Category: Fiction Page 1 of 341

The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson: Survive Long Enough to Gather Power. Gather Enough Power to Make a Difference.

DETAILS:
Series: The Masquerade, #1
Publisher: Tor Books
Publication Date: November 29, 2016
Format: Paperback
Length: 399 pg.
Read Date: April 10-13, 2026

“The tide is coming in,” he said. “The ocean has reached this little pool. There will be turbulence, and confusion, and ruin. This is what happens when something small joins something vast.”

What’s The Traitor Baru Cormorant About?

This is tricky…in brief, the Empire of Masks comes and (mostly peacefully) annexes the island of Taranoke. Social hygienists and others come in to help civilize and educate the inhabitants. Part of that involves teaching their children—Baru Cormorant is one of the (if not the) brightest of the students—and she is told that she can go far in the world. Perhaps even to be part of the Empire’s government. Which makes her study harder.

She knows that the Empire cannot be beaten—especially by her people—militarily. Any change will have to come from within, so she has to earn a position of influence.

After school, she’s sent to be the Imperial Accountant to a region annexed some time before her home was—but there are still many groups trying to rebel and a variety of methods being employed to keep them down.

Baru finds corruption and fraud on all levels—and comes up with a very clever way to throw cold water on the upstarts through a little monetary manipulation.

Then, she’s swept up in a movement on the other side—people from Aurdwynn tired of bowing the knee (literally and figuratively) to the Empire—they want their land back. And Baru ends up acting as one of their leaders in the effort. Maybe she couldn’t help her people, but maybe she can be of service to these?

Things get wild after that.

Why did I pick this up? Why did I keep reading?

I picked this up because it was the Fantasy Book Club pick for the month. I knew nothing about it beyond that.

Why did I stick with it? Well, for the most part, because it was the Fantasy Book Club pick for the month. The writing was good, Baru was interesting, I liked the opening pages. But honestly—economic manipulation, political games that don’t seem to matter, and auditing the finances of the territory and various Dukes/Duchesses is not my idea of a riveting read.

But somewhere after the halfway point (arguably too late, and this would’ve been a good DNF candidate), things started to pick up. And then the action got a bit brisker, the political maneuvering wasn’t just about backroom deals that added up to little victories—they became about life and death—and not just in a theoretical way. The book kept getting better and better—like the proverbial snowball rolling downhill, getting bigger and faster all the way.

And then Dickinson threw in his twists, and…oh, reader, I cannot tell you how hard I fell for this book.

What does this book tell us about humanity?

First, I’m going to lift two paragraphs from my post earlier this week about Adrian Tchaikovsky’s City of Last Chances (a book I thought about a lot as I read this one)

For one, there’s a great depiction of the utter lack of compassion and naked ambition that can befall those who are convinced they/their group are absolutely correct, the only determiner of what is right/wrong, as they try to elevate/educate/correct another group of people.

On the other side, we have a selfishness and greed that a resistance can give shelter to. “Yes, I want to push back against this oppressive regime—but not so much that it’ll interfere with my art/scholarship/business or cause me any more inconvenience than I’m currently experiencing.”

But that’s a cheat—also, it’s not the biggest thing that stands out to me about this book. This book is a fantastic depiction of vengeance and what it can do to a person. Time after time after time, Baru gets the opportunity to live a decent life, to take some pleasure in things, to trust people (at least some), to work for the betterment of someone—anyone. And she really can’t—at least not for long—because she’s so entirely driven by her mission to change the Empire from within. Nothing comes before that—nothing is equal to that.

This makes her life dark, unpleasant, and unfulfilling, sure. It also makes her a handy tool for those who recognize her single-mindedness. I won’t get into who uses her in this way (or tries to, or sets her on a path to being used this way)—but despite what she thinks—and she really can’t see how easily she lets them do it to her. (or does she?)

I think it’s easy to see Baru and her thirst for vengeance all around us—not to the same degree that often (thankfully). But it’s there. It’s one of the uglier sides of humanity (and there are more than enough of those). And the reflective reader is going to pick up on this.

So, what did I think about The Traitor Baru Cormorant?

Even for the 200 hundred or so pages that I really wondered about this book, I couldn’t deny that Dickinson had writing chops. He captured characters and little moments between them so well. His descriptions were vivid and brought this world to life. And there were just so many quotable lines throughout the book, things like “This is the truth. You will know because it hurts.”

But, the pacing…I just don’t know. I don’t know if enough readers will stick with the political posturing, the economics, the audits, and the like to get to the good stuff. Yes, in retrospect, it’s absolutely worth it. And I can make the argument for him pacing it the way he did. I just don’t know that he should’ve. At one point, he writes about Baru, “She accepted the bargain without understanding the price. A terrible mistake, for an accountant.” I similarly wonder if the price Dickinson asks readers to pay to get to the latter half of the book is a terrible mistake for a writer.

