Genre: Urban fantasy
Cover Artist: Alice Claire Coleman
Length: 400 pages
Release Date: 25 November 2025
Add to Goodreads
ARC review provided by Angry Robot Books and Netgalley
Blurb
Speaking with the dead is nothing new for Lou. It’s a curse she’s learned to hide from everyone – sometimes even herself. After running away from a past that took advantage of those abilities, Lou finally carves out a normal life for herself. That is, until she receives a mysterious message from a ghost – the Veil is thinning – and a cult of necromancers infiltrates her small town.
In a race to discover and defeat her foe, Lou learns she’s not alone in the fight. She grudgingly leans on her allies but wonders who to trust. What’s more impossible is suddenly finding herself the romantic interest of a man who somehow isn’t afraid of all the dark, creepy things about her… but even he has secrets for her to discover.
Time is running out, and reality seems to be slipping away. To save her new life and the people she loves, Lou must learn to accept who she is and embrace her true abilities, no matter where they might take her.
Review
This is a fun urban fantasy with tons of cozy and creepy vibes. It has the charm of a small town story with the quirky characters and limited locations, focusing more on the dynamics between each character and element.
Lou has a gift to see the dead. Her whole life is build around her gift. Where she lives, where she works, which route she takes home. She prefers the quiet over the chatty and sometimes hostile ghosts that chase her around town. Her crush on a local police officer quickly turns into something dangerous when a group of people invade her quiet moments at the cemetery. Scott is much more than just a cop. He’s not the only one in her regular life who is more than what they seem.
She has to pivot quickly and find her footing before her whole life is destroyed, and she’s doing someone else’s bidding. The most interesting thing about Lou’s journey is how she turns from a pacifist into someone confident in her power. She couldn’t have done this without the help of her friends, and she knows she has to trust other people, even after a horrible childhood that left her scarred.
The other cast of characters, all with their own voices, style, and gifts, are intriguing. A found family, or rag tag band of heroes. However you want to see it. It’s fun to see the banter and the distrust, then how they come together. The author took great care to make everything seem earned. And that’s what makes this book so good.
Pick this one up if you’re looking for a quick and cozy read with plenty of stakes and action.
About the author
Sarah Broadway works as a news producer at a TV station in Alabama. Sarah’s passion for storytelling has her delving into the fictional world during her free time. She writes in several different genres, though it’s always contemporary fantasy and the paranormal that feels the most like home. When she’s not writing, Sarah can be found knitting, crocheting, or spending time outdoors surrounded by nature.
