Review: The Burning Soul (Charlie Parker #10)

3 stars. This one didn’t really capture me as much as the others. I really enjoyed the stuff about Randall and the exploration of identity and insanity, but I found a lot of the other through-lines tedious. And I actually predicted a couple of the twists, which hasn't happened before. That being said - zero regrets.

Private investigator Charlie Parker is asked by a lawyer acquaintance for help - a client of hers, with a secret murderous past, is being sent dark and threatening messages. There’s also a girl missing, and allegations abound in the small town from where she disappeared. 

Idk! Idk. I’m not done with this series at all - I’ve learned how comforting it can be to have a reliably familiar world to jump into over a long period of time. It was only a matter of time before I got to one that didn’t hit or click right. I just wasn’t hooked. 

I’m learning that when Connolly leans into religious horror - like demons or angels or super self-righteous villains - he really succeeds. When he leans into ghost stuff, trying to create tense or creepy haunt moments, he’s less effective. Just like in previous books, I found the appearances of Charlie’s daughter cheesy, and kind of random, and not as scary.

The book absolutely still crackles with tension, though, and showcases the strong sense of place so characteristic of John Connolly’s writing. That man really loves to describe a dive bar.

The Burning Soul on: Amazon | Bookshop.org | Goodreads | StoryGraph

Review: Shirley

4 stars. The author, in her acknowledgements, calls this book a "fictional exercise," which is a perfect descriptor - it almost feels that way, in turning the pages, like the book came out of time spent playing in the Shirley Jackson sandbox. I can't blame her - hello from deep down the Shirley Jackson rabbit hole - but I did have to shake off the urge to call it presumptuous. 

Rose Nemser, a young and expecting newlywed, moves in with her husband Fred to the Jackson/Hyman house in North Bennington. Fred and Stanley hit it off, professionally and academically, while Rose and Shirley inch their way towards a strange friendship. Caught up in the odd liveliness of the house and drawn to the turbulence of Shirley and Stanley's marriage, Rose attempts to navigate a maze of questions, mysteries, and discoveries from within the unusual and creepy Shirley Jackson universe.

If you can look beyond some truly crazy word choices (ratiocinations? concomitant?), this is a fairly quick read, and very engrossing. The plot unfurls thoughtfully and yes, it absolutely channels Shirley Jackson. My heart was in my throat for the last third of the story, I truly could not predict where it was going or how it would end. I was deeply disturbed by Rose's dream, by design, but I was bothered more personally by the depiction of marriage. The author also leans really grotesque (especially in her descriptions of Stanley), but it never feels too forced or overwrought. Just grotesque, because that's what it was, that's how it was, that's how it happened.

There is a central mystery to the story but overall I would call it more character-driven. It is, like everything associated with Shirley Jackson, a study in repressed rage. It is incredibly well-researched. I look forward to checking out the adaptation. 

Shirley on: Amazon | Bookshop.org | Goodreads | StoryGraph

Review: The Whisperers (Charlie Parker #9)

4 stars. Still going strong! While I'm not able to perfectly recall every detail, character, or important piece of background from each book in this series, I can recall enough to 1) recognize the familiar tropes, patterns, and twists and 2) start putting the big picture together, which is super exciting. And also, it's just really darn fun to encounter old friends in new ways. Callbacks are fan service for a reason! It’s been interesting to discover all the benefits of a long series when I kind of almost expected drawbacks.

The Charlie Parker books, like a lot of mysteries, don't unfold in a linear fashion, but this one really takes the scenic route, so forgive me for this awkward summary: a group of Iraq War veterans, probably at the behest of an organized evil, establish a smuggling operation for antiquities looted in Baghdad. Included among the stolen items is an unassuming box that attracts the attention of a cancer-stricken man, Herod, who is guided, after suffering a near-death experience, by a terrifying noncorporeal entity he refers to as The Captain.

