The narration: Joel LesliIe is a master of accents. I say the same things every time I review a book narrated by him. I don’t want to be repetitive, but if you haven’t listened to a book that he gives voice to, you really ought to.
The story: Lord Mouse is an action/adventure story that takes place at a time that seems a long while ago, There are Lords and Dukes, and castles, and order guards. There are also mages who can spell people and track them if need be. In that way, it’s part paranormal/fantasy alongside the historical aspects. The world building in this story really is excellent. I could easily picture the Duke’s manor and the docks as Mouse and Garron attempt to make their mistake.
Mouse is a really interesting character. He’s small in stature, but he is crafty and wise. He is stealthy, quick, and strong enough to take care of himself; and to become the leader of the thieves guild in his village. He also is under someone’s thumb forced to make payments to avoid being charged with murder. The money to find Lord Garron and bring him home is too tempting to resist the very dangerous mission.
Lord Garron is noble and kind. He’s not weak, but he tempers Mouse’s eagerness to dispatch any obstacles the easiest way possible, i.e. killing. I like the two of them together and I definitely was cheering them on throughout the book. There is not much intimacy on page, and the romance is more of a back drop to a story of prison breaks, familial betrayal and attempted murder. The story is intriguing and very enjoyable.
I feel like there might be a wider story arc that might occur throughout the novels, though I’m not sure. I’m a little bit disappointed that the next story doesn’t feature Mouse, but I am very eager to see what will happen next in this series. If you like spy stories, and historical fantasy I think you will love this story. I highly recommend it.