Trafalgar and Boone in the Drowned Necropolis

Adventure and romance mingle with magic in Cannon's strange but eminently readable second novel (after The Virtuous Feats of the Indomitable Miss Trafalgar and the Erudite Lady Boone) following the archaeological meanderings of its Jazz Age heroines. The year is 1920 and London is the setting for the unlikely collaboration of two women who were, only one book ago, competitors verging on enemies. Despite the normally secretive and isolationist nature of the exploration profession,the women have joined forces with each other and the mysterious Beatrice Sek to investigate long-held rumors of a mysterious race that predates biblical times. There is, however, another very strong, determined woman with her own plans to beat the trio%E2%80%94and she'll stop at nothing, including the use of magic, to emerge victorious. While at times the romantic and aggressively feminist subplots feel gratuitous, the historical context makes them more interesting. The subtle applications of magic and fantasy read as convenient plot mechanics rather than wholly integrated elements of the story. Cannon relies heavily on the events of the previous book and makes many vague references to them, which leaves new readers scrambling for context. (Sept.)