The box lands, along with other goods, in a shuttered motel near the Canadian border, as planned. But each of the soldiers involved starts to fray at the edges: they hear voices, whispers. They withdraw, and act out of character. Several die by their own hands. Meanwhile, the box has attracted the attention of someone else - The Collector. And this is when Charlie Parker gets involved. 

I picked a hell of a week to read a book about the costs of war, but here we are. It tackles head-on the topic of PTSD, specifically the PTSD that plagued/plagues veterans of the Iraq War in the 2000s. Surprise, surprise - there was/is very little tangible support, or relief. It was a complicated conflict with complicated outcomes, many of which we are still learning. And perpetuating, literally today. America is infuriating, often. But John Connolly specifically states in the intro that he didn't want The Whisperers to be preachy (he sort of failed), so I don't want this review to be preachy either (I sort of failed also). 

Turning back to the story: I alluded to this above, but this one does seem, compared to the others, a little extra meandering and overstuffed. A little challenging to track. Someone should make a wiki for this universe! I would reference often! I docked a star for that. But I gave one back because I absolutely loved the moments of horror. Connolly leans in to the scary big time - we even get a creepy clown, as a treat - and I ate it all up.

It's strange to think that these books - intensely dark and disturbing as they are - are comforting, but they are. Almost a happy place. With this one I actually felt tempted to dive into the next one immediately, instead of reading a typical palette cleanser. The ending teases something really crunchy and awesome and I just know poor Charlie Parker has more monsters heading his way. I can’t wait to see how he fights them.

The Whisperers on: Amazon | Bookshop.org | Goodreads | Storygraph

Review: The Lovers (Charlie Parker #8)

4 stars. I was so excited for this one - finally, some answers about Charlie's origins! I always knew his father's backstory was going to be dark, and man, was it dark. But the lore clicked right into place. No awkward retconning to be found. And I was especially excited that this one leaned supernatural. After a quick break, the angels and demons are back and as formidable and mysterious as ever. 

“Not every wound needs to be poked and opened, and not every wrong needs to be reexamined, or dragged kicking and screaming into the light. Better just to let the wound heal, even if it doesn’t heal quite right, or to leave the wrongs in the dark, and remind yourself not to go stepping into the shadows if you can avoid it.”

Except when you've read 7 of these books and want more!! Aimless without his PI license, Charlie Parker gets a job at a local bar and decides to tackle his most personal case yet: his father's final days. As soon as he starts kicking up dust, however, he learns that his origin story - the story of his very identity - is not what it seems. Feeling cornered by a true crime writer with ill motives, and a pair of teenagers who seem hellbent on his destruction, Charlie must find the truth while staring down what haunts him most deeply: his past. 

I docked a star because of some... cheesiness. I can't think of what else to call it. The ghosts, the writing on Mickey Wallace's car window... I don't know how else to say it, but I sort of think incorporating Susan and Jennifer's spirits more subtly would've been more powerful. There's also the usual fatphobia and odd treatment of women. 

But this book - which is perhaps less action-packed and more story/character-based than some of the others - is as enjoyable as I've come to expect. While certain aspects were a little predictable, there were also some great twists. The increased focus/emphasis on the world of cops and the NYPD gave it a Tana French Dublin Murder Squad feel, which I didn't mind at all. 

Charlie's still Charlie. He needs to learn to lead with honey more often. That dude is pricklier than a pear. But I root for him so hard. I can't wait to see which rabbit hole he falls into next.

The Lovers on: Amazon | Bookshop.org | Goodreads

Review: The Reapers (Charlie Parker #7)

4 stars. I know what to expect now from a Charlie Parker book - what to look forward to, and what to prepare for. Still, after seven of these, I'm as drawn to this world as I am tired of its drawbacks. Despite the draggy middle, weighted tangents, and the wavering, non-linear journey we have to take to get to the fucking point, I was addicted to The Reapers - I loved the fresh angle, the crunchy characters, and the sense of time and place. It got my heart pounding. 

Louis and Angel take the front seat here. Louis faces a dangerous double threat from his past - the father of one of his victims, and a fellow assassin whose betrayal years ago set off a vicious cycle of revenge and violence. With the help of Detective Parker and the familiar cavalry, Louis and Angel face impossible odds in a bloody confrontation, wrestling with their trauma and unforgivable sins along the way. 

