What do you think?
Rate this book
InCryptid #14
Installment Immortality
Seanan McGuire’s New York Times-bestselling and Hugo Award-nominated InCryptid series continues with a whirlwind adventure....
After four generations of caring for the Price family, Mary Dunlavy has more than earned a break from the ongoing war with the Covenant of St. George. Instead, what she's getting is a new employer, in the form of the anima mundi, Earth's living soul made manifest, and a new assignment: to hunt down the Covenant agents on the East Coast and make them stop imprisoning America's ghosts.
All in a day's work for a phantom nanny, even one who'd really rather be teaching her youngest charges how to read.
One ghost can't take on the entire Covenant without backup, which is how she winds up on a road trip with the still-mourning Elsie and the slowly collapsing Arthur, both of whom are reeling in their own way from the loss of their mother. New allies and new enemies await in Worcester, Massachusetts, where the path of the haunting leads.
With the anima mundi demanding results and Mary's newfound freedom at stake, it's down to Mary to make sure that everyone gets out of this adventure alive.
It's been a long afterlife, but Mary Dunlavy's not ready to be exorcised quite yet.
After four generations of caring for the Price family, Mary Dunlavy has more than earned a break from the ongoing war with the Covenant of St. George. Instead, what she's getting is a new employer, in the form of the anima mundi, Earth's living soul made manifest, and a new assignment: to hunt down the Covenant agents on the East Coast and make them stop imprisoning America's ghosts.
All in a day's work for a phantom nanny, even one who'd really rather be teaching her youngest charges how to read.
One ghost can't take on the entire Covenant without backup, which is how she winds up on a road trip with the still-mourning Elsie and the slowly collapsing Arthur, both of whom are reeling in their own way from the loss of their mother. New allies and new enemies await in Worcester, Massachusetts, where the path of the haunting leads.
With the anima mundi demanding results and Mary's newfound freedom at stake, it's down to Mary to make sure that everyone gets out of this adventure alive.
It's been a long afterlife, but Mary Dunlavy's not ready to be exorcised quite yet.
432 pages, Paperback
First published March 11, 2025
377 people are currently reading
630 people want to read
About the author
Seanan McGuire
508 books17.1k followersHi! I'm Seanan McGuire, author of the Toby Daye series (Rosemary and Rue, A Local Habitation, An Artificial Night, Late Eclipses), as well as a lot of other things. I'm also Mira Grant (www.miragrant.com), author of Feed and Deadline.
Born and raised in Northern California, I fear weather and am remarkably laid-back about rattlesnakes. I watch too many horror movies, read too many comic books, and share my house with two monsters in feline form, Lilly and Alice (Siamese and Maine Coon).
I do not check this inbox. Please don't send me messages through Goodreads; they won't be answered. I don't want to have to delete this account. :(
Born and raised in Northern California, I fear weather and am remarkably laid-back about rattlesnakes. I watch too many horror movies, read too many comic books, and share my house with two monsters in feline form, Lilly and Alice (Siamese and Maine Coon).
I do not check this inbox. Please don't send me messages through Goodreads; they won't be answered. I don't want to have to delete this account. :(
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
March 16, 2025
Thanks to Netgalley and Tor for the early copy of Installment Immortality. Below is my honest review.
The second Incryptid novel from Mary's POV and the first to be released with new publisher Tor, Installment Immortality continues the excellent urban fantasy hijinks we've all come to know and love from the Price family universe. This one brings Mary's (after)life full circle and ties up a loose end or two with some minor players in the Covenant. I have a feeling there are some more big battles coming in the long run.
Highly recommended, but please remember this is well into the series, and you'll do yourself a disservice to jump right in without context. So read them all, as soon as possible.
The second Incryptid novel from Mary's POV and the first to be released with new publisher Tor, Installment Immortality continues the excellent urban fantasy hijinks we've all come to know and love from the Price family universe. This one brings Mary's (after)life full circle and ties up a loose end or two with some minor players in the Covenant. I have a feeling there are some more big battles coming in the long run.
Highly recommended, but please remember this is well into the series, and you'll do yourself a disservice to jump right in without context. So read them all, as soon as possible.
July 24, 2025
Ghosts and grief
I read Seanan McGuire's Discount Armageddon in May, 2021. It was the first book by McGuire I had ever read, and I was immediately hooked. It was full of life, and so funny! The Aeslin mice alone were worth the price. I subsequently went on to read every extant Incryptid novel and story, as well as McGuire's Octboer Daye series, and eventually every work of fiction she's published that I could find.
The first two thirds of Installment Immortality are puzzling. They do all the obvious, concrete things right. The characters are well-drawn and interesting. This is the second Incryptid novel focused on Mary Dunlavy, who has long been one of my favorite Incryptid characters. The plot is intricate, complicated and unpredictable enough to be interesting, and yet not so complicated as to be difficult to follow. It continues the old Price Family vs Covenant of St George conflict that is a through line of the series.
And yet, I had the strangest feeling. The story just seemed to lie there, dead, on the page. All that life and humor I had come to depend on in the Incryptid novels was just missing. The Aeslin mice are mostly absent. It was a slog to read.
Then, after about two-thirds, the story found a center and came to life. The theme of the last third of the novel is grief. The protagonists are Mary and young folks Arthur and Elsie Harrington. Arthur and Elsie's mother Jane was killed by the Covenant in Aftermarket Afterlife. That was recent, and Elsie is still grieving. Arthur is grieving Jane, too, but he has his own problems. Although Mary has been a ghost for the last 77 years, she discovers reservoirs of unresolved grief from the deaths of her mother and father those many years ago.
Mourner's Waltz
Like all of McGuire's Incryptid novels, this one is packaged with a novella. It is called Mourner's Waltz and follows Verity Price. Verity, too is grieving. Her husband Dominic was also killed in Aftermarket Afterlife, and Verity is, not to put too fine a point on it, wallowing in her grief. She is pregnant with Dominic's last child -- their daughter Olivia is staying with the grandparents in Oregon, so Verity is alone. Even aside from the death of the father, it is not an easy pregnancy. Verity is employed as the manager of an apartment building in New York City. The building is owned by the New York dragons and the tenants are all cryptids.
She is confronted by a building maintenance problem of the type she's uniquely qualified to deal with, and at the end we are left with the feeling that she's snapped out of her funk.
in summary, Installment Immortality starts out as a slog but eventually steps up to become a good story. In her Acknowledgements McGuire mentioned that the book was written during the Covid shutdown, so perhaps the blah mood of the first two thirds has something to do with that.
I am grateful to NetGalley and Tor for an advance Reader copy of Installment Immortality.
Blog review.
I read Seanan McGuire's Discount Armageddon in May, 2021. It was the first book by McGuire I had ever read, and I was immediately hooked. It was full of life, and so funny! The Aeslin mice alone were worth the price. I subsequently went on to read every extant Incryptid novel and story, as well as McGuire's Octboer Daye series, and eventually every work of fiction she's published that I could find.
The first two thirds of Installment Immortality are puzzling. They do all the obvious, concrete things right. The characters are well-drawn and interesting. This is the second Incryptid novel focused on Mary Dunlavy, who has long been one of my favorite Incryptid characters. The plot is intricate, complicated and unpredictable enough to be interesting, and yet not so complicated as to be difficult to follow. It continues the old Price Family vs Covenant of St George conflict that is a through line of the series.
And yet, I had the strangest feeling. The story just seemed to lie there, dead, on the page. All that life and humor I had come to depend on in the Incryptid novels was just missing. The Aeslin mice are mostly absent. It was a slog to read.
Then, after about two-thirds, the story found a center and came to life. The theme of the last third of the novel is grief. The protagonists are Mary and young folks Arthur and Elsie Harrington. Arthur and Elsie's mother Jane was killed by the Covenant in Aftermarket Afterlife. That was recent, and Elsie is still grieving. Arthur is grieving Jane, too, but he has his own problems. Although Mary has been a ghost for the last 77 years, she discovers reservoirs of unresolved grief from the deaths of her mother and father those many years ago.
Mourner's Waltz
Like all of McGuire's Incryptid novels, this one is packaged with a novella. It is called Mourner's Waltz and follows Verity Price. Verity, too is grieving. Her husband Dominic was also killed in Aftermarket Afterlife, and Verity is, not to put too fine a point on it, wallowing in her grief. She is pregnant with Dominic's last child -- their daughter Olivia is staying with the grandparents in Oregon, so Verity is alone. Even aside from the death of the father, it is not an easy pregnancy. Verity is employed as the manager of an apartment building in New York City. The building is owned by the New York dragons and the tenants are all cryptids.
