📖 Tangles and Treason by Nancy Warren | 🎧 Listened in audio
📢 Narrated by Sarah Zimmerman | ⏱ Duration: 1 hour
Genre: Paranormal Cozy | 📅 Published: January 1, 2019
🏷️ Publisher name: Self-published and Tantor Media
Book Blurb:
In Elizabethan Oxford, Sir Rafe Crosyer is on a secret mission for the queen. He also hopes to secure Constance’s hand in marriage, for love and for her safety, since rumours are spreading that she is a witch. When Rafe is attacked and left for dead, Constance and even the queen are suddenly in terrible danger. Rafe is left with one unthinkable choice if he wants to protect the woman he loves and the crown he serves. This free prequel to Nancy Warren’s Vampire Knitting Club series is available only to her newsletter subscribers.
Let’s talk about the book:
When I picked up the Vampire Knitting Club series, I made a deliberate choice: start with the prequel instead of jumping straight into book one. If you like to meet a world at its roots and see how the pieces got there, this is the way in. Nancy Warren’s cozy paranormal series is set in Oxford, England, where a knitting shop hides a cast of vampires, witches, and amateur sleuthing, and Tangles and Treason gives that world a sense of history before the main story begins.
My favorite part was the old English. The period voice gives this novella a richness I didn’t expect from something so short. Reading old English and listening to it are so different. Listening to it exudes a kind of elegance and old world charm, and Sarah Zimmerman nails it. A pleasant voice and a beautiful vocal command of the narration really made for a wonderful listening experience. It felt like stepping into another century, and the older diction adds a storybook charm that sets it apart from the modern, breezy tone I understand the main series has. It’s a small touch, but it made the whole story feel transportive.
What stayed with me most was Rafe’s character arc. He begins as a nonbeliever, becomes someone who believes in love, and finally finds his place in a community. It’s an emotionally satisfying progression, and it fits this series well, since belonging and found family seem to be at the heart of it, whether the family is made of vampires, witches, or people who gather around yarn. Knowing where Rafe started will, I think, make every later scene with him mean more.
At around 53 pages in print, this is a short listen, so it’s about mood, character, and setup rather than a twisty plot. If you want a full-length mystery, that’s what the main books are for. Think of this as a prologue with real heart.
I finished it charmed, a little wistful, and very curious about what comes next. It does what a good prequel should: it deepens the world, gives a beloved character his origin, and leaves me eager to keep going. On to The Vampire Knitting Club and Lucy Swift’s Oxford shop.
Would I recommend it?
Tangles and Treason is a short, free prequel that does what a prequel should. It gives the Vampire Knitting Club world some history and gives Rafe an origin that made me care about him before the main series even starts. Don’t go in expecting a twisty mystery, because this one is all mood, character, and setup. If you enjoy cozy paranormal and like meeting a world at its roots, it’s worth an hour of your time. I’m heading to book one next.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Keep the Yarn Spinning
The Vampire Knitting Club by Nancy Warren
Book one is where Rafe’s story keeps going, and where you finally meet Lucy Swift and her Oxford knitting shop.
Witch Way to Murder by Heather Blake
If the witches in Rafe’s world were your favorite part, this first Wishcraft Mystery brings a cozy small-town witch into a murder case.
Secondhand Spirits by Juliet Blackwell
A vintage clothing shop owner with a secret, a San Francisco setting, and a ghost, for when you want the shop-as-hiding-place feeling again.
Curiosity Thrilled the Cat by Sofie Kelly
Magic with a gentler touch, and two cats who do exactly what they want. A good pick if you like your paranormal cozy and a little bit sneaky.
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
Found family is the whole point here, so if Rafe’s arc got you, this one is for you.
Cast On Your Thoughts
Do you start a series with the prequel when there’s one, or do you save it for later? I went in early this time and I’m still not sure it was the right call. And if you’ve listened to a historical audiobook that made old-fashioned language sound gorgeous, tell me which one in the comments. I’m building a list.
Book Links
Want to purchase this or any of your favorite books while supporting a local bookstore? Consider purchasing using the sites below. These sites work with independent local bookstore owners to fulfill your book orders. #SupportLocal
Indiebookstores.ca | Bookshop.org | Goodreads | StoryGraph | Pagebound | Fable | Hardcover | Booktrovert | OpenLibrary | Litsy
Follow Nancy Warren for the latest news and new releases
Check out more books from Tantor Media
Discover more from Views She Writes
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
