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The Brackenford Cycle #1
Location, Location, Damnation
"Trev Irwin didn’t believe in ghosts, which made it something of a shock when he saw one."
Working as an estate agent in the town of Brackenford isn’t the hardest job in the world – just ask Trev Irwin. He knows the market inside out, house prices are steady, and the only competition in the office is Barry, who has all the wit and charm of a mouth ulcer.
But there are other forces at work in Brackenford besides the unquenchable desire of grannies to buy bungalows, as Trev discovers when he witnesses a shadowy entity possess a man in a local café. A man who goes straight home and murders his wife and her lover. With a cricket bat.
A lifelong sceptic of the paranormal, Trev is still trying to rationalise these events when he discovers that his own grandfather is rather more than the curmudgeonly whisky-enthusiast he appears to be. The old man is also Brackenford’s Custodian, a role which requires him to keep the peace among the town’s supernatural residents, and he believes that Trev can help him.
Trev disagrees; but when he inadvertently foils an assassination attempt on Brackenford’s most famous resident, the slick supermarket tycoon Alastair Kolley, he finds that he’s upgraded his status from “potential collateral damage” to “target” in the eyes of the bad guys. But who are the bad guys? Is it the tabloid-reading ghouls who live in the sewers? The werewolf self-help group that meets in the church hall? Or the local lord of the manor, who looks pretty sprightly for a man who’s over 150 years old? Trev hasn’t a clue, and the only help he’s got comes from a septuagenarian, a puritanical Victorian ghost, and the world’s most sarcastic cat.
Yep – he’s basically screwed.
Working as an estate agent in the town of Brackenford isn’t the hardest job in the world – just ask Trev Irwin. He knows the market inside out, house prices are steady, and the only competition in the office is Barry, who has all the wit and charm of a mouth ulcer.
But there are other forces at work in Brackenford besides the unquenchable desire of grannies to buy bungalows, as Trev discovers when he witnesses a shadowy entity possess a man in a local café. A man who goes straight home and murders his wife and her lover. With a cricket bat.
A lifelong sceptic of the paranormal, Trev is still trying to rationalise these events when he discovers that his own grandfather is rather more than the curmudgeonly whisky-enthusiast he appears to be. The old man is also Brackenford’s Custodian, a role which requires him to keep the peace among the town’s supernatural residents, and he believes that Trev can help him.
Trev disagrees; but when he inadvertently foils an assassination attempt on Brackenford’s most famous resident, the slick supermarket tycoon Alastair Kolley, he finds that he’s upgraded his status from “potential collateral damage” to “target” in the eyes of the bad guys. But who are the bad guys? Is it the tabloid-reading ghouls who live in the sewers? The werewolf self-help group that meets in the church hall? Or the local lord of the manor, who looks pretty sprightly for a man who’s over 150 years old? Trev hasn’t a clue, and the only help he’s got comes from a septuagenarian, a puritanical Victorian ghost, and the world’s most sarcastic cat.
Yep – he’s basically screwed.
376 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 9, 2013
43 people are currently reading
245 people want to read
About the author
Nick Moseley
12 books38 followersNick Moseley is the author of The Brackenford Cycle, a series of humorous urban fantasy novels centred around Trev Irwin, a misanthropic estate agent who discovers a) that he has latent psychic abilities, and b) that most of the supernatural beings in Britain want to kill him.
The first novel in the series, "Location, Location, Damnation", was released in May 2013 and was followed in October 2013 by "Deceased Estate", a standalone novella set between book one and the full-length sequel, "Hangman's Pond", which was released in January 2014.
Nick lives in Worcestershire, England (yes, where the sauce comes from). He has previously worked as a salesman, warehouseman, estate agent and forklift truck driver, and proven himself mildly incompetent at all of them. Writing has been an invaluable aid to preserving his sanity.
The first novel in the series, "Location, Location, Damnation", was released in May 2013 and was followed in October 2013 by "Deceased Estate", a standalone novella set between book one and the full-length sequel, "Hangman's Pond", which was released in January 2014.
Nick lives in Worcestershire, England (yes, where the sauce comes from). He has previously worked as a salesman, warehouseman, estate agent and forklift truck driver, and proven himself mildly incompetent at all of them. Writing has been an invaluable aid to preserving his sanity.
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December 20, 2023
Brackenford Scandal! Real Estate Agent Takes Advice From Talking Cat! "Its fake news, he never actually listens to me." - Oscar - The Talking Furball Tattler
When destiny grabs you by the bollocks, you're guaranteed to go from zero to hero.
The energy in his fingertips crackled. 'Come and have a go if you think you're hard enough,' ...
Trevor Irwin was perfectly comfortable with his microwave dinners, pints at the pub, a small circle of friends, and his career as a real estate agent. Life was a slushy wet oyster waiting to be sucked off a plate with a bag of chips and a big glass of beer - until, he saw a ghost...
Now, if only he could stop seeing them he could get back to his life, but sometimes - life is just going to drag you kicking and screaming to your destiny as a better version of yourself - unless it kills you first.
Ghosts turn out to be the least of Trev's problems, because someone wants him dead and not just dead - but expunged from existence.
So, dear reader, what's in this book? A quick checklist could help.
An unlikely Hero with 'destiny,' thrust upon him.....check.
A kindly Mentor who likes scotch.....check.
A stern, brave Ghost.....check.
A 1000s of years old Cat Spirit with a scathing wit.....check.
Ghouls that could be goblins who love the letter of the law and speak in 'Tabloid,'.....check.
Magic weapons that talk.....check.
Other dimensions.....check.
Body possessing Shades.....check.
Big Bad Demons with a penchant for collecting souls.....check.
A mystery to solve.....check.
Werewolves with a self-help group.....check.
Vampires with agendas.....check.
And a barrel full of chuckles and belly laughs.....check.
Nick Moseley has written a very clever, very witty, urban fantasy that treads the fine line between comedy and drama - well done.
Some readers have remarked the pacing could have been sharper in the first half of the book. On my first read, I found the same and rated this book at 4 stars. On this re-read (July 2019), I didn't experience it the same way, and just enjoyed Trev's desperate and witty/sarcastic attempts to avoid his destiny.
So, I'm re-rating this as 5 stars because it was better the second time around.
P.S. Loved how the ghouls understanding of English was based on tabloid headlines - that's a cracker.
NOTE 1: Had a great time buddy reading this book during July 2019 with the wonderful members of the Fantasy Buddy Reads group: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
NOTE 2: Rereading this in August 2020 with the fine folk from FBR at https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
NOTE: Recommended this book to my friends on GR. At time of rec (17/Feb/2019), the series is 7 volumes with 159 independent ratings with an average of 4.46 stars.
