Downpour

Greywalker #6

by Kat Richardson, Mia Barron (Narrator)

In her sixth adventure, Harper travels to the Olympic Peninsula for a pre-trial investigation. There she meets the spirit of a man who claims he was murdered. Harper's search for answers leads her to a resort the locals call Blood Lake. A malevolent power lurks beneath its frosty waters along with a cadre of other hellish beings - all being controlled by a group of sinister mages. Soon Harper is risking her life to prevent them from continuing their dark plans.

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Paranormal, Mystery, Fiction, Magic, Supernatural

13 pages, Audiobook

First published August 1, 2011

About the author

Bestselling author of the Greywalker paranormal detective novels. Former theater brat, singer, dancer, gemology and jewelry course-writer, liveaboard boater, and editor. Currently lives in the wilds of far-western Washington with her husband and dogs.

Reviews

[Denisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is where the series gets boring.


It has some interesting parts, but not many.

[ᴥ Irena ᴥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5
Downpour has a misfortune to come right after the book with the fastest pace in the series (among other great things). It isn't then surprising that it seems too slow at times. It took almost a third of the book to move forward or at least seemed like it. A perfect place for this book would have been before the fifth.
I would suggest taking a break between Labyrinth and Downpour if nothing else but to be able to appreciate this story more. But the truth is that it is not as great as the previous ones.

There are a lot of things that are different here. For one, Harper is changed. She has lost some things and gain new ones in her weird arsenal. That gave her an opportunity to show more of her character. That is one of the good things since you get to see the way she works without certain things she had before.
Next, this is the first book that doesn't take place in a city. Almost everything takes place in nature.

Harper is sent to the Olympic Peninsula to investigate a witness for a trial. While there, she sees a ghost of a murdered man. It seems that nobody knows that the man is dead which starts her other investigation. Not that she has any choice in the matter since she cannot avoid those cases connected to the Grey.

Downpour has too many cultures, mythologies, magical systems mashed into its story. And some things (Jin and others) aren't given enough space to be as interesting as they should be.

Another thing that might not annoy others is that Quinton entered the story two thirds in. It changed for the better from there on since the moment he arrives there is more action. As for their relationship, there is this great change (a good one) that was a bit too much as far as I am concerned. It was unnecessary.

Overall, I did like it, but not as much as other books in the series.

[The Reading List (Megan) · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me a little while to figure out why I didn't enjoy this novel as much as I did the others in the series.

It was sort of eating away at me and I actually sat and thought about it before writing this review. I came to the conclusion that it's because it seems like everything that's been happening with Harper so far comes to a grinding halt in this novel.

In book five of the series, Harper was literally in the fight of her life. She had to track down vampire overlord, Edward Kammerling in London, find out who killed her father, and save her own hide from Wygan--one of the astetem, a race of powerful ancient vampires--who needs Harper for his evil scheme.

That whole saga ended in Labyrinth and I was looking forward to more action packed scenes, maybe some more explanations about the astetem and the vampires, more talks with the Danzingers who are probably my favorite secondary characters (by the way)-- but that's not what happened.

Downpour honestly seems like a filler novel which is disappointing since I had so many unanswered questions after Labyrinth.

The plotline in this novel feels like something that Richardson would have done early on in the series. It's the classic, "solve the case, save the town" kind of story. I love those types of novels, don't get me wrong, but without the character growth or any advancement in the overarching plot it just falls flat and quickly becomes dull and hard to read. It just feels much too late in the series for this.

There are some references to earlier events and there's a brief exchange with Will's brother, Michael, and some dialogue with Seattle Police Detective Rey Solis about Will's disappearance, but that ultimately goes nowhere except a trip down memory lane.

However, I digress. There were a number of things I did like about the book. As usual Richardson continues to create interesting new characters. I really liked Jin and Harper's "frienemy-like" relationship with him; and Willow, one of Steven's daughters, was so looney she was perfect. The witty banter between Harper and Quinton was cute and funny as always. And Richardson continues to be amazing at world building and creating the desolate and creepy feeling that you get when Harper slips into the Grey.

