The Sin Eater

Carnival of Mysteries

by Liv Rancourt

He was born in darkness, but when he meets someone who offers him light, will his secret ruin it all?
Ezra carries a dark secret, one that forces him to keep people at a distance. That’s until he meets Damon, who makes him feel things he’s never allowed himself before. Sweet things. Hopeful things. Maybe even love.
A disturbing change in Ezra’s gift and a visit to a mysterious carnival make keeping his secret harder than ever, but if Damon learns the truth, he’s bound to look away in disgust.
And that’s a chance Ezra can’t afford to take.
The Carnival of Mysteries is a magical place, where characters can find safety—and sometimes face hard truths. If you like angsty heroes who fall for cinnamon rolls and a touch of magic in your love stories, check out The Sin Eater today!

Genres: M M Romance

254 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 10, 2025

About the author

Liv Rancourt writes romance of all kinds. Because love is love, even with fangs.
Liv is a huge fan of paranormal romance and urban fantasy and loves history just as much, so her stories often feature vampires or magic or they’re set in the past…or all of the above. When Liv isn’t writing she takes care of tiny premature babies in the NICU. Her husband is a soul of patience, her kids are her pride and joy, and her dogs – Trash Panda and The Boy Genius – are endlessly entertaining.

Reviews

[Cynthia M Brow · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Sin Eater is set in the Carnival of Mysteries universe. It is the story of Ezra a sin eater and Damon. This was quite the story. I loved the characters and world building that went into this book. This book was hard to put down once I started it because I wanted to know everything about Ezra. I loved watching these two figure things out. I would definitely recommend this book as a 5 star read.

[Ulysses Dietz · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Sin Eater (Carnival of Mysteries)
by Liv Rancourt

The Carnival of Mysteries series continues to appeal to me. Its core premise allows the authors to spin their own tales—weaving in the magical, mysterious Carnival however they choose (presumably within the parameters of the ongoing challenge—up to twenty-eight novels now).

Liv Rancourt’s latest addition to the series takes the story of a sad young man, Ezra Huckaby, who works in a Seattle morgue in order to satisfy his inherited magical “curse.” He is a sin-eater. It is both more eerie and less awful than you might imagine. The problem is that Ezra’s upbringing has turned his life into a quiet little personal hell because of this spiritual obligation (or so he was taught).

Then baseball-player-turned-hospital-security-guard Damon Clemens barges into his life, first through the hospital where they both work, and then in the coffee shop where they both hang out on breaks. Ezra’s low self-esteem can’t imagine a big job like Damon giving him a second look; while Damon can’t shake the haunted look of this little guy who works with dead people.

Damon isn’t broken the way Ezra is—only by his shattered shoulder which ended his dream of playing pro baseball. But he’s drifting through life. It’s Ezra, ironically, that triggers the changes in their lives, and it made me wonder if Damon was drifting precisely so that he would run across Ezra. And that’s where the Carnival of Mysteries seems to fit it.

In the Carnival of Mysteries, there are no accidents. Only possibilities.

[Joyffree · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Lemme off this fucking roller coaster ride.”

Poor Ezra, his life was one bad knock after another.

He was raised with the belief that he could never, ever say, or let anyone know that he was a sin eater - ever!
So he moved around a lot.
He built a wall to guard himself.
He had no friends.
No family.
He took no chances.
He was a real grumpasaurus, but it kept his secret safe.

Until -

A barista and his deck of Tarot began creating weak points.
A sexy as sin (this one he truly wanted to eat) security guard began chipping away at his foundation with the gift of caffeine ☕ and a smile.
And the kicker - the ghosts 👻 began demanding justice.


This started out a bit monotone for me, for lack of a better word.
But I was curious; this was the first in this collection I was reading, and I had heard pretty good things. Also, I admit I can be a peculiar reader.
So I persisted, a bit like Damon. And like him, I am so glad 😁 I did
This begins to take off about 15% in, and once it did, I read the rest straight through (yes, pizza 🍕 for dinner)

Plenty of mystery and action.
Really unique cast members.
Some wonderful lore is intermixed in the storyline
The characters from SPAM - I have to know more.
All wrapped in the sweetest slow build romance

I will be going back and reading the other interconnected stories
I have so many questions, and I want to know more.

