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The Bureau #6
Conned
World War I veteran Thomas Donne is new to San Francisco. Always a stoic man, shell shock and a lost love have nearly turned his heart to stone. No matter--a private eye has no room for softness. Almost broke, he takes on what appears to be a simple case: finding a missing young man.
As a magician and medium, Abraham Ferencz cons his audiences into believing he can cheat death and commune with their dearly departed. Although his séances are staged, the spirits are very real, and they’ve brought him almost more pain than he can bear.
When Donne’s case becomes complicated and the bodies start to pile up, he and Ferencz must fight their way through a web of trickery and lies. The truth is obscured by the San Francisco fog, and in their uncanny world, anyone can catch a bullet.
As a magician and medium, Abraham Ferencz cons his audiences into believing he can cheat death and commune with their dearly departed. Although his séances are staged, the spirits are very real, and they’ve brought him almost more pain than he can bear.
When Donne’s case becomes complicated and the bodies start to pile up, he and Ferencz must fight their way through a web of trickery and lies. The truth is obscured by the San Francisco fog, and in their uncanny world, anyone can catch a bullet.
226 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2020
17 people are currently reading
191 people want to read
About the author
Kim Fielding
175 books1,306 followersKim Fielding lives in Oregon and travels as often as she can manage. A professor by day, at night she rushes into a phone booth to change into her author costume (which involves comfy clothes instead of Spandex and is, sadly, lacking a cape). Her superpowers include the ability to write nearly anywhere, often while simultaneously doling out assistance to her family. Her favorite word to describe herself is "eclectic" and she finally got that seventh tattoo.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
November 30, 2020
4.5 stars! There’s just something about this series that works for me. I’ve loved every book, and this one was no exception.
Maybe it’s because it has so many different things I love in a story. Partly paranormal story, with all manner of creatures, and men, both good and bad. Partly police *of a sort* investigation, which can get pretty damn tense and exciting. Partly, maybe it’s as simple as the battle of good against evil, except the line between the two is sort of blurred a lot and sometimes it’s hard to tell exactly which one is which. Maybe it’s just good men having to sometimes do bad things for the right reason. Or maybe, it’s all those things.
This one was another excellent installment of the Bureau, and I genuinely loved Abe and Tom, and was so happy with the way things worked out in the end. But best of all? We get to the question I’ve had from the very beginning, exactly who Townsend is!
To make reading this even better, there’s a holiday novella featuring Grimes & Ten from the very first, very short Bureau story, who I didn’t get near enough time with before, so that’s another present for me!! 🥰
Thanks so much to my secret Santa Winter Elflette for the wonderful gift!!
****
I have loved this entire series so I was excited to get this one, thanks once again to the fabulous WinterElflette for the gift, you’re the sweetest! ❤️
Maybe it’s because it has so many different things I love in a story. Partly paranormal story, with all manner of creatures, and men, both good and bad. Partly police *of a sort* investigation, which can get pretty damn tense and exciting. Partly, maybe it’s as simple as the battle of good against evil, except the line between the two is sort of blurred a lot and sometimes it’s hard to tell exactly which one is which. Maybe it’s just good men having to sometimes do bad things for the right reason. Or maybe, it’s all those things.
This one was another excellent installment of the Bureau, and I genuinely loved Abe and Tom, and was so happy with the way things worked out in the end. But best of all? We get to the question I’ve had from the very beginning, exactly who Townsend is!
To make reading this even better, there’s a holiday novella featuring Grimes & Ten from the very first, very short Bureau story, who I didn’t get near enough time with before, so that’s another present for me!! 🥰
Thanks so much to my secret Santa Winter Elflette for the wonderful gift!!
****
I have loved this entire series so I was excited to get this one, thanks once again to the fabulous WinterElflette for the gift, you’re the sweetest! ❤️
Read
May 4, 2020Although this is book 6 in the Bureau series, it takes place earlier than books 1-5 and can easily be read as a standalone.