Strongly Recommended. 5 'Reluctant Hero,' stars.
Read this series three times now.
When destiny grabs you by the bollocks, you're guaranteed to go from zero to hero.
The energy in his fingertips crackled. 'Come and have a go if you think you're hard enough,' ...
Trevor Irwin was perfectly comfortable with his microwave dinners, pints at the pub, a small circle of friends, and his career as a real estate agent. Life was a slushy wet oyster waiting to be sucked off a plate with a bag of chips and a big glass of beer - until, he saw a ghost...
Now, if only he could stop seeing them he could get back to his life, but sometimes - life is just going to drag you kicking and screaming to your destiny as a better version of yourself - unless it kills you first.
Ghosts turn out to be the least of Trev's problems, because someone wants him dead and not just dead - but expunged from existence.
So, dear reader, what's in this book? A quick checklist could help.
An unlikely Hero with 'destiny,' thrust upon him.....check.
A kindly Mentor who likes scotch.....check.
A stern, brave Ghost.....check.
A 1000s of years old Cat Spirit with a scathing wit.....check.
Ghouls that could be goblins who love the letter of the law and speak in 'Tabloid,'.....check.
Magic weapons that talk.....check.
Other dimensions.....check.
Body possessing Shades.....check.
Big Bad Demons with a penchant for collecting souls.....check.
A mystery to solve.....check.
Werewolves with a self-help group.....check.
Vampires with agendas.....check.
And a barrel full of chuckles and belly laughs.....check.
Nick Moseley has written a very clever, very witty, urban fantasy that treads the fine line between comedy and drama - well done.
Some readers have remarked the pacing could have been sharper in the first half of the book. On my first read, I found the same and rated this book at 4 stars. On this re-read (July 2019), I didn't experience it the same way, and just enjoyed Trev's desperate and witty/sarcastic attempts to avoid his destiny.
So, I'm re-rating this as 5 stars because it was better the second time around.
P.S. Loved how the ghouls understanding of English was based on tabloid headlines - that's a cracker.
NOTE 1: Had a great time buddy reading this book during July 2019 with the wonderful members of the Fantasy Buddy Reads group: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
NOTE 2: Rereading this in August 2020 with the fine folk from FBR at https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
NOTE: Recommended this book to my friends on GR. At time of rec (17/Feb/2019), the series is 7 volumes with 159 independent ratings with an average of 4.46 stars.
Strongly Recommended. 5 'Reluctant Hero,' stars.
Read this series three times now.
August 23, 2017
'You wanted spooky, you got it,' said Trev, a little unkindly.
Welcome to the Midlands of England, to the sleepy little town of Brackenford, where Trev Irwin, realtor, is drafted into supernatural service. Mr. Irwin, having never even wrestled a crocodile, was completely unprepared for the existence of the supernatural.
This book sets up an urban fantasy of vampires, ghouls, ghosts, werewolves, and much more all precariously balanced against each other and humanity. It's unique and well done.
I loved the plethora of differing British accents represented! I would buy this as an audiobook in a heartbeat.
I absolutely adored the talking cat and liked the talking swords. There isn't enough of this in fantasy.
What I didn't like: the MC was so rude and that's just not something Americans expect out of Brits.
Turns out there are two kinds of male Brits, there are gentlemen and there are blokes. Trev was raised by a gentleman but chose to be a bloke. I spent quite a bit of this book hoping for a Firthing.
What I hated: the most disgusting book I've ever read was The Devourers in which the word piss is used 32 times. This book used it 29 times. I don't believe it was ever used literally but it was used liberally.
Taking a term for urination and using it out of context was funny the first time and only the first time. Every time after the word got smellier. I don't know if this is a case of Midland blokes proclivity for yellow language or if the author just fell in love with a word, like snort in Fish & Chips.
A good start to series. Trevor Irwin progresses in the book from wanker to git; if he can do that in a week he should be nice guy by book three, lol.
May 17, 2021
4.5 stars and this one's a Keeper!
Working as an estate agent in the town of Brackenford isn’t the hardest job in the world – just ask Trev Irwin. He knows the market inside out, house prices are steady, and the only competition in the office is Barry, who has all the wit and charm of a mouth ulcer.
But there are other forces at work in Brackenford besides the unquenchable desire of grannies to buy bungalows, as Trev discovers when he witnesses a shadowy entity possess a man in a local café. A man who goes straight home and murders his wife and her lover. With a cricket bat.
And here is where this story kicks off. A lifelong sceptic of the paranormal, Trev is trying his best to rationalise these events but cannot really bring himself to believe the "weird shit"! After all, he KNOWS telepathy doesn't exist because if it did he'd probably get slapped in the face several times a day. And everybody knows Ghosts DO NOT EXIST. Ghosts are things seen by substance abusers, attention seeking old ladies and the insane. And Trev knows he is not insane. Especially when he's standing in the middle of Brackenford High Street looking at his feet and muttering to himself because he had just seen "a bloody ghost"!!!
In case you haven't noticed from the few snippets above, our Trev is one of a kind! He is an undisputed misanthropic bloke who dishes insults like candies at Trick or Treat and is not in the least comfortable on the receiving end of a similar treatment. Even when he tries to be friendly, his own "friends" openly confess: "Trev, let's face it. With friends like you, who needs homicidal, axe-wielding maniacs?"
Trev has a unique way of pointing out faults: from a "blackened frying pan that had last been cleaned when Atlantis was still on the maps;" to a house decor that "looked like someone had dosed Pablo Picasso with LSD and let him loose with a wallpaper catalogue and a paint roller." And he doesn't shy away from stating his own shortcomings either! For instance his "golf swing that started to resemble a myopic lumberjack trying to fell a tree with a rubber chicken." Aaaaand he is the only Master of the Way of the Hedgehog I have ever met!
Nah!!! I'm not going to spoil it and tell you what that ancient fighting technique involves! You're gonna have to read this to find out. But I'll bet you won't be able to keep a straight face when you get to that part! :D
So our friendly bloke here discovers that his own grandfather is rather more than the curmudgeonly whisky-enthusiast he appears to be. The old man is also Brackenford’s Custodian, a role which requires him to keep the peace among the town’s supernatural residents, and he believes that Trev can help him. Of course Trev disagrees because: "No more weird shit please!"
But when he ends up inadvertently foiling an assassination attempt on Brackenford’s most famous resident, the slick supermarket tycoon Alastair Kolley, he finds that he’s upgraded his status from “potential collateral damage” to “target” in the eyes of the bad guys.
