An indelible cast fuels this wildly entertaining, supernaturally enhanced detective story.
In Susman’s urban fantasy sequel, a private investigator assists a ghost who is bound to him and in serious danger.
Korean-American shamus Jae Kim has connections in “Wolftowns.” These walled-in neighborhoods were built decades ago all around the United States, including in Chicago, where Jae lives. Their original purpose was to confine extranormal people, or “extras,” including werewolves, vampires, and other shape-changers. Jae is human, but his boyfriend Czoltan is a werewolf activist fighting for the rights of extras. While Jae can’t shift forms, he does have a special ring and a corresponding spell for binding a ghost; these come in handy when a staggeringly loud “screeching” practically overtakes Chicago’s Wolftown. This caterwauling is the product of Penny, a recently-deceased 17-year-old who, like many ghosts, can’t remember specific details about her death. She also isn’t very happy about being bound to Jae, who can converse with her in his head (if she doesn’t manifest, others can’t see or hear her). Jae now has the legal responsibility of turning Penny over to her next of kin, but that doesn’t stop a Bureau of Extranormal Affairs agent from demanding that Jae give up the (bound) ghost. Penny fears the BEA and wants the detective to take her to her enigmatic friend Marta, but she’s otherwise frustratingly mum. The agency unquestionably wants something from her and is likely behind the people assaulting and shadowing Jae and threatening his loved ones. Jae, working with Captain Yumi Hachimura of Wolftown’s peacekeeping force, digs into the BEA and the mystery of a late teenager, who may know too much.
Susman here, as in the series’ opening entry Unfinished Business (2022), deftly fuses a detective story with the supernatural. Although this installment rarely strays from Jae and Penny’s mutual dilemma, shape-changers pop up throughout the narrative, and the author showcases a variety of mythologies and folklore, from the Indigenous American thunderbird and the Mesoamerican nagual (were-jaguar) to the serpent-like Naga of a number of Asian religions. The discrimination the extras suffer is analogous to that experienced by real-life marginalized groups; the narrative acknowledges the need for more sensitive nomenclature (“multimorph” is suggested as a potential replacement for “extra,” which implies only humans are “normal,” and the term “remained person” is considered preferable to “ghost”). Series hero Jae is a sharp, intuitive, and likable detective with relatable personal problems. The supporting cast is equally engaging; Penny has a tendency to whine or childishly ignore Jae, but she’s a brand-new ghost who’s just learning what she’s capable of. Czoltan makes for a sympathetic and devoted boyfriend, and Yumi, a yuki-onna (Japanese snow spirit) is a wonderful, strong character to have on Jae’s side. They’re all entangled in a mystery that ends with a satisfying resolution and hints at another sequel.
An indelible cast fuels this wildly entertaining, supernaturally enhanced detective story.Pub Date: Dec. 6, 2024
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: Nov. 15, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A beautiful meditation on queer identity against a supernatural backdrop.
Three women deal very differently with vampirism in Schwab’s era-spanning follow-up to The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue (2020).
In 16th-century Spain, Maria seduces a wealthy viscount in an attempt to seize whatever control she can over her own life. It turns out that being a wife—even a wealthy one—is just another cage, but then a mysterious widow offers Maria a surprising escape route. In the 19th century, Charlotte is sent from her home in the English countryside to live with an aunt in London when she’s found trying to kiss her best friend. She’s despondent at the idea of marrying a man, but another mysterious widow—who has a secret connection to Maria’s widow from centuries earlier—appears and teaches Charlotte that she can be free to love whomever she chooses, if she’s brave enough. In 2019, Alice’s memories of growing up in Scotland with her mercurial older sister, Catty, pull her mind away from her first days at Harvard University. And though she doesn’t meet any mysterious widows, Alice wakes up alone after a one-night stand unable to tolerate sunlight, sporting two new fangs, and desperate to drink blood. Horrified at her transformation, she searches Boston for her hookup, who was the last person she remembers seeing before she woke up as a vampire. Schwab delicately intertwines the three storylines, which are compelling individually even before the reader knows how they will connect. Maria, Charlotte, and Alice are queer women searching for love, recognition, and wholeness, growing fangs and defying mortality in a world that would deny them their very existence. Alice’s flashbacks to Catty are particularly moving, and subtly play off themes of grief and loneliness laid out in the historical timelines.
A beautiful meditation on queer identity against a supernatural backdrop.Pub Date: June 10, 2025
ISBN: 9781250320520
Page Count: 544
Publisher: Tor
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
PERSPECTIVES
PERSPECTIVES
A thrilling, immersive tale that shows that some bargains demand more than just a crown.
A reluctant princess is thrust into deadly political intrigue in Perry’s sweeping, high-stakes romantasy.
Odessa is the overlooked and underestimated princess of Quentis, whose life takes an unexpected turn when a deal is struck between her father and the formidable Turan warriors force her into an arranged marriage with their enigmatic prince, Zavier Wolfe. Intended as a mere formality to secure trade routes and military alliances, the betrothal spirals into something far more dangerous when ancient magic, a ruthless Guardian, and a looming war threaten to upend everything she knows. Finally emerging from the shadow of her seemingly perfect half sister, Mae, Odessa must navigate court politics, monstrous creatures, and her own uncertain place in a world where survival often depends on strategy rather than strength. As tensions rise, she finds herself entangled with the dangerous, enigmatic Guardian—a man whose silver eyes hold secrets of their own. Perry’s worldbuilding is lush and immersive, crafting a kingdom rife with old magic, deadly beasts, and political machinations that add depth. The pacing is relentless, carrying Odessa from one life-altering event to another as she grapples with duty, defiance, and a destiny she never chose. Her internal conflict is compelling, torn between the expectations placed upon her and the fierce independence that threatens to make her an outcast in her own kingdom. Romance simmers as Odessa struggles to reconcile her obligations with her growing attraction to the Guardian, whose past is as shadowed as his reputation. Mae is introduced as Odessa’s political foil, and although her presence drives much of Odessa’s internal drama—being constantly overshadowed or underestimated—she’s mostly seen through Odessa’s perspective. Her motivations, ambitions, and political maneuverings might have benefited from deeper exploration to give more nuance to the power dynamics. However, Perry’s evocative prose and intricate plotting make for a gripping tale. Readers looking for a slow-burn romantasy with rich political intrigue and a protagonist forced to create her own fate will find much to enjoy.
A thrilling, immersive tale that shows that some bargains demand more than just a crown.Pub Date: May 6, 2025
ISBN: 9781649378514
Page Count: 528
Publisher: Entangled: Red Tower Books
Review Posted Online: March 26, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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