The Mislaid Magician or Ten Years After: Being the Private Correspondence Between Two Prominent FamiliesRegarding a Scandal Touching the Highest Levels of Government and theSecurity of the Realm [Paperback]

Patricia C. Wrede (Author), Caroline Stevermer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 4, 2009

Ten years have passed since Kate and Cecy married Thomas and James, and England is now being transformed by the first railways. When James is asked to look into the sudden disappearance of a German railway engineer, he and Cecy make a shocking discovery: The railway lines are wreaking havoc with ancient underground magic, which could endanger the very unity of England. Written in letters between Kate and Cecy--and between their husbands--this installment of the cousins' adventures is another satisfying blend of magic, mystery, adventure, humor, and romance.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A thoroughly enchanting confection."--Kirkus Reviews

"The sparkle remains, and fans of the first two books will certainly enjoy revisiting these delightful characters."--School Library Journal

About the Author

PATRICIA C. WREDE has written many novels, including Sorcery and Cecelia or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot and The Grand Tour coauthored with Caroline Stevermer, as well as the four books in her own series, the Enchanted Forest Chronicles. She lives near Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Graphia; 1 edition (May 4, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152062092
• ISBN-13: 978-0152062095
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #500,572 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #71 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Teens > Mysteries

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Warning -not a new release, May 11, 2009

By 

Michael L. Maddin - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Mislaid Magician or Ten Years After: Being the Private Correspondence Between Two Prominent FamiliesRegarding a Scandal Touching the Highest Levels of Government and theSecurity of the Realm (Paperback)

Oddly enough, Amazon seems to have failed to realize that this is just the paperback version of a hardback released in 2006. A good story if you have the first two books, but probably not a stand-alone novel. This review is simply to save others from with equally poor memories from thinking "Haven't I read this already?"

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What's not to Love?, March 26, 2010

By 

Lyn S. - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Mislaid Magician or Ten Years After: Being the Private Correspondence Between Two Prominent FamiliesRegarding a Scandal Touching the Highest Levels of Government and theSecurity of the Realm (Paperback)

This is the third book with these characters. It all started with Sorcery and Cecilia; Or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot. Then it continued with The Grand Tour and now we have this third book. It centers around two families. The wives are cousins and the husbands have been friends through their adult life. It picks up with more mysteries to solve and their families to protect as they use magic, wits, and prolific writing to solves the mysteries surrounding them and come out triumphant in the end.

5.0 out of 5 stars My Dearest Cousin..., June 6, 2011

By 

Karen Keyte (Cumberland, ME USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Mislaid Magician or Ten Years After: Being the Private Correspondence Between Two Prominent FamiliesRegarding a Scandal Touching the Highest Levels of Government and theSecurity of the Realm (Paperback)

Ten years after their grand wedding tour (and the concurrent unraveling of an imperial magical contretemps), Thomas and Kate (the Marquess and Marchioness of Schofield) are living quietly on their country estate outside of London, still very happily married and now the parents of two sons. Cecy and James, who shared in the Continental adventure, are similarly shrouded in connubial bliss. The Tarletons have set up their home at Tangleford Hall in Kent. Blessed with four children of their own, Cecy and James also find their days nicely filled. But it seems that magic and intrigue are not ready to leave these two couples behind, not by a long shot.

The Duke of Wellington, now the Prime Minister, has charged James (who was, as you may remember, 'Old Hookey's' ADC during the fuss with Napoleon) with a delicate mission in the north. It seems a Prussian railway surveyor/magician, one Herr Magus Franz Wilhelm Schellen, has managed to go missing while surveying railway lines in the countryside around Leeds. As his disappearance occurred some six months ago, the Prussians are becoming quite shirty about it. The Duke would like James and Cecy to make some discreet inquiries into the matter. Of course they must go, but it is equally plain that they cannot take four small children with them. The solutions is for James and Cecy to send their brood to Thomas and Kate.

While Cecy and James are gadding about the north searching for their missing Prussian and investigating a tangle of magical ley lines and railway politics, Kate and Thomas are having a few adventures of their own. Kate's spoiled younger sister Georgina, now Her Grace, the Duchess of Waltham, has shown up and made herself at home - with no explanation given for separating from her husband or the even more unbelievable fact that she is missing the London Season to rusticate at Skeynes with Kate and Thomas. With six children in the nursery (at least two of whom are beginning to show a precocious talent for magic) and Georgy moping about the place, Kate and Thomas have their hands full. When an unknown villain makes off with their eldest son, the couple rescues him and a young girl - the stoic and dignified Drina, who refuses to say a single word about where she was abducted from or why. Then there's the matter of a very strong magician poking at the magical wards around Skeynes and attempting to find a way into the Schofield home. It's enough to make one wonder what in the world is going on in the Realm!

I am a huge fan of this historical/fantasy/mystery trilogy by Patricia Wrede and Caroline Stevermer. Like the novel that originally introduced readers to Kate and Cecy (Sorcery and Cecelia), The Mislaid Magician is composed entirely of letters. Now, however, we also get to hear from Thomas and James, as well as Kate and Cecy. All three of these novels (the second was The Grand Tour) are utterly charming with sweet, funny, feisty characters and fascinating mystery plots. The Regency details, especially the manners and mannerisms, contribute a goof deal to the overall stories, as does the wonderful, witty writing of the two authors.