And when I say inadvertently I really mean like this:
What the hell are you doing? screamed the sensible part of his brain There's a supernatural maniac with a knife in front of you, and you're running after him! Have you forgotten that you're a pathological coward? RUN AWAY YOU IDIOT!
Now that the deed is done and Trev's status has risen, he must come to terms with his legacy of latent psychic abilities and work alongside his grandfather and his trusted assistants to find out who the bad guys really are. - In case you were wondering, the trusted assistants are a puritanical Victorian ghost, and the world’s most sarcastic talking cat.
Together they have to brave ghouls who live in the sewers and speak in tabloid (I swear they are the most original race I have ever read about! :D), a werewolf self-help group that meets in the church hall and a local lord of the manor, who looks pretty sprightly for a man who’s over 150 years old. But they have help too, from a pair of talking swords!! You read that right. A pair!
And if one only gets pissed at being called a talking sword: "I'm a lot more than just a sword you cheeky wee bastard!" you'll have to watch out for the other, cause the "lass is a bit on the feisty side."
Meet Tyrfing everyone:
Sword of Tyrfing - Official Gauntlet Wiki - Gamepedia
and Caladbolg
Caladbolg 3017 - AQW Wiki
Peppered with cheeky dialogue and sarky remarks, this book will take you on a fun filled and at times downright hilarious adventure. The pacing does drag a bit in the first half of the book and Trev's behavior and remarks did make me want to call him an eedjit and box his ears at one point or another so I'm not rating it a five. But the second half of the book picked up the pace like a charm and Trev turned out to not be that bad in the end. Well, still a bloke, but really not that bad!
Before you start telling me what Trev tells his companions: "Right, let's get on with it before I see sense and run away." :)) ....
If you're in a mood for a great read that makes you laugh out loud, gives you action and awesome paranormal stuff - YOU HAVE GOT TO TRY THIS OUT!
I for one am now looking forward to the rest of the series!
Find this review and more on my book review and cover art blog The Magic Book Corner
Working as an estate agent in the town of Brackenford isn’t the hardest job in the world – just ask Trev Irwin. He knows the market inside out, house prices are steady, and the only competition in the office is Barry, who has all the wit and charm of a mouth ulcer.
But there are other forces at work in Brackenford besides the unquenchable desire of grannies to buy bungalows, as Trev discovers when he witnesses a shadowy entity possess a man in a local café. A man who goes straight home and murders his wife and her lover. With a cricket bat.
And here is where this story kicks off. A lifelong sceptic of the paranormal, Trev is trying his best to rationalise these events but cannot really bring himself to believe the "weird shit"! After all, he KNOWS telepathy doesn't exist because if it did he'd probably get slapped in the face several times a day. And everybody knows Ghosts DO NOT EXIST. Ghosts are things seen by substance abusers, attention seeking old ladies and the insane. And Trev knows he is not insane. Especially when he's standing in the middle of Brackenford High Street looking at his feet and muttering to himself because he had just seen "a bloody ghost"!!!
In case you haven't noticed from the few snippets above, our Trev is one of a kind! He is an undisputed misanthropic bloke who dishes insults like candies at Trick or Treat and is not in the least comfortable on the receiving end of a similar treatment. Even when he tries to be friendly, his own "friends" openly confess: "Trev, let's face it. With friends like you, who needs homicidal, axe-wielding maniacs?"
Trev has a unique way of pointing out faults: from a "blackened frying pan that had last been cleaned when Atlantis was still on the maps;" to a house decor that "looked like someone had dosed Pablo Picasso with LSD and let him loose with a wallpaper catalogue and a paint roller." And he doesn't shy away from stating his own shortcomings either! For instance his "golf swing that started to resemble a myopic lumberjack trying to fell a tree with a rubber chicken." Aaaaand he is the only Master of the Way of the Hedgehog I have ever met!
Nah!!! I'm not going to spoil it and tell you what that ancient fighting technique involves! You're gonna have to read this to find out. But I'll bet you won't be able to keep a straight face when you get to that part! :D
So our friendly bloke here discovers that his own grandfather is rather more than the curmudgeonly whisky-enthusiast he appears to be. The old man is also Brackenford’s Custodian, a role which requires him to keep the peace among the town’s supernatural residents, and he believes that Trev can help him. Of course Trev disagrees because: "No more weird shit please!"
But when he ends up inadvertently foiling an assassination attempt on Brackenford’s most famous resident, the slick supermarket tycoon Alastair Kolley, he finds that he’s upgraded his status from “potential collateral damage” to “target” in the eyes of the bad guys.
And when I say inadvertently I really mean like this:
What the hell are you doing? screamed the sensible part of his brain There's a supernatural maniac with a knife in front of you, and you're running after him! Have you forgotten that you're a pathological coward? RUN AWAY YOU IDIOT!
Now that the deed is done and Trev's status has risen, he must come to terms with his legacy of latent psychic abilities and work alongside his grandfather and his trusted assistants to find out who the bad guys really are. - In case you were wondering, the trusted assistants are a puritanical Victorian ghost, and the world’s most sarcastic talking cat.
Together they have to brave ghouls who live in the sewers and speak in tabloid (I swear they are the most original race I have ever read about! :D), a werewolf self-help group that meets in the church hall and a local lord of the manor, who looks pretty sprightly for a man who’s over 150 years old. But they have help too, from a pair of talking swords!! You read that right. A pair!
And if one only gets pissed at being called a talking sword: "I'm a lot more than just a sword you cheeky wee bastard!" you'll have to watch out for the other, cause the "lass is a bit on the feisty side."
Meet Tyrfing everyone:
Sword of Tyrfing - Official Gauntlet Wiki - Gamepedia
and Caladbolg
Caladbolg 3017 - AQW Wiki
Peppered with cheeky dialogue and sarky remarks, this book will take you on a fun filled and at times downright hilarious adventure. The pacing does drag a bit in the first half of the book and Trev's behavior and remarks did make me want to call him an eedjit and box his ears at one point or another so I'm not rating it a five. But the second half of the book picked up the pace like a charm and Trev turned out to not be that bad in the end. Well, still a bloke, but really not that bad!
Before you start telling me what Trev tells his companions: "Right, let's get on with it before I see sense and run away." :)) ....
If you're in a mood for a great read that makes you laugh out loud, gives you action and awesome paranormal stuff - YOU HAVE GOT TO TRY THIS OUT!
I for one am now looking forward to the rest of the series!