This one was such a blast to write! I got to research all sorts of things, including magicians and spiritualists, San Francisco in the 1920s, and World War I. I also had a chance to delve deeply into my love of noir fiction. If Dashiell Hammett (author of The Maltese Falcon) wrote gay romance with a paranormal twist, he might have come up with something like this story.
This one was such a blast to write! I got to research all sorts of things, including magicians and spiritualists, San Francisco in the 1920s, and World War I. I also had a chance to delve deeply into my love of noir fiction. If Dashiell Hammett (author of The Maltese Falcon) wrote gay romance with a paranormal twist, he might have come up with something like this story.
December 5, 2021
This is what I was talking about when I complained about the length of most of the books in this series, the result is so much better when the story and the characters have room to develop. I liked how well-rounded the MCs—and not only them—were, with a solid background that allowed me to get to know them even though the story develops over a couple of weeks at most.
To be completely accurate, it’s not like it was perfect. Just to give an example, this book presents the same problem as the others in terms of insta-love, but one of the characters acknowledged it and provided a reasonable explanation that I didn’t have to work too hard to accept, so I’m happy with that and with the way things ended for Thomas and Abe.
I was also happy to find out about I wasn’t sure if it would ever be revealed what his exact nature was and this was an unexpected and much appreciated surprise. Knowing that
To be completely accurate, it’s not like it was perfect. Just to give an example, this book presents the same problem as the others in terms of insta-love, but one of the characters acknowledged it and provided a reasonable explanation that I didn’t have to work too hard to accept, so I’m happy with that and with the way things ended for Thomas and Abe.
I was also happy to find out about I wasn’t sure if it would ever be revealed what his exact nature was and this was an unexpected and much appreciated surprise. Knowing that
February 3, 2021
I was thrilled to get more information about Townsend even if confusing at first, but I honestly really, really liked Abe in this story. He was the shining star for me. Thomas was stolid and fine, but I just loved the way Abe lived his life (even if he was a psychic.) He just had a great attitude towards life and that was the best part of the story.
October 24, 2021
Noir fiction. A bit dark. My least favorite era of American history, the early 20th Century. Add to that the unending, unsavory smoking and drinking so common in the 20s and 30s, and it was a chore to get through the first half. I didn’t particularly like either protagonist and started to wonder how this book found itself the sixth in The Bureau series. And then, well, enter Agent Crespo. The pacing accelerated to Mach 3 and I finished with a smile at the mention of a certain favorite agent and lovely memories of Book #1 and my absolute favorite angel. I’ll have to admit it was at times a rather heartbreaking love story, but rest assured it ended sweetly.
I must mention the obvious research that went into this story and commend the author on a job so well done. The writing and editing were superb, as always. Story was atmospheric and world building solid. A good addition to a favorite series.
I must mention the obvious research that went into this story and commend the author on a job so well done. The writing and editing were superb, as always. Story was atmospheric and world building solid. A good addition to a favorite series.
January 24, 2021
4.5 stars!
One of my favorite Bureau stories! Very atmospheric and superbly written as always. Abe and Tom were such a great couple. ❤️ AND we finally found out things about Townsend!
One of my favorite Bureau stories! Very atmospheric and superbly written as always. Abe and Tom were such a great couple. ❤️ AND we finally found out things about Townsend!
February 22, 2024
Interesting to learn about Townsend!
December 30, 2020
4.5 stars rounded up!
It's a 4.5-star book and not a straight 5-star read for 2 reasons: I really liked the other pairings in The Bureau series more and... I figured out one plot twist quite early - but that's OK as there were many of them ;)
I think the end-of-the-year vibe makes me a bit grumpy and maybe that's why I liked Conned a little less then the first 5 books - and don't get me wrong, it's still a great book!
It's also the longest one yet in this series and it's a prequel - we meet here Mr. Townsend as a side character ;)
The plot is great, the crime mystery is really good, with many twists I didn't see coming and a paranormal vibe I so love in The Bureau stories!
What I lacked in Conned is the chemistry between Abe and Thomas and me! They were such a lovely couple: a ghosts-seeing magician Abe and a cranky, rugged ex-soldier-turned-private-eye Thomas - I couldn't ask for more, right?
But, as the previous books were (much) shorter, the MCs were thrown together almost from page 1. Here, up until 40% mark I think, there was not much interaction between the two...
Sorry, but I simply couldn't connect with them properly :(
Maybe the multiple secondary characters were a little distracting, too.
Still, The Bureau is definitely my favourite paranormal whodunnit series and I must admit that I love all the MCs and all the unusual pairings. For instance we've had a demon, a vampire and a shifter so far! How cool is that?!?!
Now I'm rushing to Caroled as I still find that Grimes and Ten are my absolutely most beloved pair of the series and I can't wait to see some Christmas magic work on them! ;)
It's a 4.5-star book and not a straight 5-star read for 2 reasons: I really liked the other pairings in The Bureau series more and... I figured out one plot twist quite early - but that's OK as there were many of them ;)
I think the end-of-the-year vibe makes me a bit grumpy and maybe that's why I liked Conned a little less then the first 5 books - and don't get me wrong, it's still a great book!
It's also the longest one yet in this series and it's a prequel - we meet here Mr. Townsend as a side character ;)
The plot is great, the crime mystery is really good, with many twists I didn't see coming and a paranormal vibe I so love in The Bureau stories!
What I lacked in Conned is the chemistry between Abe and Thomas and me! They were such a lovely couple: a ghosts-seeing magician Abe and a cranky, rugged ex-soldier-turned-private-eye Thomas - I couldn't ask for more, right?
But, as the previous books were (much) shorter, the MCs were thrown together almost from page 1. Here, up until 40% mark I think, there was not much interaction between the two...
Sorry, but I simply couldn't connect with them properly :(
Maybe the multiple secondary characters were a little distracting, too.
Still, The Bureau is definitely my favourite paranormal whodunnit series and I must admit that I love all the MCs and all the unusual pairings. For instance we've had a demon, a vampire and a shifter so far! How cool is that?!?!
Now I'm rushing to Caroled as I still find that Grimes and Ten are my absolutely most beloved pair of the series and I can't wait to see some Christmas magic work on them! ;)
February 8, 2022
I really enjoyed the origin of Townsend in book 6. Set in the early 1900's, Conned tells the story of a PI hired to find a young man, and instead finds magic, ghosts, and the love of his life.
Read
November 8, 2021Another solid addition to the series!
Edited to add as a note to self:
If I read this series again, pay close attention to Ralph Crespo. His role is relatively small but he gets the starring role in book 8, Camouflaged. I want to remember his interactions with Townsend more clearly.
Edited to add as a note to self:
If I read this series again, pay close attention to Ralph Crespo. His role is relatively small but he gets the starring role in book 8, Camouflaged. I want to remember his interactions with Townsend more clearly.
February 15, 2023
4,75 gwiazdki
To było świetne. Po gorszej poprzedniej części Kim Fielding znów w formie.
Opowieść dzieje się w latach dwudziestych XX wieku i utrzymana jest w klimacie kryminału noir z paranormalnym zwrotem akcji. Protagoniści to Thomas, prywatny detektyw i były żołnierz, oraz Abe, magik i showman z rzeczywistą zdolnością widzenia duchów (gejowska wersja Whoopi Goldberg z Ghost). Intryga kryminalna jest poprowadzona interesująco, romans świetny i w końcu dowiadujemy się, kim jest Townsend.
Bardzo mi się podobało.
To było świetne. Po gorszej poprzedniej części Kim Fielding znów w formie.
