Threads of Time

Toronto Time Agents #2

by Christy Nicholas, C.N. Jackson

Her mission to the past is in ruins. Her future’s in deadly peril. Can this resourceful spitfire stop the present from going sideways?

Wilda Firestone suffers no fools. And the fifty-something retiree refuses to be tempted by the thrill of traveling through the ages and instead buckles down to train her clueless new protégé. But when the time machine next door gets bombed and reduces her life’s work to rubble, the angry woman takes on a dangerous investigation…

Quashing her rising PTSD, Wilda talks her trainee into jumping to 1850s France to bait the shadowy terrorists. But when the barely functional device deposits them in the wrong place, the savvy agent fears something far worse is out of whack in the time stream.

Can she fix the mystery before it’s off with her head?

Threads of Time is the sarcasm-laced second book in the Toronto Time Agents science fiction series. If you like witty characters, whiffs of intrigue, and history springing to life, then you’ll love C. N. Jackson’s romp through the fourth dimension.

Buy Threads of Time to unwind a lethal conspiracy today!

Genres: Time Travel

Unknown Binding

First published October 19, 2023

About the author

Celtic Fairies, Fables, and Folklore!

Christy Nicholas loves all things historical, especially if it has anything to do with Ireland, Scotland, England, or Iceland, and she writes historical fantasy, travel guides, and a book on writing craft. Her tales tend to the gritty, with bittersweet endings, and she's never afraid to torture her characters. But there is beauty in all darkness, and she loves showing that, as well.

- If you are in the mood for something more scifi, check out her C. N. Jackson book, Time Tourist Outfitters, Ltd.

- If you are looking for some urban fantasy, magical adventure in modern ireland, see her Rowan Dillon series, Guardians of the PHAE.

- If you prefer some timeslip romance in Iceland, or a women's fiction based on her parents' true story, go look at her Emeline Rhys books, Past Storm and Fire or Better To Have Loved.

Homepage: http://www.greendragonartist.com

Blog: http://www.greendragonartist.net

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TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@greendragonau...

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Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/chris...

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...

Reviews

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Time agents? Conspiracies and jumping around a woman’s timeline? This was a great and not too long of a read and keeps you on the edge wanting more!

I have received this ARC for an honest review, all thoughts/opinions above are my own.

[Jenni · Rating 4 out of 5]

C.N. Jackson brings us a new book in the Toronto Time Agents where history, time travel and adventures are abounded. Threads of Time is the second book in this series the first book being Time Tourist Outfitters, Ltd. Both are a unique and interesting read.
Wilda cracks me up. She is stubborn, wilful, definitely not a push over and she says what she thinks. I forgot how much I loved her and her witty banter from the first book. Time traveling is her life’s work, and she loves it but it’s time for her to focus on training others (or so she says) but of course nothing is ever straightforward when it comes to Wilda and time travel.
It is a time where you can time travel to anywhere and time you want to go to.
It is a tense, suspenseful and mysterious read with a lot of historical elements. C.N. has woven a tale where her narrative so very vivid you can easily imagine all that she describes.
Join Wilda as she travels to the 1850’s to investigate terrorists who have taken everything away from her. But is it only terrorists that she has to face or is it something much worse?
If you like historical time travel adventures, then you will need to get your hands on this book to find out.

[Jenni · Rating 4 out of 5]

C.N. Jackson brings us a new book in the Toronto Time Agents where history, time travel and adventures are abounded. Threads of Time is the second book in this series the first book being Time Tourist Outfitters, Ltd. Both are a unique and interesting read.
Wilda cracks me up. She is stubborn, wilful, definitely not a push over and she says what she thinks. I forgot how much I loved her and her witty banter from the first book. Time traveling is her life’s work, and she loves it but it’s time for her to focus on training others (or so she says) but of course nothing is ever straightforward when it comes to Wilda and time travel.
It is a time where you can time travel to anywhere and time you want to go to.
It is a tense, suspenseful and mysterious read with a lot of historical elements. C.N. has woven a tale where her narrative so very vivid you can easily imagine all that she describes.
Join Wilda as she travels to the 1850’s to investigate terrorists who have taken everything away from her. But is it only terrorists that she has to face or is it something much worse?
If you like historical time travel adventures, then you will need to get your hands on this book to find out.

