Ask The Dark ~ By Henry Turner – 4.0 Stars

Tags

Coming of Age Stories, Horror, Mysteries, Poverty, Serial Killers, Suspense, YA Fiction

 I received this e-Arc from NetGalley and Clarion Books in exchange for an honest review. Release Date: 4/7/15 14-year-old Billy Zeets has the reputation for being a troublemaker in his small town.

When he stumbles across the body of a boy he knows, and another turns up dead, Billy decides to solve the murders himself, and will do whatever it takes to bring the killer to justice and collect the reward.

“Ask The Dark” is a very quick read at 250 pages. Surprisingly, I found Billy to be quite likeable, and he actually reminded me of Huck Finn. He’s had a rough life and I couldn’t help but emphasize with him. His mother died two years previously, and now because of unpaid medical bills, and his own bad health, Billy’ s father is in danger of losing their house unless he can come up with $48,000. Because of his nightly wanderings and familiarity with the town and it’s inhabitants, Billy is in a unique position to investigate the serial killer responsible for the disappearances and murders. Despite his reputation as a juvenile delinquent, Billy is as heroic as he is tough and street smart. While his investigation is initially prompted by the reward being offered, it ultimately turns into something far more. The events that transpire are related in the first person by Billy as he lies recovering in the hospital and as he recounts his role, he insists, “I ain’t no hero, and I aim to prove it.” From there, the plot builds slowly, and I found myself wishing at times that Billy would figure things out a little faster. Also, when he finally comes face to face with the killer, some of his actions weren’t entirely in keeping with his previously common sense attitude. I found Billy’ s narrative and dialect added to the raw emotion of the story, but some readers might be turned off by it. Because of the subject matter and graphic scenes, I definitely would not recommend this to anyone under the age of fourteen, but other than that, I think a wide audience would enjoy this imaginative novel. 

Spell Blind ~ David Coe – 4.5 Stars

Tags

Arizona, Mystery, Private Detectives, Serial Killers, Thriller, Urban Fantasy

 This book was provided to me by NetGalley and Baen Books in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Justus Fearsson is a weremyst, someone who has magical powers that rely on using the elements. He and others like him pay a heavy price for using their talents. For three days during every full moon they lose their mental faculties. This gets worse as they get older and the majority of weremysts go permanently insane. There is a medication that helps alleviate these symptoms, but it also suppresses their magical powers, and most weremysts won’t use it. This includes Justis even though he’s seen what having magical talent did to his father, and he himself lost his position as a Phoenix police officer. Now working as a private detective Justis is contacted by his old partner regarding an unsolved case. It seems as though the killer is at work again and his powers far surpass those of Justis. Now he’s in a race to stop this magical adversary before the body count gets any higher.

I absolutely LOVED this book! When I first started reading it I thought it was going to be a clone of the Harry Dresden books by Jim Butcher. I was wrong. Justis Fearsson is a wonderful character who has an appealing mix of strength and vulnerability. Told in the first person, David Coe manages to draw the reader directly into the mind of Justis. The action is non-stop which makes it difficult to put the book down. The descriptions of the desert around Phoenix are breathtaking, and made me want to add Arizona to my places I want to visit if I ever won the lottery. The only negative thing I found was the love interest. I really disliked her and did not understand why Justis would be attracted to her. Is it wrong to hope that the author kills her off in the next book? Spell Blind is a perfect read for anyone who loves urban fantasy, mysteries, and thrillers. I can’t wait for the second book in this new series!

The Carpathian Assignment ~ by Chip Wager – 4.0 Stars

Tags

Austro-Hungarian Empire, Dracula, Historical Fiction, Horror, Serial Killers

 This book was provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

First, let me warn you if you like your vampires to sparkle in the sun, or be broodingly handsome, this book is not for you. Instead it’s an unapologetic portrayal of one of the most infamous names in literature: Dracula. The Carpathian Assignment takes the reader back to 1896 into the tiny village of Bistritz nestled in the shadows of the Carpathian Mountans where it seems a serial killer is at large. Kalvary Istvan, a recently widowed and retired Colonel accepts one last assignment as Bistritz’s Chief of Police after his predecessor disappeared along with his wife. There have been many such disappearances over the years and one name keeps popping up. Count Dracula. The residents are terrified of him. While at first dismissive of the stories as superstitious nonsense, as his investigation progresses it starts to become clear that he is hunting not only a serial killer, but one that is immortal. The Carpathian Assignment reminded me of Elizabeth Kostova’s The Historian, but with much more of Dracula in it. The original Dracula by Bram Stoker is still my favorite, but this is a well written, meticulously researched book. Chip Wager is clearly passionate about his subject and it shows. I liked how Istvan is not perfect. He’s prejudiced about the people he’s trying to protect, seeing them as ignorant and superstitious, but that makes him even more realistic. This is also a man who as a result of life’s circumstances has had his faith in God shaken but desperately wants it to be restored. There are familiar characters such as Jonathan Harker as well as historical figures like Freud and Baron Krafft-Ebing. The events are actually related by Istvan’s grandson Stefan Dietrich in 1924 who was under orders to wait until both his grandfather and Harker were dead before releasing the true story of happened during the investigation. There’s a lot of history packed into this novel and I appreciated that it didn’t slow down the plot, although I did find the dialogue a bit stilted at times. I also didn’t care for the way Jonathan Harker was portrayed but that might be just a personal preference. Overall I found this to be an enjoyable read and have no hesitation in recommending it to Dracula enthusiasts.