Category: Fantasy

Fantasy, Historical, Magical, Mythology, New Releases, Quest

The Bright Sword by Lev Grossman

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Description

A gifted young knight named Collum arrives at Camelot to compete for a spot on the Round Table, only to find that he’s too late. The king died two weeks ago at the Battle of Camlann, leaving no heir, and only a handful of the knights of the Round Table survive.

They aren’t the heroes of legend, like Lancelot or Gawain. They’re the oddballs of the Round Table, from the edges of the stories, like Sir Palomides the Saracen Knight, and Sir Dagonet, Arthur’s fool who was knighted as a joke. They’re joined by Nimue, who was Merlin’s apprentice until she turned on him and buried him under a hill. Together this ragtag fellowship will set out to rebuild Camelot in a world that has lost its balance.

But Arthur’s death has revealed Britain’s fault lines. God has abandoned it, and the fairies and monsters and old gods are returning, led by Arthur’s half-sister Morgan le Fay. Kingdoms are turning on each other, warlords lay siege to Camelot and rival factions are forming around the disgraced Lancelot and the fallen Queen Guinevere. It is up to Collum and his companions to reclaim Excalibur, solve the mysteries of this ruined world and make it whole again. But before they can restore Camelot they’ll have to learn the truth of why the lonely, brilliant King Arthur fell, and lay to rest the ghosts of his troubled family and of Britain’s dark past.

The first major Arthurian epic of the new millennium, The Bright Sword is steeped in tradition, full of duels and quests, battles and tournaments, magic swords and Fisher Kings. It also sheds a fresh light on Arthur’s Britain, a diverse, complex nation struggling to come to terms with its bloody history. The Bright Sword is a story about imperfect men and women, full of strength and pain, who are looking for a way to reforge a broken land in spite of being broken themselves.

My Thoughts

A new Lev Grossman novel? And it’s an Arthurian saga? YES PLEASE!

Grossman is adept at taking well-worn fantasy tropes and turning them upside-down and inside-out to create something completely new. He’s done it very successfully here with a new and imaginative approach to the King Arthur legend, and he’s given voice to the less-than-shining knights, which has great appeal for me. (I love an underdog story!)

Above all, Grossman is a master storyteller, and the story here is magnificent. I was hooked from the very first chapter and hard a hard time putting it down. This is NOT a single-sitting reading experience though. This is a book that requires some commitment (and sturdy wrists if you’re reading the print copy!). For me, it made for an excellent first-book-of-the-summer reading experience and is one I will remember long after I turned the last page.

This is a must-read for Arthurian legend fans and joins The Mists of Avalon on my print shelves.

Highly recommended.

“Grossman, who is best known for his The Magicians series, is at the top of his game with The Bright Sword.” —The New York Times Book Review

“If you love King Arthur as much as I do, you’ll love Lev Grossman’s The Bright Sword, a fresh and engrossing take on the Matter of Britain featuring a colorful cast of Round Table knights who don’t often get as much story time as they deserve. The creator of The Magicians has woven another spell.” —George R. R. Martin, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Game of Thrones

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Magicians trilogy returns with a triumphant reimagining of the King Arthur legend for the new millennium.

Publication Date: July 16, 2024
Published By: Penguin Group, Viking
Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy & my local indie store for the print!

British, Fantasy, Ghosties, Historical, Libraries, Magical, Mystery, Suspense, Victorian, Women

The Haunting of Hecate Cavendish by Paula Brackston

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Description

The Haunting of Hecate Cavendish is book one in New York Times bestselling author Paula Brackston’s new, magic-infused series about Hecate Cavendish, an eccentric and feisty young woman who can see ghosts.

England, 1881. Hereford cathedral stands sentinel over the city, keeping its secrets, holding long forgotten souls in its stony embrace. Hecate Cavendish speeds through the cobbled streets on her bicycle, skirts hitched daringly high, heading for her new life as Assistant Librarian. But this is no ordinary collection of books. The cathedral houses an ancient chained library, wisdom guarded for centuries, mysteries and stories locked onto its worn, humble shelves. The most prized artifact, however, is the medieval world map which hangs next to Hecate’s desk. Little does she know how much the curious people and mythical creatures depicted on it will come to mean to her. Nor does she suspect that there are lost souls waiting for her in the haunted cathedral. Some will become her dearest friends. Some will seek her help in finding peace. Others will put her in great peril, and, as she quickly learns, threaten the lives of everyone she loves.