[Sherie Miklas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wilda, our main character, has made it clear that she no longer wants to be a time travel agent. Her boss, under the guise of training a new agent on an easy mission, has offered her a chance to meet an ancestor Wilda has long admired. She grudgingly accepts, only to find out her true mission is to find information about time terrorists that are sabotaging the agency.

Wilda and her trainee travel back to the 1850s where their agenda quickly goes awry. Wilda is feeling her age and the patriarchal attitudes of men of that era. I quickly found myself getting as cranky as Wilda while reading about her encounters. Here is a strong, intelligent woman silenced by ignorance. Her trainee, intelligent, but inexperienced, had to intervene many times, as women were to remain silent and helpless. This was an era where men could have their headstrong wives committed or jailed, no questions asked. No woman wants to go back to anything resembling that era, but obviously, we still have a fight.

I received a copy of this book for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kerry carr · Rating 4 out of 5]

The is 2nd book in the Toronto Time Agents Series. I do really recommed you read them in order so you get a full understanding of the characters and their roles.It is a travel adventure that is filled with twists and turns and danger around every corner. The author does an amazing job of taking the reader back in time to eras go by and really immersing them in that time period. The author's research and descriptions of the time periods the characters find themselves in really brings the whole story to life.
This story starts with a bang quite literally when an explosion happens destroying the time machine next door to Wilda's shop. Not only destroying the machine but every item of historical clothes that Wilda has made for all the time travelling customers.
As a former agent she is used to dealing with terrorist past and present so when she is requested to take her new trainee on a mission the last thing she wants is to be thrown back into the dangers of time travelling to times unknown. With dangers attempting to harm her in the present, a time machine not exactly working as it should, terrorists to stop in the past and a trainee who doesn't have a clue Wilda certainly has her work cut out to keep the time lines untouched, people safe and the present unaffected in negative ways.

This is truelly a captivating read that will have the reader gripped from the first page. I can't wait to see what else the author has in store for us.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

Threads of Time is the second book in the Toronto Time Agents series by C.N. Jackson (aka-Christy Nicholas). It is another intriguing adventure, with a suspenseful plot, mystery, history, sci-fi elements, time travel, drama, agendas, the paranormal, danger, investigation, banter, witty dialogue, and lots more.
We are back with Wilda Firestone whom we met previously in Book #1- She’s a retired Temporal Agent who now runs an outfitters shop for time travellers. Things take a dangerous and complicated turn when a bomb goes off, destroying her shop, as well as the time machine next door. Now Wilda is thrust into a dangerous investigation with a ‘rookie’ as her partner. The stakes are high, and the adventure is wild.
I highly recommend reading the first book, Time Tourist Outfitters Ltd (Book #1), before starting on this one, as the first book lays solid foundations and contains important character details/introductions, as well as other important information which will enhance your reading experience of this book.
As usual, Ms. Jackson’s wonderful worldbuilding skills are evident- crafting a story that is quite rich and vividly descriptive. The historical elements were really well done- adding an extra element of interest to the overall story.
Looking forward to Book #3, ‘Unraveling Brigid’s Veil’!
Happy Reading…

Thank you, C.N. Jackson!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable and engaging historical time travel adventure which kept me hooked throughout. Seasoned retiree Wilda Firestone is training her slightly clueless protégé, and so is determined to not be tempted by the thrill of time-traveling again. However, following a bomb the time machine next door is burnt to ashes and her life’s work is in rubble, and so she takes on a dangerous investigation. Although Wilda has scars from past battles during her time-hopping days, she convinces her trainee to time hop to 1850’s France. Here they must lure the terrorists out of the shadows, but their time machine malfunctions, and they end up hundreds of miles away. This leads Wilda to think that something is seriously ‘out of whack’ in the time stream. She must then unravel the mystery before its too late. This is a fun and exciting “romp through history”, with quirky characters and an intriguing storyline. The setting is brought vividly to life by the descriptive narrative, and the author also brings the era they travel to, to life through the added historical details. I would personally recommend reading the books in order, as the characters crossover and their backstories have obviously been explained in the previous book.

