Publisher – Subterranean Press

Published – out now US (29/12 UK)

Price – £31.39

"London's exorcists! I have a reward for all of you, a job for one of you. Come to Brierley House, 20th April, 9.00am." The newspaper ad is a baited hook and it smells like a three-day old corpse. But hey, it's a grand in hand just for turning up so Felix Castor goes in anyway, alongside the curdled cream of his dubious profession. And once he's in it's hard to get out again. Brierley House is the home of Russian oligarch Gavril Ustinov, now missing, his driven daughter Ksenia Ustinova and their staff of taciturn, sinister domestics. It also hosts an invisible force that attacks exorcists and negates their abilities--a force that seems to be centuries old. Ksenia wants Castor to locate her missing father, alive or dead. Castor wants to find out who set a trap for exorcists back in the late Middle Ages and what else they were up to. For a job this big he's got friends he can call on: zombie data-fence Nicky Heath, reformed succubus Juliet Salazar, jaded cop Gary Coldwood and Trudie Pax, the Anathemata's finest warrior. But the ghosts of Brierley are many, and they won't give up their secrets lightly...

I’ve never had a problem waiting for a book. There are so many good books already out there and sitting on my shelves and reader to read I never worry about the ones yet to be released. But there is always a joy when a favourite series announces a long-awaited instalment. I can confirm that the wait for a new Felix Castor novel by Mike Carey was indeed worth it delivering supernatural chills and a fine mystery in the process. The new novella The Ghost in The Bone – A Felix Castor Exorcism’ is a great jumping on point for a new reader 9before you go off and read the rest) and for older fans a nice recap of what happened and tantalisingly a clue to a future battle to come.

The world is going through weird events. The seasons are off and the dead are now coming back either as ghosts, in their own bodies or sometimes demons. To move them on a group of people who can see the dead and command them away are now in demand as an unofficial sort of consultant. One of this is London-based Ex-Liverpudlian Felix ‘Fix’ Castor who has been involved in a series of cases that have hinted a bigger game is causing all these strange events. Fix has battled demons, made friends with a succubus and still would like to pay the bills. An unusual advertisement for all exorcists to visit a posh home in London finds a supernatural force that fix has never encountered before and on top of that an intriguing Locked Room mystery to solve. Danger awaits but so do some hidden revelations about the world.

What hugely impressed me about this novella is how Carey makes it run like a team train in terms of plot, pace and action and yet brings new and old readers as to what has happened so far. Little asides, observations and gentle explanations aided by Foix’s traditional dryly humorous narration flow easily.  It’s a world where everyone knows the supernatural exists but not sure why. Where a succubus can hang up their evil a d Fix can now have a girlfriend who is an equally skilled exorcist and once former military squad member. For new readers it’s a world that dangles lots of cool things that should make you find the previous books but not confuse you enough with the current story (trust me this series is worth your time if you enjoy your contemporary fantasy with a touch of horror). For long-time reads its nice to see the world has been developing and where characters including Fix have ended up feels organic development without any earth-shattering resets.

The core mysteries are also rather well handled. Something supernatural that can stop an exorcist in their tracks is encountered and that is new to the series and Fix learning how to navigate it and then tries to learn what it is then brings the motivation to the case. The answer is stunning in more ways than one. On top of that a lean mystery of a missing Russian Oligarch and his desperate daughter looking for him. It’s a small-scale mystery but you get to see Fix and later Pax (aforementioned exorcist girlfriend) do their stuff with a side mystery of a politician who sounds a little familiar to us Brits. That plot brings the action, a little subterfuge and a few nice reversals that then neatly brings the plots together.

The Ghost In the Bone is a cunningly designed tale that does the difficult job of a unique mystery with bringing readers up to speed with a long running series. I loved it as a long-time fan. There is a hint more stories may follow so fingers crossed Fix will be back. I’m holding a sixth Felix Castor Story all is well in the world. Strongly recommended!