My Thoughts

Brackston’s latest appears to be the first in what promises to be an exciting series. While I’ve seen some reviewers complain about the end being unsatisfying, I found it quite the opposite – for me the end is a sort of gentle cliffhanger. No, the singular villain has not been revealed but that only serves to make me anticipate the future adventures of Miss Cavendish. And that definitely doesn’t mean that there’s a lack of a satisfying climax – in fact there are two very compelling scenes that lead to the end.

My previous reading of Brackston’s books led me to expect a slow burn of a story, and that’s what I experienced here. The story moves along at a gentle pace as Hecate navigates her new position as Assistant Librarian along with managing her mother’s ambition that she conform to society’s expectations of a young woman. Once the action starts, though, watch out. You’ll be turning pages as fast as you can read.

As a librarian, I connected right away with Hecate’s love of her new work. I enjoyed reading about her work and reveled in her discoveries. Additionally, I was delighted to find that the Hereford Mappa Mundi really exists and spent an enjoyable hour or so reading about it and exploring its images online.

This reader is definitely looking forward to more Hecate Cavendish.

Publication Date: July 23, 2024
Published By: St. Martin’s Press
Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy

Fantasy, Magical, Quest

The Witchstone by Henry Neff

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Description

An unforgettable, high-stakes, laugh-out-loud funny novel, The Witchstone blends the merciless humor of The Good Place with the spellbinding fantasy of Neil Gaiman’s American Gods.

Meet Laszlo, eight-hundred-year-old demon and Hell’s least productive Curse Keeper. From his office beneath Midtown, he oversees the Drakeford Curse, which involves a pathetic family upstate and a mysterious black stone. It’s a sexy enough assignment—colonial origins, mutating victims, et cetera—but Laszlo has no interest in maximizing the curse’s potential; he’d rather sunbathe in Ibiza, quaff martinis, and hustle the hustlers on Manhattan’s subway. Unfortunately, his division has new management, and Laszlo’s ratings are so abysmal that he’s given six days to shape up or he’ll be melted down and returned to the Primordial Ooze.

Meet Maggie Drakeford, nineteen-year-old Curse Bearer. All she’s ever known is the dreary corner of the Catskills where the Drakeford Curse has devoured her father’s humanity and is rapidly laying claim to her own. The future looks hopeless, until Laszlo appears at the Drakeford farmhouse one October night and informs them that they have six days—and six days only—to break the spell before it becomes permanent. Can Maggie trust the glib and handsome Laszlo? Of course not. But she also can’t pass up an opportunity to save her family, even if it means having a demon as a guide …

Thus begins a breakneck international adventure that takes our unlikely duo from a hot dog stand in Central Park to the mountains of Liechtenstein, a five-star hotel in Zurich, and even the time-traveling vault of a demonic crime boss. As the clock ticks down, tough-as-nails Maggie and conniving Laszlo will uncover a secret so profound that what began as a farcical quest to break a curse will eventually threaten the very Lords of Hell.

My Thoughts

Years ago, my son and I devoured Henry Neff’s Hound of Rowan series, all of which are fine examples of fantasy writing for kids and fantasy-loving adults. I was intrigued when I saw The Witchstone, Neff’s debut novel specifically for adults.

I was not disappointed.

At all.

Neff’s storytelling ability shines here as he develops characters that leap off the page and who are caught up in one of the most unusual stories I’ve read in a while. There are certainly some traditional storytelling conventions here – such as the quest at the heart of the story taken up by three “heroes” – but this is a kickass quest tale bookended by a terrible curse and an epic battle (which cemented my thought that this would make an awesome movie!)

The level of imagination on display in this story combined with the skillful writing secures Neff’s spot as one of the best fantasy writers of his generation. I was reminded a bit of Alex Grecian’s Red Rabbit and definitely had some Christopher Moore vibes from Laszlo. Even so, Neff has produced an unusual and captivating story that will appeal to teens and adults.

Highly recommended.

Publication Date: June 18, 2024
Published By: Blackstone Publishing
Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy

Cozy, Detective, Fairytales, Fantasy, General, Historical, Lists, Magical, Magical Realism, Middle Grade, Mystery, Psychological, Reading, Summer Reading

Summer Reading Part 2 Series Recommendations

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

I am a series reader. I find an author and set of characters that appeal to me and I keep going back for more. Turns out, many of my friends and family are also series readers and they had plenty of recommendations for your summer reading!