Opowieść dzieje się w latach dwudziestych XX wieku i utrzymana jest w klimacie kryminału noir z paranormalnym zwrotem akcji. Protagoniści to Thomas, prywatny detektyw i były żołnierz, oraz Abe, magik i showman z rzeczywistą zdolnością widzenia duchów (gejowska wersja Whoopi Goldberg z Ghost). Intryga kryminalna jest poprowadzona interesująco, romans świetny i w końcu dowiadujemy się, kim jest Townsend.
Bardzo mi się podobało.
August 21, 2023
I liked this one, though once again, abused MCs abound. This also suffered from the exact opposite problem of the last book in the series, which is that it almost felt like there was too much smut and not enough plot. The plot was interesting, but I was a little squicked about the whole ghost of dead lover aspect--didn't entirely love how it was handled.
December 14, 2020
I feel like I should have liked this more than I did. It was fine. (but "fine" is not really a goal of my in picking books). It was interesting to finally find out about Townsend.
January 25, 2021
So far, I’ve read all the books in the Bureau series and loved every one. This one is no exception.
Needless to say I was very pleased with Conned ,besides the fantastic world building there are so many things to love about .
I really loved the time period , the eerie atmosphere and not to forget all the precious research of all sorts of things, including magicians and spiritualists , the author put in this noir fiction .And once again,she created with Abe and Thomas another awsome couple .
And Mr. Townsend , well , you really surprised me with this one ,who would have thought this ?😮
Needless to say I was very pleased with Conned ,besides the fantastic world building there are so many things to love about .
I really loved the time period , the eerie atmosphere and not to forget all the precious research of all sorts of things, including magicians and spiritualists , the author put in this noir fiction .And once again,she created with Abe and Thomas another awsome couple .
And Mr. Townsend , well , you really surprised me with this one ,who would have thought this ?😮
June 26, 2020
World War I veteran Thomas Donne is new to San Francisco. Always a stoic man, shell shock and a lost love have nearly turned his heart to stone. No matter--a private eye has no room for softness. Almost broke, he takes on what appears to be a simple case: finding a missing young man.
As a magician and medium, Abraham Ferencz cons his audiences into believing he can cheat death and commune with their dearly departed. Although his séances are staged, the spirits are very real, and they’ve brought him almost more pain than he can bear.
When Donne’s case becomes complicated and the bodies start to pile up, he and Ferencz must fight their way through a web of trickery and lies. The truth is obscured by the San Francisco fog, and in their uncanny world, anyone can catch a bullet.
Review.
I knew that this was a prequel of the sorts to Bureau series, which I have not read . The author however said that it could be read as a stand - alone, and I loved several stories set in this era, so I decided to give it a try. Intellectually I knew that it was a well written book, but it just did not quite work for me.
First and foremost I just did not feel that I was observing San Francisco of the late 1920s. I know there were a few descriptions but overall the author just did not give me enough to immerse myself in the era. I always value characters and plot before anything else in my romances, but I love the well done settings in the historical romances and I missed one here.
The story was a little strange and I am not talking about Bureau . In the last should I say third of the book the author tells us how the Bureau was formed snd the main plot connects to Bureau origins. It was very easy to understand. The story of Abe and Thomas on the other hand, I am just not sure what I think about it.
My first impression of Abe was should we say, not good. Making money on people's grief to me is just one of the lowest thing you can do, but whatever I guess he needed to survive. But then in the middle of his seances we learn that he *can* see spirits and converse with spirits ( this is in the blurb so I don't feel like I am revealing any spoilers) and I was like, soo why could you not call on the real spirits to let them talk to their relatives? It is as if the author does not expect me as a reader to question that and it was weird.
Thomas and Abe meet in the course of Thomas investigating the case which is also mentioned in the blurb - investigating a missing young man turns into investigation of who killed many people and I usually love mysteries, I love historical mysteries very much. I could not believe how bored it was for me to read about this investigation. I cannot pinpoint why it was boring, although at least the reveal of the mystery for me was unexpected, so that was good.