But the book as a whole is just brilliant. For all the twists, turns, and shocks that fill these pages, he plays fair with the audience. Towards the end, there are a few pages where Baru thinks back over what had happened, and Dickinson lays it all out for us so we can see where he’d told us everything we needed to know. He’s like a Golden Age mystery writer, putting all the clues right out in the open for the reader to put together.

I was blown away by this book. Baru is a fascinating character—as are so many others, but I can’t really get into the who and why I find them so fascinating without revealing too much about them. Maybe I’ll be able to write about the survivors after the next book—if more than one or two show up.

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
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City of Last Chances by Adrian Tchaikovsky: A Lot of Promise, Not A Lot of Delivery

By HCNewton

On April 22, 2026

In Fantasy, Fiction

City of Last Chances

by Adrian Tchaikovsky

DETAILS:
Series: The Tyrant Philosophers, #1
Publisher: Head of Zeus  
Publication Date: May 28, 2024
Format: Paperback
Length: 498 pg.
Read Date: March 12-17, 2026

What’s City of Last Chances About?

I’m tired of trying to come up with a succinct way of saying this, so I’m just going to paste the text from the back of my paperback:

There has always been a darkness to Ilmar, but never more so than now. The city chafes under the heavy hand of the Palleseen occupation, the choke-hold of its criminal underworld, the boot of its factory owners, the weight of its wretched poor and the burden of its ancient curse. What will be the spark that lights the conflagration?

Despite the city’s refugees, wanderers, murderers, madmen, fanatics and thieves, the catalyst, as always, will be the Anchorwood – that dark grove of trees, that primeval remnant, that portal, when the moon is full, to strange and distant shores.

Ilmar, some say, is the worst place in the world and the gateway to a thousand worse places.

I’m not sure what I think about this…

There are several groups that oppose the occupation, each for their own reasons, too. Partially patriotic, partially something varied from group to group. And given that, there are different levels of eagerness to begin. Each group has a particular goal, a particular set of events that they’re waiting for to launch their rebellion—and each fully expects the others to join in once the fuse is lit.

That’s a mistake—some won’t when this particular fuse is aflame. Some will claim to be coming to help, but will instead hole themselves up. Others just want to bide their time.

And overcoming that is a lot for those who have thrown their hats in the ring.

This is probably very realistic—it’s never going to be as easy as a well-organized group rising up to counter the invaders/ruling class. It’s going to be various alliances and sects. So well done, Tchaikovsky. It very much makes it feel like a fantasy version of the French Revolution.

Why did I pick this up? Why did I keep reading?

I picked this up because it was the Fantasy Book Club pick of the month.

I kept at it because there were a lot of interesting plot threads, some fascinating characters, and great scenes, and I was eager to see how they all tied together by the end.

What does this book tell us about humanity?

There are some who don’t seem so materialistic in their approach—I should stress, but their motives aren’t necessarily that “pure.” They’re just more intangible, while largely selfish.

There’s a lot of self-delusion to go around, basically.

So, what did I think about City of Last Chances?

There are just so many fantastic characters—on all sides of the conflict. I don’t know how many times I would get into a scene or return to a character and would’ve been content to stay in that POV for hundreds of pages. I never got that opportunity.

Some of the plot lines were just delicious—the combination of characters, their aims, and what they do to try to accomplish those aims. So close to perfection.

There were scenes that you just want to re-read to suck all the marrow out of it. Tchaikovsky phrases things so well, and crams so many ideas into the book that it can make your head swim. There are bits that are so sweet and heartwarming, there are bits that will make you chuckle, some incredibly gross moments, too—and your pulse will pound more than once. And you will frequently bask in Tchaikovsky’s cleverness in how he orchestrates scenes/events/plotlines.

However (yes, sorry, there’s a however). You put it all together and…it just flops. It might be that there’s just too much of a good thing; it could be that everything doesn’t have the chance to breathe and get fully fleshed out; I just might not have the attention span for it all (I would note that most at our Book Club meeting shared my sentiment here, though); it might be the conclusion of the novel wasn’t as satisfying as it could’ve been (I will not get into that more).

It’s entirely likely to be something else, too. I dunno—I just walked away more than ready for my next read.

Oh, and the fact that we don’t get back to this city until (as I’m told) the 5th book in the series? That makes it really hard for me to think about trying Book Two.

Your results may vary, obviously. The book and series have received plenty of honors. The fact that Tchaikovsky has released four books in the series so far, suggests that there is an audience for it. And if one of those wants to fill up my comments with all the reasons I should read on in the series—I’m all ears.