As a long time fan of the series, I will read the next book. I just hope that book seven will have the same flair that made me fall in love with the series in the beginning.

[Kathy Davie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sixth in the Greywalker urban fantasy series revolving around Harper Blaine a private investigator for Others as well as the real world in Seattle.

My Take
I love the combination of magic and science between Harper and Quinton. He has his piezoelectric and wave guides, amplitudes and frequencies, which are mother's milk to Quinton while Harper slides sideways into the Grey.

In this installment, Richardson plays on our fears of the dark, the woods, and water as well as the beasties that hide under our beds. Then she toys with our worries about being lost within officialdom as she forces Quinton to face his particular fears. Harper must strengthen up from her own worries about how the Grey has changed for her since her adventures in Labyrinth .

I did enjoy Richardson's description of Costigan's living room furniture "shapeless couches like sleeping buffalo lay here and there on the floor...small lost ottomans snuggling...like the herd of furniture had just settled itself down for the night". Then one of the sofas tried to eat Harper. Eek!

The Story
Harper died again in Labyrinth , 5, and Quinton blames himself for getting there almost too late. The bargain he made with the FBI just wasn't working fast enough and now he's on the lam again. Solis too is looking at Harper for information about her ex who has disappeared.

So, it's only too helpful that Nanette Grover wants Harper to check out one of her potential witnesses up at Lake Crescent. Any excuse to get out of town. Only, Harper can't leave the Grey behind and when she comes across the ghostly blaze of an SUV with its burning man, she has no choice but to investigate. Opening a huge can of worms — almost literally — with a great many unsavory characters. Almost a grand tour of evil and powers.

An anchor out of place. A nexus that is being drained, contested. There are five of them. Five playing with magic, stealing it from the lake, and nothing will be fixed until the true owner of the nexus takes it on. There's the child, the rogue, the puppeteer, the nexus keeper, the ley weaver, and the east. It's a puzzle matching everyone to their positions.

The Characters
Something broke for Harper Blaine in Labyrinth , and she can no longer form shapes from the Grey nor can she bend the magic. She's not sure just what her abilities are anymore in the Grey. Quinton is more nervous than ever. Ever since events in Labyrinth. He doesn't want to hold Harper back. But. He also wants her safe. Chaos, the ferret, is more hyper than ever and he has reason.

Detective Reyes Solis is more suspicious than ever especially since it took Will Nolan's doctor to report him missing. Now Solis is after Michael Nolan and Harper for information. Michael suspects Harper knows more than she's said and he just wants out. He wants to go back to London where no one knows anything. No one looks at him with pity.

Steven Leung is the only one who knows he's missing. Now Harper wants to know who he is and what happened to him. Well, his daughters might know but if they do, they're not telling. Jewel Newman is too busy playing the grande dame of the lake although she's paying for it now while Willow Leung is more of a goddess of the woods. Geoff Newman is Jewel's husband. Elias Costigan is another drain on the lake.

Jin is a Chinese demon from Diyu; helpful as well as a killer requiring payment for everything. Darin Shea is a potential witness for Nanette Grover in a case she's trying and she has asked Harper to vet him. Brett Ridenour is the senior ranger for the park; he's also rather over the top when it comes to protecting "his" park and taking down Willow Leung. Deputy Alan Strother is placed in charge of Leung's crash. Deputy Soren Faith is Strother's backup.

Mara and Ben Danziger make a cameo appearance. The new Guardian Beast, the former Will Nolan, has a different aspect and seems to communicate differently with Harper.

The Cover and Title
The cover has a golden metallic sheen over its creepy, vintage-brown and black background of the mountain-surrounded lake with a huge full moon, an arm rising up out of the lake and Harper in her fitted black leather jacket, jeans, and her luscious red scarf wrapped around her neck. She's intent on something off in the distance, her gun pointed toward the ground.

The title refers to the weakness that comes across Jewel each time a Downpour hits the lake.