I ended up quite liking both men separately, but for the life of me I could not figure out the reasons for such fast attraction. I mean they are both interesting characters, but I cannot live without you came so very fast, that I don't know, I was not convinced. Oh and Abe was Jewish, I don't know about reciting prayers in one breath and being possessed by spirits in another. When I say I don't know, I mean it - I am Jewish but not observant. I did not quite buy it, but who knows maybe there are some mystics who do it /allowed to do it. Not sure.
Grade : C/C-
As a magician and medium, Abraham Ferencz cons his audiences into believing he can cheat death and commune with their dearly departed. Although his séances are staged, the spirits are very real, and they’ve brought him almost more pain than he can bear.
When Donne’s case becomes complicated and the bodies start to pile up, he and Ferencz must fight their way through a web of trickery and lies. The truth is obscured by the San Francisco fog, and in their uncanny world, anyone can catch a bullet.
Review.
I knew that this was a prequel of the sorts to Bureau series, which I have not read . The author however said that it could be read as a stand - alone, and I loved several stories set in this era, so I decided to give it a try. Intellectually I knew that it was a well written book, but it just did not quite work for me.
First and foremost I just did not feel that I was observing San Francisco of the late 1920s. I know there were a few descriptions but overall the author just did not give me enough to immerse myself in the era. I always value characters and plot before anything else in my romances, but I love the well done settings in the historical romances and I missed one here.
The story was a little strange and I am not talking about Bureau . In the last should I say third of the book the author tells us how the Bureau was formed snd the main plot connects to Bureau origins. It was very easy to understand. The story of Abe and Thomas on the other hand, I am just not sure what I think about it.
My first impression of Abe was should we say, not good. Making money on people's grief to me is just one of the lowest thing you can do, but whatever I guess he needed to survive. But then in the middle of his seances we learn that he *can* see spirits and converse with spirits ( this is in the blurb so I don't feel like I am revealing any spoilers) and I was like, soo why could you not call on the real spirits to let them talk to their relatives? It is as if the author does not expect me as a reader to question that and it was weird.
Thomas and Abe meet in the course of Thomas investigating the case which is also mentioned in the blurb - investigating a missing young man turns into investigation of who killed many people and I usually love mysteries, I love historical mysteries very much. I could not believe how bored it was for me to read about this investigation. I cannot pinpoint why it was boring, although at least the reveal of the mystery for me was unexpected, so that was good.
I ended up quite liking both men separately, but for the life of me I could not figure out the reasons for such fast attraction. I mean they are both interesting characters, but I cannot live without you came so very fast, that I don't know, I was not convinced. Oh and Abe was Jewish, I don't know about reciting prayers in one breath and being possessed by spirits in another. When I say I don't know, I mean it - I am Jewish but not observant. I did not quite buy it, but who knows maybe there are some mystics who do it /allowed to do it. Not sure.
Grade : C/C-
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 15, 2020
This review is most likely 100% biased because I have a special love for Kim’s writings, especially the darker forms of it.
So I will say that this wasn’t my favorite in this series, but I absolutely loved that we got Townsends background! I love even more that we got in book 6 rather reading it in book 1... I feel it like it gave us 5 books to be sketched out by him and wonder what his game is. And while I still think he’s sketchy, I feel like I understand him more than ever.
Thomas as Abe we’re also one of my favorite pairs so far. I loved the noir vibe of Thomas, without having to really deal with the full noir setting, and I always love a good conman and medium so Abe was just an I stand hit for me.
I will say there were two things that really kept me from rating this a 5 star.
1- was there a beta reader or an editor that went through this? 2 times in the book Roy was called Ray. Don’t get me wrong I read mediocre KU stuff all the time with those kinda of errors but I never expect to see such a simple error in a Fielding book...