[Harrison Hicks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was a tough one to rate for me as there was a lot that I liked about it but had some problems with one of the main characters. So overall I'd probably rate this one a 3.5 and round it up to a 4 due to Rancourt's writing and her unusual premise.

The concept of the sin eater is fascinating, and its one that hasn't been done a lot in fiction, so I was happy to see Rancourt play with it. And an interesting take it is, as Ezra, who conveniently works in a morgue, takes on the sins of his clients after they die and does penance so that they might face the afterlife without earthly baggage, so to speak. Only he comes across one deceased man who turns out to have performed a greater level of sin than most, so Ezra finds himself trying to solve a murder with the help of Damon, a security guard at the hospital.

Ezra was at times a frustrating character, as he tended to push people away who want to befriend him, and ended up moving frequently to avoid discovery of his "gift." Damon was at times frustrating, as well, but at least he seemed to be progressing through the book to get unstuck from the rut he was in, whereas Ezra in some ways had to be pretty much cornered by several characters into working with his gift.

As much as I disliked Ezra, though, I appreciated that the author took a chance on making him somewhat unlikable - I just felt that maybe she went a bit further than she needed on that point. But the unique plot sold the story for me and I'd recommend it for those looking for a paranormal romance that's a little different.

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free arc for an honest review. I really enjoyed this book. The story for the sin eater was very interesting and something I haven't seen before. You have Ezra who is a sin eater he works in the morgue at the hospital and will perform prayers over someone's recently dead body taking on their sins they had in life so they can pass onto the afterlife without them. One night however this goes very wrong. Then you have Damon who is a former baseball star now security guard due to a injury he sustained preventing him from going to the big leagues. Damon is a sweet sunshiny character and Ezra is a grumpy recluse who tries to keep people at a distance. I enjoyed reading their story develop and the mystery they were dealing with reveal itself as well. It was enjoyable to see Ezra slowly open up as the story progressed. I need to read the other book before this to get a better understanding of the universe but overall I very much enjoyed this and look forward to reading other books in the series. The only thing I would change is I wish there was bit more expansion on Ezra's family towards the end of the book. But recommend this if you enjoy urban fantasy, mm, and grumpy/sunshine pairings.

[Eileen Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars...

This series intrigues me to no end. I have not read all of them but I try to fit them in around other reading.

Ezra ran from his family to live his life the way he wants. He stays away from others and tries to keep to himself. He works in a hospital, in the morgue. This helps him with what he thinks he is supposed to do. At times it can become overwhelming and he needs to stay after to finish his "job/calling". He gets his coffee from a local place and they always make him draw a tarot card. Several times his card is the same and Ezra just brushes it off... but should he?

Damon works at the same hospital as Ezra. He works security and gets a call to help a nurse with a deceased body that needs to go to the morgue. When they get there they believe it is empty but catch Ezra doing something weird instead. Damon wants to figure out what he is doing. He feels a certain pull towards Ezra.

Will Ezra allow Damon close? Will Damon know just the people can help Ezra? Will Ezra pull away from Damon? Does Damon stay away? Can they solve what is effecting Ezra? Will the group be able to help Ezra learn what his family never did?

So interesting

[Anne Barwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the Carnival of Mysteries, and enjoyed catching up with familiar faces, and meeting Ezra and Damon. I liked how this story also connects with the author’s other series. Ezra’s ability definitely has its drawbacks, and he needs to find a way forward. The cold case mystery was intriguing too.

I loved how convinced Ezra is that he’ll never find his HEA, given his inheritance and everything that comes with that, and that Damon is determined to not give up on him, despite what happens. I liked that Damon is also trying to figure out where his future lies, but for different reasons. I thought Ezra’s ability was interesting and different, especially with the sin eating being quite literal.

