A Book Obsession..: Kirsten Reviews: Seawitch by Kat Richardson

Kirsten Reviews: Seawitch by Kat Richardson

, by Kt Clapsadl

Seawitch by Kat Richardson

Greywalker #7

Harper Blaine was your average small-time PI until she died—for two minutes. Now Harper is a Greywalker, treading the thin line between the living world and the paranormal realm. And she’s discovering that her new abilities are landing her all sorts of “strange” cases.

A quarter century ago, the Seawitch cruised away from her dock and disappeared with everyone on board. Now, the boat has mysteriously returned to her old berth in Seattle and the insurance company has hired Harper to find out what happened.

But Harper is not the only one investigating. Seattle Police Detective Rey Solis is a good cop, albeit one who isn’t comfortable with the creepy cases that always seem to end up in Harper’s lap.

As they explore the abandoned vessel, Harper and Solis discover a cabin containing symbols drawn in human blood, revealing the ghost ship’s grave history. As Solis focuses on the possible murder of a passenger’s wife, Harper’s investigation leads her to a powerful being who may be responsible for the disappearance of the Seawitch’s passengers and crew.

And while their searches lead Harper and Solis in different directions, they will need to put aside their differences to solve a deadly mystery twenty-five years in the making…

In some cases, death doesn't always stick, and Harper Blaine is proof of that. The latest book in Kat Richardson’s ‘Greywalker’ series brings back Harper, as well as an apparent ghost ship all tangled up in the Grey to investigate.

With so many female paranormal investigators out there, it’s important to note the ways in which this one is different. Harper is grounded, unpretentious and sometimes even resigned to what she can do as a Greywalker. She's careful, and thinks twice about leaping into danger, most of the time. Unlike some of the urban fantasy heroines, she isn't a wand-waving or guns blazing private investigator, and that makes her unusual.

The book is full of rich detail about the Pacific Northwest, which makes sense as the author is a native, and living in the region myself, I appreciated some of the sly digs at the local peculiarities and weather, which is a character in and of itself. In fact, the fog which is an important element of the story only adds to the air of creeping unease that becomes more evident as Harper and Detective Solis work together to solve the mystery of the Seawitch.

Solis takes on the role of the skeptic, but one that knows enough about Harper to realize that there is something more to her 'weirdness' than seeing things. He's not ready to just embrace the idea of the Grey, but he's not actively hostile, which is a pleasant change from most outsiders in this genre.

The two of them take slightly different routes to investigate what brought the Seawitch home, and who, or what is responsible for its absence as well what happened to its missing crew. Ultimately, though, this is one partnership that might stand the test of time, or the 'weirdness' that Harper tends to attract.

Solis isn’t the only one trying to figure out his place in light of new information. Quinton, Harper’s boyfriend is back, and he’s got some family issues of his own that promise to crop up again in future volumes.

Seawitch is an entertaining and engrossing read, with plenty of rich Pacific Northwest detail, enough to whet the appetite of any research buffs, and a crop of paranormal and mundane characters that readers will enjoy immensely.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

Rating: