A Spark Unseen by Sharon Cameron is a historical fiction novel, the sequel to The Dark Unwinding. It starts off with Katherine waking up in the middle of the night, spoiling a kidnapping attempt on her uncle, the genius inventor who is in possession of something that could determine the result of the ongoing war in Europe with a mini competition between England and France on who will be the King of the Seas. Katherine realizes that the estate is no longer safe for her uncle, and she has to take him somewhere where he won’t be discovered. She flees to the seemingly most unsuspecting palace — Paris, with the intent of keeping him hidden in the enemy's lair, but also with a secret motive of finding Lane, the handsome apprentice who is assumed to be dead.
This book is much more fast paced than the first one. The action starts unfolding right from the start. There are a lot of secret alliances, mysterious people, new friendships, and many betrayals. There is a slightly larger focus on the romantic plot in this book than in the other one, but it isn’t so much as to take focus away from the main climax and storyline. The book is also set in a completely different place, the bustling city of Paris, and environment than “The Dark Unwinding” a countryside estate. This contributes to the vibe and the feel of the book, as well as the character development and characterization. Again, just like its prequel, it is a very well flowing book, packed with lots of action and mystery. It also connects well with the first book. I loved reading this book and was hooked from start to finish. 5 stars!