Find this review and more on my book review and cover art blog The Magic Book Corner
July 19, 2019
Urban Fantasy is not normally a genre I spend a lot of time reading, but I joined a fun group reading it on GR, and ended up enjoying it. The book is filled with action, good characters and lots of wit, all of which kept it a light and fun read. If you enjoy urban fantasy or have a thought of giving it a shot, this seems like a good one to go with. 4.0/5.0 stars for me.
February 9, 2019
Take a pinch of the humour from Hot Fuzz, a pinch of Seanan McGuire's Incryptid series, a slightly heftier dose of Charles Stross' Laundry Files; run the whole thing through a British bloke's point of view for flavour, and you just might have yourself Location, Location, Damnation.
Trevor - or Trev, depending on if you've been on the receiving end of his snark or not - is a real estate agent in Brackenford. But suddenly he's seeing pulsating shadows, and he could swear that sparrow is looking at him funny... So begins the first book in a promising urban fantasy series set in the Midlands of the UK. It's quite a pleasant change to have a British sense of humour at the fore, though Trev's not afraid to get pretty salty in parts. There's a pleasantly quirky set of local supernatural wildlife around - the ghouls who speak in Tabloid being my personal favourite - along with some surprisingly normal humans. There was the odd moment where the dialogue got a wee bit clunky, or the plot was moved along by a very convenient coincidence, but for a debut novel it was a strong and entertaining read.
Trevor - or Trev, depending on if you've been on the receiving end of his snark or not - is a real estate agent in Brackenford. But suddenly he's seeing pulsating shadows, and he could swear that sparrow is looking at him funny... So begins the first book in a promising urban fantasy series set in the Midlands of the UK. It's quite a pleasant change to have a British sense of humour at the fore, though Trev's not afraid to get pretty salty in parts. There's a pleasantly quirky set of local supernatural wildlife around - the ghouls who speak in Tabloid being my personal favourite - along with some surprisingly normal humans. There was the odd moment where the dialogue got a wee bit clunky, or the plot was moved along by a very convenient coincidence, but for a debut novel it was a strong and entertaining read.
September 1, 2020
Trevor Irwin, Trev to his friends, works as an estate agent in the town of Brackenford. It's an easy job - Trev knows the house market inside and out and there isn't much competition to speak of. Brackenford has always had a reputation for paranormal events, something self-proclaimed skeptic Trev has always scoffed at. Right up until the moment when Trev sees his first ghost possess a man at a local cafe. Who knew there was some truth to the old stories his granddad used to tell Trev?
Location, Location, Damnation is the first book in The Brackenford Cycle by Nick Moseley. It is an urban fantasy set in the sleepy town of Brakenford, UK. Full of cheeky dialogue and snarky humor, Trev is way in over his head as he is given a crash course on the paranormal situation in the region. The world features plenty of urban fantasy staples, familiar ones like vampires and ghosts, and others with a unique twist. My favorite hands down are the ghouls. They come across more goblinish and learned how to communicate with humans from tabloids. Fair warning to those outside of the UK - there is use of British slang that may be unfamiliar. My US based self had to look up a couple of them to make sure I understood what was being referenced.
Trev is the ultimate reluctant hero. I was both rooting for him and wanting to punch him the whole book. He's arrogant yet his first instinct is to run and hide when his world turns upside down which I found quite believable. His snarky, sarcastic humor both made me chuckle and roll my eyes at the vulgarity of some of the jokes. He does start on a character arc though, showing promise for actually becoming a good guy over the rest of the series. The supporting cast is pretty great. There's a several thousand year old cat spirit with a scathing wit; a prim and proper Victorian era ghost; Trev's granddad who acts as mentor and guide for all the supernatural stuff that's happening and who happens to enjoy scotch; and Trev's coworkers at the agency.
I had fun joining Trev for his worst day ever. I'm looking forward to seeing how his character grows and where this zany plot heads next.
Location, Location, Damnation is the first book in The Brackenford Cycle by Nick Moseley. It is an urban fantasy set in the sleepy town of Brakenford, UK. Full of cheeky dialogue and snarky humor, Trev is way in over his head as he is given a crash course on the paranormal situation in the region. The world features plenty of urban fantasy staples, familiar ones like vampires and ghosts, and others with a unique twist. My favorite hands down are the ghouls. They come across more goblinish and learned how to communicate with humans from tabloids. Fair warning to those outside of the UK - there is use of British slang that may be unfamiliar. My US based self had to look up a couple of them to make sure I understood what was being referenced.
Trev is the ultimate reluctant hero. I was both rooting for him and wanting to punch him the whole book. He's arrogant yet his first instinct is to run and hide when his world turns upside down which I found quite believable. His snarky, sarcastic humor both made me chuckle and roll my eyes at the vulgarity of some of the jokes. He does start on a character arc though, showing promise for actually becoming a good guy over the rest of the series. The supporting cast is pretty great. There's a several thousand year old cat spirit with a scathing wit; a prim and proper Victorian era ghost; Trev's granddad who acts as mentor and guide for all the supernatural stuff that's happening and who happens to enjoy scotch; and Trev's coworkers at the agency.
I had fun joining Trev for his worst day ever. I'm looking forward to seeing how his character grows and where this zany plot heads next.
December 4, 2020
Working as an estate agent in the town of Brackenford isn’t the hardest job in the world – just ask Trev Irwin. He knows the market inside out, house prices are steady, and the only competition in the office is Barry, who has all the wit and charm of a mouth ulcer.
But there are other forces at work in Brackenford besides the unquenchable desire of grannies to buy bungalows, as Trev discovers when he witnesses a shadowy entity possess a man in a local café. A man who goes straight home and murders his wife and her lover. With a cricket bat.
3.5 stars.
This book series caught my eye when I saw it was part of a buddy read. I was particularly interested in it because it promised to be humorous and I'm always looking for a book that can make me laugh. I could also have possibly been drawn to it because we just happen to have our house on the market right now and have been looking for a new one for quite a few months. It was an interesting coincidence that this book features real estate agents, or estate agents, as they are called in England.
Fortunately, this book had me laughing immediately. I loved all the snarky sarcasm. I was interested in the story right away as well. Unfortunately the story itself lost some steam somewhere in the middle. It was still fun but not as entertaining as I was hoping it would be, but I have heard that the series gets better so I'll stick it out for the next book.
The things I liked best about the book were the snarky, sarcastic humor, and the characters Oscar (Because who doesn't love a talking cat?) and Agatha. I hope they continue to be featured prominently in the series.
Review also posted at Writings of a Reader
But there are other forces at work in Brackenford besides the unquenchable desire of grannies to buy bungalows, as Trev discovers when he witnesses a shadowy entity possess a man in a local café. A man who goes straight home and murders his wife and her lover. With a cricket bat.
