The Society of Unknowable Objects by Gareth Brown

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✦ BLURB ✦

The world of unknowable objects—magical items that most people have no idea possess powers—has been quiet for decades, but the three current members of a secret society have remained watchful, meeting every six months in the basement of a bookshop in London. They are pledged to protect their archive of magical items hidden away, safe from the outside world—and the world safe from them. But when Frank Simpson, the longest-standing member of the Society of Unknowable Objects, hears of a new artifact coming to light in Hong Kong, he sends Magda Sparks—author by day and newest member—to investigate.

Within hours of arriving in Hong Kong, Magda is facing death and danger, confronted by a professional killer who seems to know all about unknowable objects, specifically one that was stolen from him a decade before. Magda is forced to flee, using an artifact that not even the rest of the Society knows about.

Returning to London, Magda learns hers is not the only secret being kept from the other two members. And that the most pernicious secret is about the nature of the Society’s mission. Her discoveries will lead her on a perilous journey, across the Atlantic to the deep south of the United States, now in pursuit of not an unknowable object, but an unknowable person: the professional killer she first faced in Hong Kong. In doing so, Magda begins to understand that there are even more in the world who are chasing these magical items, and that her own family’s legacy is tied up in keeping all these secrets under wraps.

Magic has always been too powerful to reveal to the world. But Magda will learn there might be something even more powerful:

The truth.

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Secret societies, magical objects, and a truth you can’t unknow - this is modern fantasy with a vintage cloak-and-dagger twist.

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✶ PRE-READING ✶

After The Book of Doors, I was excited to see Gareth Brown return to the idea of enchanted objects in ordinary places. There’s a real The Lost Room vibe to both books - like the world is hiding just behind the curtain, if you know where to look. I was especially hoping for more secret societies, long-lost legacies, and that delicious “what is real, anyway?” ambiguity.

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✶ POST-READING ✶

As I thought... This absolutely delivered. The pacing is tight, the worldbuilding is clever without being overwhelming, and Magda is the kind of heroine who balances instinct and intellect with dry wit and fierce loyalty. I loved the mystery surrounding the killer, the artifact trail, and the way every answer seemed to lead to a new question. It’s got that classic adventure-fantasy feel with modern layering and nuance.

It surprised me by... ...tying back to The Book of Doors in such a sneaky, satisfying way. The late-stage reveal feels like a nudge from behind the curtain - proof that this world is bigger, older, and more interconnected than we imagined. It also hinted at deeper personal stakes than I expected, especially around Magda’s family. This isn’t just a magical scavenger hunt - it’s a reckoning.

However, it did annoy me by hinging a lot of the drama on Frank's refusal to tell anyone anything, even at times when it was clearly very important for them to know. The story could have been just as interesting if the characters had actually known what was going on!

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✦ RECOMMENDATIONS ✦

📚 The Rook by Daniel O’Malley – A woman wakes up with no memory and finds out she’s part of a secret organization that deals with supernatural threats. Funny, clever, and full of bizarre magical objects and bureaucratic horror.

📺 The Lost Room (TV mini-series) – The blueprint. Mysterious everyday objects with strange powers, a shadowy cult, and a protagonist trying to make sense of a world that’s just shifted under their feet.

✦ MUSIC PAIRING ✦

Because sometimes, the heart of a story plays out like a song.

🎵 Featured Song: “Radioactive” – Imagine Dragons
Moody, pounding, and layered with hidden power - just like the artifacts themselves.

🎶 Vibe Album: Year Zero – Nine Inch Nails. Apocalyptic, glitchy, secretive. A shadow world in sound.

🎧 Artist Recommendation: Woodkid - cinematic, orchestral, and always sounds like you're chasing a magical conspiracy through rain-soaked streets.

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✧ VIBE CHECK ✧

🎨 Colour Palette: tarnished bronze, deep navy, flickering neon
🎬 Soundtrack: The Lost Room, The Librarians, and a bit of Killing Eve
🍂 Season: late autumn - cold enough for secrets, warm enough to chase them
🌀 Mood: “If I show you what I found, you can’t unsee it.”
🌸 Scent: antique paper, cold metal, and danger disguised as dust

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★ TAROT CARD PULLED ★

Seven of Wands – Unfolding Path Tarot
A fierce figure stands her ground, clutching two glowing crystal-tipped staffs as five others threaten her from the shadows. This card captures Magda at her most defiant - confronted on all sides, yet refusing to retreat. Whether she’s facing a killer, an artifact’s power, or the weight of secrets too long buried, Magda keeps choosing to stand. Alone, maybe - but not powerless.

The Society of Unknowable Objects publishes on the 7th of August, 2025. I received a free copy and am giving an honest review.