Electric City Switches by M.D. Presley: This Is Why Some People Can’t Go Home Again

By HCNewton

On April 17, 2026

In Urban Fantasy

Electric City Switches

by M.D. Presley

DETAILS:
Series: The Inner Circle, #3
Publication Date: April 18, 2028
Format: eARC
Length: 311 pgs.
Read Date: April 8-9, 2026

What’s Electric City Switches About?

Corbin and Isaac are sent to the Carolinas, basically where Isaac’s origin story begins. Isaac’s former flame is headed there with some sort of recently stolen item. One of the Inner Circle’s best enforcers, January, is also on her way to retrieve the item (and whatever happens to Sheena, happens).

Once there, they have to deal with the local magic establishment, others trying to capitalize on Sheena’s impending arrival, and, of course, January. Thankfully, there’s a motel that caters to magicians and they strictly enforce no-conflict.

And, I have to admit, after a couple of drafts, I still don’t think that’s the best way to describe it. But it’ll do.

Why did I pick this up? Why did I keep reading?

I started this because the first two Inner Circle novels were really strong and entertaining—how could I not?

I stuck with it because it got into my bloodstream almost right away—it’s got all the elements of the other two books, but the type of story isn’t the same (ditto for the other two).

What does this book tell us about humanity?

Presley deals with themes of family, duty, family duty, and other obligations. Some people evade one—or more—of these (because of their character); some embrace them wholeheartedly (and that shapes who they are); some outwardly comply/support, while inwardly rebelling or resenting (which reflects and further shapes who they are). We don’t see any of these characters on their first steps along these lines—most of them have been in their position for years, and they’re brought together (in many cases and configurations, brought back together) here to react with or against each other.

None of this is uncomplicated (not unlike that rambling paragraph)—but the combination of motives, character, morals (or lack thereof), and desires provides reactions that possibly only someone as Machiavellian as Mister could predict. But none of the characters did.

Sure, there’s the magic society stuff—and other magic shenanigans—which are not to be underappreciated. But the heart of this book is that list above—the magic is just the dressing.

So, what did I think about Electric City Switches?

This is my favorite entry in the series thus far. Okay, it’s only the third, so that probably doesn’t sound so impressive. But it’s going to take some work by Presley to top this (work I expect he’s capable of).
Presley isn’t afraid to jam a lot of things into his novels, but this one seems super-loaded (the advantage of doing a pretty good job of building the world in the first two books—he can focus on other things): there’s a network of hotels for the magicians in the U.S. that serve as “Accorded Neutral Ground” (to borrow a label from someone else); it’s possible for non-magicians to wield magic? Oh, that’s cool; magicians can actually go to college and get a degree (even one that’ll work for mundane interests). A novella/novel about any one of these things would be cool—and these are just background material or things that come up along the way.

The fight scenes in this book are fantastic—magic and bladed weapons are generally a fun mix—especially when you put them in a contemporary setting. I don’t think Presley has given us anything like this in the series so far (yes, there’ve been exciting scenes—but not at this level).

And it’s just a lot of fun watching Corbin discovering Indian food—and a touch of the family’s culture, too. In the midst of all the drama, just this little bit of joy really stands out.

Our cast of characters is really pared down—we’ve got two or three of our regulars (depending how you want to count), and that’s it. Honestly, we don’t need more—as much fun as I’ve had with them around. Mister is not around, but his presence is felt throughout the book. We get some good backstory on Isaac that expands our understanding of him. And Corbin finally makes some decent headway on his magic education. Everyone else is new, and all of them—well, the ones that survive—are ones I’d enjoy seeing again. Particularly Sheena, who could easily become my favorite character in the series.

At several points, people ask Corbin why Isaac keeps him around, given his lack of proficiency with anything but dowsing—and honestly, there are other ways to get that result. But over and over again, Corbin shows himself to be more clever and resourceful than they are (with a few blunders, he’s not perfect). Growing up where he did—and without abilities—he learned to outthink those around him. He’s observant, a fast thinker, and doesn’t see things in the same way as those in the magic world. His approach to things is what justifies keeping him around and helps him keep coming up on top of messes.

And now that he’s leveled-up (a bit)…he’s going to have a big future. Assuming he keeps his head.

This would work as a jumping-on point to the series for those who haven’t tried The Inner Circle yet, but you’d probably be better off with the first book, Rites of Passage. If you’ve dabbled in this world before, you’ll be more than pleased with this one. Go grab it now that it’s out!

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Enemy of My Enemy (Audiobook) by Alex Segura, read by Michael David Axtell: A Lot of Devils in Hell’s Kitchen

By HCNewton

On April 16, 2026

In Audiobook, Comics, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

Enemy of My Enemy

by Alex Segura, read by Michael David Axtell

DETAILS:
Series: Marvel Crime, #2
Publisher: Audible Studios
Publication Date: March 24, 2026
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 8 hrs., 28 min.
Read Date: April 8-13, 2026

What’s Enemy of My Enemy About?