She is confronted by a building maintenance problem of the type she's uniquely qualified to deal with, and at the end we are left with the feeling that she's snapped out of her funk.
in summary, Installment Immortality starts out as a slog but eventually steps up to become a good story. In her Acknowledgements McGuire mentioned that the book was written during the Covid shutdown, so perhaps the blah mood of the first two thirds has something to do with that.
I am grateful to NetGalley and Tor for an advance Reader copy of Installment Immortality.
Blog review.
July 7, 2025
After thirteen novels from DAW, this new book in the InCryptid series was published by Tor, but it has the same look and feel, including a very striking and attractive Lee Moyer cover painting, and a bonus novella at the end. Like the previous volume, Aftermarket Afterlife, the novel is told from Mary's viewpoint and continues the story of the Price family dealing with their losses and Mary's new boss sending her to deal with another Covenant incursion. Elsie and Arthur accompany Mary to Massachusetts for the adventure, but many of the established characters make at least a brief appearance along the way. There's such a rich and detailed history and backstory that the necessary summary and introduction takes a while to work through (and hey guys, it's time to expand that family tree page at the front of the book...a lot), but once the story kicks into gear it's quite exciting. (I was surprised at how gory the demise of a couple of the baddies was, but no spoilers.) It's a kind of simple plot, but McGuire's mastery of creating sympathetic characters carries you right through. And we meet a new kind of cryptid and some new characters... including Arthur. But no spoilers. The mice aren't around for the whole show, but they dominate when they're on stage. The novella, Mourner's Waltz, is about Verity, very pregnant and newly widowed, who's now helping run a dragon-owned apartment building. (Remember the theme song from that old Steve McQueen film, Beware the Blob? Hum that while reading.) Anyway... InCryptid remains a very enjoyable series and shows no signs of slowing down.
April 18, 2025
Book 7 of the
2025 Read Your Hoard Challenge
The previous book in this series ended on a very sad note and I felt a bit of trepidation about this one. Sure enough, the Price-Healy family are still mourning their losses, but they are heartened when the family's caretaker ghost, Mary Dunlevy, returns to the fold. Mary was blown to smithereens during the Price family's bombing of the Covenant’s HQ and has just recently been reconstituted by the Anima mundi. At first, Mary thinks that she may be free to care for her family without restrictions, but the Anima mundi has other ideas.
Somehow, the Covenant figured out that a ghost was part of the bombing destruction and they can carry grudges like nobody's business. They have arrived in New England, where they are capturing unsuspecting ghosts and tormenting them. Mary is instructed to stop them. Being a caretaker ghost, Mary is leaning in that direction already, but it seems like larger matters may be involved.
McGuire teaches us more about the ghostly existence that she has invented and throws in a couple of new cryptids as a bonus. Elsie and Arthur accompany Mary on this mission, perhaps finding some comfort in the process.
A short story about Verity Price-de Luca at the end of the volume is a poignant reminder of her losses. Will she be able to contain her grief enough to care for the immanent new baby? Will her older child, Olivia, be able to rejoin her mother? There's nothing like a deadly critter crisis to put life into perspective!
I get the impression that McGuire is winding this series down. Although there will always be work for the family, it seems that the Covenant isn't the big threat that it used to be. If an ending is in the offing, I will greatly miss the Aeslin mice. HAIL!
The previous book in this series ended on a very sad note and I felt a bit of trepidation about this one. Sure enough, the Price-Healy family are still mourning their losses, but they are heartened when the family's caretaker ghost, Mary Dunlevy, returns to the fold. Mary was blown to smithereens during the Price family's bombing of the Covenant’s HQ and has just recently been reconstituted by the Anima mundi. At first, Mary thinks that she may be free to care for her family without restrictions, but the Anima mundi has other ideas.
Somehow, the Covenant figured out that a ghost was part of the bombing destruction and they can carry grudges like nobody's business. They have arrived in New England, where they are capturing unsuspecting ghosts and tormenting them. Mary is instructed to stop them. Being a caretaker ghost, Mary is leaning in that direction already, but it seems like larger matters may be involved.
McGuire teaches us more about the ghostly existence that she has invented and throws in a couple of new cryptids as a bonus. Elsie and Arthur accompany Mary on this mission, perhaps finding some comfort in the process.
A short story about Verity Price-de Luca at the end of the volume is a poignant reminder of her losses. Will she be able to contain her grief enough to care for the immanent new baby? Will her older child, Olivia, be able to rejoin her mother? There's nothing like a deadly critter crisis to put life into perspective!
I get the impression that McGuire is winding this series down. Although there will always be work for the family, it seems that the Covenant isn't the big threat that it used to be. If an ending is in the offing, I will greatly miss the Aeslin mice. HAIL!
March 3, 2025
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
3.5 hearts
Installment Immortality is the fourteenth book in the Incryptid series which follows different members of the Price family as they try to protect the cryptid community from The Covenant of St George and others that might hurt it. This story focuses on Mary Dunlavy, part of the Price family, even though she is a former crossroads ghost.
One really nice thing about Installment Immortality is there was a pretty long intro and recap that took up about ten percent of the beginning. A lot has happened through thirteen books and a number of short stories and I had forgotten a few key points. Mary is trying to spread her wings beyond being just a caretaker ghost. After the events of the prior book she has put herself back together and is ready to take on caring for the new generation of the Prices.
The new spiritual sheriff in town has asked Mary for help. Some of the members of the Covenant of Saint George have survived and are messing with the ghost communities up and down the east coast. The anima mundi sends Mary to take care of the situation, but she is going to need some corporeal assistance and asks a few of the fighting age generation to help. Elsie and Arthur are still mourning the loss of their mother and the person Arthur used to be but was erased. They are eager to help Mary if it means getting out of their house and all the depression that lingers there.
I was actually the most interested in Arthur's potential story line. I loved the build up to his and Sarah's story line only to become a little heartbroken by the after effects that were brought up in Aftermarket Afterlife. Artie is no more and Arthur isn't the person everyone expects him to be. The reader gets to explore this and the cracks in the shell of him. It is sad and he is still in a lot of danger. I missed the old Artie too, but liked some of the new characteristics of Arthur.
The plot of the book overall was good. The covenant reeling from the actions of Mary in the prior book have a new target in the ghosts and are trying to create a weapon of them. But by kidnapping them they are causing some unexpected side effects and Mary needs to put a stop to it before humans start to die. Meeting different kinds of ghosts and seeing how they form and linger in their afterlives is always interesting. I do struggle caring about the lives of ghosts over the lives of the living so I have enjoyed the books set more firmly in the physical world of the Incryptid series. That said it was a solid plot.
The only real issue I have, other that Seanan McGuire took one of my favorite couples and destroyed them (at least for now) is that this seemed like it could use a bit more editing. Mary talks about being a crossroads ghost a lot of times throughout the story, but it is really repetitive and almost the same speech every time. There were a few other pieces of information like that when she talked about how she gets to take care of the Price family children and how it works or how her current ghost powers are working.
This being the 14th book of the series, I'm not sure how much longer I will follow this series. The last book was really rough and emotional with some pretty big fallout for main characters of the storylines. For me, some of it is getting stale, the editing may be getting a little lazy and feels a little filler for fifty percent of the book while the other part of the story is fantastic. I love McGuire's imagination and the types of characters she creates but I almost think the series should have been done a few books ago. I will read the next book because it should be the final to this specific story arc with Arthur and then I will decide for sure if that is my exit from the series.
Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
3.5 hearts
Installment Immortality is the fourteenth book in the Incryptid series which follows different members of the Price family as they try to protect the cryptid community from The Covenant of St George and others that might hurt it. This story focuses on Mary Dunlavy, part of the Price family, even though she is a former crossroads ghost.
One really nice thing about Installment Immortality is there was a pretty long intro and recap that took up about ten percent of the beginning. A lot has happened through thirteen books and a number of short stories and I had forgotten a few key points. Mary is trying to spread her wings beyond being just a caretaker ghost. After the events of the prior book she has put herself back together and is ready to take on caring for the new generation of the Prices.