[Ranting Dragon · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://www.rantingdragon.com/downpour...


As the sixth installment in the Greywalker series by Kat Richardson, Downpour continues the story of Seattle-based P. I. Harper Blaine. Harper is no ordinary private investigator, however. When she died for two minutes earlier in her life, Harper became a Greywalker—a human able to interact with and manipulate the strange plane of energy, magic, and ghosts known as the Grey.

Original and unique
The thing that initially captivated me about this series is the unique system it uses for magic and the paranormal. Not since Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn trilogy have I encountered such an original idea; what Mistborn’s system is to epic fantasy, the system in the Greywalker novels is to urban fantasy. The Grey is home to ghosts, of places as well as people. As a Greywalker, Harper is able to enter the Grey and slip through time to these ghostly pasts. It truly puts a new spin on the entire private investigator angle, and is utterly fascinating, not to mention fluid, as the shape of it changes from location to location in the physical world, making things all sorts of fun and twisty!

Change of scenery
In Downpour, Harper is drawn out of her comfort zone of Seattle to investigate a decades old mystery which leads her to the Sunset Lakes, west of Seattle in Washington state. I personally love it when authors take characters and throw them into new situations, and this book is an example of why. Not only is the environment different from that Harper is used to working in, but the shape of the Grey is also different in the Sunset Lakes area. Watching Harper adjust to the changes was truly a joy to observe as she went about it in a complete out-of-the-box way.

Real troubles equal real characters
The thing that truly sold this novel for me, though, was the character development—particularly of the two main characters: Harper and her boyfriend, Quinton. Both drawn out of their comfort zones, it is interesting to see the adapting they must do. Harper must cope with the changing of the Grey while Quinton—your smarter-than-average tech geek—gets thrown into situations requiring physical action. Specifically, violent physical action. How they handle themselves in the various situations, both socially and mentally, was a treat to read.

More than that, however, the tensions within their relationship really made me connect with the characters. As Harper is drawn away from Seattle, and subsequently Quinton, Quinton himself becomes more withdrawn and distant. The confrontation of these difficulties truly makes the pair feel real to the reader, and drew a number of strong emotional reactions from me—something which rarely occurs when I read a book.

Why should you read this book?
For newcomers to the series, I recommend starting with book one, Greywalker. While a reader could pick up Downpour not having read the rest of the series and understand most everything, you must have read the other books to get the fullest experience from the novel. However, I recommend the series in general for its wonderful character work and its sheer uniqueness and originality.

For longtime fans and readers of the series, Downpour is an absolute must-read. The plot follows through from the fifth book, but the true value lies within the characters. It’s definitely a journey to savor as Harper and Quinton must rediscover who they are when forced out of their comfort zones. The secondary characters are no slouches either, and the mystery surrounding the Sunset Lakes is absolutely captivating. Like the rest of the series, not a single word goes to waste with every action and reaction being used to fourth the story, a definite plus. The Grey continues to be unique, the series subplots get a boost, and the banter is fun to watch. This series is one of the few which truly feels as if it could exist in our world, and Downpour does nothing to dissuade me of that opinion. If anything, it reaffirms it and then some.

