Cue: hilarity, as Helen initially is terrible at imitating a man, and then awkwardness (and a hint of sexual tension) when she adopts them a little too convincingly and yet Carlston still flirts with her. The practicalities of this come to a head in this second book, as Lady Helen learns she must adopt the clothes and mannerisms of a man in order to be able to accompany Carlston on the type of rendezvous which demon-hunting necessitates. What appeals to me most about these books is the mixture of Georgian-era manners and etiquette when offset against the fantastical elements of demons which Lady Helen and Lord Carlston must fight against. No easy task since she had spent most of her life learning to control any excess gesture or movement.” “According to his lordship, she still needed to deepen her voice, be less careful with the placement of her arms and legs, and now also take up more space. Obviously, things don’t go entirely to plan. Now, Lady Helen uses her relative freedom to her advantage, starting in earnest her training to become a fully fledged member of the Dark Days Club.

The action moves out of London into Brighton, as Lady Helen was largely disowned by her family because of the events at the climax of the first book, The Dark Days Club. Second in the Lady Helen series, The Dark Days Pact tells of the continuing adventures of Lady Helen Wrexhall, now newly minted Reclaimer-in-training, under the tutelage of the slightly shady Lord Carlston. With so much at stake, Helen must make an agonizing choice between duty and devotion.” ( Synopsis from publisher)

Meanwhile, the Duke of Selburn seems determined to try and protect her, irrespective of the risk to himself. As she rushes to complete her training, Helen finds herself torn between her loyalty to Carlston and the orders of the Home Office, who wish to use her to further their own agenda. Her mentor, Lord Carlston, believes that a Grand Deceiver has arrived in England, and there is no time to lose in preparing Helen to fight it. Lady Helen Wrexhall is spending the summer season in Brighton, where she will continue her Reclaimer training and prepare for her duties as a fully fledged member of the Dark Days Club. Genre: fantasy historical fiction young-adult

The Dark Days Club by Alison Goodman