From Me…

Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear – Follow the adventures of Maisie who grows from a teenage maid to an adult detective through this fabulous historical series set in the first half of the 20th century. Winspear has just published the final entry in the series, which you can read about here. Start with the very first book, Maisie Dobbs, and progress through the rest. Just as good in audio form as print.

Sarah Addison Allen specializes in writing gentle, heartwarming stories featuring family secrets, magical realism, and often a captivating romance. Some of my favorites are: Garden Spells, The Girl Who Chased the Moon, and The Peach Keeper. Perfect for a lazy summer afternoon.

James Rollins is the complete opposite of the previous author! He specializes in pulse-pounding adventure featuring the Sigma Force, a super-secret and multi-talented government agency whose job is to keep the world from imploding. Rollins has written multiple books in the series that all revolve around an intricate, well-researched piece of history. My favorite in the series is The Last Odyssey which features plenty of the monsters from the Greek myths I love. Start with the first in the series, Sandstorm, and go from there, although I started with #2 in the series, Map of Bones and was totally hooked. If you’re already a Rollins fan, there’s a new Sigma Force novel out this summer – Arkangel. You’re welcome!

Kate Mosse is the author of some very chunky books! However, those books will keep you up late turning page after page. My favorite is Sepulchre but her other work is just as fascinating. Meticulous historical fiction, mostly set in France. Reading her work is a commitment well worth your time.

Erin Hart is the author of what I call the “bog mysteries.” I found Hart’s work as I was randomly researching the topic after seeing a news story about an ancient body discovered in an Irish peat bog. Hart’s bog series features two recurring characters – pathologist Nora Gavin and Irish archaeologist Cormac McGuire. Start with the first in the series, Haunted Ground.

Katherine Arden is the author of one of my all-time favorite high fantasy trilogies – The Winternight Trilogy. Start with the first, The Bear and the Nightingale and immerse yourself in Slavic folklore and magic. This is an absolute stunner of a series!

From Cynthia Dana…

Record Shop Mysteries by Olivia Blacke is a fun series featuring three sisters who take over the operations of a family record shop and cafe in their small Texas hometown. They serve up delicious coffee, spin some hot tracks, and solve murders in their spare time. There are three entries in the series – easily readable during the summer months!

From Allison McDonald Fredericks

Scot Horvath series by Brad Thor is a thrilling, fast-paced action-adventure series in which the main character, Scot Horvath, protects the United States and its people at all costs. For fans of James Rollins, Steve Berry, and Clive Cussler.

Keeper of Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger is a captivating series for kids who are into fantasy. The main character is 12-year-old Sophie Foster who discovers she’s a telepath. The series follows Sophie’s adventures and includes plenty of action-packed mysteries and challenges.

Wings of Fire series by Tui T. Sutherland is is wonderful introduction for young readers to the imaginative world of dragons. Learn all about the world of Pyrrhia here – https://tuibooks.com/wings-of-fire/the-world/.

From Emily John

Tristan Strong trilogy by Kwame Mbilia is part of the Rick Riordan presents series which features fascinating characters and world lore. In this case, Mbilia explores the world of African American folklore and West African gods with his engaging character, 7th grader Tristan Strong. Check out other entries in the Rick Riordan presents series.

From Beth Nash…

Ruth Ware is one of the best authors of psychological suspense fiction working today. She has a new one coming out this summer – One Perfect Couple – but there are plenty of others to dip into. Check out her catalog of work on her website.

Looking for a lighter mystery ion the cozy vein? Try Amy Van Sant’s books which include the Pineapple Port mysteries, the Shee McQueen series, and many others.

Louise Penney’s Inspector Gamache mystery series is a long-running, beloved set of suspenseful adventures set in Quebec. If you haven’t read these novels, start this summer and stay occupied for the rest of the year!

Here’s one more series for the mystery & suspense readers out there: The Cold Case series by Lissa Marie Redmond follows cold case detective Lauren Riley through many fascinating investigations.

Family, Fantasy, Folktales, Magical Realism, Mystery, Teens, Young Adult

Under the Heron’s Light by Randi Pink

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Description

Inspired by stories about the real-world Great Dismal Swamp, this dual POV Young Adult fantasy by Randi Pink explores alternate history, a family’s supernatural connections to the swamp, and the strength that comes in knowing your roots.