[Olga Godim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a solid paranormal mystery, a part of a series. I didn’t read the other books of the series but I didn’t miss much, as each new book explores a new paranormal conundrum. The protagonist of the series Harper is a PI – in a normal world. But she has a double life. She is a Graywalker too. Her second job is a sort of a border guard between the normal world and the Gray – the paranormal plane which coexists with our own. When something untoward happens in the Gray – demons, ghosts, or other assorted daemon misbehave – she has to investigate and fix it.
This time, a ghost of a man brutally murdered five years ago cries out for her help, and she is obliged to investigate and find his murderer. The mystery is complex, with many unexpected snags and twists, and Harper must deal with a diverse bunch of magic users and magic beings to get to the bottom and find the truth. Many of her ‘witnesses’ lie, while others try to consume her or use her for their own ends. She is smart enough to avoid all the pitfalls and powerful enough to triumph over her adversaries, but life is never easy for a paranormal investigator.
I like Harper. She is a strong, resilient heroine. Unlike many in the genre, she is not overburdened by conscience; she does what must be done and doesn’t bother feeling guilty afterwards. She doesn’t do soul-searching either. Maybe she did in the first few books of the series, but not in this one. I think, like many real people in law-enforcement and medical professions, she has built a wall between herself and her job, and she doesn’t allow emotional stuff to seep through. My aunt was a GP and she had this detachment too. Compassion is too costly in such jobs.
In fact, the emotional subtext is almost missing from all the characters. Action and danger abound, adventure and magic run gamut, but sentimental mush simply isn’t there.
The magical system is sophisticated and original, the writing clear and error-free, and the pacing reasonably fast, but this book has a problem too: the narrative is bogged down in details. Too many details can be deadly for a genre novel, and that’s what’s almost happening in this book.
Descriptions of geography take pages at a time, and so do involved explanations of magic. The particulars of Harper’s previous cases interfere in the smooth flow of the current one without any relevant connection. Harper also has a pet ferret, and it adds to the amusement factor of the story, but when she recounts the ferret’s activity every time the creature is awake, the action stops, and the reader wonders: is it important to the plot? Spoiler: it isn’t, so boredom settles in.
Aside from the avalanche of details and the faint personal coldness of all the characters, the book was easy to read. It was a captivating paranormal mystery and I’d recommend it to those who like the genre.

[Suz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must have enjoyed it more than I realized because I finished it and jumped right into the next and finished it before it occurred to me to update Goodreads. :)

[Renae · Rating 2 out of 5]

While reading Downpour I had something of a bookish epiphany. It was a pretty cool moment and really made me understand myself more as a reader. See, I’m a big fan of the Greywalker series in the theoretical, but I find that in reality, I often struggle with the books. But I keep coming back to the series, even though I know that it’s never going to be an all-time favorite, because I love Kat Richardson’s ideas. And I realized that the reason I’ve been having this constant back-and-forth is really quite simple: Downpour (and its five prequels) are rather plot-driven novels, whereas I am an extremely character-focused reader. There’s nothing, honestly, wrong with this book—it just doesn’t hone in on the aspects of the story that I have a greater attraction to. It was a very enlightening self-discovery, to say the least.

But anyway, I think it goes without saying that my favorite parts of Downpour were the moments when protagonist Harper was off-duty and vulnerable with her boyfriend, Quinton. Those few and brief scenes are the only real times that Richardson focuses on characterization, so naturally those are the parts that I was most interested in. However, most of the book is focused on Harper’s unraveling of a mysterious magical lake near Port Angeles, Washington, and the Chinese demons who flock to it. The plot in this book hearkens back to the first few novels in the series, where Harper’s personal struggles and paranormal abilities were kept on the sidelines in favor of a complex investigation. Richardson is good at those types of plots, I think—unfortunately, I’m not really the reader for it, so I spent most of my time wanting to get some insight into Harper’s emotions and thoughts, which came far too seldom for my taste.

This book is interesting, though, in comparison to the fifth book in the series, Labyrinth, in how unfocused it is on Harper. I thought, personally, that the fifth book read a lot like a series conclusion, and was confused as to how the author was going to continue on for another four installments. But I think Downpour shows that there’s still longevity in these characters, though for me it was disappointing, after such a Harper-centric story, to return to a plot where Harper seems like little more than eyes and ears through which the reader unravels a mystery, rather than a fully developed character in her own right.

And don’t get me wrong. I want to like Harper—I do. But this is not a series focused on its protagonist’s growth, so I am not left with a definite feeling of who she is. There’s nothing truly objectionable about this, but I’m left feeling that there is a lack of depth in this particular area.

