Top secret peace talks between the Fae and the dragons are at risk after a murder has everyone on edge. The Library has served as the neutral party in the negotiations but now even that is in jeopardy. Irene and Vale are called in to assist with the investigation. Kai isn't invited onto the team, but he's determined to join in as well. Tensions are high in the alternate version of Paris where they find themselves, and it will take every bit of skill Irene, Vale, and Kai have if they are to uncover the murderer without dying themselves.

I love that Genevieve Cogman pulls in the story of the Blood Countess as part of the intrigue between the Fae and the dragons. It adds a whole different element to the storyline as we wonder who the real culprit is when there are so many potential suspects, never mind the madness of the Blood Countess and her followers. Genevieve Cogman keeps us guessing about the mystery while delving deeper into the politics between dragons, the Fae and the Library.

The relationships between Irene, Kai, and Vale are being stretched and tested as they navigate the murder investigation without disturbing the tricky peace process. I like the direction Genevieve Cogman is taking as the characters aren't stagnant but instead we are seeing growth with all of them, even the secondary characters. The revelations at the end have me excited about where the next book in the series will take us!

THE MORTAL WORD is the fifth book in the Invisible Library  series and definitely a book best appreciated in the context of the series as a whole. If you haven't read the earlier books, you'll want to do so as each and every visit with Irene, Vale, Kai and yes, even Silver is a visit worth treasuring. Fans of the  Invisible Library series will relish Genevieve Cogman's latest entry in the series; THE MORTAL WORD is a hit!

Book Summary

In the latest novel in Genevieve Cogman’s historical fantasy series, the fate of worlds lies in the balance. When a dragon is murdered at a peace conference, time-travelling Librarian spy Irene must solve the case to keep the balance between order, chaos…and the Library.

When Irene returns to London after a relatively straightforward book theft in Germany, Bradamant informs her that there is a top secret dragon-Fae peace conference in progress that the Library is mediating, and that the second-in-command dragon has been stabbed to death. Tasked with solving the case, Vale and Irene immediately go to 1890s Paris to start their investigation.

Once they arrive, they find evidence suggesting that the murder victim might have uncovered proof of treachery by one or more Librarians. But to ensure the peace of the conference, some Librarians are being held as hostages in the dragon and Fae courts. To save the captives, including her parents, Irene must get to the bottom of this murder—but was it a dragon, a Fae, or even a Librarian who committed the crime?