I want to commend Connolly for - for the most part - giving a cushion to those of us with less than perfect memory. There are a lot of character and plot threads in each book, and any time I felt lost or confused here he filled in the gaps sufficiently. Even if he retconned a few things I wouldn't mind, because he keeps me afloat and able to grasp the rules - and the history - of the game. I suppose that's par for the course with a long series. I think it's worth mentioning.

There is, truly, so much good writing here. The dark humor, the intricate way he pieces together the puzzle, the honestly unpredictable elements, and of course, the disturbing nature of his antagonists. It's impressive and compelling and very True Detective-y. I miss the lush way he incorporates the supernatural - hoping for more of that in the future - but this is still a very good time, with a very satisfying ending.

It says something that even after spending all of my holiday gift cards on books (a very long and delightfully torturous process that I treasure once a year), I turned away from all of my new shiny objects and wanted to curl up in Charlie Parker's world instead. And I'm still eager for more.

The Reapers on: Amazon | Bookshop.org | Goodreads

Review: The Unquiet (Charlie Parker #6)

3 stars. Not done with this series yet! Feeling really determined to keep it going. I would consider this one of the weaker installments so far, but I'm no less interested in the world this author has created and populated so lovingly with a crowd of dark, disturbing characters. 

Our poor Mr. Parker is hired by Rebecca Clay to help her deal with a stalker... a dangerous man asking questions about her father. Daniel Clay, currently missing, was a child therapist whose patients reported eerie similarities in their testimonies of abuse: being taken by men wearing bird masks. Was Daniel trapped in a web of coincidences, or was he a perpetuator? Where is he now? And this man harassing Rebecca - what is his end game? Charlie's investigation, as always, points to … the absolute worst.

This isn't the sort of writing where the words flow by quickly and your eyes fly down the page. It's dense, and detailed, and heavy. I'm now pretty accustomed to the way Connolly leans into place (with a lot of historical and geographical background about each setting), and character (side quests, tangents, episodic introductions). I missed the stronger supernatural aspects of previous books, but the subtle undertones in this one made it that much creepier. 

I still don't love his female characters, or his representation of queer and Black individuals. Charlie's sharp wit was also very dull in this one - his smartass hat felt ill-fitting, forced, and random at times. Awkward. Not at all funny, TBH. The "cleverness" in his banter with the bad guys was actually borderline annoying, maybe a little questionable or even offensive. But, I do love that Charlie Parker isn't a superhero - he operates very much in the dark for most of these stories, just like us. He makes mistakes. He's haunted, literally and figuratively, and despite his good intentions he isn't always... effective. He's interesting.

I would also mention that the plot and central mystery seemed very... convoluted. It's not that I had trouble following it all, per say... well, maybe I did. I always feel like I need a cheat sheet reading these novels and this one was no different. I also didn't read the accompanying short story, so I was missing some context. Still, the recognizable anchors - the familiar motifs - are all present and accounted for: cults, predators, ghosts. 

I'm looking forward to more. Maybe I'll even do a ranking.

The Unquiet on: Amazon | Bookshop.org | Goodreads

Review: The Black Angel (Charlie Parker #5)

3 stars. Recovering from a major life interruption (an injured partner, resulting in pseudo-single parenthood, during my biggest and busiest work month of the entire year - honestly it seems trite to spell it out like that but when I tell you I am tired), which means I gave this book a big ole break at the 50% mark. Jumping back in was easier than expected, though, and that's a testament to the story.

In The Black Angel, poor, haunted Charlie Parker is pulled into an investigation to locate a relative of Louis'. He discovers that her disappearance is tangled up in a treasure hunt of sorts for an icon, an icon that supposedly reveals the location of a fallen angel. Yes, an actual fallen angel. Meanwhile, balancing the dark world of his work and his new family proves impossible.