I loved seeing the carnival again, and also seeing how far Brandon has come with his own ability while working for SPAM, and seeing Micah and Andreas again. I also liked Damon’s sister, and Geneva who works at the morgue. I’d love to see more of Jett too. They’re an interesting character, and I’m wondering about their ties to both the carnival and other organisations in this world.

[Lillian Francis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This isn't really a Carnival of Mysteries book. The MCs visit the Carnival once, Ezra freaks out, and there's some vague predictions that could just have easily come from the Tarot dealing barista. I doubt if it's even 5% of the book. In fact this book is more connected to the SPAM universe than CoM.
I adored Damon, he was lovely, and despite his doubts (and everyone trying to push them apart) his loyalty to Ezra was my favourite thing. Ezra is harder to like, always pushing people away. The final runaway really pissed me off, he'd literally just exposed Damon to spooky stuff (necromancers, wtf) and then fucked off without checking how he was coping with this newfound knowledge. And apparently, it didn't phase him at all since the author didn't even address it!
An interesting concept to use sin-eaters in this romance that revolves around secrets and trust.

Was heading for a 5* read until the last 20% and when SPAM got involved. I wanted Damon and Ezra to solve the problem of the murder and their own issues, not SPAM.

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

3.5 stars

Sin Eater is part of the multi-author Carnival of Mysteries collection. The action is set in Seattle, Washington and takes place mostly in the fall/winter. With a hospital morgue and the recently deceased figuring prominently into Ezra’s life and commanding his talent, this book has a great mood for spooky season. The narration is always first-person and flip flops between Damon and Ezra. In addition to our two romantic leads, there is a scheming coffee shop owner named Jett, a ghost who throws Ezra’s sin eating talents into a tailspin, and a secret organization of other supernaturally abled people who are looking for the kind of skill Ezra has.

If you’re looking for a mildly spicy, slightly spooky story and aren’t bothered by a plot that isn’t driven by the characters, but mostly just focuses on them, then you’ll probably find some enjoyment here.

Read Camille’s review in its entirety here.

[Debby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ezra Huckaby has lived his life carrying a big secret. He has no problem handling it until he meets Damon Clemons. The both work in the same hospital, Ezra in the morgue and Damon as a security guard. Ezra likes Damon but is afraid his gift (curse) will drive him away. A visit to the Carnival of Mysteries opens more questions when his gift now includes visions. Ezra is not sure where to turn but Damon is sure he can turn to him.

These two together were phenomenal. Both had issues and thought that their romance could not work. It took a little help from friends to get them together. The scene where they (sort of) make up is incredible and will have you smiling and laughing. The Carnival of Mysteries books are fun and enticing. The Sin Eater proudly takes its place among the other books. It is quite the enjoyable read.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

[Marta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a hard time liking Ezra, only when nearing the end I could feel some kinship with him and understand Damon's feelings.
Damon is one of the most patient characters if read in a while, but sometimes I really wanted to shake him and tell him to forget Ezra and look for someone easier.
So I think the author conveys perfectly their struggles and how they work through them.
SPAM took me by surprise and there were many secondary characters with some other in them without any explanation, if you haven't read anything by the author it can be a bit disconcerting at times.
I can't understand how Ezra trusts Geordi and Micah but not Damon.
I give this three and a half stars rounding to four.
My issues are with the characters not the plot, the writing or the editing,wich are solid, so I believe there isgoing to be people who enjoys this much more than me.

[Jeanette Waters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well this was different. A bit quirky. Until this book, I'd never heard of sin eaters, which are from 17th century Welsh/ English folklore. If the author wasn't Liv Rancourt, I wouldn't have given it a second glance. Which would have been a shame. This was an intriguing read, grabbing my attention from the first ritual.
This story straddles the worlds of the LOSA files, which I absolutely loved and the Carnival of Mysteries series, which I'm a bit wary of. Not a fan of stories with even a teeny, tiny horror bent. The Villain Who Wasn't (CoM season 2) was an exception. But again, a Liv Rancourt tale. And it was nice to see Anders and Micha again.
A fun, quick read. A few references non-Rancourt might not get. Maybe it'll give them the incentive to read more. I'm definitely a fan.
I received an advanced copy from the author and this is my review.

