Editorial Review: Time Marked Warlock by Shami Stovall

Editorial Review: Time Marked Warlock by Shami Stovall

When a distraught teenager shows up on Adair Finch’s doorstep the last thing he suspected was that he was about to be pulled into a magical murder investigation – after all, he’s retired.
Perhaps equally, Bree never expected to be knocking on the door of the most powerful warlock in the world just to find a disheveled guy in unwashed sweats. The problem is that this is the guy her mom said to find if something bad ever happened and now the worst thing has happened - her mother has been murdered and her father is missing.


Now, non-magical police aren’t all ineffective but some are more antagonistic than others towards magical folk, unfortunately they’re also more likely to assume human motives. With a witch mother and a warlock father Bree needs someone who understands – she needs a warlock.


Adair Finch might be retired but he is still one of the most powerful warlocks in the world. In fact, he is one of only two warlocks who have ever successfully made a pact with time. The death of his brother hit Adair as hard as losing someone can. He’s been grinding through life ever since that day, but now he has someone relying on him not just to protect her from the assassin who killed her mother but also to help clear her father’s name.
Since his retreat from the world Finch has missed a lot, including the steadily building darkness that has been brewing in the background and now he needs to pull himself – along with his magical and people skills – out of the dusty corner he’s been hiding in.


Shami Stovall’s characters are fantastically created and balance each other out brilliantly. Yes, Finch feels overpowered - being the most powerful warlock in the world tends to have that effect – but his circumstances reel him back in and make him a compelling character. Bree is the perfect counter balance to his cynical world view despite her own tragic circumstances.


The story itself is engrossing and the world is brought to life by energetic and engaging prose - readers will find themselves flying though the pages of Time Marked Warlock. The first in a new series, The Chronos Chronicles, Adair Finch is sure to become a favorite repeat character with urban fantasy and mystery genre readers.
A fantastic urban fantasy story, Time Marked Warlock is fast paced and engaging in the best possible way with characters to love and a story to cheer for.