“Four thousand six hundred forty-two steps in,” Grannylou interrupted. “You remember that now, Baby. Four-thousand six hundred forty-two steps to paradise.”

On a damp night in 1722, Babylou Mac and her three siblings witness the murder of their mother at the hands of the local preacher’s son—so Babylou kills him in retaliation. With plantation dogs now on their heels, the four siblings breach the treacherous confines of the Great Dismal Swamp. Deeper and deeper into Dismal they delve, amid the biting moccasins and pitch-black waters, toward a refuge where they can live freely within the swamp’s natural—and supernatural—protection.

Three-hundred years later, college student Atlas comes home to North Carolina for the annual Bornday cookout and hog roast: a celebration of the fact that she and her three cousins were all born on the same day nineteen years ago, sharing a birthday with their Grannylou. But this Bornday, Grannylou’s usual riddles and folktales about a marvelous paradise deep in the Great Dismal Swamp start to take on a tangible quality. Change coming.

When Dismal calls, sucking Grannylou in, it’s up to Atlas and her cousins to uncover the history that the black waters hold. Centuries of family tension, with roots all over Virginia and North Carolina, are about to be dug up. Because Babylou and Grannylou are one and the same, and the power she helped cultivate hundreds of years ago—steeped in Black resistance, familial love, and the otherworldly mysteries of the Great Dismal Swamp—is bubbling back up. But so is a bitterness that runs deep as the swamp’s waters. And some are ready to take what they feel they’re owed.

My Thoughts

This is a complex, absolutely gripping novel that crosses genres to create one of the best stories of the year. Pink introduces plenty of southern Black folklore regarding the Great Dismal Swamp, and does a fabulous job of incorporating original takes on traditional folklore to create an unusual and authentic world of magic.

However, this is also a story about family – connections, betrayals, unshakable love, protection, and redemption. It is a book that requires the reader to pay attention and be fully immersed in the story – coming eye to eye with moccasins, feeling the black water of the swamp pool over your feet and the mud squish beneath you.

Pink does some extraordinary storytelling here that will both challenge and engross the reader. If this doesn’t become a movie or series, I will be very disappointed.

Highly recommended.

Publication Date: October 15, 2024
Published By: MacMillan Children’s Publishing Group | Feiwel & Friends
Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy

Children's, Fairytales, Fantasy, Middle Grade, Mystery

Witch in the Woods by Michaelbrent Collings

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Description

Strange and terrifying things are suddenly happening in a mysterious town where people are disappearing and changing into characters from the Grimm fairy tales.  

Twins Willow and Jake Grimm are not prepared for the bizarre gadgets and scary changes in their new home of New Marburg, the location of the top-secret Think Tank where their parents now have jobs as scientists. In this town, people jetpack to work, robots direct traffic, and senior citizens duel with laser swords.

Yet nothing compares to what happens the day after lightning strikes the twins’ house. Their school building transforms around them, becoming a medieval castle—complete with moat, drawbridge, and a dangerous giant who looks strangely like the school’s overly aggressive hall monitor.

Barely managing to escape before a massive beanstalk lifts the castle above the clouds, Willow and Jake learn that their ancestors, the original Brothers Grimm, were more than storytellers. They were Grimmwalkers, able to travel from our universe to Grimmworld: the universe where all fairy tales are born.

Somehow, Willow and Jake have been transported to Grimmworld as well. But before the twins can figure out how to get back to their own universe, they discover that their best friends, Hank and Pearl, have morphed into the fairy tale characters Hansel and Gretel and been captured by a candy-obsessed witch deep in the Cursed Forest.

Now, aided by a mysterious wizard with shimmering golden eyes and a befuddled, talking naked mole-rat named Chet, the twins must trust in each other, believe in themselves, and find the courage to face their darkest fears in order to save their friends, return to their family, and maybe—just maybe—save the world.

My Thoughts

The middle grade adventures coming out this spring are some of the best I’ve seen in years, and this one adds a lot of fuel to an already hot list. I was completely taken in by the imaginative blend of 21st century science and traditional Grimm fairytales in this fast-paced and fascinating mystery-adventure.