[Susan Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liv Rancourt’s The Sin Eater introduced a new type of psychic power that was both interesting and macabre at the same time. The eponymous character is Ezra, the snarky one, whose “gift” works well in a morgue. The cinnamon roll he meets is Damon, who is too educated to be a security guard. I loved their turbulent growing relationship and the alternating points of view for most of the story. Their differences actually help the path to HEA. The most memorable secondary character is Dorinda, Damon’s sister. She often helps Damon to keep things in perspective. While the book can be read as a stand-alone, having read all the books adjacent to it adds fun to the story. I would even like to see how Erza’s gift works in SPAM, the local paranormal guild, and how Damon starts his new career. I received a free ARC of the book, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

This isn’t my favorite of Liv’s stories, but it sure is interesting. Ezra is a hero who is bitter, antagonistic, and standoffish, but also deeply wounded and with good reason to be suspicious of anyone who would get close to him. Damon is drawn to his vibe, and almost too good to be true. Throw in a dash of murder and the mystery of Ezra’s powers and there’s a lot going on here. I enjoyed their dynamic and attempts to solve the decades-old murder that Ezra gets dragged into, and appreciated that Damon also has plenty to figure out. I did think the story dragged here and there and became too much a celebration of Ezra’s mysterious, but overall a good story worth reading at least once. It’s also kind of neat that it crosses over to the Sub-par Superhero universe, as well as being firmly in the Carnival of Mysteries.

[AshPenny37 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Season three in the Carnival Of Mysteries world is limited to this and only one other entry, but this is a genuinely intriguing premise to bring to the universe. I've never read a book with a sin eater character before - what a great addition. Ezra‘s gift is also his curse and so he finds himself in need of guidance from Errante Ame’s mysterious carnival, hence the inclusion here. I really like how the story sounds out into the investigation after one particular sinner leaves a parting memory that Ezra did not want or need. And, of course, he's got Damon by his side, even though as a ‘mundane’ human - and a security guard at the same hospital where Ezra works in the morgue - he’s just learning about all the woo woo in the world.

As MCs, I liked Damon right off the bat. He's very much the bright character in this grumpy / sunshine romance. He’s at a bit of a crossroads in his life and both his new relationship with Ezra and the unravelling mystery help him in his path. It took a bit longer to warm to Ezra. There are reasons why the character was probably written to be as abrasive as he is, but for me that element could have been softened a little (or resolved sooner) to help me get the chemistry between the MCs.

Overall, though, I enjoyed this final visit to the Carnival Of Mysteries and I'd definitely be interested in more sin eater books. 4*

An e-copy was provided by GRR. This is my honest opinion.

[Jack Harkness · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dum-Dums, labubu, purple talons, Anemone, pakoras, SPAM, poké, the jar, alcohol psychosis, raptors, clancy, Juneuary

This book is well-written and crafted cannily. I've read other books in the "Carnival of Mysteries" series, and haven't read a trope like this. It nicely fits into the series. It's good to see a fresh and original storyline. It has the right amount of angst and steam. The plot and subplots are intricately woven. Everything about this book is awesome.

Morgue assistant Ezra and hospital security guard Damon make a delightful couple. Damon is such a sweetheart, a big ole cinnamon roll. It's interesting to see how the MCs' pasts shaped them into their present selves.

I enjoyed reading this very much and happily recommend it.

[Suzanne Irving · Rating 4 out of 5]

letting go of upbringing

Liv Rancourt gives us another look at the Carnival of Mysteries with Ezra, who has been raised with certain powers and was made to feel ashamed of them and Damon, who has been floundering since he hurt himself and his sports career ended. Again we get two guys who seem to be opposites, but find out that they fit better than they thought they would. Great main characters in this book and we get some glimpses of characters from previous books. I like how the idea behind this series lets authors explore their own ideas and still tie them into the main premise. I do wish that I was able to visit the Carnival though. That would be cool. I will just have to keep reading these books to feed my interest.

