What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher
Horror/Fantasy
July 12, 2022 by Tor Nightfire
ARC
T. Kingfisher is known for fantasy and more recently, romantic fantasy, but I believe her horror novels and novellas to be some of her best work. This retelling of Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher is creepy and chilling and well done.
Our narrator for this story is retired Lieutenant Alex Easton, who is summoned to the Usher estate by their childhood friend Roderick, on behalf of his dying sister Madeline. As soon as Easton steps foot on the dilapidated estate, full of weird funguses and creepy local wildlife, they know something is wrong. That feeling only escalates when Madeline and Roderick’s appearances show their deep decline. Easton, along with another houseguest, American doctor James Denton, set out to discover what is causing the siblings to sicken and what their link to the estate may have to do with it.
I won’t go too deep into the plot, but I will say the sinister atmosphere and shocking revelations kept me glued to the page. Fans of this author and the horror genre will not want to miss.
Grade- B
A Shattered Silver Crown by Kai Butler
San Amaro Investigations #4
LGBT Urban Fantasy
July 1, 2022 – Self Published
Kindle Unlimited
I discovered this series last year while scrolling through Amazon looking for Kindle Unlimited books. I took a chance and read the first book, Wormwood Summer, and enjoyed it so much that I knew it would be a series that had me snapping up every newest installment on release day.
The San Amaro Investigations series has an ongoing plot arc and the same group of main and secondary protagonists. In A Shattered Silver Crown Parker Ferro, private investigator and now an important go-between of the fae courts, is caught up in several new mysteries that he and his partner/lover Nick King must solve. As with all of the previous novels in this series, those mysteries are tightly woven and tied together, and solving one will lead to wrapping up them all.
I’ve enjoyed watching Parker and Nick grow closer together and their relationship deepen into a forever kind of love. They steady each other and Nick’s constant reassurance and steadfastness help Parker realize that their love is real. Of course, there is family drama in the shape of Nick’s dad making an appearance and trying to oust Parker from his life, and Parker’s fae parent showing up to rattle his belief in himself and his identity. But I do like where the personal relationships are headed and look forward to seeing them continue to grow.
This is a fabulous series and as I haven’t seen much talk of it anywhere on Twitter or in reader groups, really underrated. A Shattered Silver Crown is yet another great addition and I am excited to see where this author takes these characters next.
Grade- B
I love T. Kingfisher, but I am a chicken when it comes to scary books. I will prob buy this and only read it during the day, in direct sunlight.