I have to admit - I'm not tired of these books yet. I'm notorious for jumping ship... it's been a longtime goal to finish the series I start. It hasn't been easy - in fact, I might call it downright challenging considering how dense and detailed these particular books are - but it has been rewarding, and honestly interesting to consume a story this way. Charlie Parker's evolution is fascinating. Still, I could use a character guide! My memory just isn't that strong anymore.

A couple of things I reacted negatively to, in this one: 1) how quickly and deeply this turned into horror fantasy. Don't get me wrong - I love horror. It's my primary genre. And I know previous books foreshadowed this. It just felt a little strange to me, like instead of an onramp we were thrown off a cliff. Like the author had an idea for a different series in a different genre but decided to plop Charlie into it because it was easier. He does his best - there are references to how things from previous books fit into the narrative - but ... idk. It felt a little bit like retconning? Allowed but annoying. 2) The writing. Amazing, but not without faults... an overreliance on "for," for one (ex: he went to the store, for he was hungry; he pulled out his umbrella, for it was raining). 3) The fatphobic and sexist elements, leftover from a previous space and time, sure, but also forming a pattern not so easily ignored in this one. 

A couple of things I really enjoyed: 1) Brightwell. The villains in this series are UNBEATABLE. 2) The religious lore/mythology. What a fascinating idea for religious horror!! Takes the Chosen One trope to a whole new/intricate level. 3) The treasure hunt concept. It's actually quite complicated in classic Connolly style, but I was happy to stick with it. The way he unfolds things is really interesting - he zooms in and out in unique ways. This lends itself to incredibly detailed (boring) tangents and deep dives into history and organized crime, but also feels really characteristic of the universe and not a dealbreaker.

Time for a quick break, but I'm excited to jump back in.

The Black Angel on: Amazon | Bookshop.org | Goodreads

Review: The White Road (Charlie Parker #4)

5 stars. Oh man. So dark. So good. Feeling a little worn out by some of the similar themes and plot devices - oh no, is Rachel in danger again? - but I still absolutely devoured this, and delighted in the way things went so super disgusting, disturbing, and dare I say - demonic. 

The White Road actually opens with a familiar trope: Charlie Parker is called down to South Carolina to help an old friend, a lawyer, defend a young man accused of murdering his lover. The victim: a member of a wealthy and influential white family in Charleston. The accused: a poor Black kid from a rival family whose mother and aunt disappeared without a trace decades ago. 

Parker's investigation reveals way more than expected, including an evil that goes back farther than the crime. Meanwhile, the villain of the last book, Reverend Faulkner, puts in motion a plan to exact his revenge and avoid rotting in jail like he deserves.

Who is guilty, who is innocent; justice versus vengeance; monsters old and new and unlikely; shame; madness; human nature. If I had read this 15 years ago I probably would not have thought of it as political as I do now. It does not shy away from aspects of America that require uncomfortable but necessary examination. It feels especially harrowing today, as America slides backwards under our feet. On the other hand, it almost makes the ending that much more satisfying.

This series often comes recommended for fans of True Detective, but I have to say - I didn't really sense those vibes in the first 3. In The White Road, though: not only does Connolly immerse you in the deep South (impressively, for an Irishman), he makes you sit there for a while, mosquito-bitten, sweaty, suffocated by the hate and blood that poisons the land down there. It did remind me of TD, seasons 1 and 3 specifically, and I look forward to chewing on the themes that crisscross both works.

I've been so curious to see how Connolly makes the supernatural/paranormal elements more apparent as the series goes on. It could've so easily gone cheesy, or lame, or out-of-place. I was pleasantly surprised, and creeped out - in a good way. I also adored the connections to one of my favorite themes in "The Wasteland," Dante's Inferno, etc. This is literary horror first, everything else second. 

This book really does stand out as fairly spectacular on all levels, from the sentence structure/word choice to the intricate (I needed a visual character web) plotting and pacing to the vibrancy and vibes and to the overall storytelling. More than once I was reminded of a certain prolific horror author who does it better than anyone; who goes deep and wide, and dark. 