[Belinda Zamora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intriguing

I loved the sin eater aspect, I've always found it fascinating.
Ezra is a prickly, snarky grump and mourge tech who has to keep people at arms length in order to protect himself.
Damon is a security guard who finds it hard to trust people, particularly a partner and with good reason.
As they get to know one another, Damon can't help but feel that Ezra is hiding something, (he absolutely is) and it starts to be an issue.
Ezra finally realizes he needs help with his current situation and divulge everything to Damon.
Together they're able to help solve the murder mystery which I really enjoyed.

[stardragon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ezra is a morgue technician in a Seattle hospital, he is also a sin eater. Recently he has been hearing the dead talk asking for him to unburden their soul. This is taking a big toll on his body and mind. Damon a former college baseball player now works at the hospital as a security guard. His life has been in a rut since his shoulder injury. Damon is fascinated by Ezra who is snarky and grumpy. This story is fascinating and magical as all the stories in the Carnival of Mysteries series have been. Can’t get enough of the mysteries and characters.

[brownsoda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting read for me. I was intrigued by a character that ingests sins. Ezra a prickly, sad, forlorn, character. Tired of the dead and apprehensive of the living. Contrast is Damon, with a sweet personality that resembles a golden retriever. Damon is constantly looking for a moment to "bump" into Ezra and Ezra tried to hide from home

Ezra is complex, dealing with his secrets but want to break free. Damon trying to hear and help Ezra. Damon just wants to love him. The plot went in directions that I wasn't anticipating. Overall,  this was good read.

[Fancy]

I liked the premise, the characters, and the author's writing. just felt it ended far too quickly with many loose ends and an unsatisfactory closure for these chars imo. am i meant to read it in order with the series, or will these guys' story continue in a later book? these series don't always suit me because i read individual titles for the specific author and/or the intriguing plot. won't automatically read all of the titles because some authors' style i don't like. felt overall disappointed because i liked it but needed and wanted more.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Firstly, I never get tired of this series!
Ezra and Damon are working at the same hospital in Seattle. Ezra is a snarl prone grump working as a morgue tech. Damon is a reasonably cheerful security guard. As Damon tries to get to know Ezra better, secrets are revealed, and a mystery unfolds. Can Ezra learn to accept help? Can they solve the murder mystery? This is an entertaining emotional rollercoaster fitting in the Carnival series. Great job!

[Deb Kel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a captivating addition to this Carnival of Mysteries universe. The book is based around Ezra who is a sin eater, and Damon. Such interesting amd intriguing characters who kept me completely invested in their journey right tol the last page! Highly recommend
I received a free arc copy and this is my honest review

[Stephanie W · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ezra has a really interesting gift. Not only is he a mortician, he eats the sins of the dead. Damon is employed at a hospital. He encounters Ezra and over time, learns of his gift.
Not only do these two build an intriguing relationship, the flow of the story keeps me guessing.

I received this arc from GRR for my honest feedback.

[b00ks_in_nature · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5
I haven't read any of the other books in this shared world, but I want to now! This book is unique with great world building. Ezra and Damon were interesting characters and I wanted to know more about them! Especially Ezra. Overall very enjoyable!

[Christina Horton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing addition to the carnival of mysteries book series.

The main characters were intriguing and the side characters added more flair to the story.

If you like the supernatural and you’re books on the angsty side this is the book for you

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a little slow to start, but once they went to the Carnival it really picked up steam. Spice rating 1 but 4 stars for wonderful story telling

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

SUCH A UNIQUE AND AMAZIMG CHARACTER DEVELOPED READ!

I really liked Ezra and Damon a lot. The story story intrigued from the start, and I throughly liked it.

[Adoraboy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the characters and world building in this book. It was a very entertaining read

[Janet Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ezra is snarky and a morgue tech that makes it easy for him as he’s a Sin Eater. He meets Damon who slips past Ezra’s reserves and he starts to feel things. Although he fights it, Damon still gets through. The Sin Eater takes place in the LOSA files universe. A fantastic read that kept me hooked and reading!

I’m voluntarily reviewing from an advanced copy that I received. My review is solely based on my thoughts and opinions.