Grave witch Alex Craft is no stranger to the dead talking. She raises shades, works with ghosts, and is dating Death himself. But the dead walking? That’s not supposed to happen. And yet reanimated corpses are committing crimes across Nekros City.
Grave Ransom, by Kalayna Price, is the fifth novel in the Grave Witch series. Grave witch Alex Craft can speak to the dead, but that doesn’t mean she likes what they have to say. In addition, she learns about her fae ancestry and her unexpected nobility as a Sleigh Maith in previous novels. With this revelation about her origins, Alex's life changes in drastic ways--she discovers her planeweaving ability and must live like a fae (for example, fae are allergic to iron and cannot thank another person or they risk inheriting a debt). Nonetheless, she is determined to live an independent lifestyle with no court allegiance so that she can continue her private investigation business in the human world. On the positive side, it doesn't hurt to have your own castle in Faerie.
Alex’s investigation leads her deep into a web of sinister, forbidden magic. Deceased people who appear alive are walking about which is both strange and unprecedented in Alex's professional experience as a grave witch. Worse, her grave senses reveal that the soul piloting the deceased body do not match. How is that possible? When Alex When Briar Darque of the Magical Crimes Investigation Bureau gets involved, Alex finds herself with an unexpected ally of sorts. But as the dead continue to rise and wreak havoc on the living, can she get to the soul of the matter in time? Alex must race against time to find the culprit or she becomes a target herself.
I have enjoyed the Alex Craft novel series very much. Kalayna Price (who is an underappreciated brilliant writer) introduces her readers meticulously to the world of Nekros City where normal humans live in a society where magic exists. Those who are sensitive to magic attend a boarding school to hone their abilities (in Alex's case, she becomes a grave witch). What Alex did not realize that she was born fae. As a result, her encounters with the alternate realm of Faerie has presented new challenges for her both as a grave witch and as a a private investigator. Although I won't spoil the details in Grave Ransom, I will say that Alex has become a more confident protagonist both in her fae abilities and empathy towards others. She listens to her gut feeling in cases which is a very strong trait when dealing with mysterious magical phenomenon. Her cases may become more bizarre and dangerous but she has a strong support network to help her in need. Her personality is attractive in her desire to protect her friends and provide assistance to the police--even if she's easily misunderstood. I recommend this series.
Stay tuned for the next Alex Craft novel, Grave Destiny.
No comments:
Post a Comment