[Shea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wilda Firestone is a force to be reckoned with across all times. A retired time travel agent who decided she could no longer be involved as an agent after the devastating loss of her husband and their child. Unable to remove herself from her beloved agency completely, she becomes a seamstress for her fellow time travelers, creating clothing to withstand the trip.

After being...convinced...to take on a protege, Algernon, she makes a plan. Before they can even start following that plan, a bomb has gone off, her work is demolished and she has coworkers fighting for their lives from injuries in the blast. Traveling back to the 1850's to locate terrorists who have destroyed her life and to avenge the damage caused by the blast at the office, Wilda and Algernon experience their battles in the past with vivid world-building and descriptions, wonderful and sassy exchanges, unique ideas, interesting characters, suspense, danger, and time travel!

This is the first book I've read by this author but not the last. I didn't really have any trouble following in this book - I just don't want to deprive myself of book 1!

[Tausha Treadway · Rating 5 out of 5]

Threads of Time (Toronto Time Agents Series) by C. N. Jackson. I am loving this series. We are back with Wilda Firestone who is a retired temporal agent and now runs an outfitters shop for time travel. She has a new hire that is driving her crazy but she has to train her. When a bomb goes off destroying her business as well as the time travel machine next door she knows she has to investigate. Why would someone be after her and why would they go so far as to destroy her livelihood? Wilda decides to travel back to the 1800s to locate the terrorists who have destroyed her business and hurt a lot of her friends. Not only is she fighting terrorists she has a new hire that she's trying to train, things couldn't be more dangerous. Will Wilda be able to navigate the 1800's, find the terrorist and right their wrongs without effecting the present time? Read this fun filled time travel mystery to find out!

[Chrissy Spulak · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read by this author and the first Toronto Time Agents book. It can be read as a standalone; however, I will be picking up the previous installment as soon as I can. Any time I am asked what superpower I wish I had, the answer is always time travel. Of course that’s what caught my attention first! Wilda Firestone is a tough and fiery protagonist who reluctantly sets out on an investigation in order to fix the past and save the present. Wilda agrees to team up with Alergnon and teach him what she knows, much to her chagrin. The way these characters play off each other is so fun! This book is full of awesome characters and mysterious thrill-rides. The story is well-written and fleshed-out and contains a little bit of everything. I highly recommend picking up this book. You won’t be bored for a minute!

[Bobbi Wagner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this time travel history book. It is a fast paced, well written story that took me on an adventure. A well written story that has some mystery to it. Wilda’s world is turned upside down when her life's work is reduced to ashes. She is angered which has now taken her on a dangerous mystery. What happens when a time travel doesn’t go as planned? I enjoyed Wilda’s character and what she brought to the story. She is a determined woman who puts her past aside only to see things are a lot more out of whack. I enjoyed how she pulled me into her world of time travel and kept my attention to the end. There is great growth of the plot throughout which makes the story easy to read. This is a fast paced, engaging story that is easy to read and hard to put down. I really enjoyed this story and the characters within. I highly recommend this book.

[Carolyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

The first in the series was mediocre, and I should have listened to myself and stopped there. This one is just tiresome. The main character is tiresome, the sidekick is tiresome, their relationship, such as it is, is tiresome, and the storyline is unendingly tiresome. Skimmed the last third--missed absolutely nothing. Perhaps most annoying is that with the change in author came changes in the fabula: where in the first book we were explicitly told that no matter how long an agent stayed in the past, he or she missed only one day in the present, in this book we are explicitly told that however long an agent stays in the past he or she misses the same number of days in the present. I don't care which one they choose (both are quite problematic), but once you establish rules for a universe, stick with them!