2- the “Ah Ha” moments where Thomas and Abe realize who’s behind certain things... wasn’t so “Ah Ha” to me... I was more like “Huh”... like how did that just all of a sudden come to you. I obviously would not have made a good detective in this one.
So I will say that this wasn’t my favorite in this series, but I absolutely loved that we got Townsends background! I love even more that we got in book 6 rather reading it in book 1... I feel it like it gave us 5 books to be sketched out by him and wonder what his game is. And while I still think he’s sketchy, I feel like I understand him more than ever.
Thomas as Abe we’re also one of my favorite pairs so far. I loved the noir vibe of Thomas, without having to really deal with the full noir setting, and I always love a good conman and medium so Abe was just an I stand hit for me.
I will say there were two things that really kept me from rating this a 5 star.
1- was there a beta reader or an editor that went through this? 2 times in the book Roy was called Ray. Don’t get me wrong I read mediocre KU stuff all the time with those kinda of errors but I never expect to see such a simple error in a Fielding book...
2- the “Ah Ha” moments where Thomas and Abe realize who’s behind certain things... wasn’t so “Ah Ha” to me... I was more like “Huh”... like how did that just all of a sudden come to you. I obviously would not have made a good detective in this one.
June 9, 2020
I admire people who can write in the lingual flavor of a time period. This is San Francisco late 1920s, and a hard-nosed, war weary private investigator takes on a case that introduces him to all kinds of things he never knew were real. As usual, Fielding gives us damaged, compelling characters put into trying and sometimes scary situations, who are helplessly falling in love despite it all. This one is particularly interesting in light of a certain other Bureau character, so if you're a fan, don't miss it!
June 11, 2023
While the series so far has felt too short this felt too long! I really want to like it more than I did. Overall I'd say I've come to love the series; interesting world, different time periods, fascinating characters and the ever mysterious bureau. Stories connected, nods to other characters but without the tease of a huge reveal arc - I not a fan of must read/watch all to get to the secret.
Individually..
I didn't feel the 1920s period, fancy hotels and multiple characterless speakeasys.
Fielding is usually good at drawing characters. Here Abe was interesting though oddly passive, fatalistic even. The occasional Hebrew pray thrown in felt odd. Thomas cardboard strong man, a series of tough 'I've killed'.. statements never quite felt we saw who he was. They never quite came alive or engaged me. Birdie had more life yet seemed dismissed.
This book is the start of the bureau of the series and it's interesting the birth of Townsend so to speak. Conniving power but respect for love. I found I was more interested I the secondary characters than the main.
The first showdown and solution come from nowhere - it seems a trend in the series. They detect, talk in circles, then boom the bad guy gets bored and confronts them so mystery part over. It's part of what stops me feeling involved.
It's interesting, needs reading as part of the series, but not my favourite. Want to skip to Crespo's book but being good, keeping in sequence 😜
Individually..
I didn't feel the 1920s period, fancy hotels and multiple characterless speakeasys.
Fielding is usually good at drawing characters. Here Abe was interesting though oddly passive, fatalistic even. The occasional Hebrew pray thrown in felt odd. Thomas cardboard strong man, a series of tough 'I've killed'.. statements never quite felt we saw who he was. They never quite came alive or engaged me. Birdie had more life yet seemed dismissed.
This book is the start of the bureau of the series and it's interesting the birth of Townsend so to speak. Conniving power but respect for love. I found I was more interested I the secondary characters than the main.
The first showdown and solution come from nowhere - it seems a trend in the series. They detect, talk in circles, then boom the bad guy gets bored and confronts them so mystery part over. It's part of what stops me feeling involved.
It's interesting, needs reading as part of the series, but not my favourite. Want to skip to Crespo's book but being good, keeping in sequence 😜
June 1, 2020
A Joyfully Jay review.
3.5 stars
Conned is the sixth book in Fielding’s Bureau series. I have read only one book in the series, and had a harder time making that one work as a standalone, but Conned works fine on its own. The book is set in the 1920s and we have two men living in America through different circumstances.
