Kat RossRecensioni

City of Wolves (Nightmarked, #2) ♦ Kat Ross | Review

After I was already convinced by the first volume of the Nightmarked series, Kat Ross has upped the ante with City of Wolves.

The series of Nightmarked is flawlessly continued in City of Wolves. The story’s suspense keeps increasing by every single chapter. Also, the pace won’t slow down nor will the thrill lessen even when you reach peak scenes. There has already been a lot of activity in the first volume, and I couldn’t imagine that there was still that much more to come.



City of Wolves ♦ Kat Ross

Opinion

City of Wolves, the second book in Kat Ross‚ Nightmarked series, is an exhilarating adventure. As the three main characters are dispersed over the fictional realm of the Via Sancta, there is plenty of action right away. The inexplicable disappearances of multiple youngsters from the town of Kvengard are being looked into by the story’s hero, Alexei, who is both a soldier and a priest.

After surviving an attack by the pseudo religious group of the Black Sun, Kasia, the wicked cartomancer, is sailing toward Nantwich on a ship. While the night mage, Malach, is in Bal Kirith falling more and more for Nikola, an unmarked charwoman.

And as a new evil was on the rise and threatened the whole humanity, the vanished children, Alexei was looking for, seemed to hold the key to everyone’s redemption. All of these contradictory threads were skillfully woven together into an intriguing story. Kat Ross really did an amazing job with the sequel.

The characters were still developing throughout the book, and occasionally they even caught me off guard! Also, the incredible variety of personalities and trait was refreshing and entertaining. The elicit waves of emotion they went through made me both laugh and sometimes shed a tear. It was also tremendously energizing to see the growth of the plot into areas and characters.

Conclusion

★★★★★

City of Wolves does contain a variety of points of view, which aids in expanding the overall narrative as the individuals strive to figure out exactly what role they play as all these events develop. Due to the numerous turns and surprises, I could hardly stay away from this book.


I received an advance review copy for free at BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.


This review was first published at The Art of Reading.

City of Dawn (Nightmarked, #4) ♦ Kat Ross | Review

I am honored to have received and read this fourth and final volume in the Nightmarked series as an ARC.

And damn, Kat Ross did it again and created another deliciously twisty and unexpected ending to one of her amazingly detailed worlds.



City of Dawn ♦ Kat Ross

Opinion

City of Dawn was, after I already read the first three volumes of this series, one of my most anticipated books for this year. The final installment City of Dawn did not disappoint but totally captivated me! I cherished each and every chapter and plot twist as each character was molded into a specific role for the ultimate showdown. The way Kat Ross managed to cram in so many narratives while maintaining a tempo that felt urgent without being forced or undermined really astounded me. Everyone and everything is covered, and we learn a lot about the ley, the characters, and the lore.

With how everything turned out in the end, I'm still in awe. Ross issued a lot of answers to questions which built up during the series, and it all made so much sense in the end. The characters were rich and detailed and their stories heartfelt and intriguing. Without getting too deep into the plot as a whole and trying to avoid spoilers as good as I can, I can assure you, that you'll be cheering for all of our heroes and villains!

While Balaur carries out his scheme to become immortal and manipulate the world to his desires, everyone else is scattered all over the continent. The main hazard to Malach and Alexi as they attempt to return to civilization in order to contact the others while magically stranded in the desert is their animosity toward one another. Following a lead to Balaur, Kasia, Nikola, and a group of priests, magicians, and witches travel south and find more than they bargained for. Before their involvement further intensifies Balaur, Mikail, Lazarus, and Morvana are holding the North and seeking to reach an agreement with the Mages. As they all struggle toward a collective goal, they start to understand that these occurrences were foreseen a long time ago and that everyone, notably Kasia and Malach, has a crucial duty to fulfill.

Conclusion

If you're in the mood for an epic action-packed high fantasy read that comes with magical and dystopian elements, then I can not only recommend City of Dawn, but the entire Nightmarked series. It was such a pleasure to follow each character.