I don’t need a lot of words to describe this—Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin of Crime, is dead. Shot in his own home, and all the evidence points to Frank Castle as the shooter. Well, most of the evidence, anyway. Castle even lets himself be arrested without incident and seems ready to take the fall. Matt Murdock knows the facts don’t match up (for one, a police officer was also killed in Fisk’s office and Matt knows the Punisher wouldn’t do that), and can’t let him get railroaded. So he basically forces Castle to accept his representation.

It’s up to Matt Murdock and Daredevil to make sure Castle goes free and that the right killer is identified.

This was cleverly released shortly after the launch of Daredevil: Born Again season 2, but it’s not that much of a tie-in to the television series. This is the comic book version of Daredevil and the rest. It’s a minor point, but it does explain things like why we get someone so cartoonish* as Hammerhead and why certain characters are dead/alive.

* This is not a criticism, but a description. I enjoy the character.

Why did I pick this up? Why did I keep reading?

I picked this up because I like the idea of this Marvel Crime series, the strength of the Jessica Jones novel, and Segura’s reputation.

I kept at it because this is a smart mystery/legal thriller with some great comic book action. There are plenty of twists, some good curve-balls, and more uses of the word “internecine” than I typically see in a book.

How was the Narration?

There’s only one other voice I’d like to hear as Matt Murdock/Daredevil than Michael David Axtell, but I think it was good for them not to cast Charlie Cox. This was just great—he handled every character in a way that fit perfectly. I was as entertained by his performance as I was the by text.

Really well done.

So, what did I think about Enemy of My Enemy?

I had a lot of fun with this one—for everything I just said in that last paragraph.

Segura nailed every character—well, I’m not sure about [surprise name withheld] because I haven’t read much about them, but given the way he dealt with everyone else, I figure he did right by them. And the cast of characters is large. Segura dove deeply into Marvel’s Hell’s Kitchen here.

Also, he wasn’t shy about killing off characters. It’s clearly outside the Marvel canon.

There’s not much else to say—it’s a solid thriller, a captivating superhero story, and you won’t see what’s coming. Enemy of My Enemy is a heckuva ride that I easily recommend to fans of any of the characters I mentioned.

Soul Fraud by Andrew Givler: The Devil’s Minion Went Down to a Movie Theater in LA

By HCNewton

On April 15, 2026

In Urban Fantasy

Soul Fraud

by Andrew Givler

DETAILS:
Series: Debt Collection, #1
Publisher: Sad Seagull Publishing
Publication Date: June 30, 2022
Format: e-Book
Length: 364 pg.
Read Date: April 13-15, 2026

When you’re a kid, your mother tells you not to let your friends peer-pressure you into drinking, doing drugs, and other stuff. But she never covered what to do if an acquaintance offered to help you summon a demon. Or at least mine didn’t. She completely skipped that chapter.

What’s Soul Fraud About?

Our narrator/protagonist is Matthew Carver, and we meet him on his 24th birthday, while he’s hiding from his friends. It’s also the fourth anniversary of the death of his mother and sisters, and he’s just not up for another well-intentioned attempt to cheer him up on the day.

That night, he also meets a particularly unscrupulous demon. I realize that seems like an unnecessary description—but even demons have to follow rules. Dan the demon works in Hell’s Sales Department—and he wants to give Matt10 fantastic years of life, for the low, low price of his soul.

Matt’s read enough books and watched enough films to know that this is a horrible bargain and turns him down. Dan’s apparently on a streak of no-sales and decides he can’t take one more, so he forges Matt’s signature on the contract and bolts.

Before you know it, unbelievably good things start happening to Matt, who is suddenly a believer in the supernatural.

Still, he knows these things shouldn’t be happening—and he doesn’t want to lose his soul. So he sets out to find a way out of the contract. With the help of a new supernatural (but mostly human) pal, Alex, and some other supernatural heavy hitters, set out to find a way out of this mess.

And let’s just say that isn’t going to be easy.

A Pet Peeve

It bugs me when Christians, anti-Christians, TV/Film/Books do this—which means I’m annoyed by this frequently. But the Nephalim are not the descendants of demons and human women (or, I guess, the reverse). That’s not what Genesis was communicating, and the abuse this view has led to in the hands of fiction writers gets to me. Seeing it here gave me pause.

That said…what Givler does with his Nephalim was a lot of fun. That they’re known as Fae or Demigods (and who knows what else), depending on the nationality of their appearance, was great. So, yeah, Achilles and Hercules are Nephalim (and a couple of others given by name, but let’s let you read them).

