A Tangle of Time

• Author: Josiah Bancroft
• Genre: Fantasy
• Publication Date: September 9, 2025
• Publisher: Orbit
• Series: The Hexologists #2

Thank you to Orbit and Oriel Voegele for providing me with an ARC of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

From one of the most exciting and original voices in fantasy comes the second book following the adventures of the Hexologists, Iz and Warren Wilby, as they tackle a case that could redefine the nature of magic itself.

As the nation’s foremost investigators of the paranormal, Isolde and Warren Wilby are accustomed to bumping up against things that go bump in the night. They have made quite a name for themselves as the detectives of the uncanny, the monstrous, the strange. After a decade of wedded bliss and dozens of fantastical adventures, there is little in the world that can still surprise them.

But when a famous artist dies under suspicious circumstances, Isolde finds herself investigating a murder that may not have happened, and a crime scene that seems to shift beneath her feet. Not one to be easily thwarted, Isolde is compelled to take greater and greater risks in pursuit of her elusive answers. Meanwhile, the laws that govern magic appear to be breaking, and those cracks are spreading to the everyday world.

The mystery will carry the devoted duo to seedy underworlds, enchanted gardens, and subterranean military zoos. Old friends will come to the Wilbies’ aid as they infiltrate secret societies, battle vicious imps, and flee from a pack of venomous wolves. Equipped with Isolde’s hexes, Warren’s muscle, and an enchanted bag full of magical relics, the Hexologists will have to risk life and limb to unravel the riddle at the heart of A Tangle of Time.

It feels like it was a long time since I read the first book, so I had to do a quick audiobook reread of that before jumping into this one. It worked out beautifully, since it was easy to slide into this story with minimal disruption. Both audiobooks are narrated by Sarah Slimani, so she’s become associated as the voice of the story for me, and it was a pleasure to return to her wonderful narration.

I always love when I read enough of a genre to eventually find some pretty close comparisons. And while this book is clearly fantasy, it’s also a bit of a mystery as well. There are also influences from historical fiction, and an underlying long-standing romance. Reading through the series this time strongly reminded me of the Dr. Greta Helsing series by Vivian Shaw. Both involve paranormal mystery solving, leaning more towards the cozy side than the scary, although in this case, they aren’t supernatural doctors, but a married pair where Iz, the wife, is a hexologist, and her husband Warren is the other half of their PI business. Although it isn’t set as far back in time, the way that Iz and Warren interact and how they react to the twists thrown their way always makes me smile. 

Iz Wilby is a gifted hexologist, and loves what she does. She also loves her husband, who is plus-sized, and while his weight, shape, or size are mentioned a few times throughout the book, it is nearly always positive. In fact, Iz is very physically attracted to her husband, and he feels the same way about her, and they have an active sex life. There is some hanky panky in the story, but this is firmly a closed-door spice novel.

The way that Iz and Warren interact is fantastic. They make for a wonderful and realistic married couple, in the way that they know each other through and through, and still love each other. It’s really cool to see how much love there is between these two, and Bancroft has managed to accomplish this without the romance ever overshadowing the mystery or fantasy elements of the story. All I needed to love Warren was to hear that he took *her* last name, or to see how he dotes on Iz, and they truly talk to each other like they’re the most precious person in their life. It feels like they have each found the other, and discovered their perfect match. It’s especially sweet to see the romance that is still alive in their marriage in the way they talk to and behave towards the other.

Since this is also a mystery, I loved reading along to find out what was happening, and how the hexologists were going to get out of trouble when they were found at the scene of a murder, and Warren was covered in blood. Because it clearly isn’t bad enough, the first police officer to respond is someone that despised Iz and blames her and Warren for the murder. He was such a terrible cop and I just wanted to get him fired, but I kept faith that Bancroft wouldn’t let me down, and Iz and Warren would manage to overcome this challenge too. 

Overall, this is a fun and exciting series. It’s set at some point in the past, but not too far, and gives off Dr. Greta Helsing and Veronica Speedwell vibes, so if you like either of those, this should be calling your name. If not, this is a great historical fantasy mystery with a sweet romance that runs through everything the Wilbys do. I always find myself totally sucked into the story quickly, especially when reading an audiobook. There are plot twists I never saw coming, and that’s part of the fun of reading a mystery with a fantasy setting or elements. There’s a little of something for everyone in this book, and I can strongly recommend this to all my readers. 

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