Labyrinth (A Greywalker Novel #5) By Kat Richardson
Urban Fantasy
August 3, 2010
Hardcover, 368 Pages
Roc

Reviewed by Tori

Favorite Quote: "In the dispassionate influence of the grid, compassion-perhaps humanity-had died in me. Only the job remained:Paladin of the Dead, Hands of the Guardian."

Harper Blaine is a Greywalker. Having spent time in London, Harper has gained new powers. Before she can figure them out though,
she arrives home to find her employer is missing and the man who killed her has himself been murdered. Harper needs to find her murderer’s ghost for she believes he holds the clues to finding her father. But she soon finds herself entangled in a madman’s plans to control the grey. Through her. The only way to save herself is to go into the grey, but with her increasing powers she fears she may not be able to come back.

Kat Richardson’s Greywalker series is a dynamic investigative urban fantasy saga pitting ghosts, vampires, and other paranormal entities against Harper Blaine-P.I. extraordinaire. Dark and fluid, the storyline flows through you; rather like slipping through the grey yourself. Full of suspense, Ms Richardson manipulates the storyline like a maze-leaving you to follow a twisting path to discover the truth in the center. But even if you find the center…you still have to get out. This series isn’t an "in your face" action story but a more subtle complex mystery with a dark paranormal twist. Labyrinth, the fifth in the series, is the catalyst for all that has transpired in the last four books.

Harper is a Greywalker. One of few who can enter and control the "grey"-the land between the living and the dead. Harper became a Greywalker the first time she died. Through trial and error Harper has learned to somewhat control her gift; but now the time has come to see exactly what she is capable of. One vampire wants to control it all. In order to do that he needs to control Harper. Through a series of incidents, he is molding Harper into the ultimate weapon he intends to weld with impunity. Harper will force herself to the limits of her existence to stop him once and for all.

Harper is an intriguing but low key protagonist. She exhibits a certain vulnerability towards her friends and her lover Quentin. Ms Richardson isn’t afraid for Harper to fail; yet she has her learn from each of her mistakes. She does not downplay the danger and often voices the need for back up. But she is courageous and doesn’t shirk from what she needs to do.The romantic scenes and conversations were a very pleasant surprise. While Harper has had romantic interests before, I never really felt she connected with anyone. But with Quentin it feels right. We see her being loved, fussed over, and taken care of. It humanizes Harper and makes her more approachable as a character.

The contributing characters are extremely complex in nature and personality. Some add to the overall bleakness of the landscape while others are shining lights illuminating the story. The line between friend and enemy is thin- everyone has their own agenda and background stories that lend depth to the overall arc. I find myself wanting to explore their lives more and more with each installment.

Ms Richardson does tend to become over technical when describing Harper’s magic and her jaunts into the grey. In this particular book it went beyond the norm and bogs the storyline down. I found my attention wandering during those scenes. But she soon comes back to the main story line and once again installs in me the all consuming need to find out how this will play out.

The ending is unique and leaves off rather abruptly but satisfying in a strange way.

Rating: 3.5/5

Recent Reviews:
Goodreads

This series includes:
Greywalker
Poltergeist
Underground
Vanished
Labyrinth

Author’s Website.