Dead to Rites

Mick Oberon #3

by Ari Marmell

Mick Oberon may look like just another 1930s private detective, but beneath the fedora and the overcoat, he’s got pointy ears and he’s packing a wand. Mick is suffering from bad luck, and when luck is your chief magical weapon, that means things are pretty dire. Hunting for the origin of his bad mojo, Mick finds himself on the trail of a missing mummy, and being trailed by some of the most dangerous mobsters in Chicago. As well as once again embroiled in the maneuverings of the seductive and lethal Ramona Webb and her mysterious employer. All Mick knows for sure is that, until he can figure out precisely what’s going on, he’s vulnerable. And the threat, whatever it is and from whatever direction it may be coming, is very, very real.

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

336 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 9, 2016

About the author

When Ari Marmell has free time left over between feeding cats and posting on social media, he writes a little bit. His work includes novels, short stories, role-playing games, and video games, all of which he enjoyed in lieu of school work when growing up. He’s the author of the Mick Oberon gangland/urban fantasy series, the Widdershins YA fantasy series, and many others, with publishers such as Del Rey, Titan Books, Pyr Books, Wizards of the Coast, and now Omnium Gatherum.

Ari currently resides in Austin, Texas. He lives in a clutter that has a moderate amount of apartment in it, along with George—his wife—and the aforementioned cats, who probably want something.

Reviews

[Lauren Stoolfire · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dead to Rites by Ari Marmell is the third book in the Mick Oberon series. When I first picked up the book, I didn't realize that that was the case. I was hoping that I'd be able to pick it up fairly easily, but in hindsight I should have started in on book one first. I think I'll have to go back to the beginning of the series with Hot Lead, Cold Iron.

[Pippa DaCosta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shorter and not as fulfilling as the previous two books. Mick Oberon spends much of his time confused, rushing from place to place, and so do we. But, I still adore this series for its wacky uniqueness. (Oberon knows how to snark like a pro) I hope we get to see more of Mick in future.

[Stephanie Fachiol · Rating 4 out of 5]

(True rating: 3.5/5)

An improvement over the second novel, but not the first.

The plot was decent, and Mick’s voice is polished to a shine, as usual. Ramona fits the not-quite-villainess role surprisingly well, much better than the ‘very shady femme fatale love interest’ position she occupied in the last book. The new love interest, Tsura, however, is rather underdeveloped, and has little to credit her beyond being weirdly competent at times and weirdly incompetent in others. Mick also doesn’t gain much character development in this book, which is rather disappointing, and unlike the first, there is no real “theme” present. Mick is still hilarious, his magic is still fascinating, and his world still feels broad; unfortunately, there’s little new ground tread here.

Despite those caveats, the search for the mummy here does yield some interesting finds. Like the other two books, this one features a ‘guns-blazing’ climax, where everyone involved is gathered in one place, but the plot twists were clever and satisfying. Marvel continues to expand his repertoire of Fae, which is always a treat. Past characters also make reappearances, including a surprise from an amateur witch, and of course the Ottatis, perhaps the world’s most amiable gangsters, are yet to truly get their happy ending. Even so, the story is strong enough to stand on its own, and all plot-important references—such as Mick’s determination to wake the sleeping Ottati—are fully explained.

Mick’s adventures have established a pattern, and while it is an enjoyable one, it is a pattern nonetheless. While I enjoyed this installment, I hope the next book will try to climb out of the rut instead of digging deeper into it.

[Coby Heitz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listened to the Graphic Audio Dramatized Adaptation

[Matt Ranlett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun read but lack the punch of earlier books in the series

I like this kind of book, urban fantasy with magic and creatures, etc. The detective bit has been done many times but the setting is charming, 1930s Chicago. Lots of mov activity and quaint language.
This book felt like it lacked some of the punch of the previous entries in the series, probably because it felt like a setup to the next book(s) and because the side characters were less compelling (although I did like Fedora)

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good mystery/urban fantasy series set in 1930s Chicago about private investigator (and member of the Fae) Mick Oberon. He tries to avoid mob-related jobs, but...

[Viccy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mick Oberon is a gumshoe in 1930s Chicago, except he isn't. He is a Fae, a member of the Seelie Court who fled the Court centuries ago to avoid all the shenanigans that go on there. He has a lot of experience with other Fae and otherworldly entities, so when his luck starts going sour, he soon figures out he may be the victim of a mummy's curse. Except where is this mummy and who is siphoning off his luck, which is how Mick's mojo works. He slings an L&G wand rather than a tommy gun, but this spate of bad luck is creating lots of problems. He meets a young fortune-teller, a descendant of the Oracle at Delphi, at the carnival where he uncovers where the mummy originated; however, it is no longer there. Which of the underworld mobsters has latched onto the mummy in order to bolster their standing in the gangster hierarchy? And where is Ramona Webb, the seductive enchantress that Mick is still trying to figure out. Sometimes the dialog is almost painfully cute-sy, but this is a solid entry in the series. Mick is an interesting character.

[Nico Janow · Rating 2 out of 5]

The series is going downhill in my opinion. I don't care for the place or time, or private detective stories, but hoped there'd be something magical in the story. If Mick is trying to turn himself into a common human, with nothing likeable or respectable about him, he seems to be succeeding.

I also hate books where the character does something really stupid and out-of-character, just for the benefit of the plot. Having him ignore the prophet's warning after she'd proven her credibility numerous times, was just plain stupid.

I might read the next book if it turns up at the library and I have nothing better to read, but I wouldn't make the effort to order it.

[L.E. Doggett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actually a 3.80
An exciting ride full of thrills and action. Twists along with surprises. Characters stay in their characters. The plot goes along fine. A bit different at times but still over all a good solid basic tale. But not the top level story and writing. Ari doesn't get as deep as he could into his main character. Some of the phrasing could be a touch better. Still a worthy read and I want to get the next one, if there is one.

I liked it as despite what I said I do recommend it to those who like fantasy mixed with Mystery in a Noir setting. Remember though this is not the first book in the series and it would better to start with the first one.

[Shelley Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I don't read a lot of hard boiled detective novels or fantasy, I do enjoy both genres occasionally. And I really enjoy a good mash up, or blend of genres, which is what Ari Marmell does in his Mick Oberon series. Think Raymond Chandler meets Harry Potter. It's 1930s Chicago and detective Mick Oberon fights gangsters and witches with equal sang-froid, because he is Fae himself. Plus he gets help from an ancient Egyptian mummy, recently revitalized. This is a funny, entertaining romp, though it does flag in places. And while it can be read as a stand alone, there are so many references to previous characters and plots that the reader does have a feeling of playing catch up.

[Chad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fae, gangsters, an Oracle and an Egyptian mummy? What more can you ask for? A well-paced story, and some interesting new characters we get introduced to. Not sure we’ll see more of them in the next volume, but maybe volume 5 we’ll see one of them again.

More with Ramona Webb as well, getting to learn more about her. Not as much with the rest of the Fae in general. But some fun stuff with the gangsters helps make up for it.

And of course it ends with a major reveal to lead into the next volume.

[Imjussayin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dead to Rites : Mick Oberon 3
Best read in chronological order.

In A NutshellMick our fae private eye has lost his mojo. So sets off to recover it. But the path of a fae PI is never straight. We meet gangsters, an Oracle and an ancient Egyptian Mummy. And some of that is entertaining. But it was not just Mick's mojo that was missing. I think this book lost its way. It overegged the pudding. On this occasion, a little less magic would have been more. But to know Mick is to love him, so I hung on in there.

If you read it don't hold great expectations.

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Book Rating

Sexual Content: U
Language: U
Violent: U
Would I read the next one or reread ?: Yes

My rating system (* = star)
0* Could not finish this book (waste of time)
1* Finished the book but didn't like it.
2* Finished the book it was okay.
3* A good read worth your time.
4* An excellent read often with a novel concept or unusual plot.
5* A magnificent read. A prominent example of the genre.

[Scott Vout · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did this as an audiobook, but it has many people doing voices. Reminds me of the old radio serials like the shadow and the green hornet. Cool.

This one seemed shorter than the first two. It seemed to fly by. Still a fun listen.
Lots of action and character development. It is a continuation of the first two stories. A new adventure but tied into the other books resolving unfinished business from them.

If you are a fan of "theatre of the mind" then you will probably like this series.

[Mysteryfan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A 1930s hardboiled Chicago PI, with connections to more than the underworld. He's a fae that packs a wand instead of a gat. He gets into trouble with dames that can fly. The book is written in slang, which was a little hard to get used to but oddly worked. The mystery was pretty tight and the characters were well written. I like urban fantasy. I'll definitely read more by this author.

[Jon · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.0 stars

This series probably isn't for everyone. A mix of Chicago gangland, the fae, a private investigator and lots of slang. On the other hand, if that sounds interesting try Hot Lead, Cold Iron. I enjoyed this installment in the series and I am looking forward to the next one.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was good but I hit a major reading slump (and stupid holidays) when I started reading this that made me take longer to read this than it should have. I really like the Mick Oberon series and its mix of magic and 1930s Chicago.

[Vintagebooklvr · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is what a really good urban fantasy should be. Magical lore, action and good characters. I love the story arc that has developed through the series.

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Please read the first books in the series before you pick up any of the later books; otherwise, you are going to be quite confused.

[Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, we're back on track for this series being BANGING
I still love Mick. A lot. He's so grumpy and I love him for it.
But I feel the characters introduced here were fun, and the villain

[Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

c2016: FWFTB: wand, luck, mummy, seductive, mobsters. Mr Oberon is a well written character and I was looking forward to this outing. Oberon is self-deprecating but the potential for violence seeps off the page when you suddenly get a sentence or two that gives you just a tiny idea of how powerful he could be if wanted. That's the side of the character that I would like to see a little bit more of. I have to say that I don't think that the female characters are written particularly well but as the story is (supposedly) set in the Thirties - it does kind of suit the plot. SFX Magazine summarised it accurately by saying 'full of grumpy asides and funny turns of phrase.". Entertaining and unique - I enjoyed the book and would recommend to the normal crew."You ever seen someone try to nod and shake their head at once? It's dizzying.

[Spike Anny (The Obstinate Owlbear) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good quick palette cleanser between larger more serious novels. The series is shaping up to be a great Dresden adjacent read. Really thick on the noir Marmell delivered once again with the mystery, comedy and mythology needed for this. Very good read and a wonderful break between larger more serious books.

[Meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has been one of my favorite urban-fantasy trilogies. I would love for the series to continue!

[Dick SantaCruz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beware the Paluca

Good sequel in this series. Your kept guessing who the real bad guy is until the end. More background on Mic in this book.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good series. Great to read while waiting for a new Jim Butcher book.

[Nathan Woll · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good stuff, great ending!

[hesione · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this one better than the previous two. Was more of a fulfilling story. Also, Fedora.

[Jacqueline Jackson]

Mic Oberon Rocks!

I love this series. I wish he would write more of them. As good as Jim Butcher.