Basically, if Givler had called them anything else, I wouldn’t have blinked. If anything, I’d have thought “Oh, cool, he didn’t go with the stupid Nephalim thing” and totally forgotten it.

Matt’s Pet Peeve

There are two types of people: those who need at least twenty minutes of silence after waking up and savages. If you’re smiling before 9 a.m., there’s something wrong with you.

Matt is not a morning person. Particularly when he’s been physically attacked, or has had his soul stolen, or any number of other reasons that this book is full of. He makes this very clear on multiple occasions.

I, for one, related to them all—found his repeated rants about them funny and worth quoting. I really enjoyed Givler taking the time to let Matt talk about this repeatedly.

Why did I pick this up? Why did I keep reading?

I picked this up because the premise sounded interesting, and it’d been too long since I pitched in for a The Write Reads/BBNYA book tour. Also, I sort of figure anyone who’s paying for a Chris McGrath cover has taken the process seriously enough that the book is going to be worth a read.

I stuck with it because I liked Matt—even through most of his whinging. But his self-deprecating humor, his general outlook on life, and his flailing around to get out of this hole endeared him to me. Also, he’s carrying around a lot of unearned guilt, and I’d like to see him deal with that. Things he does by the end of the book solidify that endearment, but I’ll keep them to myself for now.

Sure, I found his predicament and the other characters interesting—but as I’ve said repeatedly, give me a good narrative voice, and I’m in for the ride—and Matt has one of those.

What does this book tell us about humanity?

This book, in a way that you really only get in Fantasy/Urban Fantasy, is a case study in the frailty of humanity. Matt faces person after person after person (or, better, entity after entity after entity) that could squash him like an already dead bug. And he persists—in fact, he insists on staying involved even when he’s told to let the powerful types handle a situation (very much like Harry Dresden). Nevertheless, he is virtually a nothing compared to everyone he’s dealing with.

Honestly? I think it’s good for fiction—or non-fiction—to remind us of our place in the universe. I’ve read too many things where humans are taking on every challenge without a sweat, or seem equal to anything that comes their way. And all you have to do is look at a blue whale and know how ridiculous that is. You get something bigger/more powerful? (for example, Satan’s girlfriend) It needs to be a nigh-overwhelming challenge. And that’s what we get here.

So, what did I think about Soul Fraud?

…I was tired of not being able to help anyone. I was tired of not being able to control my life. I was tired of hurting the people I cared about. I was going to do something about it, come Hell or high water. Or I would get eaten by a ghoul. One of the two. My tombstone could read: HERE LIES MATT, AT LEAST HE TRIED. ONCE.

I would’ve liked the series title to be explained—or even hinted at—in these pages. But I can be patient. I really don’t care what the series is called, just that there are already a handful of books for me to press on with.

I do wonder about Matt being 24 and having so little experience with alcohol—if he turned 21 at the opening of the book, it’d make sense. I don’t mean to suggest that there’s a requirement that every red-blooded American male has to have a lot of experience with it by the time they’re 24, but he should have some—or at least have an explanation in the text. If it’s there, I missed it.

I also missed any discussion of his job—he has to make money from somewhere. Sure, he and Connor discuss jobs he can look for. But I didn’t register anything that he had—or any attempt to explain to his employer where he is over the couple of days he falls into supernatural shenanigans.

And that’s the sum of my problems with this book. Excepting my personal pet peeve, the rest of it clicked like clockwork for me.

The supporting characters are pretty interesting and well-drawn, and the book moves fast and smoothly (there’s one or two points that might drag a bit, but they provide much-needed world-building and they’re not that long). At one point, Matt compares himself to a pinball at one point—and that’s a great comparison—he bounces from one life-threatening event/encounter to another with just enough time to recover, mostly.

You fill that amount of action with a quippy protagonist, an almost-as-quippy friend, and some super-powered allies/foes? We’re talking a lot of fun.

I’m planning on getting to book 2 quickly, and in the meantime, I encourage you to grab Stolen Fraud right away.

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.

My thanks to The Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials (including the novel) they provided.

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BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Soul Fraud by Andrew Givler

By HCNewton

On April 15, 2026

In Book Tour, Fiction, Urban Fantasy

I’m very pleased today to welcome The BBNYA Finalist for Andrew Givler’s Soul Fraud! Not only can I assure you that this book is addictively fun, it came in 8th in a crowded field, so you know there’s something good going on. I’ll be posting my $.02 about the book later today, in the meantime, click on the banner below to see what other bloggers are saying about it.

Before getting to this Spotlight, let’s start with a word about BBNYA.

BBNYA:

BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 15 (17 in 2025) finalists and one overall winner.

