Deadly Rising

September 10, 2018
Occult killings and lovestruck demons combine in this broadly blended urban fantasy novel that fights to mix magic and family matters. Kylie Strange continues her battle with the family burden, the titular ancient book that releases monsters (first met in 2017’s The Booke of the Hidden). Her romantic options include kindly Sheriff Ed, demon Erasmus Dark, and her ex Jeff, who’s turned into a werewolf. Digging into her past, Kylie encounters her ghostly grandfather and discovers why the residents of Moody Bog, Maine, have little memory of her family. But her biker-gang rivals for the Booke unleash an angry old god, leaving Kylie little time for a reunion. Westerson advances the mysteries and marvels sufficiently, but does tend to be a bit coy with the details of Kylie’s attachments, and the conclusion is more a pause than an ending. There’s enough here to keep series fans going, but new readers aren’t likely to be enthralled. Agent: Lisa Rodgers, JABberwocky Literary.