The book is primarily about the men finding bodies and then trying to find the killer without being killed themselves. The magic and the paranormal vibe are always interesting to me but, halfway through, this book got really slow for me. By the end, the paranormal aspect became a little convoluted and, while I understand that a magician can’t reveal all of their tricks, there were some things that were not clear enough for me to pull together exactly all that had happened.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
3.5 stars
Conned is the sixth book in Fielding’s Bureau series. I have read only one book in the series, and had a harder time making that one work as a standalone, but Conned works fine on its own. The book is set in the 1920s and we have two men living in America through different circumstances.
The book is primarily about the men finding bodies and then trying to find the killer without being killed themselves. The magic and the paranormal vibe are always interesting to me but, halfway through, this book got really slow for me. By the end, the paranormal aspect became a little convoluted and, while I understand that a magician can’t reveal all of their tricks, there were some things that were not clear enough for me to pull together exactly all that had happened.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
October 4, 2021
Really liked this longer installment in the Bureau series. Both Abe and Thomas were very engaging characters while the mystery kept me guessing. I also loved that we get to finally learn who Townsend is!
November 6, 2020
Book Reaction: https://neverhollowed.com/2020/11/06/...
Rating: 3.5 Stars – that place between like and love
Rating: 3.5 Stars – that place between like and love
October 24, 2021
4.5 stars (Audiobook)
It's amazing how a great voice actor can transcend so many issues with the written word. Four stars creep north toward five, and like turns to love.
It's amazing how a great voice actor can transcend so many issues with the written word. Four stars creep north toward five, and like turns to love.
November 24, 2024
So I started this and then fell away for a good two months, maybe longer. I wasn't inclined to start it over. Picked it up yesterday. Point is I flipped a page and just like that, I'm back in. Finished it just now. Like a good film noir. So good this series be.
The deal with Townsend? Well, it's revealed here. Explains alot about the big guy.
The deal with Townsend? Well, it's revealed here. Explains alot about the big guy.
December 2, 2020
3.5!
This story is connected to Townsend as well. If you read the previous books in the series, this one is connected to him and his own beginning. Very interesting story but there was too much drinking haha
This story is connected to Townsend as well. If you read the previous books in the series, this one is connected to him and his own beginning. Very interesting story but there was too much drinking haha
January 21, 2021
4.5 stars
February 8, 2025
This was fantastic. Plot twists, depth in the MCs. Loved it.
June 4, 2020
3.75 stars rounded up
San Francisco, 1928... Thomas Donne, ex-WWI soldier turned private detective, took a case from a mysterious Townsend, who was willing to spend a lot of money for Thomas to find a young man, Roy Gage. But then Gage turned up dead... and it brought Thomas in path of Abraham "Abe" Ferencz, a magician who employed the young man occasionally. Thomas teamed up with Abe to track the killer and well, got tangled with mysterious things not exactly from this world.
Although the book is #6 in the series, but in timeline, it can be considered as prequel. If you have read the previous books, you can see how Associate Director Townsend in his early days before becoming Regional Chief of the Bureau. BUT this is NOT a story about Townsend though. In any case, it can be read as stand alone, and you can even start with this book and go your way back... if you never read the series.
I found the story engaging ... I have always enjoyed this series, and while the main characters are not the "strange creatures" themselves, but Abe has his own gift with spiritual element. He can see spirits and sometimes even lets the spirits take over. There's an investigation of sort because the killing doesn't stop with Gage. I liked the process even if the way that Abe discovered the villain was a little, well, coincidental.
I also liked that this is a novel length, so it felt "meaty". Yes, Thomas and Abe only spent several days together, but a LOT happened to them so it didn't feel like an instant progress on the relationship department.
