Review by Booklist Review
Beth is new to the police force, a rookie member of the team that investigates unusual happenings, the things that connect with the Arcana living on the Isle of Wyrd. Her first assignment is to cross the river and look into the origins of a ghost gun in Destiny Park. She gets some answers but is left with even more questions--and the challenges of navigating the rules of the Arcana while doing her job as a detective in the human world. Breaking those rules can have dire consequences, some of which are difficult for the human world to understand. Meanwhile, some humans' thirst for power or revenge drives them to stir up tensions between uneasy neighbors. As the police investigate strange disappearances--and even stranger reappearances--Beth's mysterious past starts to catch up with her. Fortunately, the arcane side of the river can also be a place of sanctuary. Bishop's (The Lady in Glass, 2024) series starter is a satisfying tale of consequences and bargains, both for good and ill, with a central character who works through difficult changes and ultimately lands on her feet.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In this sprawling series opener, Bishop (the Black Jewels series) crafts an entertaining and sometimes brutal tale of magic, mystery, and mischief. Shortly after Junior Detective Beth Fahey is assigned to the Penwych police's 13th precinct special investigations team, she's tapped for an unusual case involving a magical gun. The inquiry sends her across the Fate River to the Isle of Wyrd to search for answers with the Arcana, the Isle's enigmatic, fae-like inhabitants who believe that bargains are sacrosanct, intentions have power, and nothing comes free. Swiftly entangled in the doings of the mythical and mysterious, Beth discovers her presence among the Arcana is no accident, and her destiny rests in the hands of their Sorcerer King, Lucas Frost. Meanwhile, a series of intertwined disappearances and deaths create tension between the Arcana and their human visitors, building to a crisis point. Over multiple perspectives, Bishop dwells on themes of escaping abuse, finding freedom, and determining one's destiny. There's a fairy tale morality at play: those who embrace cruelty or ignore warnings tend to experience horrible fates, while those seeking peace or safety are offered opportunities for healing and sanctuary. Subtle in its magic if not its messaging, this is a thought-provoking work. Agent: Jennifer Jackson, Donald Maass Literary. (Nov.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
The Isle of Wyrd is a place where mundanes can supposedly safely meet the uncanny. Whenever humans disobey the rules, however, Precinct 13 goes out to clean up the mess and pick up the bodies. Not every cop can hack the isle, but newcomer Beth Fahey feels like she's come home--and the Arcane who control the isle are sure she's theirs. They also believe that the influence of her past--and theirs--is going to kick off a deadly confrontation on both sides of the Fate River between humans who think the rules don't apply to them and primeval forces who can't be influenced, bribed, or bought--only appeased. Bishop's ("Black Jewels" books) series opener is a story of fate, truth, and consequences, compelling in its description of a world where humans are not in charge yet still have the hubris to believe they are, and where the wild, the weird, and the wonderful are forces that demand obedience and responsibility, as seen through the eyes of a determined investigator who can see both sides of a seemingly insurmountable divide. VERDICT Highly recommended for lovers of dark fantasy and weird urban fantasy, especially fans of Bishop's "World of the Others" series.--Marlene Harris
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Humans have a series of eventful encounters with powerful creatures who maintain a very stringent set of rules. Across the river from the mundane human towns lies the Isle of Wyrd, inhabited by the magical beings known as the Arcana, who will, for the right price, read your future and offer you the possibility of changing your fate. It can be a refuge for the vulnerable but a deadly danger to the reckless and unprepared. Changing your fate can involve physical transformation and transportation to all kinds of odd locations, and both are directly shaped by what you say or intend. An author escaping her abusive fiancé, a pair of brutally selfish but well-connected brothers, a pack of teenage bullies and their kind-hearted potential victim, a college professor whose obsessive quest for knowledge overpowers his courtesy and common sense, and a police detective who yearns to understand the truth about herself all get what they deserve by setting foot on the island. Although a lot happens, there isn't a solid throughline of plot; this first in a series is clearly more about explaining the world, introducing the characters, and setting the stage for future books. Yes, multiple people face perils, but because of well-equipped allies and good planning, the bad guys don't really stand a chance. There's also no climactic confrontation between most of the bad guys and their slated victims; the majority receive their comeuppances by magically guided misfortune, the catastrophic consequences of disobeying the rules, or a minor character hired by the good guys. As noted at the launch of her previous series (Lake Silence, 2018), Bishop has a true gift for remixing the same plot elements over multiple books and making you like it, somehow. You're going to get violent, stupid people who, despite multiple warnings, manage to piss off incredibly powerful beings and get shredded, while polite, kind-hearted people will earn those same powerful beings' friendship and protection. Aggressively formulaic yet still appealing in its own way. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