So, by and large, Downpour was not the success it could have been for another reader. I’ve started to think that as much as I like this series (and urban fantasy) on a theoretical level, it just may not be the genre for me. Which is unfortunate. I might finish up the Greywalker series, if only for those brief tidbits where Richardson allows Harper’s personality to shine out, but I’ll keep reading only with reasonable expectations.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

After dying, again, Harper Blaine’s skills in the Grey have changed, and author Kat Richardson does a great job of restarting this exciting mystery series after the climactic events of the previous book. Even the image on the cover looks older—a wiser, darker, oddly stronger Greywalker learning the ropes of her altered life.

References to events in the past book reminded me it was a while since I last read it. But the story flows quickly and convincingly, so readers new to the series could easily start here. If you know Seattle you'll love seeing remembered locations. If not, you'll discover the mist and rain of the Olympic Peninsula, described just as convincingly as downtown streets, all subjected to the powers of invading magic.

Filled with evocative descriptions, well-researched history, intriguing mystery, convincing missteps and a host of great characters, Downpour is a fast dark urban fantasy, blended with scenes from the National Parks, twisted myths, and an enjoyable touch of romance.

Disclosure: We bought Seawitch when we visited Seattle, then I realized I still hadn’t read Downpour, so now I’m catching up.

[Stephen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although I enjoyed the book, this was my least favourite in the Greywalker series. Some of the characters seemed to be simply thrown in for good measure, some of the more potentially interesting characters were not developed and certain parts of the plot were a little thin.

Kat writes in her author's note at the end of the book:

"I leaned heavily on Dashiel Hammett’s book Red Harvest for the basic plot structure—which he stole from previous authors, so I figured he couldn’t complain, not least of al because he’s been dead for quite a while"

It did seem like it was a story that had been shoe-horned into the Greywalker universe then sprinkled with obscure cultural references and the odd hat tip to the Twilight saga on top for good measure.

Hope the next in the series is better as I really enjoyed the rest.

[Vickie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series and especially this addition. Not only seeing Harper grow in her powers and her relationship with Quinton, but to learn about new-to-me myths and legends. Kat researches wonderfully to present a well-told tale to the reader.
I could feel the atmosphere of the rain that was intrinsic to the story, the exhaustion of battles, just wonderful.
Harper is still finding her way and each time, when it should be getting simpler, it becomes more difficult. She pushes on, she has a duty. She knows it's the right thing to do.
I can definitely recommend this book.

[Chana · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was non-stop action, but it was also tedious. The details of colors and energy just got to be too much. If someone tried to describe a week long light show, well that would get tedious.
An investigator from Seattle goes to the Olympic Peninsula to interview a potential witness. He becomes a secondary concern pretty quickly as our investigator is approached by a burning ghost who tells her he has been murdered. Soon she is up to her elbows in ghosts, zombies and mages. Don't mess with her, she can hold her own.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am in PAIN for this rating.

[Korin: A Crone Running Amok · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I love most about these books is that she doesn't know everything. Not a super-hero, just a women with an extraordinary power trying to do the right thing.

[Lorre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great Greywalker story!

[Shelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Rating* C
*Genre* Urban Fantasy

*Review*

Downpour is the sixth release in the Greywalker series featuring Harper Blaine, a Seattle P.I. who is known as a Greywalker. A Greywalker is a person who is able to tread the thin line between the living world and the paranormal realm. Harper became a Greywalker after she was dead for two minutes following a brutal attack on her. (See Book # 1 for more information.)

It is now nine months since the aftermath of Labyrinth and Harper is slowly getting back work after being shot in the back and dying yet again. Harper has also changed in a big way and knows that the next time that she dies, she may not be coming back because her father’s mojo that has saved her in the past, has since moved on.

She takes on a case for Nannette Grover, a lawyer she works closely with. It seems to be an easy case; look into the background of a potential witness before it is time to go to trial. Determine if the witness is credible or not, and write up a paper to that affect.

Of course, nothing is easy in Harpers world. She sees strange things coming off a lake while talking to said witness, and realizes that there is something not quite right going on in the area. Harper then comes across a willful spirit of a man who states his death was not an accident and Harper knows that she can’t walk away from it and ends up being contracted with the family of the deceased to find out who killed him and why.