[Roger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Threads of Time: A Historical Time Travel Adventure (Toronto Time Agents), my third read from author Christy Nicholas. I first heard of this author when I received an email from Green Dragon Press and read An Immigrant's Tale: A Druid's Brooch Prequel Short Story 0.5 (Druid's Brooch Series). Well-written with a well-developed primary character, a very good read. I look forward to reading Unraveling Brigid's Veil: A Historical Time Travel Adventure (Toronto Time Agents) when it's published next year . “I'm voluntarily leaving a review." The gifting of this book did not affect my opinion of it. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).

[Sparrowapril · Rating 3 out of 5]

We are told that Wilda is strong and independent but what she actually is, is out of control and angry. She can barely hold her temper at the supposed lesser treatment of women in the past. Yet her behavior is like a caricature of a shrew. Her fantasies about the violence she wants to do to all the men around her is astounding. Being abrasive and difficult is not the same as being strong. People do not owe you respect if you refuse to give it to others. I'm not sure if I will read the next book in the series. This book has a protagonist in her 60's but her spoiled behavior does not do the age group any favors for representation.

[Glenn Younger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mistakes, moans, and groans

There was more action in book two than book one—that was an improvement—but the author lost sight of some of the premises she set up in book one like the relationship between time spent in the past and time passed in the present. And she repeats information that you don’t need to hear two or three times.

Still, if you’re looking for a light time travel story where the supposedly experienced Temporal Agent makes one mistake after the other with the repeating moan and groan of “I’m too old for this”, then this story of rogue Temporal Agents trying to kill her will please you.

[Kerry Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the moment I started reading this book I knew it was going to be one I enjoyed. I loved the characters and their teacher/ protegee reaction ship, however reluctant it seemed to be at times. The dymmnamic between them was great and I found it highly entertaining.
The book itself is well written. The storyline is well developed and interesting to read. It didn't feel like any other time travel book I have read which is great. This was a brilliant story and I am looking forward to reading more from this series.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing time travel novel! Many authors in this genre fail to take into account how differently women and people of color were treated. Rather than ignore this or do something like have one scene where someone in the past treats Wilda poorly, C.N. Jackson does not shy away from it. All the way from women being thrown in prison and not being able to speak at their trial to not being able to drive the cart if a man is present.

I am anxiously awaiting the next book and hope there are many more in the series!

[Mark Lucas-Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Threads of Time

If I thought that the first book was good then this the second is even better. Wilda Firestone is a most unlikely heroine, a sixty year old former Time Agent retired for thirty years now thrust back into the game.
Accompanied by Algernon a former British Metropolitan Police Officer and now the newest Agent they embark upon his training mission to France in 1851. The action is relentless and they are dogged at almost every turn by rogue agents intent on not only impeding them but also upon their demise.

[Shelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an adventure this book takes on. From the explosion on through, I was caught up in every moment. I couldn't put the book down. I am hoping there will be more. The story is really good. I found the writing to be such that you felt you were there. It's exciting and interesting and very engaging. The characters are all so very interesting. They each have such fascinating details. Even the details in the story catch your attention. This is a book that is a must read.

[Rayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Time travel adventure
The second book in the Toronto Time Agents, Threads of Time is a brilliant sci-fi story that takes the reader on a journey filled with mystery, history and laugh out loud moments. Wilda Firestone is a great character and I enjoyed her witty outlook. The author presents a world layered in history, danger, suspense, drama , science, paranormal and vivid imagery. This is a great addition to the series. Recommend.