I received an advance review copy for free from BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.


This review was first published at The Art of Reading.

City of Storms (Nightmarked, #1) ♦ Kat Ross | Review

A tarot reader who is hiding a sinister secret. A priest whose damaged heart prevents him from falling asleep. A fallen angel determined to destroy them both.
City of Storms by Kat Ross captured me whole.

When I first started reading City of Storms, I had some hiccups with the story. Because there was a lot of information presented initially that was confusing. But after reading a few pages, and with the aid of the glossary, a mystical world brimming with magic became clear to me.



Opinion

The setting is incredibly immersive and dark, and the characters are quite well-developed and very interesting. Kat Ross does a brilliant job of capturing the reader in a world that is both very different from our own and appears to be so very similar to it. Furthermore, her perspective on magic and how everything is interconnected is magnificent.

City of Storms is the first installment of a quadrology called Nightmarked. The story comes around with a lot of unexpected twists, which drew me deeper and deeper into the plot. I was very intrigued by the whole of it. The world building and the three main characters excited me, that I could hardly put my Kindle down.

Fra Alexei Bryce reacts to the Markhounds (special bred dogs) alarm about someone turning insane and Kasia Novak, a cardomancer (tarot reader), who ran for her life because of the mad one. That’s how Ross threw me into the action as the novel begins. Although the rapid-fire introduction of new vocabulary and terms initially makes reading difficult due to the absence of prior context, it was a strong and enthralling beginning. Given that the world building seems to draw extensively from both Latin and the Catholic Church, some knowledge with both would come handy. But as I stated already, the glossary helps a lot as well.

The pace of the story was perfect. I never felt like I had to rush through the pages to keep up. Also, there weren’t any boring sections that contained too many explanations or described unimportant dialogues and actions.
City of Storms is really well written, and I didn’t even lose touch with the characters. They did take a little time before I took a liking to them, including the antihero.

Conclusion

★★★★★

I really did enjoy reading City of Storms, and I am really excited to dive right into the next installment. I can’t really say why I am excited, because I am not willing to leave any spoilers. But I can recommend this book for readers who enjoy Dark Fantasy paired with Mystery, Magic and Paranormal.

I received an advance review copy for free at BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.


This review was first published at The Art of Reading.

A Thrilling Ride Through a Fantastical World – 4 Stars!

A captivating and inventive story, Savage Skies by Kat Ross takes readers to an intriguing world full of magic, intrigue, and adventure. The book has a lot of positive qualities, but a few minor flaws keep me from giving it a perfect rating.



Savage Skies ♦ Kat Ross

Opinion

Above all else, the entire book showcases Ross’s talent for narrative. The world-building is fascinating and detailed, providing a rich and realistic experience. It is very amazing how well the author was able to construct a distinct world with its own set of magical and social norms. With their distinct motivations and complexities, the characters are well-developed, and the action-packed plot is sure to keep you interested all the way through.

The tale moves along at a generally good pace, striking a nice mix of tension and character growth. I couldn’t stop turning the pages in anticipation of the next development in Ross’s excellent job of holding the reader’s interest.

But the reason Savage Skies only received four stars instead of five is that the plot occasionally appeared a little confusing. Though fascinating, the world’s intricacy and the numerous narratives occasionally made it difficult to keep track of everything. It would have been nice to have had a little more clarity in several places.

The characters are interesting, but I thought some of their motives and acts could have been explored more in order to build stronger links between the reader and the characters. I found myself wanting to explore their inner lives even more at times. I guess I have to wait for part two.

Conclusion

To sum it up, Savage Skies is an exciting and inventive piece of fantasy literature that will surely enthrall readers who enjoy the genre. Even with the small issues I pointed out, Kat Ross’s writing abilities are evident, and the book is an incredibly captivating and engaging read. To everyone looking for an exciting adventure through a fascinating realm, I wholeheartedly suggest it. Offering an entertaining escape into a world of magic, mystery, and adventure, it’s a terrific 4-star read.


This review was first published at The Art of Reading.

If there were a Kat Ross fan club I’d probably be President of it. Have you seen all my glowing reviews of so many of her books? So many that I’ve given her her own category on my blog Kat Ross. Which is why It’s surprising that I hadn’t read her first book Some Fine Day.

Cause not only is it by Kat, but it’s also a young adult dystopian story which I am absolute garbage 🗑️ for. Give me angsty teens fighting a corrupt dystopian government any day. Hunger Games. ✔️ Uglies. ✔️ Unwind. ✔️ Partials. ✔️Maze Runner. ✔️Ember. ✔️ The Giver. ✔️Yes I’ve read them all, and I could list a dozen more.

Some Fine Day belongs right in that list. A thrilling YA dystopian, with a kickin’ female MC, a untrust worthy government and layer of lies to be uncovered. You might think with those troupes that its *just* another one of those stories.

But it’s so much more.

Kat Ross is a master at world building. It’s one of the major reasons I love her work so much. I can just fall into the worlds she builds. The idea of these huge dangerous storms that drove people underground is believable considering everything going on in our world, and the actual hurricanes that are getting bigger and more destructive.

Jansin is also a good and believable MC. She’s trying to do what will make her family happy. Trying to get the education they want her to have. To live up to their expectations. Even before we get to the action she has misgivings.

One of the thing I really appreciated was how the love story played out. It wasn’t one of the two typical troupe you see in these kind of stories. Neither the first-love forever-love or the falls-for-the-bad-boy-who-has-a-good-heart.

The finale was amazing and it kept me riveted. But I won’t say more for fear of spoilers.

Bottom Line:

If you enjoy YA dystopian reads don’t want as long as I did to read this one. A hidden gem, if there ever was one.

The City of Storms is the first in the Nightmarked series. It follows the story of Kasia, a Tarot card reader who has a shady past and some kind of magical power, along with Alexei, a priest of the Via Sancta, the ruling church, and a user of good ley line magic. They are battling the Nightmarked, or fallen angels, specifically Malach. The death of a high-ranking psychiatrist brings these characters together in discovering political intrigue going back centuries. Out of necessity, there is a lot of world-building that has to take place in this first installment, and it can be a little difficult to figure out why things are happening because of this. However, the story is fascinating with a compelling approach to magic use, the characters are well-defined and interesting, and the plot moves very quickly. I really enjoyed this and think that the second in the series should be even better.

Well written, easy read young adult book, with engaging characters. Fantasy with convincing world building, and a bit of romance mixed in.

This book does several things that make a good read. It shows, rather than tells, even to the extend of the main character thinking something completely different is happening to what the reader can deduce.

It surprises the reader, or at least me. For the first part of the book I was confident that I knew where the story was heading, then after main character death, things suddenly happen I could not have foreseen.

The writing was easy to wind down with, nothing too complex. And the story encourages you to read on, even when you may think you know what will happen.

Unfortunately it does end without a full wrap up, as I assume the story continues in the next book. But I may very well read it!

I never would have guessed, back when Balthazar made his first enigmatic appearance in The Midnight Sea, that he would become one of my favourite protagonists out of all these series, but Ross did such an amazing job developing his character that spending a whole book with him here was an absolute treat. This book has all the action, adventure and humour one would expect from Kat, and fans won’t be disappointed. I also think those who are new to her books could enjoy this without having read previous instalments in the series.

I’m not prone to bouts of effusiveness but I couldn’t gush enough about Kat Ross’s books, I enjoy them so much. This one has a Slavic feel, which was really interesting to me, and I loved the rainy city of Novostopol (also the map illustration is gorgeous). Added to the unique setting and fantasy elements are Ross’s usual mix of great characters, a twisty-turny plot, romance and a touch of humour. I already can’t wait for book 2!

I cant agree with the authors claim that this book can be read as a standalone as the purported main character doesnt appear herself until about 37% into the book.

When we finally get to her part of the story it did get a bit more interesting but I soon got very tired of Annes character,she just came across as very arrogant. Now dont get me wrong a flawed character can still be a good character but as a reader I didnt really understand her motivations or get an explanation about her past shaped her personality.

Lately, I am getting suckered into reading books because I get enamored with the cover. And this is what happened with this book. To be completely honest, I skimmed through the last half of the book.
This book had a lot of potential, but it fell short. The plot was complex enough to have a full novel, and it had sufficient side plots to fill in the gaps. I liked some of the characters.

However:

The world building was confusing. I kept asking why she mixed up so many historical elements? It was hard to follow sometimes, and after a while, I just stopped caring. The setting with the religion got me upset because it was evident that she did not do her homework. It seemed like a merger of many different things, and again, I got frustrated, and I stopped caring.

The main plot became predictable in some areas; the pacing was out of balance. It was like a person that drives with a foot in the gas and the other foot on the breaks at the same time. That prevented me from really relate to any of the characters. I didn’t have time to fall into a flow.
I liked some of the characters. I even think Nazafareen had a semblance of a character arc. However, I am not sure if any of the others did. As for the romance at one point I thought, “OMG don’t tell me this is another one of those instalove types of romance novels. I wasn’t impressed with the romance. It was like reading a relationship with an abusive lover and a submissive wimp, and at one point, I was about to throw my Ipad into the fireplace.

And to top it all off, one thing that burned my Veteran’s pancakes was that when you are in the middle of the heat of battle especially with things that are horrible like monsters, your mind will not be thinking about how cute your comrade is or find your battle buddy handsome. Trust me, your mind will be thinking about how much ammo you have and if your side weapon is loaded.

And then I realized I have other books I could be reading. Will I read any other books by Kat Ross? Yes, she does write beautiful prose. On the other hand, if this book has a second part, I probably would not read it.

August, 1888 New York and Leland and Elizabeth Brady employ Miss Pell to find their missing friend, Robert Straker. Harrision Fearing Pell decides to impersonate her older sister and take the case with her best friend John Weston. This leads them to the first body.
Very enjoyable mystery, look forward to see how the series has developed.

1888. At the Greymoor Lunatic Asylum resides Dr William Clarence, a man thought to be Jack the Ripper But he escapes, but how. Lady Vivienne Cumberland and Alec Lawrence chase him down. Meanwhile in New York at the American Museum of Natural History, a murder occurs. Is there a connection. Harrison Fearing Pell and her colleague John Weston investigate.
This was an enjoyable and well-plotted paranormal historical mystery

1889 Occult investigator Anne Lawrence can gone missing from a Romanian village which was the scene of brutal attacks. Vivienne Cumberland and husband Nathaniel arrive in Mara Vardac to investigate, but without daeva Alec Lawrence. Are the attacks really from a pricolic, a werewolf. Or is there more behind these attacks.
An enjoyable and well-written paranormal Victorian mystery.

The story continues as Anne Lawrence starts her search for necromancer Gabriel D'Ange, leader of The Order of the Rose. He intends to seek out Jorin Bekker and kill him. Meanwhile Balthazar in on the same quest.
A enjoyable paranormal romance and thriller story.

1889 New York. Harrison Fearing Pell and James Weston, investigators for the Society of Psychical Research are seeking a Kidman in the sewers. But she is asked by James Moran for help as old friends of his have been dying in strange circumstances.
An entertaining Victorian paranormal mystery.

Wow. Just, wow.

This new world of Lingua Magika is an absolute masterpiece. I make no attempt to hide the fact that I love Kat Ross' fantasy series and her Gaslamp Gothic series. However, the worldbuilding in A Feast of Phantoms left me begging for more. It lit up my brain in a way that I can hardly explain. I wanted more. I needed more.

The story centers around Deputy Ruth Cortez, her gun Doc and their run-in with Marshal Sebastian Hardin and Lee Merriweather four enigmatic and likeable characters. Cortez is a by-the-book character of high morals. Doc is a phantom cursed to live in a gun, and he has highly questionable motives and morals. Merriweather is a genius who broke loose of his leash, he's just looking for the fun he's been denied his whole life. Hardin is 100% a company man, He hardly sleeps because he's so devoted to serving the Carnarvon's.

Upon the canvas of her genius worldbuilding Ross paints the intersection of these four characters, their motives and their strong wills and it is *chef's kiss* perfect.

Then there are the villains. Sometimes is difficult to know who exactly is a villain, but the main villains who are revealed in the later half of the book and just too creepy and terrible.

I haven't even talked about the inventiveness of lingua magika yet. This magic system really ties the whole feeling of the book together. It's fanatical yet defines the fantasy genre in so many ways.

It all just leaves you wanting more.

Bottom Line:
Get it. Read it. Love it. If my stars on most other books are Yelp stars, this book gets Michelin stars. It's on a whole other level of good.

The third book is coming out later this year and it promises to be a humdinger.

"How to explain the way Lee made me feel? Like I was holding hands with my dad on his deathbed and he asked me to swear something infinitely precious and reasonable before he exhaled his last breath."

Fantasy alternate history in the Persian Empire, contemporary to the youth of Alexander of Macedon, and beginning in territories that IIRC would be situated in modern Iran. Their religion at the time is Zoroastrianism, which influences their understanding and use of magic and their relationships with supernaturals, and in this author's version of it their prophet got up to fairly interesting shenanigans that end up being very relevant to the plot. It's also YA with a first-person female POV, and a romantic sub-plot that remains tastefully subordinated to the other events. Quite liked it.

Balthazar's Bane by Kat Ross is sixth in the delightfully dark Gaslamp Gothic series. This book, as the title suggests, focuses on Balthazar and his ward Lucas. When Balthazar kills a necromancer with a debt, and gets tangled up with said necromancer’s daughter, he ends up kidnapped by jinn and taken to a mythical city to work off the necromancer’s debt still owed to the master of the city. In an attempt to win his freedom without turning tricks, Balthazar agrees to enter a contest to retrieve a mystical sword. Can he survive the arena and claim the Emerald-Studded Sword from the demoness Fulad-zereh?

I greatly enjoyed journeying with Balthazar this go-round! He’s certainly a complex and complicated character. The most exciting part of this story, though, was seeing all the other unusual people. From Taj the daeva, and the jinn who serve him, to Fulad-zereh the demoness, and the archangel who ‘guards’ the hidden city, there’s a great deal of variety here. I always enjoy the daevas when they appear. Taj is a great counter to Bathazar, and certainly lives up to the arrogance that the daevas can fall prey to. It’s great that each learns a measure of forgiveness for one another. To be fair, Taj has a very good reason to loathe necromancers, even as he uses them to gather talismans. The humour is wonderful! The interactions between Taj and Balthazar and between Balthazar and Lucas are priceless. Highly recommended; a great addition to the series!

***Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. Reviewed via XPresso Blog Tours

Balthazar, an ageless former necromancer is on a quest to rid the world of the evil necromancers that remain. His latest bounty brings him to Egypt where he quickly dispatches John Mortlake. However, the easy kill comes with strings attached. John Mortlake has debts with the djinn and a daughter who absolutely refuses to pay the debts for a father she equally despised. Balthazar gets waylaid after Mortlakes death by a beautiful woman and ends up on a Nile cruise. Balthazar's wiles get the best of him though, as the woman he is chasing steals the talisman that has kept him alive for over 2000 years. In trying to retrieve his talisman, Balthazar gets tied up in the woman's troubles and finds himself imprisoned by the djinn in a magical desert kingdom and now must retrieve a sword from a demon in order to escape with his life and his talisman.

Enchanting, fun and action packed, Balthazar's Bane continues the world of the Gaslamp Gothic series. I really enjoyed getting to know Bathazar and Lucas better. The writing dives into some of Balthazar's lengthy past and his history with Lucas without slowing things down. I was in a love/hate relationship with Zarifa's character based on her changing actions. She was strong, independent and free thinking, mostly one step ahead of the guys. Most of all, I loved being transported to the magical city of Al Miraj and exploring the many inhabitants of the city along with their dwellings and items. The trails that the demon led had me enthralled as Balthazar deftly fought his way through. Thoughtfully weaving in themes of growth, good vs. evil and respect for all living things, Balthazar's Bane entertained from beginning to end and I can't wait to see what these characters get into next.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

This was a delightful young female Sherlock Holmes story set in New York. The writing was good. The characters were sweet. The crimes were horrible. The sense of time and place was good, although I was surprised at times by the current way of thinking about solving a crime. I liked the pace, which gave me time to appreciate the details on offer without slipping into tedium. I'm glad I risked reading it despite the title - I'm not a fan of daemon stories. This aspect was well handled for my sensibilities.½

Feast of Phantoms is the first book in Kat Ross' newest series- Lingua Magika. Set in a 'wild west' time frame, Feast follows Deputy Cortez as she is drafted from her small town of Lucky Boy to assist Marshal Hardin with a dangerous captive. All she was supposed to do was help get the captive to the next town. Life has other plans though. The captive gets free, and the train derailed. In an effort to regain the prisoner, Cortez is pulled into the high stakes world of the Carnarvon family. Can Cortez see her mission through without getting too tangled in the family's affairs? And what is up with her possessed gun?

Truth time- While I did enjoy Feast, it wasn't among my favourite of Ross' books. I LOVED the Fourth Talisman and Gaslamp Gothic series. I still need to read the Fourth Element series, but it's the precursor to Talisman, and has many of the same characters, so I have little doubt I'll adore that series too. So, what was it about this one? Part, I know, is that I'm just not a fan of the Old West, and Western books are not my normal fare. If it hadn't been a book by Kat Ross, who has become a 'must-read' author for me, then I'd probably have passed it by altogether. While I don't dislike the characters in Feast, most didn't pique my interest. The two I'm most interested in is Lee Merriwether, and Doc. Lee is a cheeky rogue. And young. He's a savant, with a gift for grim languages, and can charm nearly any phantom he comes across to do what he asks. Doc is the phantom that is attached to the gun Cortez carries. She's not formally trained or bonded with Doc, but he generally listens to her, and seems to care about her to a certain degree. He's very adamant at one point, that his gun belongs to Cortez.

All that being said, I will most definitely read the next in the series. I'm really looking forward to learning more about the phantoms, and especially about Doc. And… Roger. (It's priceless when the characters are incredulous that this powerful phantom has such a mundane name.) I'm also going to be keeping my fingers crossed for another Gaslamp Gothic novel, or even better, a book focusing on the Ava Vatra from the Fourth Talisman series. Bonus points if it has Nico in it!

Recommended for those who enjoy Kat Ross' books, and those who enjoy a dose of magic with their Westerns.

***Many thanks to the authors/ publisher for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. Reviewed for XPresso Blog Tours

Ross' The Daemoniac kicks off the Gaslamp Gothic series, and introduces us to Harry and Weston. Harry's sister, Myrtle, is away on a case and when clients come calling, Harry decides she and Weston will look into it instead. Harry wants to join the Society for Psychical Research and hopes solving this case is a way to garner attention.

I finally got around to reading the first book in this series! And then waited too long to write a good review… thanks to a failing mind. No matter! This was a great story, as all of them have been. I enjoyed seeing the beginning of how Harry got into SPR. The spiritualism aspect was pretty cool. It's a topic I find fascinating. I think I kinda combine Harry and Weston's beliefs. I'm very open-minded, but skeptical until I can prove or disprove something to my satisfaction. As with the other books, I adored the Sherlockian influences, and especially that Harry contacted Conan Doyle about spiritualism. Looking forward to reading The Thirteenth Gate soon, and the latest in the series is due out shortly. Yay! Needless to say, I highly recommend this, and any other, book by Kat Ross.

****This book was purchased by me, and read for my own enjoyment.

In New York City, 1889 there exists a special unit, the Society for Psychical Research which handles cases of the paranormal variety. Harrison Pell and John Weston are currently investigating a case of a mud man that has attacked and scared many residents in the Tenderloin district. While chasing down a golem in New York's sewer system is not exactly what Harrison relishes, she is glad to have cracked the case for the SPR. Harrison is much more interested in the strange deaths of Columbia students that have been happening where witnesses have sworn that they have seen the deceased somewhere else at the time of death. Despite her best attempts, Harrison is denied the case. However, she is hired privately by one of New York's notorious criminals, James Moran. Moran is terrified that he will be next in the series of deaths. Harrison and James learn more of the series of events and doppelganger folklore in order to save the life of a criminal that they would rather see dead.

Dead Ringer is a paranormal murder mystery in the Gilded Age of New York City. I was immediately pulled into the story as Harry hunted down a mysterious being in the New York City sewer system. The characters are all very well developed. I loved Harry's sense of adventure, bravery and perspective throughout the story. Her partnership with John is sincere, sweet and not forced. Moran kept me guessing throughout the whole story as to where his motives lie and his true nature. All of these characters definitely have more to say and do and I hope their stories continue throughout the Gaslamp Gothic series. I very much enjoyed the paranormal parts of the book, expanding on not as well known creatures. The folklore behind the golem and doppelgangers is complex and interesting. They both made for great monsters. The setting also took me through many different parts of New York in 1889, giving me a good feel of the diversity of people, homes and entertainment at the time. The writing kept the story at a fast pace with excitement, intrigue and suspense building the whole way through; I can't wait to read more!

This book was received for free in order for a honest review.

What does Jewish lore have to do with the Germanic folk legend of doppelgangers? Find out in Dead Ringer, fifth in Kat Ross' Gaslamp Gothic series.

Dead Ringer rejoins Harrison Fearing Pell and Jonathan Weston of the American branch of the SPR. The pair are tasked with solving a case involving a 'mud man' attacking people and retreating into the sewers. So far, the attacks have only resulted in scares, but no serious harm. Harry's beginning to think the mud man is escalating his aggressive tendencies. At first, they aren't even sure if the mud man is actually something under the SPR's purview, or simply a deranged, filthy human. An underground encounter assures them that the creature is, indeed, preternatural. When Harry gets hired as a private consultant by one of the city's criminal masterminds, on a case the SPR's other pair of agents is working, it becomes obvious that the two cases have a link. Question is, can Harry keep her client alive, and keep her sister from finding out she's working for him, while placating her superiors at the SPR?

As much as I love the European SPR team (especially since there are daevas), I absolutely adored Harry and Weston! They just work so well together for one. Harry's sister is like a female American Sherlock, which I also loved, and didn't expect. You don't get tons of interaction with Myrtle, but what's there is priceless. I also really liked Moran, the criminal mastermind Harry is trying to keep alive. He's one of those grey characters. Yeah, he's a criminal, and dangerous, but there's so much more going on beneath the surface. He's Myrtle's Moriarty, and every bit as intelligent and complex. As the story progresses, you learn a lot of backstory, and it explains so much. In the end, Moran not only saves someone he'd much rather kill, but he ends up paying for her care in an institution after she suffers an aneurysm. Really hope to see him again in the future.

The lore included in this story delved into the more unusual. I always appreciate this. Things that have become staple tend to be boring. Ross does an awesome job of researching lore for her stories. This take weaves Jewish legend with Germanic, making good use of both. I loved the probability aspect to the doppel's existence, though it'd be kinda sucky to be on the receiving end of the bad luck! Greatly looking forward to the next in the series, and hoping it is av Harry and Weston one. Recommended it you enjoy Victorian era stories, the preternatural, and/or Sherlock Holmes.

***Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.This book was reviewed for XPresso Blog Tours