Harper has become something of a champion of causes for those who have died unnatural deaths. She has become the human instrument of the thing that keeps the grey safe and the rest of the world safe from the grey. When the Guardian wants something, he pushes her into making it a priority over everything else.

Harper comes in contact with witches, mages, Chinese demons, and bodies that appeared to have been turned into soap, zombies, weird and strange animals, and a family that has been splintered because of an older sisters power grab.

There is also something of a new beginning between Harper and her love Quinton. Who knew that having sex in a strange home would end up soul-binding them? How this all plays out in the next book, will be interesting to follow.


Dislikes:

Alright I’ll just come out and say it; I hate ferrets! She spends way, way too much time talking about the exploits of the ferrets which could have been used on other things. I really don't care how many shoes the idiotic things steals, or that it eats out of her shoes, or that it growls at weird and strange animals. I just want the thing to gracefully go away.

Harper seems almost dense to the point of forgetting a major player in the storyline. The same player SHE was sent to talk to and background check on for an upcoming trial. The same mystery person who just happens to be in the neighborhood one too many times when things happen for anyone to not realize something hinky was going on and he might be an interested party.

Is everything about Twilight? I mean it is kind of interesting that Richardson used Forks as a reference for a movie, but really?

Final Thoughts: I believe this book is a transition book of sorts. The Danzingers, who have been with Harper since she learned what she can do, have nearly been written out of the story after Ben decides to write his book and Mara doesn't really know how to deal with Harper anymore. I won't be surprised if they don't appear in any further storylines.

Kat Richardson
Greywalker
1. Greywalker (2006)
2. Poltergeist (2007)
3. Underground (2008)
4. Vanished (2009)
5. Labyrinth (2010)
6. Downpour (08/02/2011)
7. Seawitch (August 2012)

[BookAddict ✒ La Crimson Femme · Rating 3 out of 5]

Is this the end for me in this series? I think so. Harper is dragged into the Grey again. This time, it's just f-ed up Chinese magic stuff. I actually understood some of it without research because I am Chinese.

In this latest installment, Harper is still with Owen. This is good because I like him. Harper is following up on a lead for a witness and ends up opening a huge can of worms. She finds a town where the ley lines are unbalanced. Figuring out how this is all going wrong and how she can fix it was actually pretty good.

I enjoyed the detective work. I also enjoyed the introduction of Chinese ghost mythology with demons. I can say, the romanization of the word Demon was dead on and I immediately knew silk and Chinese characters would be involved. I liked this tie in.

What dragged for me was Harper's interview with each of the suspects and putting it together. For some reason, this story seemed to never end for me. It was frustrating. Instead of a quick read in one sitting, it took me two days with breaks of reading other books until I finished. I can't quite put my finger one why this book was so difficult for me to pick up and get through. I do like Ms. Richardson's writing style. I can also tell that she does a lot of research which enhances her books. Yet at the same time, it kind of makes her books a bit dry. I think that may be it for me. Or it could be that I can't really connect with Harper so I am not emotionally vested. I do want to re-iterate this book is well written and I do recommend it to urban fantasy lovers. There is no sex in it, so no smut for you!

[Caramelia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've been reading the whole Greywalker series and loved it up to Labyrinth. Labyrinth was a little too long-winded and strangely weird for me, I didn't like it very much. Sadly this happens with a lot of book series, the first two or three books are awesome and then you get the feeling that the author kind of had to stretch the story of the main protagonist to get some more books out of it.

This is what happened with Downpour too. There's almost no story about Harper, Quinton has a kind of cameo entry, I'm missing the continuity in the story (jumping from pre-trial standard PI work to stumbling upon something to do with the Grey, strangely cooperative officials, the story about Wil Novak, police simply closing a case, etc) - it's weird.

I still like the world-building, I obviously like the main characters, but I don't think I'll pick up the next Greywalker book (if there will be one).

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Kat Richardson’s Downpour. The new cast of characters were enjoyable and the plot was engaging. Chinese demons and a collection of greedy magic users fuels the mystery of who done it and how to fix it. I always enjoy when Chaos gets to play the role of side kick and I wasn’t disappointed with her time in Downpour. It’s been quite a few years since I’ve been to the Olympic Peninsula and having the books set there was a fun way to go back for a visit.

[Deanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this installment of the greywalker series, set outside of Seattle, Harper is working on gathering information.
Driving down a road she comes across the scene of an accident, but it's a ghost scene. As a result Harper is led into solving a mystery, not just the murder but what is going on at Crescent lake.

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely and convoluted mystery. One of the things I like about this series is that the main character relies mostly on her wits - and the help of others - to fix/solve things. Her abilities as a Greywalker aid her but are never the actual answer to anything. She uses her BRAIN. I wish I knew that trick.

[orannia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three and three-quarter stars. Another good book in the series. I am now used to the slow pacing and the complex magical explanations (which I alwaysget hoplessly lost in), with all the speed occurring in the last quarter of the book, but it does mean it's a series I need to read slowly.

[Jon]

Downpour is the sixth book in the Greywalker series, and Richardson has indeed allowed Harper Blaine to chase after lesser monsters for a time. This is a good thing, as after she was shot at the end of the last book, she's lost stamina, and a certain amount of her Grey manipulating abilities, though perhaps has gained some more subtle arcane skills. The saga continues to be a little dark, but as one might expect from a setting in the western rain forest zone, gets pretty wet, as well.

While investigating a witness for a lawyer friend in a mundane case, Harper encounters the ghost of a man who has been murdered and his car disposed of by dumping it in the middle of Lake Crescent, near Port Angeles. For better or worse, Harper is still the chosen agent of the Guardian Beast of the Grey, and it's up to her to remedy disturbances in that realm.

The lake area has long been a center and source of magical power, and two major ley lines cross there. But one of the ley lines has come unglued when its anchor was removed, and the resulting flailing around of the untethered end has resulted in a free for all situation for the magic users, magic creatures, and other denizens of this sleepy little resort area.

Richardson weaves a lot of local flavor into this tale, and spent a significant amount of time in the area researching its history. Harper and Quinton take their relationship to a whole new level, which may foreshadow a more active role for him in future installments. In place of the Egyptian mythos that we saw in Labyrinth, she adds an element of Chinese mysticism to this story.

[Loryn Kelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Downpour is the sixth book for the Greywalker Series. Like the others, I enjoyed it. It reminded me of the second book, Poltergeist. At times, Downpour was a bit hard to follow. The storyline bounced, not making much sense. I had to reread a few paragraphs to grasp what the author was trying to portray. Honestly, despite enjoying most of it, this was one of my least favorite books of the series.

There were little things that I didn't care for. First, the beginning of the story was bland. I expected to read about the aftermath of the Grey battle. Instead, it flashes forward. The details are vaguely mentioned in the first few chapters, but I think the author missed a great opportunity to ensnare the audience. It just felt wrong considering Harper Blaine, the protagonist, died. Second, I felt like Kat Richardson was dissing Stephenie Meyer. Harper and Quinton make little comments while they're in Port Angeles. It just pushed me the wrong way. Third, the writing was difficult to decipher during certain moments (as I already mentioned).

Of course, if you're this far, you've got to read it. I know I sound like a Negative Nancy, but there were some great moments too. Downpour is the most romantic book of the bunch. There are also moments of closure for some loose-ends. If you're wanting a quick read, you can find Downpour for free on Free Online Novels.

[Ben Truong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Downpour is the sixth book in the Greywalker series written by Kat Richardson and centered on Harper Blaine, a private investigator, who inadvertently became a Greywalker, a person who can see and walk among the supernatural, when she died for two minutes.

At the start of the novel, Harper Blaine is once again recovering from another brush with death – she got shot in the head in the previous installment. It isn’t the first time she's died and she fears it might not be the last. However, each death has changed her life profoundly and irrevocably. The first time she died it gave her the abilities of a Greywalker and her latest death dialed back her powers to a more manageable level.