The new spiritual sheriff in town has asked Mary for help. Some of the members of the Covenant of Saint George have survived and are messing with the ghost communities up and down the east coast. The anima mundi sends Mary to take care of the situation, but she is going to need some corporeal assistance and asks a few of the fighting age generation to help. Elsie and Arthur are still mourning the loss of their mother and the person Arthur used to be but was erased. They are eager to help Mary if it means getting out of their house and all the depression that lingers there.
I was actually the most interested in Arthur's potential story line. I loved the build up to his and Sarah's story line only to become a little heartbroken by the after effects that were brought up in Aftermarket Afterlife. Artie is no more and Arthur isn't the person everyone expects him to be. The reader gets to explore this and the cracks in the shell of him. It is sad and he is still in a lot of danger. I missed the old Artie too, but liked some of the new characteristics of Arthur.
The plot of the book overall was good. The covenant reeling from the actions of Mary in the prior book have a new target in the ghosts and are trying to create a weapon of them. But by kidnapping them they are causing some unexpected side effects and Mary needs to put a stop to it before humans start to die. Meeting different kinds of ghosts and seeing how they form and linger in their afterlives is always interesting. I do struggle caring about the lives of ghosts over the lives of the living so I have enjoyed the books set more firmly in the physical world of the Incryptid series. That said it was a solid plot.
The only real issue I have, other that Seanan McGuire took one of my favorite couples and destroyed them (at least for now) is that this seemed like it could use a bit more editing. Mary talks about being a crossroads ghost a lot of times throughout the story, but it is really repetitive and almost the same speech every time. There were a few other pieces of information like that when she talked about how she gets to take care of the Price family children and how it works or how her current ghost powers are working.
This being the 14th book of the series, I'm not sure how much longer I will follow this series. The last book was really rough and emotional with some pretty big fallout for main characters of the storylines. For me, some of it is getting stale, the editing may be getting a little lazy and feels a little filler for fifty percent of the book while the other part of the story is fantastic. I love McGuire's imagination and the types of characters she creates but I almost think the series should have been done a few books ago. I will read the next book because it should be the final to this specific story arc with Arthur and then I will decide for sure if that is my exit from the series.
June 1, 2025
love this series.
March 13, 2025
Somehow, I never really got fully invested in this one - clearly shown by the fact that it took me three days to finish and I voluntarily put it down to read something else in between, when many of the previous InCryptid books I was barely willing to put down long enough to get something to eat or go to the bathroom.
I like Mary, but I guess I've got enough of the ghost stuff and would like to focus more on the living family members again. I was honestly bored through parts of this, it got a little repetitive. It finally really acknowledged the Artie/Arthur issue at least, though it didn't resolve anything there.
The Verity novella at the end of the book was the part I actually enjoyed the most. On its own, I'd rate that novella 4 stars. (What does it say about me that I enjoy reading about Verity more now than I ever did before the THING that happened in the previous book?)
I like Mary, but I guess I've got enough of the ghost stuff and would like to focus more on the living family members again. I was honestly bored through parts of this, it got a little repetitive. It finally really acknowledged the Artie/Arthur issue at least, though it didn't resolve anything there.
The Verity novella at the end of the book was the part I actually enjoyed the most. On its own, I'd rate that novella 4 stars. (What does it say about me that I enjoy reading about Verity more now than I ever did before the THING that happened in the previous book?)
February 25, 2025
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
Obviously, there are some spoilers about the previous novel in the series, Aftermarket Afterlife to follow. And, you could probably say the same for the series as a whole. Take that into consideration if you read beyond the period at the end of this sentence.
WHAT'S INSTALLMENT IMMORTALITY ABOUT?
In the months that it took Mary to put herself back together after the attack on their training headquarters, the Covenant hasn't been quiet. In fact, as they knew a ghost was involved in the attack, some of them have been targeting ghosts up and down the East Coast.
The anima mundi, still rebuilding its control, recruits (to put it nicely) Mary to stop them and rescue what ghosts she can. Mary gets permission to bring along some help from her family (the kind of help that can't, say, get stuck in a ghost jar)—she doesn't intend to, but she ends up bringing along Elsie and Arthur who have a need to do something, anything, to help them move on from their mother's death.
So begins a cross-country trip filled with more danger than they expect (and they expect a lot).
MORE MARY
This book, like its predecessor, has done a fantastic job of showing the place of Mary in this family. She's far more than just a quick message-delivery-system, or a genie that can show up at just the right time (she never really came across that way, but it'd be easy to see her filling those roles). It's both heart-warming and heart-tugging.
She's also changed a lot—thanks to Annie's intervention at the Crossroads, and because of her new/growing relationship to the anima mundi. And there are more changes on the horizon—which will be fun to watch as people like me have become more invested in her after the last book.
I thought I had several things to say about Mary here, but just about all of them would need to be redacted. I really enjoyed our time with her, and while I expect that we're going to be spending a few books focused on other characters after this one (Verity or Elsie are my guesses, which means it'll probably be Alex), I'm looking forward to seeing what this new part of her life—ahem, afterlife—brings us.
ELSIE AND ARTHUR
Poor Arthur—I thought I had a pretty good handle on what was going on with him after the last book, but of course, there's a lot more afoot than we could've known. With plenty of time with him—to see him interact with Mary and his sister, we get to hear a lot more from him and understand things from his perspective.
Then we learn even more from some outsiders. We're going to have to spend some more time with Arthur soon, because leaving him where McGuire did is not comfortable.
Elsie, on the other hand, surprised me. I figured that like with Alex and Annie—and even the babysitter—when she got a chance to shine, she'd step up and show herself to be exactly the kind of kick-ass heroine that the Prices and Healys seem to specialize in. I won't get into details, but she's not cut from the same cloth as her cousins—but that doesn't mean she should be taken lightly. It's just that there's an element of diversity even here that I wasn't expecting, and I'm glad to see. I think it would've been boring to see her transform into a variation of Verity or Alice.
More interestingly than that for her was seeing her relationship with Arthur and how she's reacting toward the Aeslin mice in their home.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT INSTALLMENT IMMORTALITY?
This was a little bit of a let-down after the Aftermarket Afterlife. It was primarily a follow-up to it, tying up loose ends and getting us all ready for whatever is next. As such, it's not going to be as good, it can't be as powerful, and it should help the reader catch our breath. Also, saying it's not quite as good as one of the best books in this series is not much of an insult.
But, oh man...there were so many things that are great about this book. For one example, there's a conversation between Mary and one of the Aeslin Mice that is incredibly strange. And if you remember that we're talking about a conversation between a ghost and a sentient, talking mouse with a perfect memory...strange should be expected. Not this level of it.
Of course, we get to meet new Cryptids, and more than a few ghosts. Their perspectives on the Prices, on the war with the Covenant, on Mary and the Crossroads (many don't believe the Crossroads are gone, for example), and so on, are fascinating. It's a good reminder—that we occasionally get, but not as strongly as we do here—how much people don't instinctively trust this family. But we also get a variety of reactions to them along those lines.
This was very satisfying in terms of long-term character arcs, the war arc, and so on. Installment Immortality was also satisfying on its own terms. There's some good supernatural, ghosty action. Some good reminders that the dead should not be messed with. Strong character development—no one leaves this book the way they came in. And some sweet moments that remind you that everyone can use a dog in their life.
This is not a book to jump into the series with, unless you want to spend a lot of time confused—Aftermarket Afterlife would function far better for that (as would starting at the beginning). But for long-term fans, this is exactly what they were looking for.
Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Tor Publishing Group via NetGalley in exchange for this post which contains my honest opinion—thanks to both for this.
---
Obviously, there are some spoilers about the previous novel in the series, Aftermarket Afterlife to follow. And, you could probably say the same for the series as a whole. Take that into consideration if you read beyond the period at the end of this sentence.
WHAT'S INSTALLMENT IMMORTALITY ABOUT?
In the months that it took Mary to put herself back together after the attack on their training headquarters, the Covenant hasn't been quiet. In fact, as they knew a ghost was involved in the attack, some of them have been targeting ghosts up and down the East Coast.
The anima mundi, still rebuilding its control, recruits (to put it nicely) Mary to stop them and rescue what ghosts she can. Mary gets permission to bring along some help from her family (the kind of help that can't, say, get stuck in a ghost jar)—she doesn't intend to, but she ends up bringing along Elsie and Arthur who have a need to do something, anything, to help them move on from their mother's death.
So begins a cross-country trip filled with more danger than they expect (and they expect a lot).