The modern day Grimms, Willow and Jake, are as appealing a set of characters as I’ve come across. They display the best and worst of sibling rivalry and support – very real life. The theme of family devotion and strength runs throughout the story, leading up to an ending that points to more adventures to come.

Middle grade readers who are familiar with Grimm’s Fairy Tales will thoroughly enjoy this 21st century upgrade.

Well done!

Publication Date: March 5, 2024
Published By: Shadow Mountain Publishing
Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy

Fantasy, Folktales, Magical, Magical Realism, Mystery, Mythology, Women, World Literature

The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Description

Some people think foxes are similar to ghosts because we go around collecting qi, or life force, but nothing could be further than the truth. We are living creatures, just like you, only usually better looking . . .

Manchuria, 1908.

A young woman is found frozen in the snow. Her death is clouded by rumors of foxes involved, which are believed to lure people by transforming themselves into beautiful women and men. Bao, a detective with a reputation for sniffing out the truth, is hired to uncover the dead woman’s identity. Since childhood, Bao has been intrigued by the fox gods, yet they’ve remained tantalizingly out of reach. Until, perhaps, now.

Meanwhile, a family that owns a famous Chinese medicine shop can cure ailments, but not the curse that afflicts them—their eldest sons die before their twenty-fourth birthdays. Now the only grandson of the family is twenty-three. When a mysterious woman enters their household, their luck seems to change. Or does it? Is their new servant a simple young woman from the north or a fox spirit bent on her own revenge?

New York Times bestselling author Yangsze Choo brilliantly explores a world of mortals and spirits, humans and beasts, and their dazzling intersection. The Fox Wife is a stunning novel about a winter full of mysterious deaths, a mother seeking revenge, and old folktales that may very well be true.

My Thoughts

This is my first 5-star review in awhile. This book gets ALL the descriptors: mysterious, lovely, heartbreaking, satisfying, lyrical, deadly, and so many more.

Ah San (or Snow) and Tagtaa are characters I will remember for a very long time. Both driven by love for family and loyalty to friends and lovers, they drive this story forward as one seeks revenge and one seeks to protect. The complicated relationships that connect the two women and Bao are intricately plotted and beautifully rendered.

The writing here is some of the best I’ve read in a long time and the story grips you from the first page forward. I feel like this would be amazing in audiobook form and will look for that in the future.

I will be purchasing a print copy of this for my own shelves (which rarely happens!). Highly, highly recommended.

“Beware: once you start, you may not be able to put it down!”
—Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, author of Independence and The Last Queen

Publication Date: February 13, 2024
Published By: Henry Holt & Co.
Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy.

Books About Books, Fantasy, Magical, Magical Realism, Makes You Think, Mystery, New Releases, Psychological, Suspense

The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Description

A debut novel full of magic, adventure, and romance, The Book of Doors opens up a thrilling world of contemporary fantasy for readers of The Midnight Library, The Invisible Life of Addie Larue, The Night Circus, and any modern story that mixes the wonder of the unknown with just a tinge of darkness.

Cassie Andrews works in a New York City bookshop, shelving books, making coffee for customers, and living an unassuming, ordinary life. Until the day one of her favorite customers—a lonely yet charming old man—dies right in front of her. Cassie is devastated. She always loved his stories, and now she has nothing to remember him by. Nothing but the last book he was reading.  

But this is no ordinary book…

It is the Book of Doors. 

Inscribed with enigmatic words and mysterious drawings, it promises Cassie that any door is every door. You just need to know how to open them.

Then she’s approached by a gaunt stranger in a rumpled black suit with a Scottish brogue who calls himself Drummond Fox. He’s a librarian who keeps watch over a unique set of rare volumes. The tome now in Cassie’s possession is not the only book with great power, but it is the one most coveted by those who collect them. 

Now Cassie is being hunted by those few who know of the Special Books. With only her roommate Izzy to confide in, she has to decide if she will help the mysterious and haunted Drummond protect the Book of Doors—and the other books in his secret library’s care—from those who will do evil. Because only Drummond knows where the unique library is and only Cassie’s book can get them there. 

But there are those willing to kill to obtain those secrets. And a dark force—in the form of a shadowy, sadistic woman—is at the very top of that list.

My Thoughts

The early chapters in this mesmerizing book kept me glued to the pages. I was fascinated by the concept of the books, especially the Book of Doors. However, I put the book down after the introduction of “the woman” and the subsequent chapters that described her sociopathic, cruel behavior. The introduction of the woman and particularly what she did with the Book of Despair horrified me and I needed a break.