Harper Blaine heads out to the Olympic National Park west of the Sound, taking her through Port Angeles and the now-familiar Forks (Twilight series). During some simple pre-trail work for a lawyer, using her role as a private investigator to get away from the deadly Grey work, she encounters a burning car accident victim to investigate his death, because he thinks that he has been murdered, which Harper Blaine seems to confirm when doing some basic background checks.

Further investigation around the local area has Harper Blaine immediately knows that something is peculiar and wrong going on in Lake Crescent. While investigating his death, she wastes no time running into the new strange creatures of the Grey: white creatures with the jaws of a bulldog but sporting large black horns, which she eventually finds out are East-Asian in nature. Harper Blaine ponders whiter these strange creatures are here because there is something wrong with the Grey or the Grey is going wrong because of these creatures.

Downpour is written somewhat well. Richardson has mixed the paranormal, magic and urban fantasy rather well. This installment returns Harper Blaine back to her detective work roots, which was sorely missed in her previous installment where she acted more like a Greywalker – after all Harper Blaine is a detective who just happens to be a Greywalker.

Richardson's excellent descriptions of the surroundings are wonderful. However, her description of the Grey seemed more confusing than mystical, which might be the point of the Grey – it's supposed to be difficult to describe in words – as if words are inadequate to describe the Grey. The dialogue has significantly improved than her previous installments.

All in all, Downpour is written rather well and a good continuation for the series, which I plan to read in the very near future.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A stand-alone entry in the series--while knowledge of the history of the main characters is helpful, it is not part of the overall series arc.

Potential spoilers ahead!

Harper is checking on a potential witness for a lawyer when she sees the ghostly images of a car accident--the man who died in said wreck tells her he was murdered. So she starts looking into it, and there is a lot more going on that just a simple murder. The neighborhood lake is a power nexus, but something has upset the balance, and the power is wild--and magic users are taking advantage of that. The Guardian Beast drafts Harper to take care of it and set things right--and she gets a tidy payday as well.

Both the magical and non-magical crimes get resolved, and Harper and Quentin's relationship takes an unexpected turn, thanks to all the unfettered magic in the area. A decent amount of ferret antics as well.

[Braden · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is this lady named Harper Blaine and she is a Private investigator. She is also a grey walker and there is this creature called the guardian beast and the beast makes Harper Blaine do errands for him.
This mission for the beast is the lake called the Blood lake and there are people that are Chinese and they have powers. The people that have powers are controlling the lake. There is this one person who controls the lake and she hires Harper to grab all the power for her.

I put five stars on this book because it is a fast paced book and it does not take long for the book to get started and that is what I like. It is also intense book and lots of action in the book. I recommend this book to anyone that is into fast paced then you would like this book.

[L.A.L. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is tough review for me. Overall, I’ve enjoyed the series, but this one fell a bit flat for me. I skimmed several chapters & pushed through just to finish it. A big story arc ended in the previous book, and so this one seemed a bit adrift, as if not knowing where to go after the end of that arc. Part of me thinks this series might have been better off ending with book 5. But here we are, book 6 and there are 3 more after this one. I will read book 7 and hopefully the series will find itself again.

[Andy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I continue to enjoy this series the protagonist Harper is a fun character to follow around. I love that her cases involve both mystery and the supernatural. The whole series is super bingeable. I usually only read one or two books in a series during a year, but I am already on #6 and looking forward to #7. I thought the case Harper tackled this time was super interesting and I loved that it took place outside of her usual haunts. The continued evolution of her and Quentin's relationship is one of my favorite parts of each book. Can't wait for the next one!

[Jacob Guy Segalov · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the problems with long series is the fact that the villains are getting stronger, and the main character should become stronger too to handle them.
The author found nice trick to deal with the fact that the main character became overpowered in the last book and bring her back to the roots.
After books 4-5 we are going back to local investigation. In one hand, it's more fitting for the characters. On the other, after the last book, we got used to more.
It's interesting to see if this move will save or kill the series.