MORE MARY
This book, like its predecessor, has done a fantastic job of showing the place of Mary in this family. She's far more than just a quick message-delivery-system, or a genie that can show up at just the right time (she never really came across that way, but it'd be easy to see her filling those roles). It's both heart-warming and heart-tugging.
She's also changed a lot—thanks to Annie's intervention at the Crossroads, and because of her new/growing relationship to the anima mundi. And there are more changes on the horizon—which will be fun to watch as people like me have become more invested in her after the last book.
I thought I had several things to say about Mary here, but just about all of them would need to be redacted. I really enjoyed our time with her, and while I expect that we're going to be spending a few books focused on other characters after this one (Verity or Elsie are my guesses, which means it'll probably be Alex), I'm looking forward to seeing what this new part of her life—ahem, afterlife—brings us.
ELSIE AND ARTHUR
Poor Arthur—I thought I had a pretty good handle on what was going on with him after the last book, but of course, there's a lot more afoot than we could've known. With plenty of time with him—to see him interact with Mary and his sister, we get to hear a lot more from him and understand things from his perspective.
Then we learn even more from some outsiders. We're going to have to spend some more time with Arthur soon, because leaving him where McGuire did is not comfortable.
Elsie, on the other hand, surprised me. I figured that like with Alex and Annie—and even the babysitter—when she got a chance to shine, she'd step up and show herself to be exactly the kind of kick-ass heroine that the Prices and Healys seem to specialize in. I won't get into details, but she's not cut from the same cloth as her cousins—but that doesn't mean she should be taken lightly. It's just that there's an element of diversity even here that I wasn't expecting, and I'm glad to see. I think it would've been boring to see her transform into a variation of Verity or Alice.
More interestingly than that for her was seeing her relationship with Arthur and how she's reacting toward the Aeslin mice in their home.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT INSTALLMENT IMMORTALITY?
This was a little bit of a let-down after the Aftermarket Afterlife. It was primarily a follow-up to it, tying up loose ends and getting us all ready for whatever is next. As such, it's not going to be as good, it can't be as powerful, and it should help the reader catch our breath. Also, saying it's not quite as good as one of the best books in this series is not much of an insult.
But, oh man...there were so many things that are great about this book. For one example, there's a conversation between Mary and one of the Aeslin Mice that is incredibly strange. And if you remember that we're talking about a conversation between a ghost and a sentient, talking mouse with a perfect memory...strange should be expected. Not this level of it.
Of course, we get to meet new Cryptids, and more than a few ghosts. Their perspectives on the Prices, on the war with the Covenant, on Mary and the Crossroads (many don't believe the Crossroads are gone, for example), and so on, are fascinating. It's a good reminder—that we occasionally get, but not as strongly as we do here—how much people don't instinctively trust this family. But we also get a variety of reactions to them along those lines.
This was very satisfying in terms of long-term character arcs, the war arc, and so on. Installment Immortality was also satisfying on its own terms. There's some good supernatural, ghosty action. Some good reminders that the dead should not be messed with. Strong character development—no one leaves this book the way they came in. And some sweet moments that remind you that everyone can use a dog in their life.
This is not a book to jump into the series with, unless you want to spend a lot of time confused—Aftermarket Afterlife would function far better for that (as would starting at the beginning). But for long-term fans, this is exactly what they were looking for.
Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Tor Publishing Group via NetGalley in exchange for this post which contains my honest opinion—thanks to both for this.
March 22, 2025
Mini blurb: On a mission for the anima mundi, ghost babysitter Mary Dunlavy - a staple of the Price-Healy household since Alice was an infant - joins forces with a still grieving Elsie and a slowly unraveling Artie (now Arthur) to save her fellow ghosts from the Covenant, while making up her mind about her future...if she un-lives long enough to have one.
***
Rated 4.5 really.
Again (see previous installment) I may be biased because I love all things ghosts/afterlife, and Mary has quickly become one of my favourite undead characters of all time - but, while the main story per se doesn't exactly live up to the emotional whirlwind that was Book 13, thanks to the ghost perspective (and I don't only mean Mary) I ended up enjoying it quite a bit. The afterlife worldbuilding and the level of detail that goes into the ghosts' powers and interactions is stunning (as everyone who's read the in-universe series Ghost Roads will know), and Mary is a very unique specimen of her sort, with an even more unique perspective - and did I mention that after all these years she still manages to get challenged, change and grow? The author also introduces some new-to-us cryptid varieties (both in the story proper and the companion novella), and provides us with a front-row seat to the aftermath of Elsie's and Arthur's traumas. Bringing two emotionally damaged family members on a dangerous mission may not appear to be the wisest course of action, but as a matter of fact, there's a rhyme and reason to it, and while on one hand it makes for great character development when it comes to Elsie, it gives us very much needed (if heartbreaking) answers about the "new version" of Artie, keeping us on our toes for what will happen next. Though less engaging than the previous book in the series, and relying on the Covenant agents making a rookie mistake at some point (but we'll chalk it up to them being a subpar team, since some of their highest ranks were destroyed), Installment Immortality is a strong addition to a series that doesn't feel like it's going to run out of steam anytime soon. And the companion novella, though also dealing with trauma and a character in a rough place, is a nice homage to the found-family trope.
(Error alert: in Ch. 19, during her inner monologue, Mary calls Elsie...Mary).
Note: as a rule, I review every book that I rate 3.5 stars and above in full, unless it's a novella or an anthology. But this series has been around for years now, and I only started reading it in August 2022, so I decided to only write mini (well...probably more like midi) reviews for its installments, or it would have been too hard for me to catch up. Now that I have, I'm writing mini reviews for the new ones as well, out of consistency.
***
Rated 4.5 really.
Again (see previous installment) I may be biased because I love all things ghosts/afterlife, and Mary has quickly become one of my favourite undead characters of all time - but, while the main story per se doesn't exactly live up to the emotional whirlwind that was Book 13, thanks to the ghost perspective (and I don't only mean Mary) I ended up enjoying it quite a bit. The afterlife worldbuilding and the level of detail that goes into the ghosts' powers and interactions is stunning (as everyone who's read the in-universe series Ghost Roads will know), and Mary is a very unique specimen of her sort, with an even more unique perspective - and did I mention that after all these years she still manages to get challenged, change and grow? The author also introduces some new-to-us cryptid varieties (both in the story proper and the companion novella), and provides us with a front-row seat to the aftermath of Elsie's and Arthur's traumas. Bringing two emotionally damaged family members on a dangerous mission may not appear to be the wisest course of action, but as a matter of fact, there's a rhyme and reason to it, and while on one hand it makes for great character development when it comes to Elsie, it gives us very much needed (if heartbreaking) answers about the "new version" of Artie, keeping us on our toes for what will happen next. Though less engaging than the previous book in the series, and relying on the Covenant agents making a rookie mistake at some point (but we'll chalk it up to them being a subpar team, since some of their highest ranks were destroyed), Installment Immortality is a strong addition to a series that doesn't feel like it's going to run out of steam anytime soon. And the companion novella, though also dealing with trauma and a character in a rough place, is a nice homage to the found-family trope.
(Error alert: in Ch. 19, during her inner monologue, Mary calls Elsie...Mary).
Note: as a rule, I review every book that I rate 3.5 stars and above in full, unless it's a novella or an anthology. But this series has been around for years now, and I only started reading it in August 2022, so I decided to only write mini (well...probably more like midi) reviews for its installments, or it would have been too hard for me to catch up. Now that I have, I'm writing mini reviews for the new ones as well, out of consistency.
March 16, 2025
There's nothing like a ghost nanny who can walk through walls and appear whenever she's called, and Mary has been caring for her family this way for decades. But it's not as strange when the same family also helps the dragons, boogeymen, and gorgons of the world coexist peacefully among humans. Mary is no longer a crossroads ghost, but she still finds herself tasked with stopping the Covenant of St George from capturing her fellow ghosts and turning them into jars of dangerous spirit rage. Enlisting the help of two of her adult charges, who are both in mourning and dealing with their own trauma, they attempt to free some ghosts and stop what's left of the Covenant.
