annieb123's Review of What Song the Sirens Sang (Gideon Sable)

by Simon R. Green

The tables are turned on legendary master thief Gideon Sable when a priceless magical artifact is stolen from him, in this fast-paced supernatural heist thriller.

You can find everything you've ever dreamed of in the strange, old magical shop known as Old Harry's Place. The problem is, not all dreams are kind.

Gideon Sable - legendary master thief, conman and well-dressed rogue - and his partner in crime Annie Anybody don't want to be shopkeepers, but when the enigmatic Harry decides to retire, he blackmails the pair into taking the store on.

Before the grand reopening can happen, however, a menacing stranger arrives - with a rare and deadly item for them to appraise. A small piece of rock, with an unnerving aura, which 'Smith' claims contains the last echoes of the legendary sirens' song. Before they can find out more, however, Smith vanishes . . . leaving only the stone.

Some valuables are more trouble than they're worth. But before Gideon and Annie can work out if they've been set up, the stone is stolen from its impregnable hiding place. How? And why? Gideon only knows one thing for certain: no one steals from him and gets away with it . . .

What Song the Sirens Sang is the third supernatural heist thriller featuring master conman Gideon Sable from British SFF veteran and New York Times bestselling author Simon R. Green, following The Best Thing You Can Steal and A Matter of Death and Life.

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

What Song the Sirens Sang is the newest high octane adventure in the Gideon Sable series by Simon R. Green. Released 4th Oct 2022 by Severn House, it's 223 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

There are genres and, frankly, formulae, which enthusiastic readers grab and devour no matter what. On the other hand, it's comforting to know precisely what you've signed up for before opening the covers. For fans of the series, this is a worthy addition. For readers who are previously unfamiliar with the series, the mysteries, adventures, and resolutions are mostly self-contained in each volume. They're all delightful and the author is competent and prolific.

Gideon and his crew are on the trail of a stolen artifact, reputed to contain the Siren's Song which wrought so much trouble for Odysseus and the boys in his band. Adventures ensue. There's a lot of snarky humor, action, and more action.

Four stars. For the few fans of Butcher, Hearne, Kadrey, et. al. who don't already have this series on their radar, go get it.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Reading updates

26 December, 2022: Started reading

26 December, 2022: Finished reading

26 December, 2022: Reviewed