3.5 stars.
This book series caught my eye when I saw it was part of a buddy read. I was particularly interested in it because it promised to be humorous and I'm always looking for a book that can make me laugh. I could also have possibly been drawn to it because we just happen to have our house on the market right now and have been looking for a new one for quite a few months. It was an interesting coincidence that this book features real estate agents, or estate agents, as they are called in England.
Fortunately, this book had me laughing immediately. I loved all the snarky sarcasm. I was interested in the story right away as well. Unfortunately the story itself lost some steam somewhere in the middle. It was still fun but not as entertaining as I was hoping it would be, but I have heard that the series gets better so I'll stick it out for the next book.
The things I liked best about the book were the snarky, sarcastic humor, and the characters Oscar (Because who doesn't love a talking cat?) and Agatha. I hope they continue to be featured prominently in the series.
Review also posted at Writings of a Reader
August 21, 2020
I found the summary for Location, Location, Damnation very intriguing and decided to join a buddy read for the book. It's a fantasy story set in a modern setting, and as such had a lot of hurdles to jump. It did a really good job of creating enough of a screen to allow you to suspend your disbelief.
The main character is Trevor Irwin, who's immensely unlikeable on first introduction. He's an arrogant, misogynistic, know it all and that's just off the first page. By the end of chapter one you could add cowardly and aggravating to his list of character traits. The weird thing though is as he evolves as a person due to the events of the book, he grows on you as a character. I feel fairly confident that of I were to continue this series, I would come to fully embrace Trev.
The storyline is both entertaining and easy to read, but a little too sarcastic for my tastes. It also rubs me as vulgar at times, but not in a way that adds an element to the story. Almost like vulgarity for it's own sake. The majority of the supporting characters felt shallow, and that also subtracted something from the experience.
There were things I really loved though. Moseley's interpretations of werewolves felt fresh and interesting. There is also an ancient animal spirit sidekick that I greatly enjoyed. I was reminded of several popular fantasy stories while reading this book. The writing felt a lot like Jim Butcher's Storm Front to me. The story felt like a good episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but with a significantly older cast.
I'd recommend this for anyone who enjoys modern fantasy and wants something fun to escape into for a little while.
The main character is Trevor Irwin, who's immensely unlikeable on first introduction. He's an arrogant, misogynistic, know it all and that's just off the first page. By the end of chapter one you could add cowardly and aggravating to his list of character traits. The weird thing though is as he evolves as a person due to the events of the book, he grows on you as a character. I feel fairly confident that of I were to continue this series, I would come to fully embrace Trev.
The storyline is both entertaining and easy to read, but a little too sarcastic for my tastes. It also rubs me as vulgar at times, but not in a way that adds an element to the story. Almost like vulgarity for it's own sake. The majority of the supporting characters felt shallow, and that also subtracted something from the experience.
There were things I really loved though. Moseley's interpretations of werewolves felt fresh and interesting. There is also an ancient animal spirit sidekick that I greatly enjoyed. I was reminded of several popular fantasy stories while reading this book. The writing felt a lot like Jim Butcher's Storm Front to me. The story felt like a good episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but with a significantly older cast.
I'd recommend this for anyone who enjoys modern fantasy and wants something fun to escape into for a little while.
July 7, 2019
If a novel described as a hilarious fantasy story full of clever snarky dialogue sounds appealing to you, then I recommend reading 'Location, Location, Damnation', book one of a series by Nick Mosely! Although the scary dangers encountered within the pages are deadly, an intrepid band of heroes never allow the possibility of dying stop the jokes!
The characters which populate the fictional English village of Brackenford include ghouls, vampires, werewolves, shades, spirits, and occasionally, a demon called to this universe by a mysterious someone mad enough to think their magical prowess in occult spells is strong enough to control such dark beings. I will not go further in this review about them and spoil the fun....
Brackenford exists in a spot where unfortunately the skin between universes is thin. Most villagers are clueless to the existence of the magical creatures all about them. However, some humans possess the power of Sight, which runs in families. It sometimes skips generations, and sometimes the Sight is not strong. Brackenford is watched over by one with some Sight powers as well as his friends, the familiars Agatha and Oscar (Oscar is my favorite), but Bernard is getting old. Bernard's daughter, a lawyer, does not have the Sight. However, Bernard has an adult grandson. Could the untested lad be a chosen one?
Trevor Irwin, just turned thirty, works for SmoothMove, a real estate firm, as an estate agent. He is good at his job, but he is not particularly ambitious. He likes his job and most of his co-workers. Life is good.
Then one morning he sees a ghost. A murderous ghost. A murderous ghost who seemingly possesses another customer at the Hot Cuisine where Trevor gets his usual breakfast coffee order before reporting to his office. Trevor does not believe in ghosts. He could not have seen a ghost! The day is only beginning...
Eventually, he shakes off the ensuing mayhem and weird experiences. They are hallucinations. Weren't they?
No, gentle reader. It was no hallucination. Trevor has the Sight. No one told him about it, including Bernard, his Granddad, the seventy-eight-year-old historian of Brackenford, and the town's secret Custodian. Custodians keep the non-human species at peace with each other, settling their disputes. But it is time. Agatha tells Trevor he needs to talk to his granddad.
Excerpt from the book:
""A-a-agatha?"" stammered Trev.
""No, just Agatha,"" replied the woman arching an eyebrow. Trev goggled at her. She appeared to be inner late thirties, possibly early forties. She was wearing a high-necked collarless black blouse, buttoned all the way up, and a matching skirt that fell all the way to her shoes, which were flat-soled and practical. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail and secured with a dark blue bow. Trev was reminded of an old photograph his Granddad had shown him of a Victorian schoolmistress. ""What on earth's wrong with you?""
""You're not touching the floor,"" said Trev.
""I can't touch anything, let alone the floor,"" replied Agatha. ""I'm not altogether corporeal, I'm afraid.""
Trev slowly reached out and tried to touch Agatha's arm. She looked as solid and real as any normal person (albeit a little more air-borne), but his fingers passed through her. It was like putting his hand into a concentrated patch of cold air.
""I fear that I am also lacking a shadow,"" said Agatha, somewhat sadly.
""I'm going mad,"" Trevor said, shaking his head. ""I'm only thirty and I've cracked up.""
""Don't be silly,"" said Agatha in a no-nonsense tone. ""I realize this is all rather new to you, and possibly distressing, but I can assure you that you are perfectly sane.""
""Oh, that's all right then,"" said Trev, sitting up. ""The bloody ghost says I'm not barking. That's a relief.""