I enjoy every book in the Incryptid series that follows this large and complex family, and this was no exception. It was so fun to follow Mary, the ghost babysitter of the Price/Healey family. Her sense of humor is great. I thought the variety of ghosts we were introduced to was interesting and so diverse. The pacing was great overall, although the beginning has quite a bit of recap. But with this being the 14th book in the series, it's nice to get a review on what has happened and who every character is. That being said, I would still recommend starting the series at the beginning, it is not easy to just jump in at this point! Installment Immortality is really tying up a lot of loose ends that happened in the previous book. Besides the check-ins with the family in the beginning, there wasn't as much of the extended family or Aeslin mice (although one of my favorite scenes did involve the mice speaking plainly). It is nice to focus on Elsie and Arthur and deep dive into their big emotions. Elsie works through her grief a bit with Mary while Arthur attempts to figure out how he fits into the family now. I really enjoyed the included novella where we get to check in with Verity at the end, and could definitely relate to her being heavily pregnant. Also, ghost dogs are something I didn't know I could love so much.
I definitely recommend this book (and really, this series) to all who enjoy urban cryptozoology, a witty sense of humor from most characters, and plotlines that are well done and never predictable. I love to read anything Seanan McGuire writes, and am already looking forward to what comes next. I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley for my opinions.
4.5 rounded up
I enjoy every book in the Incryptid series that follows this large and complex family, and this was no exception. It was so fun to follow Mary, the ghost babysitter of the Price/Healey family. Her sense of humor is great. I thought the variety of ghosts we were introduced to was interesting and so diverse. The pacing was great overall, although the beginning has quite a bit of recap. But with this being the 14th book in the series, it's nice to get a review on what has happened and who every character is. That being said, I would still recommend starting the series at the beginning, it is not easy to just jump in at this point! Installment Immortality is really tying up a lot of loose ends that happened in the previous book. Besides the check-ins with the family in the beginning, there wasn't as much of the extended family or Aeslin mice (although one of my favorite scenes did involve the mice speaking plainly). It is nice to focus on Elsie and Arthur and deep dive into their big emotions. Elsie works through her grief a bit with Mary while Arthur attempts to figure out how he fits into the family now. I really enjoyed the included novella where we get to check in with Verity at the end, and could definitely relate to her being heavily pregnant. Also, ghost dogs are something I didn't know I could love so much.
I definitely recommend this book (and really, this series) to all who enjoy urban cryptozoology, a witty sense of humor from most characters, and plotlines that are well done and never predictable. I love to read anything Seanan McGuire writes, and am already looking forward to what comes next. I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley for my opinions.
4.5 rounded up
October 3, 2025
I have been reading this series since the beginning, and have been trying to put my finger on why I haven’t been enjoying the last few books as much as the first… I realized that not only is the exposition starting to take over the story (how many times do we need to recap the same thing?), but I’m missing the actual CHARACTERS.
I wanted to get to know Elsie and Arthur. I wanted them to actually play a role in the story instead of being tag-along supporting cast. And most of all, I wanted interaction between characters. I loved Veriry and Dominic. I loved Alex and Shelby. I even enjoyed Annie and Sam (once Sam was in the picture because let’s face it, Annie was a spoiled brat). Yes, the romantic aspect was nice, but mostly I enjoyed the banter, the emotional connection, and the way the characters bounce off each other. I feel like I got more of that in the short story at the end than I did in the novel itself.
Overall, I still love the world and the cast, I’d just like to actually get to know them more.
I wanted to get to know Elsie and Arthur. I wanted them to actually play a role in the story instead of being tag-along supporting cast. And most of all, I wanted interaction between characters. I loved Veriry and Dominic. I loved Alex and Shelby. I even enjoyed Annie and Sam (once Sam was in the picture because let’s face it, Annie was a spoiled brat). Yes, the romantic aspect was nice, but mostly I enjoyed the banter, the emotional connection, and the way the characters bounce off each other. I feel like I got more of that in the short story at the end than I did in the novel itself.
Overall, I still love the world and the cast, I’d just like to actually get to know them more.
October 3, 2025
This book does start with a brief recap of the bigger story, which is super helpful for those of us who haven't gone back and re-read the previous books. However, it is still a very large cast of characters to keep up with, so there's a lot of bopping around with incremental gains in plot progress for each individual which feels unsatisfying as a reader. I am excited to see where things go once the POV switches to Sarah for the next book.
March 19, 2025
This series is still kicking. After a couple of books about Sarah and Alice, the narration has switched to Mary, who is the ghost babysitter of the Price-Healy clan. I did feel like the first part of the novel had some pacing problems. Mary has come back from the "dead" and goes around visiting with family, and it did feel like more of an excuse to check in on everyone. Once the plot gets going, it was pretty good. I also liked the bonus novella at the end catching up with the recently widowed and 8-months pregnant Verity.
Read
April 6, 2025So good. And I have a signed copy! 🥰
March 19, 2025
MAR2025: This book started off by reminding you who all the major characters were and what has happened to date, which was a huge relief and much appreciated. The story was OK, but it didn't feel as exciting as some previous installments, and I actually had the thought halfway through that maybe I had reached the end of the road with this series. I struggled to care about turning the page. I guess we'll see when the next one comes out.
March 25, 2025
This feels like a lot of repetition of the lore, just constantly bringing in characters so they can all be brought up to date and read into back story. The plot itself is thin on the ground.
January 31, 2025
The latest installment of the Price family, the eccentric cyptozoologists, focuses again on Mary the ghost baby sitter, and also follows up with Arthur, who was damaged in Calculated Risks, and his sister, who are supposed to help defeat the Covenant of St. George agents who are killing ghosts in New England.
McGuire does a good job of summarizing the Price history at the beginning, which I admit I did need and in fact I didn't realize was so convoluted.
While I enjoy this world, I admit I ended up skimming the long passages that reiterate the complexities of feelings and the cosmology that are put in right during the middle of action.
If you follow this series, you'll enjoy this installment, although you'll still be wanting more at the end!
Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC
McGuire does a good job of summarizing the Price history at the beginning, which I admit I did need and in fact I didn't realize was so convoluted.
While I enjoy this world, I admit I ended up skimming the long passages that reiterate the complexities of feelings and the cosmology that are put in right during the middle of action.
If you follow this series, you'll enjoy this installment, although you'll still be wanting more at the end!
Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC
June 23, 2025
** THE VERSION OF THIS BOOK THAT I READ WAS AN ARC **
March 14, 2025
I had fallen off from reading Seanan McGuire's InCryptid series due to some grimdark happenings! (I really need to get back to them, to find out what happened.) But I decided to read and review Installment Immortality because Mary Dunlavy, ex-crossroads ghost and baby sitter to the Price-Healy family of cryptid researchers/conservationists is one of my favorite characters in the series. (Possibly not as much as I like Sarah or Verity though.)
Mary, having been brought back by the anima mundi is in an interesting position as of this book. She has to a) navigate the trauma her double death brought to her family b) reunite with same and get updated on all happenings c) deal (in many senses of that word) with the recovered anima mundi, the avatar/overmind/spirit of the earth. Mary's interactions with her family have all of the tensions and stress of a unexpected reunion, equal part relief and anger. (Lots of lovely complicated emotions--everyone is very surprised she's back! They're happy she's back! They're also mad she didn't turn up sooner!)
From there, Mary's given a mission from the anima mundi: the Covenant of St. George is up to no good (again). This time, they are kidnapping ghosts from their various hauntings, for some unknown purpose. (It is a bad, terrible, no good purpose.) The anima mundi would like this stopped, and feels that the solution is Mary Dunlavy shaped. This leads to some increased tensions because Mary does not want to be in a situation in any way similar to the one she had with the crossroads. (Hint: it was nasty and traumatic.) Joining her on this mission are Elsie and Arthur Harrington, neither of whom have been out in the field. Mary has her misgivings about Arthur, who is still recovering (or not recovering) from having his mind pieced carefully back together but the wrong way around by Sarah.
The tension shifts to a more horror/thriller/mystery vibe as Mary goes on the case. This leads to dangerous situations with the local ghosts, the local cryptids and of course the ghost hunters from the Covenant of St. George. (Who turn out to have personal beefs with the Price/Healy/Harrington families.) McGuire cranks up the tension in this book, as well as the intensity. Mary's having something of an existential crisis--and the anima mundi seems to have capital P plans for her.
I enjoyed the book! It's tightly written with lots of twists and turns. The characterization is great and I enjoyed the interactions of Mary with the various members of her family. There was some angst (Elsie dealing with grief over her mother's death, Arthur and his disintegrating mind/soul/sense of self. Both situations are written with sympathy and care for the characters personalities and personal arcs.
