Book Review: Poison and Prey
by
Ashley Beasley
The Eve Williams series is not your ordinary Urban Fantasy series. It’s a little bit darker, its characters a little more broken and twisted, and the romance aspect moves at a near-glacial pace.
It’s also written in third person.
This is the fifth installment in the series, and while I didn’t remember much of what happened last, there were enough clues in the story to catch me up without trouble. What I do remember from the previous books is the vibe of the story. It’s a bit heavier than much other urban fantasy I’ve read. There’s less snark and witty banter, and there’s more cruelty and trauma.
In this book, Eve and Silas are tasked with capturing a serial killer who’s been preying on a yearly festival in a small town out in the sticks. The murder mystery itself isn’t all that interesting, but Eve’s recovery from what she’s recently been through as well as her relationship to Silas more than make up for it.
It should be mentioned that Silas is not the love interest of the series, so it’s not that kind of relationship. Rather, the two of them are learning to tolerate each other and suffer each other’s presence. It doesn’t always work out very well.
What I’ll Whine About
This felt a bit like a filler in the series, and I very much hope there will be more to come. A previous subplot got (sort of) resolved, but the overall plot of the series didn’t move forward that much. Sure, the character development was good, but there’s still a whole lot that’s up in the air and that’s still waiting to be tied up.
What I’ll Gush About
Characters. Eve is one of the most broken, stubborn characters I’ve come across. As I recall, the series started out fairly standard, but it slowly turned darker and darker (not grimdark). There’s a heavy focus on Eve’s internal struggles, both in this book and earlier in the series, and I feel it’s well done.
World Building. The setting is slightly different to much other UF. The supernatural is out in the open, and it’s governed by the Druid Brotherhood that keeps everything in its iron grip, for better or for worse. The story doesn’t show much of the interaction between the supernatural and the mundane, but it comes into play now and then.
Necromancy. Eve is a necromancer, which is something to be feared and despised in the world of the story. Rather than someone who raises skeletons to fight her enemies, she’s someone who’s able to see the last few moments of a person’s life – an ability that’s in demand by people wanting to catch supernatural murderers.
Final Words
This is a great series, and while this book might not be the best yet, the whole series is definitely worth checking out.