[Terri McAllister · Rating 5 out of 5]

Time travel, historical conspiracies, and sniping travel partners are what this book is about. Wilda Firestone is a retired time traveler who has stayed connected by creating the costumes needed when people time travel. When the time travel machine next to her workshop explodes and takes her business with it, Wilda comes out of retirement to get to the bottom of the mystery.

[Veronik Durocher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good!

What a pleasure to meet that dear old grumpy Wilda again! I'm really happy that the second book is out and that the author didn't only repeat herself in that story but instead opened a completely different arc. Fortunately, it wont take another 4 years to read the next, this time, as the third book will be available in more or less 6 months!

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wilda Firestone is a retired agent from Toronto Time Travel. Choosing to retire after traumatic losses on her last mission 30 odd years ago, Wilda is now forced to return once again to active service with an untrained agent. Heading into the France of Napoleon III, Wilda and apprentice find themselves not only in the wrong place and time, but specifically under attack. Can they make it back to their own time alive? Who is the mole in the Agency who is trying to kill all the agents, especially Wilda?

Wilda is a great character. Her PTSD and anxiety and her sheer bloodymindedness are beautifully done. Her relationships with friends and colleagues are filled with snark and quick wittedness which makes for very amusing reading.

Sadly, the problems with the first book are magnified in this one. The proofreading needs improving. The continuity is poor (how does Wilda get from 55 to 60 to being in her 60s in the time frames outlined?) and the use of language out of context is quite disconcerting.

I really like this storyline and the characters but the author needs to access some support for her writing to reach the success it deserves.

[Lucille · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although retired, Wilda is still in the time travelling business, now training others. This time she plans to visit an ancestor as well as investigate terrorists in mid-18th century France.
Great writing with lots of humour. Loved it.

[Sarah Willemsen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dnfd… I loved the travelling aspects but I hated Wilda’s behaviour. She was the typical “independent and strong” woman who are in fact just mean. Sadly I couldn’t stand this any longer :(

[Roxsanne Lesieur · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wilda Firestone is back and still being fuelled by black coffee and sarcasm and wishing she could be back fixing garments and not training a new agent, especially the one agent she has been saddled with, but she reluctantly carries on with the task. She has been bribed by a trip which she has wanted to do for a long time, despite it being ever so slightly against the rules, but first, she has to complete a training mission, but just as Wilda and her clueless protege begin their training, disaster strikes.

Wilda is having the last bit of downtime before she really knuckles down with her annoyingly upstanding trainee, she is sat in her workshop and doing what she does best, repairing a garment when all of a sudden, the store is rocked by an explosion. She immediately springs into action and makes sure her team is ok before she sets them off on tasks to make sure headquarter knows what is happening and that the other people around her are safe, so she goes into the time traveller office next door and tries to see how many people are stuck in the crumbling building.

When she wakes up in a hospital bed and in an oxygen mask, she realises that she must have blacked out in the building, but her first worry is not for herself, but for her team and as soon as she knows that they are safe, she asks about the others around them, but knowing what happened, she is saddened by the news, but when she sees her shop and few days later, she is devastated. Unfortunately, the time travel machine was damaged, so their mission is on hold, but the training goes on, so that when they are be ready to travel as soon as the machine is finished.

When the time for the trip arrives, there is some apprehension as the true nature of the mission and the little she knows about it is revealed, however, when the machine drops them in the wrong place. Wilda is suspicious that something else is going on, but can she figure out what and stop if before all of time unravels and how will she do this while keeping herself and her impulsive trainee alive? This is another brilliantly epic time travelling adventure across country and within the dangerous web of politics and aristocracy, in the engaging tale.

