Reviewed by Dan
This is a Series review of the first four books of Jordan L. Hawk’s Whyborne & Griffin Series.
A review of each book is included below, along with a rating for the Series.
BOOK #1
TITLE: Widdershins
SERIES: Whyborne & Griffin #1
AUTHOR: Jordan L. Hawk
PUBLISHER: Self Published
LENGTH: 226 Pages
BLURB:
Some things should stay buried. Repressed scholar Percival Endicott Whyborne has two skills: reading dead languages and hiding in his office at the Ladysmith Museum. After the tragic death of the friend he secretly loved, he’s ruthlessly suppressed any desire for another man. So when handsome ex-Pinkerton Griffin Flaherty approaches him to translate a mysterious book, Whyborne wants to finish the job and get rid of the detective as quickly as possible. Griffin left the Pinkertons following the death of his partner, hoping to start a new life. But the powerful cult which murdered Glenn has taken root in Widdershins, and only the spells in the book can stop them. Spells the intellectual Whyborne doesn’t believe are real. As the investigation draws the two men closer, Griffin’s rakish charm threatens to shatter Whyborne’s iron control. When the cult resurrects an evil sorcerer who commands terrifying monsters, can Whyborne overcome his fear and learn to trust? Will Griffin let go of his past and risk falling in love? Or will Griffin’s secrets cost Whyborne both his heart and his life?
REVIEW:
Love, love, love, love, LOVE this book. I’ve almost clicked on Amazon 1-click several times in the past, but was frightened off by the historical romance aspect of the book. A friend recently asked if any of the rest of us could take the book and review it. I am so happy I did.
In the book we are introduced to Dr. Percival Endicott Whyborne, a philologist who speaks 13 languages and reads several others. He works in a museum in a town called Widdershins, Massachusetts, a town founded by individuals who ran away from the Salem Witch Trials before they could be prosecuted. Dr. Whyborne hides himself away in a basement office well away from his co-workers. He comes off as quite shy and withdrawn. His only semi-friend is one of his coworkers, Dr. Christine Putnam, a female anthropologist in the days when females were supposed to be home, not off in Egypt discovering ancient pharaohs.
Whyborne is dragged into a mystery when he is introduced to Griffin Flaherty, a former Pinkerton Detective, now in the employ of one of the museum’s trustees. Mr. Flaherty is investigating the murder of the trustee’s son and the only clue is a book written in some sort of code. Whyborne is directed to work with Mr. Flaherty on deciphering the book to try to solve the murder.
Whyborne is instantly nervous because the man, who insists on being called Griffin, is very good looking, and Whyborne is secretly a homosexual. The story weaves the facts of the times, and the illegality of homosexuality, then thought of as a mental disorder, into the story.
I was captivated from the first line, “I was late for an appointment with a dead man.” The story was fast moving, involved all manner of evil beings from the resurrected dead, to strange monsters created from human body parts and the parts of animals, to evil businessmen. I particularly enjoyed that the author used the mummy and evil god characters created by H.P. Lovecraft for the characters in this book.
BOOK #2
TITLE: Threshold
SERIES: Whyborne & Griffin #2
AUTHOR: Jordan L. Hawk
PUBLISHER: Self Published
LENGTH: 172 Pages
BLURB:
Introverted scholar Percival Endicott Whyborne wants nothing more than to live quietly with his lover, ex-Pinkerton detective Griffin Flaherty. Unfortunately, Whyborne’s railroad tycoon father has other ideas, namely hiring Griffin to investigate mysterious events at a coal mine.
Whyborne, Griffin, and their friend Christine travel to Threshold Mountain, a place of dark legend even before the mine burrowed into its heart. A contingent of Pinkertons–including Griffin’s ex-lover Elliot–already guard the mine. But Griffin knows better than anyone just how unprepared the detectives are to face the otherworldly forces threatening them.
Soon, Whyborne and Griffin are on the trail of mysterious disappearances, deadly accidents, and whispered secrets. Is Elliot an ally, or does he only want to rekindle his relationship with Griffin? And if so, how can Whyborne possibly hope to compete with the stunningly handsome Pinkerton–especially when Griffin is hiding secrets about his past?
For in a town where friends become enemies and horror lurks behind a human mask, Whyborne can’t afford to trust anything–including his own heart.
REVIEW:
Welcome to the second book in the Whyborne & Griffin series. Again our cast of characters is led by Percival Endicott Whyborne (Whyborne) and Griffin Flaherty (Griffin). This time they are off to the wilds of West Virginia coal country to see what the strange rumors are surrounding a coal mine that Whyborne’s father owns. Along for the ride, is their friend Christine who happens to be in Widdershins between her archeological excursions to Egypt.
When they get to Threshold, things begin to get strange immediately. They find that the Pinkertons maintaining security around the mine are led by Griffin’s ex-lover, Elliot. But they seem to be strong-arming the town, instead of helping with law enforcement. It all seems to tie to the strange disappearances of townspeople and miners. And what’s up with the strange manager of the mining operations and his total lack of concern about the odd happenings.
Along the way we have strange creatures, an odd smooth tunnel going into Threshold Mountain, more disappearances, bloodshed and betrayal most foul. How will Whyborne, Griffin and Christine get out of this mess?