If you want some more information about BBNYA, check out the BBNYA Website https://www.bbnya.com/ or take a peek over on Twitter @BBNYA_Official.

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Book Details:

Title: Soul Fraud by Andrew Givler
Series: Debt Collection, #1
Genre: Fantasy, Contemporary Fiction
Age Category: Adult
Format: Hardcover/Paperback/Ebook/Audiobook
Length: 364 Pages
Publisher: Sad Seagull Publishing
Publication Date: June 30, 2022

About the Book:

Matthew Carver has a terrible life. Seriously – it’s awful. It is so bad that Dan the Demon is shocked when Matt turns down his infernal offer: ten years of a blissful life in exchange for his soul.

But Dan is a salesman behind on his quota and his demonic managers are running out of patience. He forges Matt’s signature on the dotted line, stealing his soul and thrusting him into a supernatural world he never knew existed.

Now Matt must figure out how to get his soul back and stop a war before it is too late…

Book Links:

Amazon Canada ~ Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Goodreads ~ The Story Graph

About the Authors:

Andrew is the author of the Debt Collection and Ironbound series and also a gaming YouTuber known as Sigils. He loves making people laugh, video games, and food. (Not always in that order.) He lives in LA.

To learn more about him you can go to his website: http://andrewgivler.com.

Website ~ Twitter ~ Instagram ~ BookTubea> ~ TikTok

My thanks to The Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials (including the novel) they provided.

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PUB DAY REPOST: Cat on a Hot Tin Woof by Spencer Quinn: Chet Searches for an Influencer Cat

By HCNewton

On April 14, 2026

In Chet and Bernie, Dogs, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Spencer Quinn

This was supposed to go up yesterday…but apparently, the key is to press the “Schedule” button. Just a friendly tip from you to me.

Cat on a Hot Tin Woof

by Spencer Quinn

DETAILS:
Series: Chet and Bernie, #16
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: April 14, 2026
Format: eARC
Length: 320 pg.
Read Date: April 1-6, 2026

Before I get into things…that title is great (not that Quinn’s a stranger to good titles). I want to believe he wrote that title down some time ago and spent a couple of years thinking of a story to go with it.

What’s Cat on a Hot Tin Woof About?

One of the best things about the Chet and Bernie books is the wide diversity in cases they investigate—sure, the Little Detective Agency specializes in missing persons cases—but they do it all. Well, almost all. The clients they have this time are something that Bernie isn’t really ready for—and Chet would’ve been happier if they’d never run into them.

It’s a mother-daughter pair—the daughter had accidentally launched herself (well, her cat) to Internet fame and a very respectable income for a high schooler (well, more than respectable). Her mother is her business manager. Their problem? Miss Kitty is missing. Their sponsors are coming in soon to sign a new deal, and her audience is clamoring for fresh content. So the clock is ticking.

Bernie understands very little of this, but signs on—and quickly learns that despite what his clients believed—the cat didn’t slip out of the house somehow. She’s been stolen.

Naturally, it doesn’t stop with a stolen cat—more crimes turn up, as does an element of danger.

Bernie’s ex-wife, Leda, has some drama of her own, for him to deal with, too. But Bernie’s focus is on the case (although he takes time out for a fun scene to help Leda)

Why did I pick this up? Why did I keep reading?

That’s simple—while Quinn isn’t a stranger to less-impressive books, he’s incapable of writing an un-entertaining one—particularly with this series. And it’s been a while since he stumbled anyway.

Why did I keep at it? There is simply something infectious about Chet’s voice—as much as you want to figure out what happened—who kidnapped the cat and why, will they figure out the other mysteries along the way, will Bernie lose a lot of money doing something foolish, etc.—you want to stay in Chet’s head for longer than it’ll take to finish the book. This book is a textbook example of that.

What does this book tell us about humanity?

There’s a good deal here about the human propensity for making mistakes you’d regret later—if not sooner.

There’s a lot about good parenting and inadequate parenting/parents. There are a couple of good parents in this book (one came so late in the book, you’d almost despair of seeing another one ever again), and several inadequate ones. Most of those didn’t realize they were—but boy howdy, they should’ve.

What this book tells us most about humanity—and this is largely true for every Chet and Bernie book is the importance of a connection between a human and an animal. Even if it’s just a connection for a short-time. We’ve got cats, a pig, and a couple of dogs. The cats enrich (literally, in at least one case) the lives of those they stay with. Chet gets to comfort people going through rough times and gets to support Bernie. The pig? Well, it’s there. The cats and the dogs are just wonderful and will make you want your own (assuming you don’t already).

So, what did I think about Cat on a Hot Tin Woof?

It’s a Chet and Bernie book—of course, I had a good time.

