Necromancer is such an ugly word, but it’s a title Eric Carter is stuck with.
He sees ghosts, talks to the dead. He’s turned it into a lucrative career putting troublesome spirits to rest, sometimes taking on even more dangerous things. For a fee, of course.
When he left L.A. fifteen years ago he thought he’d never go back. Too many bad memories. Too many people trying to kill him.
But now his sister’s been brutally murdered and Carter wants to find out why.
Was it the gangster looking to settle a score? The ghost of a mage he killed the night he left town? Maybe it’s the patron saint of violent death herself, Santa Muerte, who’s taken an unusually keen interest in him.
Carter’s going to find out who did it and he’s going to make them pay.
As long as they don’t kill him first.
Dead Things is a wild ride, it really is.
Eric Carter is a necromancer — content to talk to dead things, kill dead things (again) and do anything anyone wants if he gets paid. Which fair enough. Then his sister is murdered and he returns to LA for her funeral, and to try and find out what happened to her.
When he does, he comes back into contact with Vivian, his ex, and his BFF, Alex. Here’s where things get frustrating in an effort to get Eric and everyone to the place you probably will see coming a mile away — Eric is content to allow himself the luxury to change, but his surprise at how everyone else has changes quickly becomes annoying. Fifteen years is a long time for him, and not everyone else.
However, Blackmoore rescues this frustration by providing some crackling banter and excellent worldbuilding that left me wanting more in that regard, and ignoring the cliched beats of the Vivian and Eric relationship.
All in all, this was a fun read, with things I expected, more that I didn’t and worldbuilding that made the book thoroughly enjoyable for me.
I can’t remember the last time I’d read a book about necromancy, it’s been a few years and they’re always typically YA releases. You had me at banter. I love a book with sass and quick witted characters and always on the lookout for entertaining and light urban fantasy type reads. Great review Verushka and so glad you enjoyed it.
Banter is always hard to get right, isn’t it? Or so I find it. I find usually that banter is less banter-y and more snarky, and a little more mean than I expect of banter. This book’s banter isn’t like that at all, and all the characters give as good as they get in the banter department.
This would make a great October read! I admit that I like this kind of book at any time, but in the fall, with Halloween in the offing, is a favorite time to settle in with a good urban fantasy!
It would totally make a great Halloween read!
This sounds like a book that’s totally up my alley!
I hope you get to try it !
I do like banters, and a necromancer as the main character? Yes, please! Although, truth to be told, you had me at “Dead Things is a wild ride, it really is.“, hehe.
Noted! Like Stephanie said, this book is right up my alley 😉
I’ve never read a book with a necromancer before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was thoroughly surprised (in a good way) and engrossed!
I haven’t read a book with a necromancer is a long time and I think this one sounds like it would be something I would enjoy. Great review!
IT’s soooo much fun!
I thought Eric was a great character in this one! 🙂
HE WAS!!!
This sounds like a really fun read. The necromancer angle grabbed my attention right away, but I also love that the book has so much witty banter in it.
This sounds like one i would enjoy!