Update: now having read this book for the third time (second audiobook listen) I literally had a perpetual goofy smile on my face throughout the whole thing. Moira Quirk is amazing for all the weird characters and crazy shenanigans of this queer AF, spooky, mystical, gory locked room (tomb?) mystery.

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We did it, friends. After a long, grueling 5 months of books that didn't stand out... I've finally found another 5⭐️ read.

It was a little wordy and pronoun-antecedent agreement might be a foreign concept to this particular author, but man, for a book about necromancy, the words really came alive.

I notoriously hate banter in books because it inhabits only the dialogue and usually at awkward or completely inappropriate times. Here, banter was everywhere, in the dialogue, in the descriptions, in the narration. The only thing there was more of in this book than banter/wit/sass/puns were bones and other assorted dead things. (I repeat, this is a book about necromancy, so... Duh)

I went into this book knowing nothing except the byline "lesbian necromancers in space" and when the plot started to unfold, I got worried. Along with banter, I notoriously hate competitions as a plot point. But this wasn't a competition. It didn't have rules or clear winners. It just had a whole bunch of very powerful and suspicious people sharing space for too long.

My one disappointment (okay, well maybe there are two) was that we ended with a cliche and that we never get a certain relevant question answered. I assume that since this is destined to be a series, that question will be answered in time, but it was hinted at right at the end and then not delivered and I felt like I'd been tricked.

If you like spooky, The Gay, really cool and unique magic, swordfights, skeletons, witty banter, inappropriate jokes, puns, and violent dismemberment, this book is for you.