The Reanimator's Heart by Kara Jorgensen Series: The Reanimator Mysteries #1
Published by Fox Collie Publishing on October 25th 2022
Genres: Fantasy
Goodreads
A reluctant necromancer, a man killed before his time, and the crime that brings them together.
Felipe Galvan’s life as an investigator for the Paranormal Society has been spent running into danger. Returning home from his latest case, Felipe struggles with the sudden quiet of his life until a mysterious death puts him in the path of the enigmatic Oliver Barlow.
Oliver has two secrets. One, he has been in love with the charming Felipe Galvan for years. Two, he is a necromancer, but to keep the sensible life he’s built as a medical examiner, he must hide his powers. That is until Oliver finds Felipe murdered and accidentally brings him back from the dead.
But Felipe refuses to die again until he and Oliver catch his killer. Together, Felipe and Oliver embark on an investigation to uncover a plot centuries in the making. As they close in on his killer, one thing is certain: if they don’t stop them, Felipe won’t be the last to die.
Thank you to the author for giving me an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
I usually don’t like books with necromancers because zombies are a trigger for me, but I wanted to give this one a try. Mostly because of the author. I had a feeling that even if this book included zombies, it wouldn’t be as gruesome as other zombie media. And I was right.
Oliver, the necromancer, doesn’t like bringing people back from the dead. He has strict rules about it and only uses it to determine a possible paranormal death. Felipe is an investigator at the same institute and they’re forced to work together. They’ve known each other for a decade but never acted on their attraction to each other. This case brings them closer. Much, much closer. And an unfortunate incident triggers fate.
I love the two together and it’s clear that they complement each other and help each other grow. Even in their late thirties, it’s never too late to grow as a person.
The world building is incredible, weaving the known early 20-century New York with a layer of the paranormal without it looking out of place. The author sprinkled enough details to make the paranormal seem real without it becoming unrealistic. The story and the mystery were intriguing and while I had an inkling early on, the ending was still much more intense than I expected. Intense in a good way.
A small note that death, corpses, and other bodily parts are discussed. If this is something that triggers you, you might not want to read this book. Other content warnings might also apply.
I give The Reanimator’s Heart five stars. I absolutely loved the book and it’s going to be in my top reads this year. I highly, highly recommend this to anyone who wants fantasy romance that focuses on the relationship instead of the steam.
