Reviewed by Taylin
TITLE: Crimson Codex
SERIES: The Mage and His Brute #3
AUTHOR: Ava Marie Salinger
PUBLISHER: Silver Orb Publishing
LENGTH: 333 Pages
RELEASE DATE: January 20, 2026
BLURB:
Some secrets are buried for a reason. But what happens when someone is willing to kill to unearth them?
Duke Evander Ravenwood is barely back on his feet after the catastrophe at the Royal Institute when he is dragged before Parliament to answer for the chaos that followed. But political scheming is the least of his concerns. The elusive mastermind he and Viggo Stonewall have hunted for months continues to tighten his grip across Europe—and their new mission to track down the legendary Crimson Codex is about to thrust them straight into his path.
From the gilded salons of Paris to the shadowed archives of Prague, from the opera houses of Vienna to the royal courts of Brussels, Evander, Viggo, and their loyal team must navigate a deadly web of conspiracy, royal intrigue, and dark mages who will stop at nothing to claim the Codex’s power.
With shadows closing in and allies emerging from the most unexpected places, Evander and Viggo will have to risk everything to stop a conspiracy that could plunge Europe into a new age of darkness.
A sweeping tale of magic, mystery, and forbidden passion, Crimson Codex continues The Mage and His Brute with heart-pounding adventure and a romance forged in fire. Perfect for fans of historical fantasy and LGBTQ+ romance.
REVIEW:
After being caught between the wheels of justice and politics for the events in Stolen Magic, Evander is asked to form a team and seek out the Crimson Codex. To do so entails travelling Europe with a small, capable team able to cope with any situation. However, as much as Evander is willing to put his life on the line for the sake of others, some wish him to understand his importance in their lives.
Before I begin the review in earnest, I’m going to give a shout-out to the artwork on the cover of these books. If I were in a bookshop, I’d pick up this book for its cover alone. Beautiful.
Anyhoo, what a welcome return of this awesome series. Crimson Codex is book three in The Mage and His Brute series. The books connect by a related investigation into the overarching arc for an individual bent on domination. Each one gets that bit closer to the big bad, and each adventure puts more on the line for our intrepid heroes. Who knows what can happen around the next corner, and it was an adventure that I eagerly returned to at every chance.
The story is written in the third person from the viewpoints of Viggo and Evander. The setting is Victorian England. While all levels of society are used within the pages, this instalment is high-society strong, detailing some of the bonds between the aristocracy and those less affluent. It also showed that ‘I’s’ activities affect all levels of society.
Established cast members return, but new characters are introduced that could prove useful, and I was absolutely proud to see strong women prove that there is more to them than pretty dresses. I actively fist-pumped the air with the occasional ‘go girl’.
Within the story, there is gripping action, but most of the fascinating parts are in unravelling the clues and following the investigation. Evander is continually reminded that he isn’t on his own – though I suspect it is a work in progress.
Crimson Codex is page-turning stuff, and I soak up every word with enthusiasm, and I can feel them getting closer to whoever ‘I’ is. I love everything about this series, but I am hoping that the mystery is solved in the next book, as I’m not sure whether my heart can take more than that – I need the answers. Once completed, give them another adventure, but please complete this one soon.
RATING: 
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