Led Astray

Starred review from September 14, 2015
From the first moment, this collection of fantastical tales sizzles with dark promise, rich world-building, and complex, often haunting characters. In "Rakshashi," Amrita has long since completed her penance for the crimes she committed as a mortal, and is willing to take any avenue to capture her reward. Tanya is a woman with a gaslighting husband and a complicated history in "A Haunted House of Her Own." "Dead Flowers by a Roadside" features a grieving man who can speak to ghostsâall but the ones he most longs to hear from. "Harbinger" introduces a group of spirits who have a message but no voice. Each story feels innovative and exciting, and they work together to create a harmonious whole from glittering supernatural fragments. The stories are set at various times and places but all feel as though they spring from the same dark, dangerous, and fantastical world. This excellent anthology will thrill Armstrong fans and new readers alike. Agent: Helen Heller, Helen Heller Agency.