..........
""Certainly not," said Agatha. She looked genuinely offended. ""I admit that I have been keeping an eye on you, but I have hardly been taking pleasure from it.""
""But why?""
""I was asked to. We didn't think your Sight would show itself yet, it clearly it has. Quite unusual.""
""My sight? I've been able to see my whole life,"" said Trev. ""Who's this we, anyway? Are you talking about those shadow things? And the faces in the mist?""
""No,"" said Agatha, very firmly. ""I am not talking about them. I was referring to Bernard. Your grandfather.""
""Granddad? blurted Trev. ""My Granddad can see you too?""
""Of course he can,"" said Agatha. ""He is, after all, the Custodian. I think it would be a good idea if we went to see him. Your unfortunate experience in Bandstand Park has rather changed things, I fancy.""
""What things? What do you mean by 'he's the Custodian'? What the hell are you on about? Why are you talking in riddles? Why won't the lot of you just leave me alone? Trev was up off the bed now, his reddening face close to Agatha's pale one."
""Well, really,"" she replied. ""A certain amount of confusion and shock was to be expected, but I had hoped you would conduct yourself with a little more decorum than this.""
""Decorum?"" replied Trev. ""I've been threatened by a possessed man who then went off and battered two people to death, I've had you playing hide-and-bloody-seek with me all day, I've seen shadows that seem alive, heard creepy whispering, seen eyes in the mist in Bandstand Park and all you're worried about is my manners?""
""Such as they are,"" Agatha sniffed.
........
""There's a war on, Trevor,"" said Grandad, his tone somber. ""It's been going on since before any of us were born, and it'll go on long after we're all dead.""
""Agatha's dead already,"" Trev pointed out. They both ignored him."
The story is a slow reveal for half of the book, with worrying action/fights/death struggles happening late in the book after many mysterious goings-on, but readers will enjoy the wait! The dialogue is incredibly, but delightfully, snarky, with a snide comment or joke occurring in almost every sentence - particularly in the dialogues between characters, evil and good. The continuous YA snark means the characters seem to speak in the same hilarious 'voice', unfortunately - but any observers of a reader reading this novel will notice gutbusting laughs or sudden snorts bursting out of most readers all of the time. Each character IS well-defined physically, so the stereotypical characterizations are a plus in this circumstance. The book is well-written in any case, gentle reader.
I loved it, absolutely loved the book! I highly recommend 'Location, Location, Damnation'!
The characters which populate the fictional English village of Brackenford include ghouls, vampires, werewolves, shades, spirits, and occasionally, a demon called to this universe by a mysterious someone mad enough to think their magical prowess in occult spells is strong enough to control such dark beings. I will not go further in this review about them and spoil the fun....
Brackenford exists in a spot where unfortunately the skin between universes is thin. Most villagers are clueless to the existence of the magical creatures all about them. However, some humans possess the power of Sight, which runs in families. It sometimes skips generations, and sometimes the Sight is not strong. Brackenford is watched over by one with some Sight powers as well as his friends, the familiars Agatha and Oscar (Oscar is my favorite), but Bernard is getting old. Bernard's daughter, a lawyer, does not have the Sight. However, Bernard has an adult grandson. Could the untested lad be a chosen one?
Trevor Irwin, just turned thirty, works for SmoothMove, a real estate firm, as an estate agent. He is good at his job, but he is not particularly ambitious. He likes his job and most of his co-workers. Life is good.
Then one morning he sees a ghost. A murderous ghost. A murderous ghost who seemingly possesses another customer at the Hot Cuisine where Trevor gets his usual breakfast coffee order before reporting to his office. Trevor does not believe in ghosts. He could not have seen a ghost! The day is only beginning...
Eventually, he shakes off the ensuing mayhem and weird experiences. They are hallucinations. Weren't they?
No, gentle reader. It was no hallucination. Trevor has the Sight. No one told him about it, including Bernard, his Granddad, the seventy-eight-year-old historian of Brackenford, and the town's secret Custodian. Custodians keep the non-human species at peace with each other, settling their disputes. But it is time. Agatha tells Trevor he needs to talk to his granddad.
Excerpt from the book:
""A-a-agatha?"" stammered Trev.
""No, just Agatha,"" replied the woman arching an eyebrow. Trev goggled at her. She appeared to be inner late thirties, possibly early forties. She was wearing a high-necked collarless black blouse, buttoned all the way up, and a matching skirt that fell all the way to her shoes, which were flat-soled and practical. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail and secured with a dark blue bow. Trev was reminded of an old photograph his Granddad had shown him of a Victorian schoolmistress. ""What on earth's wrong with you?""
""You're not touching the floor,"" said Trev.
""I can't touch anything, let alone the floor,"" replied Agatha. ""I'm not altogether corporeal, I'm afraid.""
Trev slowly reached out and tried to touch Agatha's arm. She looked as solid and real as any normal person (albeit a little more air-borne), but his fingers passed through her. It was like putting his hand into a concentrated patch of cold air.
""I fear that I am also lacking a shadow,"" said Agatha, somewhat sadly.
""I'm going mad,"" Trevor said, shaking his head. ""I'm only thirty and I've cracked up.""
""Don't be silly,"" said Agatha in a no-nonsense tone. ""I realize this is all rather new to you, and possibly distressing, but I can assure you that you are perfectly sane.""
""Oh, that's all right then,"" said Trev, sitting up. ""The bloody ghost says I'm not barking. That's a relief.""
..........
""Certainly not," said Agatha. She looked genuinely offended. ""I admit that I have been keeping an eye on you, but I have hardly been taking pleasure from it.""
""But why?""
""I was asked to. We didn't think your Sight would show itself yet, it clearly it has. Quite unusual.""
""My sight? I've been able to see my whole life,"" said Trev. ""Who's this we, anyway? Are you talking about those shadow things? And the faces in the mist?""
""No,"" said Agatha, very firmly. ""I am not talking about them. I was referring to Bernard. Your grandfather.""
""Granddad? blurted Trev. ""My Granddad can see you too?""
""Of course he can,"" said Agatha. ""He is, after all, the Custodian. I think it would be a good idea if we went to see him. Your unfortunate experience in Bandstand Park has rather changed things, I fancy.""
""What things? What do you mean by 'he's the Custodian'? What the hell are you on about? Why are you talking in riddles? Why won't the lot of you just leave me alone? Trev was up off the bed now, his reddening face close to Agatha's pale one."
""Well, really,"" she replied. ""A certain amount of confusion and shock was to be expected, but I had hoped you would conduct yourself with a little more decorum than this.""