This review is based on a galley copy received from Netgalley. Said galley copy also has an excerpt for the next book in the series, which will feature Verity. (Who is barely coping with a combination of her pregnancy and personal tragedy. Fortunately, she has a good support system.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 1, 2025
This review originally published in Looking For a Good Book. Rated 4.5 of 5
This is the second InCryptid novel to be from Mary Dunlavy's point of view. Mary, for those who aren't familiar with Seanan McGuire's various series, is a Crossroads Ghost who has been the babysitter for generations of Price-Healy Family children. (And the Price-Healy Family is an old family that has been studying and conserving InCryptids.)
In their attempt to help preserve the cryptid community, the Prices are at war with the Covenant of St George - a human group out to preserve the sanctity of humankind but ridding the world of the paranormal community.
While Mary has earned her break from being a babysitter for the Prices, she wasn't quite expecting to be called up to be at the forefront of new attacks. She's one ghost being asked to take on the entire East Coast Covenant, so she'll recruit some friends and make new acquaintances.
Each time I read a book in one of Seanan McGuire's series I think "this might be my favorite of her series." And each time I'm right. My favorite is always the one I'm currently reading.
I really liked the way McGuire deals with ghosts (yeah, the Ghost Roads series was a favorite of mine, too!) and having Mary be our POV character again is definitely something I enjoyed here.
This on-going way with the Covenant is well delivered here, but I can't shake the feeling of exhaustion from the characters. When will it end? Will there ever be any relief? Changing the main character focus is McGuire's way of keeping this story fresh, but we need somebody who isn't dealing with a whole host of personal issues to step up and take charge real soon.
Like most of McGuire's urban fantasies that I've read, this one comes with a novella at the end. This one, "Mourner's Waltz," features Verity Price, recovering from the events in the previous series novel in which her husband was killed. Her problems at first seem rather mundane - typical renter's maintenance issues, until those issues turn into something life-threatening. But when your landlords are dragons, they've got you covered.
I can't recommend jumping into this series with a book like this, number fourteen, but then I started late and caught feel mostly caught up. Just don't be surprised if you feel like you don't understand everything going on if you do start here.
Looking for a good book? Installment Immortality is Seanan McGuire's 14th book in the InCryptid series. It's an exciting urban fantasy that extends from coast to coast and features more cryptids than you can possibly imagine.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
This is the second InCryptid novel to be from Mary Dunlavy's point of view. Mary, for those who aren't familiar with Seanan McGuire's various series, is a Crossroads Ghost who has been the babysitter for generations of Price-Healy Family children. (And the Price-Healy Family is an old family that has been studying and conserving InCryptids.)
In their attempt to help preserve the cryptid community, the Prices are at war with the Covenant of St George - a human group out to preserve the sanctity of humankind but ridding the world of the paranormal community.
While Mary has earned her break from being a babysitter for the Prices, she wasn't quite expecting to be called up to be at the forefront of new attacks. She's one ghost being asked to take on the entire East Coast Covenant, so she'll recruit some friends and make new acquaintances.
Each time I read a book in one of Seanan McGuire's series I think "this might be my favorite of her series." And each time I'm right. My favorite is always the one I'm currently reading.
I really liked the way McGuire deals with ghosts (yeah, the Ghost Roads series was a favorite of mine, too!) and having Mary be our POV character again is definitely something I enjoyed here.
This on-going way with the Covenant is well delivered here, but I can't shake the feeling of exhaustion from the characters. When will it end? Will there ever be any relief? Changing the main character focus is McGuire's way of keeping this story fresh, but we need somebody who isn't dealing with a whole host of personal issues to step up and take charge real soon.
Like most of McGuire's urban fantasies that I've read, this one comes with a novella at the end. This one, "Mourner's Waltz," features Verity Price, recovering from the events in the previous series novel in which her husband was killed. Her problems at first seem rather mundane - typical renter's maintenance issues, until those issues turn into something life-threatening. But when your landlords are dragons, they've got you covered.
I can't recommend jumping into this series with a book like this, number fourteen, but then I started late and caught feel mostly caught up. Just don't be surprised if you feel like you don't understand everything going on if you do start here.
Looking for a good book? Installment Immortality is Seanan McGuire's 14th book in the InCryptid series. It's an exciting urban fantasy that extends from coast to coast and features more cryptids than you can possibly imagine.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
March 11, 2025
In the current installment of the InCryptid series, Installment Immortality, Seanan McGuire continues creating a story that is emotional and complex while still full of action. Right from the beginning the novel is off to an exciting start as Mary re-emerges from six months away from her family after she almost got destroyed. The set up of the story and how she is swept up into helping the anima mundi makes for an interesting start but what makes this novel so complex is the way that it addresses and deals with the emotional trauma that both Elsie and Arther have endured.
Throughout the novel, in between helping the ghosts that she encounters, Mary deals with the emotional damage that she caused in disappearing for six months, which although was unavoidable, still left scars on her family. As always when antangling with the Covenant, Mary and the others also have to address the damage done to their family but also in defending themselves, the damage caused to the Covenant and to their agents. The narrative does so in a empathetic straightforward way and while there is not a full resolution with the Covenant, there is a sense of emotional resolution with the ghosts that Mary is there to save. I also happen to love that the spirits and InCryptid are not one dimensional plot devices, they are full characters in their own rights.
If you like urban fantasy with emotional and complex stories, this novel is for you. I do warn you that it is part of a series and if you haven’t read the other books, you may miss some of the plotline. While Seanan McGuire does her best to help salt in information to help with the past story, there are a lot of books to cover and it may be easier to start from the first book. That said, I found this latest installment fast paced, complex emotionally and an ending that ties up Mary’s origins and purpose. And there still is plenty more narrative for more books about the Price family.
Throughout the novel, in between helping the ghosts that she encounters, Mary deals with the emotional damage that she caused in disappearing for six months, which although was unavoidable, still left scars on her family. As always when antangling with the Covenant, Mary and the others also have to address the damage done to their family but also in defending themselves, the damage caused to the Covenant and to their agents. The narrative does so in a empathetic straightforward way and while there is not a full resolution with the Covenant, there is a sense of emotional resolution with the ghosts that Mary is there to save. I also happen to love that the spirits and InCryptid are not one dimensional plot devices, they are full characters in their own rights.
If you like urban fantasy with emotional and complex stories, this novel is for you. I do warn you that it is part of a series and if you haven’t read the other books, you may miss some of the plotline. While Seanan McGuire does her best to help salt in information to help with the past story, there are a lot of books to cover and it may be easier to start from the first book. That said, I found this latest installment fast paced, complex emotionally and an ending that ties up Mary’s origins and purpose. And there still is plenty more narrative for more books about the Price family.
May 1, 2025
Another great visit with the InCryptid family. Like the previous book, this is from the viewpoint of Mary, the ghost babysitter. Now that the evil crossroads entity is gone, she no longer has to answer to an employer, but can focus on the family. Until the anima mundi, which/who, with the crossroads gone, is kind of in charge of the world, taps her for a mission. Operatives from the Covenant of St. George are in the Northeast USA, and they are catching and torturing ghosts.
For help and travel companions, Mary gets Elsie and Arthur, half-Lilu (incubus/succubus) siblings. This was the most I've read about either of them - Arthur is actually a different person from the old Artie, since the time he kind of died and Sarah put him back together. Yeah, this is not a standalone book, though McGuire gives lots of catch-up to the people and the overall plot. Anyway, the three of them find the Covenant in Worcester, MA, find local cryptids and ghosts, and get to work on their mission.
Situations and decisions in the book may not always make sense, and some of the exposition is slightly awkward. But I still give it five stars because the characters are so great. McGuire is a genius at writing characters that you actually like (even if you can't fully comprehend them). I always want to know what's happening with everyone in the family, and she finds ways to include a lot of the ones who are not major players in the book, and updates on most of the rest. Several colonies of Aeslin mice figure into this story, and it's always fun to learn more about them.
At the end of the book, there's a bonus novella, Mourner's Waltz. This is a sweet, if sad, visit with Verity, who is in a depressed state, eight months pregnant and grieving the death of her husband Dominic. The story includes dragons (Verity is living in and managing a property for them), her chupacabra friend, and a nasty slime mold. Very nice.