I really enjoyed this chapter of the series. The evil ended up being from a source I didn’t expect in a historical m/m romance. I always love a surprise.
BOOK #3
TITLE: Stormhaven
SERIES: Whyborne & Griffin #3
AUTHOR: Jordan L. Hawk
PUBLISHER: Self Published
LENGTH: 177 Pages
BLURB:
Mysterious happenings are nothing new to reclusive scholar Percival Endicott Whyborne, but finding one of his colleagues screaming for help in the street is rather unusual. Allan Tambling claims he can’t remember any of the last hour–but someone murdered his uncle, and Allan is covered in blood.
Whyborne’s lover, dashing ex-Pinkerton detective Griffin Flaherty, agrees to prove Allan’s innocence. But when Allan is deemed insane and locked away in the Stormhaven Lunatic Asylum, Griffin finds himself reliving the horrifying memories of his own ordeal inside a madhouse.
Along with their friend Christine, the two men become drawn deeper and deeper into a dark web of conspiracy, magic, and murder. Their only clue: a missing artifact depicting an unknown god. Who stole the artifact, and why can’t Allan remember what happened? And what is the truth behind the terrible experiments conducted on Stormhaven’s forbidden fourth floor?
It will take all of Whyborne’s sorcery and Griffin’s derring-do to stop the murderers and save Allan. But first, they must survive an even greater challenge: a visit from Griffin’s family.
REVIEW:
These books just keep getting better! This time we stay in Widdershins and the action revolves around Stormhaven, a large hulking insane asylum perched atop a cliff outside Widdershins.
As the blurb says, one of Whyborne’s co-workers from the museum, Allan Tambling, is standing in the street screaming with his hands covered with blood when Whyborne, Griffin and Christine find him. It turns out his uncle has been brutally murdered, and he is the only suspect.
Without a trial, somehow Allan ends up confined to Stormhaven as being criminally insane. When Allan’s brother approaches Whyborne, looking for help connecting with Griffin, the case is on.
But are things as they seem? Why is the man in charge of Stormhaven the same doctor who had Griffin committed to the asylum in Chicago several years ago, leading to the horrors that Griffin went through. Why is Whyborne dreaming of a huge city under the ocean, over and over again? Something is calling to him, but what?
Another very enjoyable chapter in the Whyborne & Griffin tales. I was really happy about the increase in sorcery by Whyborne, and the strange almost reconciliation that was hinted at with Whyborne’s father throughout the book.
BOOK #4
TITLE: Necropolis
SERIES: Whyborne & Griffin #4
AUTHOR: Jordan L. Hawk
PUBLISHER: Self Published
LENGTH: 202 Pages
BLURB:
Introverted scholar Percival Endicott Whyborne has spent the last few months watching his lover, Griffin Flaherty, come to terms with the rejection of his adoptive family. So when an urgent telegram from Christine summons them to Egypt, Whyborne is reluctant to risk the fragile peace they’ve established. Until, that is, a man who seems as much animal as human tries to murder Whyborne in the museum. Amidst the ancient ruins of the pharaohs, they must join Christine and face betrayal, murder, and a legendary sorceress risen from the dead. In the forge of the desert heat, the trio will either face their fears and stand together–or shatter the bonds between them forever.
REVIEW:
For someone who doesn’t like to travel, Whyborne is in for a surprise in Book #4 of this delightful series. Christine is now in Egypt on another dig, and she has sent an urgent telegram to Whyborne to come to Egypt immediately. No real explanation, but it appears to be of utmost importance,involves some sort of murder, and some strange happenings in Widdershins. Not only has an unearthed corpse been found in Widdershins…partially eaten, but Whyborne has also discovered a murdered security guard at the museum that something has been feeding upon! That something turns out to be a wild human looking creature, but one that runs on all fours and sniffs the floor to follow him. Luckily Whyborne is saved just in time from the creatures jaws!
Before long Whyborne and Griffin are off to Egypt. There they face 4,000 year old mysteries from Gods and cults long dead. I really enjoyed that Whyborne FINALLY admits he is a sorcerer in this book (sorry for the spoiler.) I’ve been waiting patiently! Whyborn, Griffin and Christine are off on another wild adventure barely keeping in front of the death chasing them from every direction!
SERIES REVIEW:
I am very glad that I picked up the first four books of the Whyborne & Griffin saga for a series review. I’ve read a lot of series that don’t maintain a story flow, and don’t always tie together. This is definitely NOT one of those. These books are tight. The characters hold your interest throughout each book, and from book to book. I’m not usually a huge fan of historical fiction. In fact, I usually hate it. I’m not sure if it was the paranormal aspects, the sorcery, the aliens, or all the other creatures, but something made me a huge fan. I very highly recommend this series. We recently reviewed Book #5, Bloodline, so I’m not including it in this Series Review. Please search on our site for that review from Vicki! If you haven’t read this series, now is a great time to start!
RATING: 
BUY LINKS:
WIDDERSHINS (Book #1)
THRESHOLD (Book #2)
STORMHAVEN (Book #3)
NECROPOLIS (Book #4)
I love Jordan Hawk books!!! Glad you do too Dan.
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