[Ayla Phipps · Rating 5 out of 5]

History and mystery. This is the second book in the Toronto Time Agents series but is the first book I have read by this author. I had no trouble keeping track with the story as each book seems to be a standalone plot. It was a very interesting read for a rainy day before my boys got out of school for thanksgiving break.
Wilda Firestone has decades of experience being a Temporal Agent but her time on the force is done she is ready to retire and just enjoy her passion for making period appropriate clothing for travelers. Only Pembley, her boss, has decided that he will give her what she wants to meet an ancestor from the 1800s if she begins training new agents. While the agreement is suspicious, she agrees, Sir Algernon was once a policeman but now wants to be a Temporal Agent and is Wilda’s trainee, before they can go on their mission an explosion happens in the Agency for Time Tourism next door to her workshop/store. Her curiosity spikes when along with her anger over her life’s work being destroyed in the attack. With the only time machine in Canada reduced to ashes they must find another way to complete their mission. Only things change and the mission along with it. They are no longer on a strictly training mission they are on the hunt for terrorists that have taken everything away from her. What they find is not what they expected as they search for the answers to repair the time stream.
Why was the time machine targeted? Will Wilda make it in time to stop the terrorists? What has happened and how deep does it go? The world C.N. Jackson has melded together is one of intrigue, mystery, and suspense as you’re sucked back in time with Wilda on the hunt for the answers. I couldn’t help myself from getting wrapped up in the questions, rushing from page to page in search of the answers with her. This book shows history without blinders, no false illusions of how the times were and what was or wasn’t acceptable its truth which builds the world more with each turning page. Wilda is a force to be reckoned with and she will find her answers no matter when and where. I can’t wait for book three, Unraveling Brigid’s Veil October 24th, 2024, to see what Wilda faces next.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

Threads of Time is the second book in the Toronto Time Agents series by C.N. Jackson (aka-Christy Nicholas). It is another intriguing adventure, with a suspenseful plot, mystery, history, sci-fi elements, time travel, drama, agendas, the paranormal, danger, investigation, banter, witty dialogue, and lots more.
We are back with Wilda Firestone whom we met previously in Book #1- She’s a retired Temporal Agent who now runs an outfitters shop for time travellers. Things take a dangerous and complicated turn when a bomb goes off, destroying her shop, as well as the time machine next door. Now Wilda is thrust into a dangerous investigation with a ‘rookie’ as her partner. The stakes are high, and the adventure is wild.
I highly recommend reading the first book, Time Tourist Outfitters Ltd (Book #1), before starting on this one, as the first book lays solid foundations and contains important character details/introductions, as well as other important information which will enhance your reading experience of this book.
As usual, Ms. Jackson’s wonderful worldbuilding skills are evident- crafting a story that is quite rich and vividly descriptive. The historical elements were really well done- adding an extra element of interest to the overall story.
Looking forward to Book #3, ‘Unraveling Brigid’s Veil’!
Happy Reading…

Thank you, C.N. Jackson!

[Rebeca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Toronto Time Agents series. I would recommend reading the first book prior to this one for an understanding on the world and the characters.
I don’t often read books with time travel but this one had me engaged and invested. There are plenty of twists and suspenseful moments to keep your attention and make you unwilling to put the book down.
The descriptive narrative allows you to step through time with the characters. You can tell research has been done on the time period, and this adds realism to the story as well as making you fell immersed in the story and time period. I was gripped from the beginning and remained enthralled throughout. There was so much going on and yet it wasn’t enough, I needed more of Wilda immediately – I loved her.
I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book, this series has been great so far and I can only see it getting better if it continues how it has.

[Dawn Daughenbaugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars
Threads of Time (Toronto Time Agents Series) by C. N. Jackson

Threads of Time is the second book in the Toronto Time Agents Series and is Sci-Fi Adventure that is a fast paced story that is hard to put down once you start reading. Wilda retired from being a temporal agent after the loss of her husband and child and now runs a outfitters shops for the time travelers. When her life’s work is turned yo ashes her world is pretty much turned upside down. She’s now forced to rely on the new trainee due to the times they are traveling to. They are now in a situation that where they find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time and now must find a way back home. I highly recommend reading this book to find out what happens next. I’m looking forward to reading more from this Author.