Bibliography: Carey, Mike. (2007).  The Devil You Know.  New York: Grand Central Publishing.  ISBN: 978-0446580304 (hc) 978-0446618700 (pb)

Plot Summary: Felix “Fix” Castor is trying to quit–the exorcism trade that is.  He agrees to take one last case at the Bonnington Archive in London.  Seems like it should be straight forward enough, but he should have learned long ago things are never what they seem, and there are people who will do anything (summon anything) to keep him from untangling this complex web of lies to find the truth.

Critical Analysis:  Felix Castor is a great character with one heck of a back story.  And Carey does an excellent job of making the world he lives in and the skills he has seem rather ordinary in a way.  I love the details and the layers of realism and fantasy that Carey has so carefully created.  But most of all, as a mystery junkie (addict?)  I was pleased when the paranormal dark fantasy turned out to be a an excellent mystery with an exciting and suspenseful climax.  So for me, it is more that this is an interesting well-written mystery with a fascinating protagonist than anything else that will get me to put up the next installment in the series.

Review Excerpts:  ”The resolution of this ingeniously multilayered tale will satisfy fans of both fantasy and detective fiction. Fix Castor’s wisecracking cleverness in the face of weird nemeses makes him the perfect hardboiled hero for a new supernatural noir series.”–Publisher’s Weekly

“After a slow first few pages, the story takes off…. an appealing underdog protagonist who readily acknowledges his many flaws…The job-turned-mystery angle works fine too until it hits a rather chunky spot of explanation near the end. By then the book will have woven a haunting spell over most readers, ensuring anticipation of the next installment….”–VOYA

“Carey’s writing is nimble and witty, his dialogue believable. The exorcist’s sardonic observations and personal sense of tragedy make him an unlikely, likable hero….Carey transcends his comic roots in this quirky, dark and imaginative tale that compels readers to keep turning pages long after they should have gotten to sleep.”–Kirkus Reviews

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