BONUS ALERT! C.J. Archer is giving 2 copies to 2 lucky Redditors of The Medici Manuscript (Glass Library #2). Feel free to comment on our discussions and/or in the AMA and you 2 can be a winner.

This week I tried out my new waterproof mascara made from petroleum jelly and soot. It went splendidly with my martini from the Drink Trolley. (Whatever happened to the good old drink trolley, it is so convenient on all fronts?) Onward to our mystery…

Welcome to our first discussion of The Librarian of Crooked Lane. We will be discussing Chapters 7-12 here, so if you read ahead, please do not write any spoilers beyond this section.

We will gather questions for C.J. Archer’s AMA (scheduled for Sept 10th/11th depending on time zones) during our 3rd and final discussion. If this section triggered any questions for our author, feel free to jot them down below or in the Marginalia.

Summary of Chapters 7 to 12

Sylvia escapes the storage room and quits her night job at the Royal Academy. She thinks it odd that Butler Ludlow the Lug was arguing with Lady Stanton and reports it all to Gabe.

At the Glass Library, Professor Nash shows her the second level with all the valuable books and papers protected by magic glass shelves. He also lives above the library.

We learn more about magic:

• It fades and the length depends on the strength of the magician.
• India knows spells that extend magic; she can think the spell vs saying it; and she can create new spells (Rare!). India is a Horology Magician. She is a hero to the magicians and helped ensure they can live openly and trade freely. (The only price is a luxury tax – damn tax man always getting his share of the good stuff!)
• Magic art is always more appealing to the eye with or without a spell. No one is really sure what art spells do – but they make the art more attractive in some way.

Gabe takes Sylvia to a platonic business lunch. They speculate that the seascape with the steamship at the Royal Academy is magic and may be the next painting stolen.

The stolen painting was by Delaroche and is suspected to be magic, but no one can prove it. The Delaroche was on display at the Royal Academy and was stolen two days prior to the exhibit. They assume that it was placed behind the torn village painting until it could be “squirrelled out” of the exhibit. Many people had access to the painting during set up.

Sylvia learns that Gabe is personally paying her wages at the Glass Library until the Glass Committee can approve her position. (Bonus question – what does he expect in return??)

GabVia visit Horatio’s art pad because they know he has been banging Lady S. He reveals that Lady S exchanges her vast sexual expertise for artist spots at the art exhibition.

Next GabVia visit Freddie Duckworth, a brilliant sculptor who has also fallen victim to Lady S’s sexual harassment. He is magic and has vouched that the stolen painting was indeed magic. From his large potato sack, he emphasizes that he can’t explain it, he just knows when something is magic. GabVia aren’t falling for it as they consider him a suspect and insult him on the way out.

Sylvia is questioned by Cyclops about what she has seen. Despite the eyepatch, large size and scar on the cheek, Cyclops is not a villain, but is a Detective.

Wild Willie threatens Sylvia to stay away from Gabe. Turns out he was “reckless and a bit of a prick” before the war and now has changed. Willie wants the old, reckless Gabe back. She has no children and Gabe is like a son to her.

Daisy, her trusted cat/dog friend, curls up at Sylvia’s feet in the Glass Library and they gossip about silver magic. Turns out the Silversmith’s guild was a dead end. Prof Nash explains there are no living silver magicians, but India told him about one named Marianne. Sylvia wonders if she is adopted but knows her brother, James, looks like their mother so he probably is not adopted.

Gabe and Alex recklessly put Sylvia at risk by talking to people Sylvia has mentioned. Mrs. Witchy Whitten turns a blind eye at the boarding house and lets in Lady S who tries to seduce threatens Sylvia. Tommy Allen, her packer ex-employee, stalks and threatens Sylvia as well. Sylvia gives Tommy a karate chop to his man parts and saves herself.

Gabe and Alex wonder if Tommy works for Lady S and Ludlow the Lug. Sylvia remembers the storeroom at the Royal Academy she was pushed into, and they speculate Tommy was living there after his fiancé gave him the boot for being a drunk abusive A-hole. He has since moved out and is no longer employed at the Royal Academy.

Gabe is concerned for Sylvia’s safety and pops the question – ‘will you move in with me?’ As we predicted, Mrs. Witchy Whitten hears about the cohabitation and kicks Sylvia out of the boarding House of Horrors so her immorality does not “infect” the other girls.

The Glass house is run by Mr. and Mrs. Bristow along with Mrs. Ling the cook, Sally the maid and Dodson the chauffer. Mrs. B “jokes” that Willie might have killed her two prior husbands.

Willie and Alex who live in the Glass house debate with Gabe that having Sylvia stay will give the wrong impression. He assures them he has no feelings for Sylvia. They are concerned about what his fiancé (!!!!!) Ivy will think.

Gabe proposed to Ivy while he was in his prick era. He took two weeks’ leave from the war, met Ivy, and came back engaged. They are waiting to marry until they can get to know each other and until India and Mr. Glass return home. Ivy is a leather magician, and her family makes boots for the military. She is “fine” with Syvia staying at the Glass house.

We meet the Cyclops family – Mr. C, his wife Catherine (Mrs. C) and their 4 children: Alex (Gabe’s partner in crime who also lives with Gabe), Ella (eldest and similar age to Sylvia), Mau and Lulu.

A reporter, Albert Scarrow, questions Gabe about 4 years on the front lines with no injuries and holding his breath for a long time to save the child and Sylvia wonders about it all too.

Before Sylvia can karate chop Albert’s man parts, Gabe goes bonkers on Albert and a shot is fired from somewhere. This section ends with Sylvia on her back under Gabe (is this what he is expecting in return for paying her wages?).

Duhn, Duhn, Duhn

See you in the Comments below!

Next week we will discuss Chapters 13 to 18 (the end) on Friday September 8th. Reading Schedule Link