Felix Castor is an exorcist, but not your typical, run of the mill one. First he is an athiest, so don't think he may be a man of the cloth. Second, he plays a flute to banish the spirits, so leave behind your notions of Latin and sygil drawing. And third, he is a smart-ass cynic, well you might have expected that. Just before the turn of the century spirits began to rise by the droves, as ghosts, zombies, and weres, so people like Castor are suddenly in high demand. Only, Castor doesn't want to do his job anymore. After a bad run in with a particularly nasty demon, Castor decides to turn in his flute, but then it never really is that easy is it?
Instead Castor takes a job when the lack of money gets to him. He is asked to exorcize a ghost from the Bonnington Archive in London. But as he delves deeper into the mystery surrounding the ghost in an effort to get a handle on her, Castor discovers a web of lies, theft, and murder at the Archive. Instead of simply sending the ghost where ever it is that he sends them with his music, Castor instead decides to solve the case. And so the wild chase insues.
I really liked this book! I picked it up a little afraid that it wouldn't be something I would choose to read and instead discovered a new series that I will be picking up in the future. Yes, this book is the first in a series which means I should have left it for next year, but like Sue Grafton's novels (i.e. A is for Alibi) you can read them almost as seperate books. So I decided to read this with the others on my shelf, and I am ver glad that I did.
At first while reading the discription of the Archive ghost at night, I thought I might have nightmares, but it was simply my imagination getting away from me with the narrative. Soon I found myself drawn into the story, loving Castor, and wanting to find out what had happened to the sad ghost that Castor was hired to get rid of. The characters are great, and the story twists in ways you wouldn't expect until the very end. Mike Carey has an amazing gift with words, I especially loved it when he made a Doctor Who reference. And while some of the words were a little forgein to me because it is Brittish, I was able to pick up the meanings well enough. I even think I might be able to move around parts of London thanks to his discriptions.
Like I said, I fell in love with this book. I recommend everyone who loves a good mystery, a little horror, and a bit of the supernatural, take up this book. I think you will be as pleased with it as I was!
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