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Summary
Summary
From critically acclaimed author Laura Bickle (Dark Alchemy) comes the first novel in the Wildlands series, NINE OF STARS. Longmire meets Patricia Brigg's Mercy Thompson in this exciting new series that shows how weird and wonderful the West can truly be.
Winter has always been a deadly season in Temperance, but this time, there's more to fear than just the cold...
As the daughter of an alchemist, Petra Dee has faced all manner of occult horrors - especially since her arrival in the small town of Temperance, Wyoming. But she can't explain the creature now stalking the backcountry of Yellowstone, butchering wolves and leaving only their skins behind in the snow. Rumors surface of the return of Skinflint Jack, a nineteenth-century wraith that kills in fulfillment of an ancient bargain.
The new sheriff in town, Owen Rutherford, isn't helping matters. He's a dangerously haunted man on the trail of both an unsolved case and a fresh kill - a bizarre murder leading him right to Petra's partner Gabriel. And while Gabe once had little to fear from the mortal world, he's all too human now. This time, when violence hits close to home, there are no magical solutions.
It's up to Petra and her coyote sidekick Sig to get ahead of both Owen and the unnatural being hunting them all - before the trail turns deathly cold.
Reviews (3)
Publisher's Weekly Review
Petra Dee, the intrepid geologist/alchemist heroine of Bickle's Dark Alchemy e-book series, makes her print debut (alongside spirit-coyote companion Sig) in this gripping weird west adventure. The ghost of Skinflint Jack has risen to haunt Yellowstone National Park's wolves, and it's up to Petra to end his violence-with some help from Gabe, the love of her life, who up until recently was mortal. But meddling from the local sheriff and an untimely leukemia diagnosis throw all of Petra's well-laid plans into jeopardy. Readers new to Bickle's world will have no difficulty following the plot; the first few chapters are exposition-heavy, but Bickle does an excellent job of letting her characters speak for themselves and blending realistic, grounded conflicts with her supernatural plot. It's particularly pleasant to see Petra's day job as a scientist have real value in resolving fantastical conflicts. Also of note is Bickle's respectful treatment of Native American spirituality amid the otherwise European notions of alchemy that make up the backbone of the magic system in the central setting of Temperance, Wyo. The book ends with a cliff-hanger that will make fans and newcomers alike sit up and demand a sequel. Bickle is well on her way to establishing her work as a cornerstone of her genre. Agent: Becca Stumpf, Prospect. (Dec.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
As the daughter of an alchemist, geologist Petra Dee is used to the occult. But when dead wolves start showing up around Temperance, Wyoming, with nothing left of them but their skins, Petra knows there's more than just something weird going on. Rumor has it that the local legend Skinflint Jack is back on the prowl. When a friend of Petra's is critically injured, Petra assumes it's Skinflint Jack's doing. With the help of her newly mortal boyfriend, Gabe, Petra decides to take down Skinflint Jack before he can cause any more harm. But will they catch him before they're captured by the law? Because there's been another mysterious murder in town, and the sheriff is pointing his finger at Gabe. Readers who like no-nonsense characters, the occult, Native American myths, and the modern Wild West will enjoy this. The writing is fun, compelling, and straight from the hip, with no apologies as to language used. Bickle, known for her Dark Alchemy e-book series, brings those characters to this new print venture, with a cliff-hanger ending that is ripe for a sequel.--Wathen, LynnDee Copyright 2016 Booklist
Library Journal Review
As a geologist, Petra Dee considers herself a woman of science, but she is also the daughter of an alchemist. Living in Temperance, WY, she has dealt with all sorts of magical issues, including her once-immortal partner, Gabe. Now there are rumors in town of an 18th-century wraith known as Skinflint Jack; someone has been killing the wolves in the area, leaving their skins in the snow. New sheriff Owen Rutherford, haunted by a past death on his watch and investigating his cousin's murder, finds the clues lead to Gabe and Petra's doorstep. Soon, the couple must flee from Owen and Skinflint Jack and go on the run with the wolves of Nine Stars, which have more than one surprise in store for everyone. Verdict Following the prequels Dark Alchemy and Mercury Retrograde, Bickle's series launch mixes alchemy, folklore, and Native American traditions with a wintry -Western landscape that will intrigue fans of the Weird West subgenre.-KC © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.