Reviewed by Annika
TITLE: Threshold 
SERIES: Whyborne & Griffin #2
AUTHOR: Jordan L. Hawk
NARRATOR: Julian G. Simmons
PUBLISHER: Self-Published
RELEASE DATE: November 27, 2013
LENGTH: 7 hours, 19 minutes
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:
Percival Endicott Whyborne is happy. He’s living with the man he loves, has a job that he also loves and best of friends that knows him inside and out. He doesn’t need anything else. But say the happiness that lasts. Trouble arrives in the form of a letter from his father. A letter sent not to Whyborne, but to Griffin. One of his coal mines is having some issues with people mysteriously disappearing and deadly accidents – that might not be accidents. So Whyborne, Griffin and Christine set off to Threshold to investigate. An investigation that soon leads to the paranormal, myths and legends. To make matters worse, Griffin’s former partner from his Pinkerton days is also involved in the events taking place and it causes some tension between our two men.
For the most part I’m not really a fan when an ex turns up on the scene to cause trouble. But in this case I think it was necessary. I’m not saying that I in anyway liked Elliot or how he deliberately tried to cause trouble, but his appearance made them face some truths that weren’t really addressed before. Whyborne and Griffin comes from two vastly different worlds. Whyborne coming from a wealthy family with all the privileges that entails. Prior to going to Threshold he’d never left Widdershins and is perfectly happy pouring over books to learn its secrets. Introverted he never had a romantic relationship before Griffin and have one true friend in Christine. Griffin on the other hand grew up in an orphanage before being adopted by a farmer, before being thrown out by said family when he was caught with the neighbouring boy. He’s travelled the world and seen and been through things Whyborne can only imagine. Their experiences have shaped them and they look at things differently. And from that longwinded rambling what I’m trying to get at was that Elliot shed some light on their different takes on the world, shed some light on things they need to talk about.
I really like Whyborne and Griffin together. Vastly different yet they still fit together. Griffin reminding Whyborne that there is a world outside of the books, a world meant to be lived in. Whyborne grounding Griffin and keeps him from cracking in the seam by the weights and trails from the past. They aren’t perfect, but they work, and I think that the further along in the series we get the more united they both get. But I guess time will tell that.
Julian Simmons really fits narrating for this era. A bit reserved in his performance, at least in the way that it’s not as passionate as it could have been and leaning towards the monotone. There was one scene that really stood out to me, and it was when Whyborne was surrounded and talking to three prostitutes Simmons really delivered on that one, I could really see the scene before me, see Whyborne squirming, so out of his depth. It was funny and adorable at the same time.
I really enjoy the world that Hawk has created. Love the feel of it and the uncertainty of in which direction things will go. I’m hoping they keep it up going forward.
RATING: 
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