I’d have liked a little more clarity on a point or two about the conclusion. But when your narrator is delightfully unreliable, that’s hard. I think about these cases in a way Chet wouldn’t bother with, so unless Bernie muses about some of the action, there’s just no way that we get the answers I want.

But you have to expect that going in, so it really doesn’t matter.

It’s been a minute since “old man Heydrich” was brought up (and I’m more than okay with that), and I think his replacement could be fun. We get some good Charlie and Leda stuff. Weatherly could’ve been in it more (but was used well). The client herself is the kind that you hope Quinn finds a way to bring back (as he does with another client here), and…well, it’s all just good.

It’s a fun mystery that will keep you smiling throughout—even when Chet solves the mystery (and doesn’t realize it)—maybe it’d be better to say that the reader solves it through Chet’s eyes—and you’re just sitting there waiting for Bernie to catch up. That’s frequently a frustrating experience when I’m that far ahead of the protagonist in a book—but here, it’s just fun.

If you’ve never met our intrepid pair of P.I.s, this would be a perfect book to jump into the series with—honestly, any of them would work, but you might as well start with this one. If you’ve been around the duo before, this is as good as you remember. Either way—check out Cat on a Hot Tin Woof.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley in exchange for this post, which contains my honest opinion—thanks to both for this.

PUB DAY REPOST: Paranormal Payback edited by Jim Butcher and Kerrie L. Hughes: Revenge and Magic

By HCNewton

On April 14, 2026

In Harry Dresden, Jane Yellowrock/Soulwood, Jim Butcher, The Hollows (Rachel Morgan), Urban Fantasy

Paranormal Payback

by Jim Butcher and Kerrie L. Hughes

DETAILS:
Publisher: Ace
Publication Date: April 14, 2026
Format: eARC
Length: 352 pg.
Read Date: April 1-8, 2026

What’s Paranormal Payback?

This is a collection of twelve Urban Fantasy short stories revolving around the idea of revenge.

I’m not sure what else to say, honestly—after a pair of great introductions by the editors (I mean, really—can we get a collection of essays from Butcher?), we dive in with a Goodman Gray story by Jim Butcher. And boy—did I have fun with that. I don’t want to distract Butcher from The Cinder Spires or The Dresden Files, but man, I’d love a handful of novels featuring this character.

From there, we get stories of witches (of several varieties), ghosts, vampires, ghosts and witches, talking donkeys, and more.

So, what did I think about Paranormal Payback?

Without going into each story—which I briefly considered—it’s hard to really talk about this book in any sort of depth.

This is the second collection from these editors that featured a story from R.R. Virdi’s The Grave Report series—and now I know that I need to read more. I’m curious enough to track down Isla Jewell’s romcom series. Tanya Huff, Faith Hunter, Jennifer Blackstream, and Kevin Hearne all brought their A-game.

The only story that didn’t work for me was from Kim Harrison. But that’s just me—most readers will be fine with it. It’s a prologue to a story arc from her Hollows series that I utterly didn’t care of (and frankly was annoyed by more than I was left ambivalent), so it was almost impossible for her to entertain me with. I did understand that motive for the revenge story here—and found it amusing—but that was it.

But Maurice Broaddus’ “Black Bond” was the star of this batch. You’ve got a tale of friendship, social commentary (sadly needed), and ghosts. There’s some fun to it—and plenty that’s not fun. I want to keep talking about it, but I don’t want to ruin it for you.

Not a disappointment in the bunch (unless you go in with a prejudice like I did). Urban Fantasy readers are sure to have a good time—especially if you’re a fan of the authors/series involved. If not? You may find a new author or series or three to follow.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Berkley Publishing Group via NetGalley in exchange for this post, which contains my honest opinion—thanks to both for this.

Paranormal Payback edited by Jim Butcher and Kerrie L. Hughes: Revenge and Magic

By HCNewton

On April 13, 2026

In Harry Dresden, Jane Yellowrock/Soulwood, Jim Butcher, The Hollows (Rachel Morgan), Urban Fantasy

Paranormal Payback

by Jim Butcher and Kerrie L. Hughes

DETAILS:
Publisher: Ace
Publication Date: April 14, 2026
Format: eARC
Length: 352 pg.
Read Date: April 1-8, 2026

What’s Paranormal Payback?

This is a collection of twelve Urban Fantasy short stories revolving around the idea of revenge.

From there, we get stories of witches (of several varieties), ghosts, vampires, ghosts and witches, talking donkeys, and more.

So, what did I think about Paranormal Payback?

Without going into each story—which I briefly considered—it’s hard to really talk about this book in any sort of depth.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Berkley Publishing Group via NetGalley in exchange for this post, which contains my honest opinion—thanks to both for this.