All in all, good times 🙂
San Francisco, 1928... Thomas Donne, ex-WWI soldier turned private detective, took a case from a mysterious Townsend, who was willing to spend a lot of money for Thomas to find a young man, Roy Gage. But then Gage turned up dead... and it brought Thomas in path of Abraham "Abe" Ferencz, a magician who employed the young man occasionally. Thomas teamed up with Abe to track the killer and well, got tangled with mysterious things not exactly from this world.
Although the book is #6 in the series, but in timeline, it can be considered as prequel. If you have read the previous books, you can see how Associate Director Townsend in his early days before becoming Regional Chief of the Bureau. BUT this is NOT a story about Townsend though. In any case, it can be read as stand alone, and you can even start with this book and go your way back... if you never read the series.
I found the story engaging ... I have always enjoyed this series, and while the main characters are not the "strange creatures" themselves, but Abe has his own gift with spiritual element. He can see spirits and sometimes even lets the spirits take over. There's an investigation of sort because the killing doesn't stop with Gage. I liked the process even if the way that Abe discovered the villain was a little, well, coincidental.
I also liked that this is a novel length, so it felt "meaty". Yes, Thomas and Abe only spent several days together, but a LOT happened to them so it didn't feel like an instant progress on the relationship department.
All in all, good times 🙂
January 9, 2021
A continuation of a several part series about "The Bureau of Sub-Species." Each book centers usually around one form of sub-species or another. Most of the books are fairly short, this one a little longer. Some of the characters have traveled from book to book. Having now read the whole series, the two main characters in this #6 are a big part of #7 also.
In this story we have Abe who runs seances in San Francisco in the early 20th century. Abe at first seems to be a con man but we learn that there's a lot more to his ability to read minds than we know when we first meet him. Someone now is murdering some of Abe's helpers and a private detective, Tom, shows up on the scene to track down the killer. Tom has been hired by a Mr. Townsend, a member of the Bureau of Sub-Species, but with a little twist for Mr. Townsend that gave us a little more background on him.
I enjoyed this whole series even though I'm not usually into paranormal goings on. A clue that might make things more interesting for a potential reader is that each story is its own love story between a man and and a sub-species (a new set in each book along with some recurring ones from other books).
In this story we have Abe who runs seances in San Francisco in the early 20th century. Abe at first seems to be a con man but we learn that there's a lot more to his ability to read minds than we know when we first meet him. Someone now is murdering some of Abe's helpers and a private detective, Tom, shows up on the scene to track down the killer. Tom has been hired by a Mr. Townsend, a member of the Bureau of Sub-Species, but with a little twist for Mr. Townsend that gave us a little more background on him.
I enjoyed this whole series even though I'm not usually into paranormal goings on. A clue that might make things more interesting for a potential reader is that each story is its own love story between a man and and a sub-species (a new set in each book along with some recurring ones from other books).
September 22, 2020
すごく良かった。このシリーズに外れ無し。人ではないものたちと、彼らを調査し場合よっては捕獲する機関のエージェントたちの連作短篇シリーズ6作目。今回の舞台は1928年禁酒法時代アメリカ、カルフォルニア。第一次世界大戦を生き抜きアメリカに渡ってきたイギリス人Thomasが、私立探偵として1つの依頼を受けるところから物語はスタート。心理描写が少ないのに、孤独な主人公2人が惹かれ合う心の内が手に取るように分かり、お互いを尊敬しあい、慈しむ様子に胸がギュッとする。シリーズの1つの大きな謎が判明するのも読みどころ。暗い夜の雰囲気が色濃く漂うのもこのシリーズの特徴で、今作もそれが良かった。このシリーズ、毎回「これがシリーズ一番の傑作では」と新作が出るたびに思う。
August 2, 2021
4.5 stars
I loved Abe and Thomas. They are my second favorite couple next to Charles and his beloved Demon.
Also I'm glad we got more information on Townsend.
I loved Abe and Thomas. They are my second favorite couple next to Charles and his beloved Demon.
Also I'm glad we got more information on Townsend.
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