"The Voodoo Killings" by Kristi Charish | Book Review

The Voodoo Killings by Kristi Charish

Publishing Date: May 10, 2016
Pages: 352
Publisher: Vintage Canada
Links: Goodreads | Indigo | Book Depository | Amazon | Kobo

In a world where zombies and ghosts are publicly accepted as real, and where (before it was outlawed) zombies were raised to help solve their own murders, Kincaid Strange is a badass "practitioner" - essentially a necromancer, though she prefers not to be associated with dead people sex stuff - just trying to pay her rent. But things take a twisted turn when she gets a call about a new zombie - one unlike any she's seen before.

When I first heard the plot of this story, I was completely intrigued. I love books with supernatural elements and I don't know that I've ever read an urban fantasy novel before - certainly not like this one, anyway. It uses tropes we know well - zombies, ghosts, necromancy - and spins a page-turning tale of mystery, betrayal, and an underground city.

As I started the novel, I was instantly drawn to Kincaid Stange's (can we just take a moment to appreciate how cool that name is?) snark. I find snarky and sarcastic characters very entertaining, and Kincaid is all of these things. Also badass, she's a complete badass.

The story is set in Seattle, where the Otherside is stronger due to the city's proximity to water. Kincaid "pulls a globe" every time she needs to examine a zombie's bindings, a habit that's taking its toll on her health, and calls on her ghost roommate, Nate, by writing on mirrors. "Ghost" as in actual ghost, not as in rarely there. Nate, a now-deceased 90's grunge rock star, is one of my favourite characters as he provides a lot of comic relief.

I got a lot of iZombie vibes from this story which, for me, is a really great thing because it's one of my favourite TV shows (and the comics are great, too). We've got zombies, a Seattle setting, and there's even a brief mention of someone getting their brains from a morgue!

The Voodoo Killings is the first in a new series and personally, I cannot wait for the next novel. This is definitely one of my favourite books of the year, if not ever. The story will thrill you and the ending will leave you itching for the next one!

*This book was sent to me by Penguin Random House Canada in exchange for an honest review.