""Decorum?"" replied Trev. ""I've been threatened by a possessed man who then went off and battered two people to death, I've had you playing hide-and-bloody-seek with me all day, I've seen shadows that seem alive, heard creepy whispering, seen eyes in the mist in Bandstand Park and all you're worried about is my manners?""
""Such as they are,"" Agatha sniffed.
........
""There's a war on, Trevor,"" said Grandad, his tone somber. ""It's been going on since before any of us were born, and it'll go on long after we're all dead.""
""Agatha's dead already,"" Trev pointed out. They both ignored him."
The story is a slow reveal for half of the book, with worrying action/fights/death struggles happening late in the book after many mysterious goings-on, but readers will enjoy the wait! The dialogue is incredibly, but delightfully, snarky, with a snide comment or joke occurring in almost every sentence - particularly in the dialogues between characters, evil and good. The continuous YA snark means the characters seem to speak in the same hilarious 'voice', unfortunately - but any observers of a reader reading this novel will notice gutbusting laughs or sudden snorts bursting out of most readers all of the time. Each character IS well-defined physically, so the stereotypical characterizations are a plus in this circumstance. The book is well-written in any case, gentle reader.
I loved it, absolutely loved the book! I highly recommend 'Location, Location, Damnation'!
July 17, 2019
Really liked it. I had some minor pacing problem at the beginning, and it suffered from being read at the same time as new favorites of mine, but it was still really good and I'm eager to read the rest :)
October 7, 2014
So I ran across this book on Goodreads and decided to give it a go. As the story started I found myself wondering where it was going. The first few chapters maundered a bit as the author built his back story, but I found myself continuing on due to the sarcastic humor and the likable, everyday, down to earth, main character. As the story wound on it began to pick up speed, each supernatural run in becoming more intense than the last. (The sarcastic humor rose in equal measure!) There were several laugh out loud moments and I found myself searching for reading time at the end of my busy day to finish this book. The novel is well written with very few noticeable spelling/grammar issues often found in a self published novel. The story flows nicely after the first few chapters, and wraps up in a satisfying manner that leaves you wanting the next book in the series while pleasantly ruminating on the read. I highly recommend this book to anyone into the YA/UF genre! Get it and enjoy!
August 3, 2019
4.5 Stars 🌟
November 29, 2020
This story took a while for me to get into it. I initially thought it was going to be a horror story but happily I turned out to be mistaken. Trev's magical manifestations appear after his 30th birthday. His grandfather had avoided telling him of this familial quirk as he wasn't sure whether it would bypass Trev or not. As such, Trev is pretty much left to figure out things on the fly. He saves a local businessman from an assassination attempt and then is coerced into investigating who is behind it. It had some nice twists and turns. There's a disapproving spirit and a talking cat. Also ghouls who live in the sewers. There may be an office romance brewing.
It looks like there are at least two more books and a novella to pursue.
It looks like there are at least two more books and a novella to pursue.
August 14, 2019
I recently discovered the author so I read this one as book of the month for a group I'm following.
The setting is a modern English town, not too big, but with some legends and inexplicable facts that attract curious people. The main character is Trevor Irwin (but he prefers Trev), a real estate agent. Trev is skeptical of all paranormal phenomena, his life is a struggle against competitors in the ruthless real estate market, small rivalries with colleagues and, at the end of the day, pre-cooked meals at home and beer at the pub. So far, a quiet life.
One day Trev discovers that there is much more and he finds himself in trouble up to his neck. He discovers he has powers he would never have believed possible and will have to find a balance between his past life and the one that awaits him.
The elements of classic urban fantasy are all there: vampires, werewolves, ghosts, ghouls, a secret organization that watches over all this and Trev, passed from skeptic to chosen the short time, armed only with powers that he doesn’t understand and a raw and cynical sense of humor.
The story is fun, not just for the main character, definitely the opposite of the hero who accepts his destiny without hesitation. There are other co-stars, from colleagues in the office to the Trev family, in addition to new friends he will meet during the chapters . The transition from a normal working day to a vampire hunting night seems almost natural, without forcing. The description of Trev's Rover and the complicated procedure to set it in motion is exhilarating.
I liked the first book very much, it has a good pace and it's funny. Sure, it's a bit slower in the first part, this is a way to introduce different elements necessary to the plot, but also to show the different communities of supernatural creatures existing in the city.
For me 4 stars. We'll see if the next one keeps this line.
The setting is a modern English town, not too big, but with some legends and inexplicable facts that attract curious people. The main character is Trevor Irwin (but he prefers Trev), a real estate agent. Trev is skeptical of all paranormal phenomena, his life is a struggle against competitors in the ruthless real estate market, small rivalries with colleagues and, at the end of the day, pre-cooked meals at home and beer at the pub. So far, a quiet life.
One day Trev discovers that there is much more and he finds himself in trouble up to his neck. He discovers he has powers he would never have believed possible and will have to find a balance between his past life and the one that awaits him.
The elements of classic urban fantasy are all there: vampires, werewolves, ghosts, ghouls, a secret organization that watches over all this and Trev, passed from skeptic to chosen the short time, armed only with powers that he doesn’t understand and a raw and cynical sense of humor.
The story is fun, not just for the main character, definitely the opposite of the hero who accepts his destiny without hesitation. There are other co-stars, from colleagues in the office to the Trev family, in addition to new friends he will meet during the chapters . The transition from a normal working day to a vampire hunting night seems almost natural, without forcing. The description of Trev's Rover and the complicated procedure to set it in motion is exhilarating.
I liked the first book very much, it has a good pace and it's funny. Sure, it's a bit slower in the first part, this is a way to introduce different elements necessary to the plot, but also to show the different communities of supernatural creatures existing in the city.
For me 4 stars. We'll see if the next one keeps this line.
September 30, 2014
This was a fun, fast read. Yeah, the main character isn't the sweetest guy but at least his sarcasm is amusing and by the end, he steps up admirably. The middle bits edged toward a guided tour of the local supernatural elements, but it didn't really detract from the story. It's good beginning to a series, setting up the mythology and the characters. I'll definitely be reading on.
November 5, 2019
This book was hilarious! It wasn't just a well-written and well told story, but it made me laugh out loud so many times, I started counting. Watching Trev grow into his power and become more hero and less zero, was a joy. With his motley crew of allies it will be side splitting fun to follow the future adventures.
January 4, 2014
1st book from a new author could hardly put it down can't wait for more
January 21, 2016
I was a bit wary, because just 5 star reviews on amazon... well, looks a bit fake actually.
So having finished it, I thought I would add mine. Also 5 stars.