For help and travel companions, Mary gets Elsie and Arthur, half-Lilu (incubus/succubus) siblings. This was the most I've read about either of them - Arthur is actually a different person from the old Artie, since the time he kind of died and Sarah put him back together. Yeah, this is not a standalone book, though McGuire gives lots of catch-up to the people and the overall plot. Anyway, the three of them find the Covenant in Worcester, MA, find local cryptids and ghosts, and get to work on their mission.
Situations and decisions in the book may not always make sense, and some of the exposition is slightly awkward. But I still give it five stars because the characters are so great. McGuire is a genius at writing characters that you actually like (even if you can't fully comprehend them). I always want to know what's happening with everyone in the family, and she finds ways to include a lot of the ones who are not major players in the book, and updates on most of the rest. Several colonies of Aeslin mice figure into this story, and it's always fun to learn more about them.
At the end of the book, there's a bonus novella, Mourner's Waltz. This is a sweet, if sad, visit with Verity, who is in a depressed state, eight months pregnant and grieving the death of her husband Dominic. The story includes dragons (Verity is living in and managing a property for them), her chupacabra friend, and a nasty slime mold. Very nice.
February 14, 2025
5/5 stars: This is the fourteenth entry in McGuire's Urban Fantasy InCryptid series which features a babysitting ghost teams up with two of her grown charges after she's tasked by the anima mundi, Earth's living soul made manifest, to hunt down and stop those imprisoning America's ghosts or lose her freedom. With plenty of plot twists, McGuire has masterfully crafted a non-stop action packed yet heartfelt story with excellent and fascinating world-building. McGuire's writing and character work are excellent; the characters are well-rounded and complex while remaining incredibly likable. This series switches POVs between the different members of a Cryptozoologists's extended family as they find love and fight to protect the creatures of the world against the forces determined to eradicate them. I love getting to read more about Mary and I love seeing her getting her own adventures. Additionally, I adore the extended Price family and everyone connected to it and love catching up with them. Also includes the short story, Mourner's Waltz, which features Verity. I love how McGuire uses shorts to expand the world-building and flesh out and catch up with the characters in the series. With tact and sensitivity, McGuire touches on some sensitive topics; so take care and CWs. While you could read this as a stand-alone, you'll gain so much more by reading the series from the beginning; so be sure to pick up book one, Discount Armageddon.
I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.
I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.
March 26, 2025
The last few books have been hard on the Price family, especially the last one. I had hoped we were done with all of that, but this one was rough too. So many of the family have issues with those they lost (as they should), it's hard for them to go on. Mary coming back seemed to help, but just when she thought she was "free" of the crossroads and the job she did for them, she gets pulled back to help another being and ends up in the same type of a situation for a trial run.
In the trial run, she recruits 2 of her "kids" to help, Arthur and Elsie, both of whom have big issues they are dealing with. I'm glad that Arthur is finally talking about what it is for him to go from being Artie to Arthur and how he feels. I think the activities in this one helped him, let him see that he doesn't need to be Artie, but can be Arthur and his family will still want him around.
Elsie, is still reeling from her mother's death and not doing good. I think the events in this one also helped her come to terms with things and now she can think of her mother fondly and be happy that life is going on.
The job that Mary ends up working is once again going after the Covenant and it seems like at the start Mary has the upper hand. That quickly turns, despite all the help that Mary has and for a while, I really wondered if Mary would make it out alive, or at least her version of alive.
The good thing is that Mary was able to learn just how hurt the Covenant is and if they keep up their full court press, there is a chance they can make them go away, they just need to be a bit smarter about how they go about doing it, because they can't take the losses that almost happened.
In the trial run, she recruits 2 of her "kids" to help, Arthur and Elsie, both of whom have big issues they are dealing with. I'm glad that Arthur is finally talking about what it is for him to go from being Artie to Arthur and how he feels. I think the activities in this one helped him, let him see that he doesn't need to be Artie, but can be Arthur and his family will still want him around.
Elsie, is still reeling from her mother's death and not doing good. I think the events in this one also helped her come to terms with things and now she can think of her mother fondly and be happy that life is going on.
The job that Mary ends up working is once again going after the Covenant and it seems like at the start Mary has the upper hand. That quickly turns, despite all the help that Mary has and for a while, I really wondered if Mary would make it out alive, or at least her version of alive.
The good thing is that Mary was able to learn just how hurt the Covenant is and if they keep up their full court press, there is a chance they can make them go away, they just need to be a bit smarter about how they go about doing it, because they can't take the losses that almost happened.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 3, 2025
Death, ghosts and revenge
I love immersing myself in the stories of the Price-Healeys, the hidden world of magic and the Incryptids (non-humans) hiding in plain sight. Once again I fell directly into the story from the first page and was unable to stop until the last page. This installation of the saga is again told from the ghost babysitter, Mary Dunlavy’s, perspective. Mary died 85 years ago but thanks to a bargain with the crossroads has been taking care of her “family” since then. Mary’s family believes Incryptids, who are not harmful to humans or other species, should be protected. The enemy is the Covenant who are fanatical monster hunters believing that incryptids should be exterminated. This book picks up where the last book left off. After the Covenant came to North America to hunt down the Price family and killed two of them, the Price family struck back at the headquarters in England. Mary helped with the bombing but got caught in the blast. Now the Covenant is hunting ghosts to punish the “ghost” that hurt them and the anima mundi (the earth’s soul) has asked Mary to help stop them. The story includes what you’d expect from this genre - fighting, dangerous situations, paranormal creatures, evil actors, henchmen, loyal friends and family, tragic back stories, mystical coincidences, snark, deep emotions, and laughs. This book, like all the books in this series, made me laugh, cry, gasp, and grit my teeth. This is book 14 in the Incryptid series and while each book can be read as a standalone, to get the most enjoyment, the books are best read in order. I love this family and this series.
I love immersing myself in the stories of the Price-Healeys, the hidden world of magic and the Incryptids (non-humans) hiding in plain sight. Once again I fell directly into the story from the first page and was unable to stop until the last page. This installation of the saga is again told from the ghost babysitter, Mary Dunlavy’s, perspective. Mary died 85 years ago but thanks to a bargain with the crossroads has been taking care of her “family” since then. Mary’s family believes Incryptids, who are not harmful to humans or other species, should be protected. The enemy is the Covenant who are fanatical monster hunters believing that incryptids should be exterminated. This book picks up where the last book left off. After the Covenant came to North America to hunt down the Price family and killed two of them, the Price family struck back at the headquarters in England. Mary helped with the bombing but got caught in the blast. Now the Covenant is hunting ghosts to punish the “ghost” that hurt them and the anima mundi (the earth’s soul) has asked Mary to help stop them. The story includes what you’d expect from this genre - fighting, dangerous situations, paranormal creatures, evil actors, henchmen, loyal friends and family, tragic back stories, mystical coincidences, snark, deep emotions, and laughs. This book, like all the books in this series, made me laugh, cry, gasp, and grit my teeth. This is book 14 in the Incryptid series and while each book can be read as a standalone, to get the most enjoyment, the books are best read in order. I love this family and this series.
March 25, 2025
So, although I am definitely more into the Cryptid side of the Incryptid series, I do enjoy the occasional dip into the ghostly side. Mary’s been an interesting character, even moreso now, I think, that the Crossroads are gone. I really like that there are so many different kinds of ghosts, which I’m sure we knew, but I honestly kind of forgot. It’s been a while since the last Incryptid book, so my memory’s a bit… holy. Lol.
I like that we got more of the Harrington-Price branch of the family. Elsie’s quite fun and I liked getting a peek at how Arthur’s doing… not well, apparently, but I feel like that’s more a function of him being stuck around people who knew him as Artie than anything else. Arthur needs to figure out how to get out more and figure out who he is despite his inserted Artie memories, in my opinion. It was also interesting to see how they’re handing the Aeslin mice situation. I’m not sure we’d have gotten much of the mice this book anyway, but I did sort of miss them.
Installment Immortality was fun. I like Mary. I like seeing her interact with different members of the family and the ghost community as well as other Cryptids who have heard of her.
Last thing: The Covenant really just needs to give up the ghost, so to speak. If what Heitor told Mary was true, they shouldn’t be a problem for the Price’s much longer… and good riddance, honestly.
“Mourner’s Waltz”
This was really cute. I’m glad Verity has friends to help care for her and her children. Malena was a nice surprise. She’s a fun character.