REPOSTING JUST CUZ: Heroic Hearts ed. by Jim Butcher and Kerrie L. Hughes: Street-wise Herculeses to fight the rising odds

By HCNewton

On April 10, 2026

In Alpha & Omega, Fiction, Harry Dresden, Iron Druid Chronicles, Jim Butcher, Kevin Hearne, Patricia Briggs, Urban Fantasy

Heroic Hearts

edited by Jim Butcher and Kerrie Huges

DETAILS:
Publisher: Ace
Publication Date: May 3, 2022
Format: Paperback
Length: 345 pg.
Read Date: May 18-19, 2022

Heroes have fascinated humanity since we started telling stories. They became even more fascinating when we started writing the stories down—and achieved the status previously reserved for pantheons of deities when we started putting them on the big screen. Heroes have become big business.

But heroes, real heroes, aren’t titans or icons.

Real heroes are standing behind cash registers, starting cold trucks, getting kids out of bed. They’re the everyday humans who happen to be standing there when something bad happens, and when there is a sudden need for skill, courage, or intelligence. They’re the regular people in irregular circumstances who find themselves considering others first and standing up to do whatever needs to be done.

What’s Heroic Hearts About?

In her Foreword, Kellie Hughes describes this as

a collection of hopeful stories about courage, bravery, codes to live by, and people you can trust.

Who doesn’t love a hero story? Here we have twelve stories from a dozen UF authors all approaching this idea in their own distinctive ways. Some are stand-alones, some are parts of a series.

Authors I’m Not That Familiar With (if at all)

It’s the rare anthology that will be full of only authors you know well—half the point of one of these is to be exposed to someone new so you can decide if you want to read more by them.

Charlaine Harris wrote the only story I didn’t appreciate in this collection, I just couldn’t get into it. That’s likely something to do with my mood/what I ate today/something else. Most days, I simply wouldn’t have cared—I don’t think it’s in me to really like this one.

I thought the rest of the stories were entertaining and well-executed, but a few are going to get me to keep an eye out for authors/series. Chloe Neill’s “Silverspell” tempted me to check out the rest of that series, these are characters and a world I could spend more time with. Jennifer Brozek’s “The Necessity of Pragmatic Magic” was great—ditto for “Grave Gambles” by R.R. Virdi.

“Troll Life” by Hughes was just wonderful. It’s everything you want in a short story—we’re given a well-developed world, a handful of strong and interesting characters, a good plot, and it just made me smile throughout.

Authors I’m Very Familiar With

Kevin Hearne, Patricia Briggs, and Jim Butcher are what brought me to this collection. I’ve read everything I can by them, so that’s not surprising, right?

We meet up with Atticus, Starbuck, and Oberon in Australia, looking into the cause of a massive forest fire, in “Fire Hazard.” It’s told from Oberon’s point of view, which makes it a sure-fire win. I’ll read just about anything in Oberon’s voice—and this story demonstrates why. It’s funny and action-packed. Some of the best lines in the book are in this story, too.

I wasn’t that interested in “Dating Terrors,” by Patricia Briggs based on the idea. “Asil on a blind date” just doesn’t draw me in—sure, I’m curious about Asil’s activities, so I wanted to read it. But the concept didn’t grab me. That lasted only a few pages—now I want to see more about Asil’s date and her friends. Preferably with Asil around, but that’s not necessary. I should’ve known Briggs would hook me by the end, and come into it with better expectations.

This brings us to the story the book opens with (but I saved until the end), Jim Butcher’s “Little Things.” This happens days after Battle Ground, as the city (and its wizard defender) is trying to recover from those events. The “Little Things” this story focused on are Major General Toot-Toot Minimus, his forces, Lacuna, and Mister. When a threat to the castle slips by the guards and other defenses, these heroes have to rise to the challenge. It’s deceptively fun, light, and breezy. But it’s Butcher, you know he won’t let you off that easy. Dresden in the shadow of Battle Ground? The emotional core of this story isn’t small. The story made my day…I’ve got nothing negative to say about it.

So, what did I think about Heroic Hearts?

This is a strong collection of Urban Fantasy stories, with a little something for everyone. Anything I didn’t mention above was fine—they’re all written well, but some characters/stories aren’t for everyone, and that would describe the few I didn’t talk about. Every story was worth the time (except for that thing by Harris, I just didn’t see why that was written—and I wouldn’t be shocked to hear that most readers of the book will think I’m nuts for that).

This probably would’ve gotten a warm 3 Stars from me, if not for the Briggs and Butcher stories. I enjoyed almost all of these stories, and really only disliked one. But wow, those two were just outstanding. Nothing that made me as happy as those two did is going to get less than 4.

Even if you’re new to the genre or are only a fan of one or two of the authors, I expect you’ll find yourself enjoying most, if not all, of the book. Pick it up.

4 Stars

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