It is the start of a very promising set of urban fantasy books.
The lead character is an estate agent called Trev, who is a bit of a sarcastic git. And he doesn't belive in ghosts either.
Quite fast paced and light hearted, but underneath rather sinister and just a little creepy.
Going to go read the next books now.
So having finished it, I thought I would add mine. Also 5 stars.
It is the start of a very promising set of urban fantasy books.
The lead character is an estate agent called Trev, who is a bit of a sarcastic git. And he doesn't belive in ghosts either.
Quite fast paced and light hearted, but underneath rather sinister and just a little creepy.
Going to go read the next books now.
February 16, 2016
Awesome fun. In the same way as The Atrocity Archives gives you someone being thrown into something out of their depth, this starts in much the same way. The main character is someone who is learning as you are which makes it easy to get into, and is also someone you can easily relate to. On to book two :D
September 5, 2014
I liked it. Might a Little unfair to it since I'm in a book slump and have had trouble picking any book up, but I have been thinking about it while not Reading, and I very much like the MC who is not very likeable. Very very not-like-able in fact. It is nice to have a MC that is not glorified from the beginning. The plot was a Little thin somethimes I felt, like it was a little to much things that just happened than there was thought through, but I at the same time got the feeling that it was a part of it that it should feel like that.
I'll read the following Novellas and books.
I'll read the following Novellas and books.
August 25, 2014
Oh yeah, I really liked this!
June 4, 2020
I loved it!
I want too see Rowan Atkinson play the part of Trevor. And I want to see it tomorrow! Fun read.
I want too see Rowan Atkinson play the part of Trevor. And I want to see it tomorrow! Fun read.
February 19, 2019
So I'd had this recommended to me by a few people here on GR so thought i'd check it out. I'd heard some say its like a better Dresden files and such and I love that series (aside from the endless repetition per book) so thought I was on to a winner. I was right.
Trev is British, very British and obviously being set in Britain the story is very British too. There's tea drinking, binge drinking and lots of sarcasm. To compare it to Dresden files to me is wrong because Dresden is a serious story with some added comedy, it can get quite dark at times and from this book I'd say Brackenford is more of a light comedy vehicle with added supernatural goodness. I may be proved wrong in later installments but thats my initial view after the first book.
It was a little slow to start, still funny but the main plot took a while to properly get going. The one liners are great such as
and the characters are well written with a good bit of banter between the good guys and the bad guys are not quite so bad or as clear cut as you may think in all cases.
To me reading this felt more like watching what Buffy would have been like if it had been set in Britain and the slayers were male. It was a great fun tale which promises more in the series to come, looking forward to starting book 2 right away.
Trev is British, very British and obviously being set in Britain the story is very British too. There's tea drinking, binge drinking and lots of sarcasm. To compare it to Dresden files to me is wrong because Dresden is a serious story with some added comedy, it can get quite dark at times and from this book I'd say Brackenford is more of a light comedy vehicle with added supernatural goodness. I may be proved wrong in later installments but thats my initial view after the first book.
It was a little slow to start, still funny but the main plot took a while to properly get going. The one liners are great such as
‘Is this the point where a giant with a West Country accent walks in and tells me that I’m a wizard?’ said Trev
and the characters are well written with a good bit of banter between the good guys and the bad guys are not quite so bad or as clear cut as you may think in all cases.
To me reading this felt more like watching what Buffy would have been like if it had been set in Britain and the slayers were male. It was a great fun tale which promises more in the series to come, looking forward to starting book 2 right away.
August 13, 2017
"If I ever get to meet this tenant, I’m going to kick him in the knackers."
Trev Irwin is your average, run-of-the-mill, apartment dwelling, TV dinner eating, real estate agent. He is witty with a crude sense of humor that throws a lot of shade and dishes it out better than he can take it. Otherwise, he's a rather unremarkable bloke. Until he starts seeing dead people.
Thus begins Trev's journey into the realm of the supernatural replete with ghosts, ghouls, vampires, werewolves, talking cats, and intelligent swords (yay!).
Moseley's prose is wry and cheeky, reminiscent of both Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchet. Despite the use of many uniquely British phrases, it is an easy read, even for an uncultured American. The pacing starts off a bit slow, but ramps up quickly and clips along nicely through to the end. Speaking of the end, it is satisfying one, but sets up nicely for the next book with a big unanswered question. I will certainly be reading it as well.
If you enjoyed Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch, I recommend this one to you as well.
Trev Irwin is your average, run-of-the-mill, apartment dwelling, TV dinner eating, real estate agent. He is witty with a crude sense of humor that throws a lot of shade and dishes it out better than he can take it. Otherwise, he's a rather unremarkable bloke. Until he starts seeing dead people.
Thus begins Trev's journey into the realm of the supernatural replete with ghosts, ghouls, vampires, werewolves, talking cats, and intelligent swords (yay!).
Moseley's prose is wry and cheeky, reminiscent of both Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchet. Despite the use of many uniquely British phrases, it is an easy read, even for an uncultured American. The pacing starts off a bit slow, but ramps up quickly and clips along nicely through to the end. Speaking of the end, it is satisfying one, but sets up nicely for the next book with a big unanswered question. I will certainly be reading it as well.
If you enjoyed Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch, I recommend this one to you as well.
June 22, 2020
Totaal niet wat ik verwachtte. Lekker droge Britse humor en een heuse anti-held. Erg leuk.
September 18, 2020
DNF at 30%
November 13, 2021
It is a fun read, chock full of sarcasm, silliness and some truly ominous villains.
August 17, 2020
I started this one with high hopes because there was a lot of snark. Then it took a dissapointing segue into dialogue heavy exposition. Like, SO MUCH of exposition.
The exposition thingy also made it hard to connect with the characters. There are no emotional stakes between all thesehumanoid information repositories people. What characterization we do get is pretty shaky. Trev oscillates between entertainingly terrified Everyman and cocky powerful sonovabitch with little in the way of connecting traits. everyone else is a plot device; but props to Louise & Corbyn for being more entertaining than the rest.
I would have, in complete seriousness, preferred a story about the cutthroat world of real estate sales. It was honestly the best part of the book.
---
Note: I read this book more than a year ago and I remember absolutely nothing but it turns out my highlights did have pretty succinct review-adjacent notes so here they are.
The exposition thingy also made it hard to connect with the characters. There are no emotional stakes between all these
I would have, in complete seriousness, preferred a story about the cutthroat world of real estate sales. It was honestly the best part of the book.
---
Note: I read this book more than a year ago and I remember absolutely nothing but it turns out my highlights did have pretty succinct review-adjacent notes so here they are.
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