Yep, as I mentioned: super dark, super disturbing - on almost self-indulgent levels. Check TWs. You've been warned. I need a palette cleanser. 

The White Road on: Amazon | Bookshelf.org | Goodreads

Review: The Killing Kind (Charlie Parker #3)

3 stars. Can I get a round of applause for this villain?! Wow - arachnophobes be warned: stay far, far away - this book is not for you. Charlie's back and (surprise, surprise) gets pulled into a particularly twisted case involving a cult leader, the disappearance of his followers, and the death of a young woman investigating his potential reemergence. 

Charlie is still quite literally haunted, and beginning to come to terms with what seems to be a new calling, or drive, to fight for the dead. I'm really enjoying his journey, and the way the supernatural elements continue to unfold. I've always appreciated that Charlie is not a superhero; he experiences fear and trauma and makes mistakes. He gets worn down, he trembles, he has nightmares... but he isn't ashamed of any of this. 

This book zipped right along, but I found it to be a bit weaker than the first two structure-wise. Connolly has pulled the "he's still alive" rug before, so it packed less of a punch in this one, a hit only weakened further by his lack of screen time. Any other twists are kind of telegraphed as well. And the victim? Didn't really feel an emotional connection. No, the plot of this book is merely a vehicle to showcase the creative and cartoonish Mr. Pudd, who is absolutely ridiculous. I loved every inch of him all the same.

Rachel is not my favorite, nor is the trope utilized (a bit cheaply IMO) in the final chapter. I've mentioned this in my reviews for the first two - she's just too obviously written by a man. Angel and Louis, though, man - those two are the best found family ever. I continue to be pleasantly surprised by the sheer American-ness of the writing. America's huge, and Connolly manages to really capture some of its darkest, and lightest, pockets.

I’m starting to get a hang on what to expect from this series: dark, grim, moody mysteries with a lot of detail and focus on the investigator rather than the crime, or the criminals. Can't wait to keep reading.

Review: Dark Hollow (Charlie Parker #2)

4 stars. What a STORY. Thick with dread, atmosphere, and mystery - I'm slowly breaking in my Charlie Parker shoes and I love the way they feel so far. The way everything fell into place in the final quarter? Worth the journey 100%. That is some genius plotting right there, even if the pacing isn't totally on the same level. But these books are maybe meant to be a little dense, a little bloated, a little wearisome. This is not a Dan Brown sort of popcorn thriller, with short chapters and ridiculous cliffhangers that zip you right along. It's much more character- and detail-driven.

Almost a year after the murder of his wife and child, Charlie Parker gets caught up in a new mystery that pivots into another mystery that careens him into yet another mystery before tying everything up in a crazy violent bow. The ingredients are as follows: the murder of a young woman and her child, in the process of leaving a toxic relationship; the missing man she was leaving; the local mob organization, after the money he stole; the trail of bodies connected; the young couple caught up in it all; and then there's the man chosen - by forces out of his control - to investigate; the ghosts that haunt him; and the friends he makes along way :)

It sounds like a lot because it is. Poor Bird - he's been through it, he's going through it, and he'll go through it for like 20 more books. But I love that he learns about himself, and about the world, and he changes accordingly. I mentioned this in my review of the first book - I love that he isn't a loner. I mentioned the final quarter above - I can't not say how much I absolutely adored the big reveal, and the action really just didn't stop from there. Finally, there is a lot of praise for beloved couple Louis and Angel out there, and it's well-deserved. They are really special.

Onto the quibbles: it's a bit dated - I smelled sympathy for abusers, I smelled fat-shaming, I smelled gratuitousness, and I smelled poorly-written female characters. The level of detail is also sometimes, like, insane. The descriptions of certain locations dragged down the momentum a bit, and there is also an interesting obsession with when, how, and where people find and eat their meals. But I think at the end of the day that's just part of the book's charm and quirkiness - I will absolutely be continuing with the journey moving forward.

Dark Hollow on: Amazon | Bookshop.org | Goodreads