If you are a squeamish reader, this is your warning. The violence here is V.i.o.l.e.n.t.

When I came back, I waded through chapters that became increasingly challenging to keep straight. Make no mistake, this is a complex plot that requires close reading. The concept of the books was so intriguing that I was able to set aside several instances of irritating and insensitive dialog and description, which could be fixed with some editing. Considering I was reading an ARC, hopefully these things will be fixed in the final version.

There is some insight to the “why” of the cruelty and sociopathy at the end, but that part left me wondering if the final scene in NYC with Hugo and Rachel actually started the whole cycle all over again.

My prediction is that most readers will either love or hate this book. I’m in the middle – I am totally there for the Books, but less so for the humans in the story.

Publication Date: February 13, 2024
Published By: William Morrow
Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy

Children's, Fantasy, Magical, Middle Grade, Mystery, Quest

Hollowthorn by Kalyn Josephson

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Description

In this spellbinding sequel to Ravenfall, two kids with supernatural powers must venture beyond the veil to protect the Tree of Life from a terrifying foe—or risk losing the magic of Ravenfall forever.

Best friends Anna and Colin defeated the King of the Dead on Halloween night, saving the magical Ravenfall Inn they call home. Now, with Hannukah approaching, the kids are looking forward to exploring their new powers—and maybe enjoying a little challah and peppermint cocoa, too.

But then a Raven—a guardian of the supernatural world—shows up at their doorstep with a warning. A demon from Jewish lore is hunting the Tree of Life, a source of untold power and immortality. If they can’t stop him, they risk losing the magic of Ravenfall forever.

As they venture into the Otherworld, Anna and Colin discover a wondrous, menacing realm full of mythological creatures… but is the true danger closer than they think?

My Thoughts

Adding to the rich catalog of middle grade fantasy and mythology books out there, Hollowthorn offers wild ride of an adventure featuring some charming and powerful kids. Second in a series, this story continues the adventures of Anna and Colin as they race to save the Tree of Life (and the world) from certain destruction by a fearsome demon.

The relationship between Anna & Colin is further refined here, developing into a strong bond that will appeal to young readers struggling to understand deep friendships. The Jewish mythological aspect of the story is fascinating and provides great insight to this rich and ancient culture.

Fantasy readers will scoop this up this fall.

Recommended.

Publication Date: October 17, 2023
Published By: Random House Children’s, Delacorte Press
Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy

Action Adventure, Children's, Detective, Fantasy, Mystery

No One Leaves the Castle by Christopher Healy

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Description

The Lilac. The bard songs say that she’s the world’s most fearsome bounty hunter. That there’s no criminal she can’t catch, no mystery she can’t solve.

None of that is true. Yet.

In reality, the Lilac is just a kid, and the bard who wrote all that is her best friend, Dulcinetta. But the Lilac has set her goals on becoming the best bounty hunter in the Thirteen Kingdoms—and when a priceless artifact goes missing from the home of famed monster hunter Baron Angbar, the Lilac and Netta are eager to apprehend the thief and make a name for themselves.

But when their investigation brings them to a dinner party at Castle Angbar, and they meet the Angbar family and their servants and guests—an unsavory group of nobles, mages, and assorted creatures, each more shady than the last—the Lilac begins to wonder if the reward is worth the trouble.

And that’s before the dead body is discovered.

Now everyone is magically sealed inside the castle—and there is a murderer among them. If the Lilac wants to make it out with her reputation intact, it’s going to be up to her to figure out who the killer is. But everyone in the castle—even the Lilac herself—has secrets to hide, and as the walls literally start to close in around them, the Lilac worries that her first job as a bounty hunter may be her last. . . . 

My Thoughts

A bounty hunter called The Lilac who also happens to be a witty, clever, capable detective? Yes please!

Lila and Dulcinetta are a set of tag team adventurers who find themselves smack in the middle of a locked-room murder mystery. They manage to outsmart the bad guys, solve the mystery, and save the day while barely breaking a sweat.

While the characters are familiar from earlier Healy books, this one can stand on its own. The writing is irreverent and somewhat silly at times and could certainly be a gateway to Terry Pratchett’s work for young readers.

Published By: Harper Collins Childrens Books; Golden Pond Books
Publication Date: August 15, 2023
Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy