Audiobook review: Crowbones by Anne Bishop
Bringing readers back to The World of the Others after a three year absence, Crowbones is the highly-anticipated return of the Others. The story heads back to the town of Sproing, first introduced in 2018’s Lake Silence. Chronologically, the story takes place a few months after the conclusion of Lake Silence. We are reunited with the Jumble “inn” keeper, Vicki, her Crow employees, Sheriff Grimshaw, Ilya Sanguinati, and a handful of familiar residents and new characters. A Trickster Night prank at The Jumble catches the attention of a dangerous Elder, who together with the resident Terra Indigene, work to weed out the contamination.
Similar to the other books in the series, Crowbones centers around stupid humans doing stupid things, thinking they can hide from and/or outsmart the Others. But rather than focusing on the personal journey of a damaged female, this time around, the story is more of a mystery, focusing on who/what is causing problems for humans and Others. Even though listeners are privy to the “bad guy’s” POV, I wasn’t certain exactly what was going on until the end. Additionally, Vicki has developed some grit since running up against and surviving her abusive ex. She is a stronger woman with an important role in the community.
There is so much to enjoy about the series, and Crowbones in particular. I love how the community of Sproing and its blend of Terra Indigene, humans, and Intuit residents have become a family that sticks together and protects one another. I love that there are intelligent people in charge and working together: how they see patterns and make smart hypotheses, sharing discoveries and working together. I love that between all of the POVs, the characters ask the questions I am dying to know the answers to. I also appreciate how the author slowly and methodically reveals information, like peeling an onion, to discover the whole truth/bigger picture.
Narration: As with all the books in this series, Alexandra Harris provides the narration for Crowbones. The story is shared via the first person POV of Vicki, as well as many third person POVs from supporting characters to mysterious antagonists. Regardless of the POV, Ms. Harris’s narrator is young and innocent. Her cadence matches the writing style, which can come in phrases – not always complete sentences. She alters dialogue based on each characters’ gender, species, age, etc., creating interesting (and sometimes creepy) voices for the non-humans.
In the end, listening to Crowbones reminded me how much I love this unique series. The character development and slow progression of storytelling enhance the overall tale. The mystery is interesting and engaging. I loved seeing some old favorites, and I cannot wait to visit Sproing again!
My Ratings
Story: A
Narration: A
Jen
About the Book:
Crowbones will gitcha if you don’t watch out!
Deep in the territory controlled by the Others—shape-shifters, vampires, and even deadlier paranormal beings—Vicki DeVine has made a new life for herself running The Jumble, a rustic resort. When she decides to host a gathering of friends and guests for Trickster Night, at first everything is going well between the humans and the Others.
But then someone arrives dressed as Crowbones, the Crowgard bogeyman. When the impostor is killed along with a shape-shifting Crow, and the deaths are clearly connected, everyone fears that the real Crowbones may have come to The Jumble—and that could mean serious trouble.
To “encourage” humans to help them find some answers, the Elders and Elementals close all the roads, locking in suspects and victims alike. Now Vicki, human police chief Grimshaw, vampire lawyer Ilya Sanguinati, and the rest of their friends have to figure out who is manipulating events designed to pit humans against Others—and who may have put Vicki DeVine in the crosshairs of a powerful hunter.
Author: Anne Bishop
Narrator: Alexandra Harris
Series: The World of the Others #3 / The Others #8
Genre: Contemporary Fantasy, Urban Fantasy
Audiobook Release Date: March 8, 2022
Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio
Length: 11 hours; 18 mins
Source: Publisher
Audio Speed: 1.25x
Purchase info:
Audible/Amazon (affilate link)
Reviews in the Series:
Written in Red by Anne Bishop (The Others #1)
Murder of Crows by Anne Bishop (The Others #2)
Vision in Silver by Anne Bishop (The Others #3)
Marked In Flesh by Anne Bishop (The Others #4)
Etched in Bone by Anne Bishop (The Others #5)
Lake Silence by Anne Bishop (The Others #6 / The World of the Others #1) – Audiobook Review
Wild Country by Anne Bishop (The Others #7 / The World of the Others #2) – Audiobook Review
Crowbones by Anne Bishop (The Others #8 / The World of the Others #3)