Crowbones
Author: Anne Bishop
Reviewer: B.
Rating: A-
What I’m Talking About:
I couldn’t help being somewhat uncertain about Crowbones after having some minor issues with Lake Silence, the first of the series dealing with the residents of Sproing. However, this story ended up dispelling every one of those doubts and I enjoyed reading it a great deal. With all the introductions and worldbuilding out of the way, Crowbones could simply shine as the well-written mystery/whodunit that it actually is.
As was the case in Lake Silence, every chapter in Crowbones— and there are a lot of them!—is told from the revolving POV of not one, but all the various characters, both known and unknown. If not done just right, I think this method of storytelling could easily get out hand, yet the author manages to use the momentum it generates to steer the narrative towards a satisfying crescendo at the very end. The result was a story that progressed quickly and was fun to read.
Having ever been unable to resist a good mystery, I liked Crowbones much more than I thought I would. A challenging and clever whodunit, especially since we see some of the happenings through the eyes of the villains, I was invested in the narrative from start to finish. Of course, I’ve always found it easy to cheer on the Others without remorse, so whatever retribution they meted out in Crowbones was satisfying, as well.
Though all of the surviving characters we were introduced to in Lake Silence are back, I felt much more invested in each of them than I previously did. The sense of community that can only be solidified through proximity and experience was certainly in evidence in Crowbones, allowing the characters’ personalities to obliterate any social uncertainty that kept most of them on their best behavior with one another before. The gloves have been gleefully cast aside for the residents of Sproing this time around, and I enjoyed watching the fireworks tremendously.
As has always been the case with The Others series, I strongly recommend starting at the beginning. There is simply too much that is specific to this universe to know what’s going on without that background. Though I did stumble over a couple of small things, I didn’t feel any of my previous frustration while reading Crowbones. The inclusion of some of my favorite characters from the earlier stories was likewise extremely pleasurable and welcome. Overall, this is a fun, sometimes dark, yet entertainingly morbid tale with a lot to offer readers familiar with the original series.
My Rating: A- Enjoyed A Lot
B.
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.
Release Date: March 8, 2022
Publisher: Ace
Series: The World of the Others #3/The Others #8
Genre: Contemporary Fantasy, Urban Fantasy
Format(s): hardcover (384 pages), e-book, audiobook
Book Source: NetGalley
Purchase Info:
Amazon (affiliate 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