I like that we got more of the Harrington-Price branch of the family. Elsie’s quite fun and I liked getting a peek at how Arthur’s doing… not well, apparently, but I feel like that’s more a function of him being stuck around people who knew him as Artie than anything else. Arthur needs to figure out how to get out more and figure out who he is despite his inserted Artie memories, in my opinion. It was also interesting to see how they’re handing the Aeslin mice situation. I’m not sure we’d have gotten much of the mice this book anyway, but I did sort of miss them.
Installment Immortality was fun. I like Mary. I like seeing her interact with different members of the family and the ghost community as well as other Cryptids who have heard of her.
Last thing: The Covenant really just needs to give up the ghost, so to speak. If what Heitor told Mary was true, they shouldn’t be a problem for the Price’s much longer… and good riddance, honestly.
“Mourner’s Waltz”
This was really cute. I’m glad Verity has friends to help care for her and her children. Malena was a nice surprise. She’s a fun character.
March 12, 2025
Do you enjoy really long series? I’ve got a few I really enjoy, although they all seem to be urban fantasy; Dresden Files, October Daye, Alex Verus, etc. And of course, the InCryptid series by Seanan McGuire. And lucky me, the newest book just dropped today! (Book #14!! That’s some staying power.)
I’m just thrilled to have another Mary-centric novel. There’s not a lot I can say without spoiling previous plot points (Again! Fourteen books!) but Mary is such a fascinating character. Despite being a ghost, she’s been the babysitter for generation upon generation of the Healy-Price family while trying to balance it with her other occupation – crossroads ghost, trying to help mortals when they broker deals for the Crossroads. (We know how well those kinds of deals tend to go.) Being a babysitter is work enough, but when the family business is studying and conserving cryptids, and the members have a disturbing tendency to get into live threatening situations? Yeah, even worse.
Mary has experienced some dramatic changes during her afterlife, not just in circumstances but in who she is; she hasn’t been stagnant by any means, despite being a ghost. I’ve loved watching the changes and growth. We also get some more time with Arthur, another favorite character of mine, who’s been through even more drastic changes and is still dealing with the severe after effects. And the Aeslin mice! Look, you need to read this series if only for the Aeslin mice. Trust me on this. Can I have an Aeslin centric novella?
Thank you NetGalley and Tor Books for the chance to read this advanced ARC! All opinions are of course my own.
I’m just thrilled to have another Mary-centric novel. There’s not a lot I can say without spoiling previous plot points (Again! Fourteen books!) but Mary is such a fascinating character. Despite being a ghost, she’s been the babysitter for generation upon generation of the Healy-Price family while trying to balance it with her other occupation – crossroads ghost, trying to help mortals when they broker deals for the Crossroads. (We know how well those kinds of deals tend to go.) Being a babysitter is work enough, but when the family business is studying and conserving cryptids, and the members have a disturbing tendency to get into live threatening situations? Yeah, even worse.
Mary has experienced some dramatic changes during her afterlife, not just in circumstances but in who she is; she hasn’t been stagnant by any means, despite being a ghost. I’ve loved watching the changes and growth. We also get some more time with Arthur, another favorite character of mine, who’s been through even more drastic changes and is still dealing with the severe after effects. And the Aeslin mice! Look, you need to read this series if only for the Aeslin mice. Trust me on this. Can I have an Aeslin centric novella?
Thank you NetGalley and Tor Books for the chance to read this advanced ARC! All opinions are of course my own.
July 16, 2025
Installment Immortality has us continuing to follow ghostly babysitter, Mary Dunlavy, after the climactic events of book 13. The anima mundi has a job that Mary is specifically suited to, but she needs the help of a couple human family members to pull it off - so Archie and Elsie get to spend a little time in the series spotlight.
I enjoyed that we got some different family members in the main action this time, and since Archie in particular is a bit of an ongoing loose thread in the series at present, I liked getting to spend more time with him and see how his situation is shaping up.
With a ghost as our main character, this is ultimately a ghost story this time! Lots of hauntings, and the lore shared around the different types of ghosts made for some interesting moments as each type of ghost has a specific skill set associated with their classification.
I liked this book, but I have to say I didn't LOVE it quite as much as I have some of the other InCryptid books. The fact that it comes right after a couple books with some major action meant that it ended up dealing with the fallout of the previous book, and I just found certain parts of that a little less compelling. That said, the book does have a good story arc of its own, and I am very much looking forward to seeing what happens next in InCryptid.
I enjoyed that we got some different family members in the main action this time, and since Archie in particular is a bit of an ongoing loose thread in the series at present, I liked getting to spend more time with him and see how his situation is shaping up.
With a ghost as our main character, this is ultimately a ghost story this time! Lots of hauntings, and the lore shared around the different types of ghosts made for some interesting moments as each type of ghost has a specific skill set associated with their classification.
I liked this book, but I have to say I didn't LOVE it quite as much as I have some of the other InCryptid books. The fact that it comes right after a couple books with some major action meant that it ended up dealing with the fallout of the previous book, and I just found certain parts of that a little less compelling. That said, the book does have a good story arc of its own, and I am very much looking forward to seeing what happens next in InCryptid.
March 15, 2025
*ARC generously provided by the publisher via NetGalley*
Book 14 in the InCryptid series is dealing with the fallout of the last book with a 6 month time lapse. Mary has been gone, and things have been happening without her. The Covenant continues to create problems from the Cryptid Community and the Price family and Mary is called upon by the anima mundi to fix it. We gain Elsie and Arthur for this adventure which are a different branch of their family than we've been following previously.
I didn't love this one as much as the previous installment and at times Mary came off as too cocky and got herself into trouble more often than not. Luckily for her she's pretty good at getting out of said trouble, probably from working for the Crossroads for so long.
The ending of this one wrapped up almost too nicely compared to the absolute mess the last book ended with and I felt like I was missing something. The novella included at the end gave my flash backs to my own pregnancy and how miserable you feel in the third trimester. Ugh. I'm interested to see if we continue on with Mary, if we'll end up with Elsie and Arthur again, or back to Verity where it all began.
Book 14 in the InCryptid series is dealing with the fallout of the last book with a 6 month time lapse. Mary has been gone, and things have been happening without her. The Covenant continues to create problems from the Cryptid Community and the Price family and Mary is called upon by the anima mundi to fix it. We gain Elsie and Arthur for this adventure which are a different branch of their family than we've been following previously.
I didn't love this one as much as the previous installment and at times Mary came off as too cocky and got herself into trouble more often than not. Luckily for her she's pretty good at getting out of said trouble, probably from working for the Crossroads for so long.
The ending of this one wrapped up almost too nicely compared to the absolute mess the last book ended with and I felt like I was missing something. The novella included at the end gave my flash backs to my own pregnancy and how miserable you feel in the third trimester. Ugh. I'm interested to see if we continue on with Mary, if we'll end up with Elsie and Arthur again, or back to Verity where it all began.
June 19, 2025
Seanan McGuire's Incryptid series started with a rollicking good time with Verity trying to get out from her crazy family and into the NY world of ballroom dancing. Craziness ensues and many (many) books later, we're in a whole different place in this series.
I love the differing and varied points of view. And appreciate McGuire's work to keep them separate and coherent. Visiting our friends all over the country and getting updates is fabulous. And I especially love that the series has deepened into more than just the flavor of romance that it seemed to be in the first few books.
She approaches grief from the point of view of a ghost. Good vs evil are really just shades of gray in this particular novel. And the particular paragraphs where Mary talks about the passing of her mom? Unforgettable and some of the most poignant writing I've read this year. Getting to know Elsie better was beautiful. And her reaction to Mary? Again, perfect.
But the plot itself? I wanted more mice. I wanted more of Arthur's story and his growth.
Fingers crossed to get that in the next book!
(4.5 stars, which I never round up on)
I love the differing and varied points of view. And appreciate McGuire's work to keep them separate and coherent. Visiting our friends all over the country and getting updates is fabulous. And I especially love that the series has deepened into more than just the flavor of romance that it seemed to be in the first few books.
She approaches grief from the point of view of a ghost. Good vs evil are really just shades of gray in this particular novel. And the particular paragraphs where Mary talks about the passing of her mom? Unforgettable and some of the most poignant writing I've read this year. Getting to know Elsie better was beautiful. And her reaction to Mary? Again, perfect.
But the plot itself? I wanted more mice. I wanted more of Arthur's story and his growth.
Fingers crossed to get that in the next book!
(4.5 stars, which I never round up on)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews