I received a digital advance reader’s copy (ARC) of The Undermining of Twyla and Frank by Megan Bannen. Since this version is just a proof and not the final version, I won’t quote directly and will keep my comments general.

In The Undermining of Twyla and Frank, the titular characters are marshals in Tanria, the magical landscape where up until recently, zombie-like creatures roamed. But those beasts are gone now, so Twyla and Frank’s job is a little less thrilling these days. That is, until one of their fellow marshals turns up dead, and a baby dragon—something they’d thought was confined to mythology—imprints on Frank. So the two best friends are swept up in a new investigation, and the more they learn, the more baffled they are. From dragons to a secret mining operation to a handsome dragon scholar, things are getting complicated. Not to mention the fact that, just maybe, Frank and Twyla’s feelings for each other aren’t platonic…

There’s a baby dragon named Mary Georgina in this book, so I’m perfectly content.

I read the first book set in this universe a while back, and it was fun to return here in this new book! I’ll admit I’d forgotten a lot about the lore of Tanria, and what happened in The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy, but Bannen does a good job establishing things again for both new and returning readers. Plus, luckily, both these novels can function as standalones.

Anyway, as for the characters… Mary Georgina. She’s the best. She’s a tiny pink dragon who squeaks, and I’d lay down my life for her. Also, the dragons breathe glitter instead of fire, which is hilariously unexpected, and I’m quite fond of the idea. But honestly, I think a dragon could breathe just about any substance, and I’d be fond of it.

I suppose I should also talk about the human characters, too. Fine. Twyla and Frank are both delightful. I loved seeing two people who have been close friends for years, both of whom have been married and had children and lived entire lives with other people, but who now are each other’s closest supporter and confidante. It’s a sweet bond they have, and it’s also lovely to see “older” characters are the stars of a love story. (Okay, old is relative; they’re only in their fifties.)

Twyla’s journey is very touching. She’s spent decades helping others: her kids, her (now deceased) husband, and her community. So watching her realize that a lot of that was exhausting as well as rewarding makes you root for her. I liked that she was able to recognize that while her relationship with her husband wasn’t bad, it could have been better, and that she deserves to be treated with a lot more affection.

As for Frank, he’s a great character. He’s a bit grumpy sometimes, but also witty and kind and protective, and I had a fun time observing his barely suppressed longing, then his jealousy when someone else starts trying to court Twyla. I did, however, think it was a little odd that we didn’t get any scenes from Frank’s perspective. If I’m remembering correctly, we got scenes from Hart’s POV in the other book, didn’t we? This story still works, I just thought it was a little strange.

On another note, this book also features Duckers, who had a small role in the other book, and gets even more character development here. He’s such a goober, and I enjoy his presence. I hope he also features in the just-announced next book, The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam.

In the end, I quite liked The Undermining of Twyla and Frank. The characters are absolutely delightful, and the plot is well-paced. It’s a great mix of mystery, fantasy, and romance with wonderful emotional moments. I’m still a little fuzzy on the lore of this place, but it’s sort of one of those stories where you just roll with it, and it’s a lot of fun. I mean, there are dragons, so how could I not have a good time?

The Undermining of Twyla and Frank is available now!