow build and I kept asking myself when the pace would pick up.
Overall, the story was fun. This story is firmly planted in the YA category, despite the characters being just a bit older (19 and 20). I'd definitely give this author another try in the future.
3.5 stars rounded to 4
Author:
Ayana Gray is a New York Times-bestselling author of speculative fiction. Her works have been translated in eleven languages across five continents. She currently lives in Arkansas.
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