Gray Witch

Black Hat Bureau #5

by Hailey Edwards

Famous monsters are resurrecting across Mississippi, each one recreating their own gruesome deaths through new victims. Every time Rue pins down one horror legend, another appears with its own bloodthirsty agenda. The summoners raising these vengeful spirits save their best for last, a cruel gift that shatters Rue. But she’s not the only one whose heart gets broken.

Once her father realizes what the summoners have done, who they’ve awakened, there is nowhere they can hide where he can’t find them. After this final betrayal, there are no limits on how far he’s willing to go to bring down Black Hat, the director, and anyone else who gets in his way.

Including his own daughter.

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Paranormal, Magic, Romance, Demons, Witches

282 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 9, 2022

About the author

Hailey Edwards writes about questionable applications of otherwise perfectly good magic, the transformative power of love, the family you choose for yourself, and blowing stuff up. Not necessarily all at once. That could get messy.

Hailey isn't on Goodreads.

Please email her via her website:
https://haileyedwards.net/contact-form/

Reviews

[☕️Kimberly (Caffeinated Reviewer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am having a blast with these characters. The tale has a cozy mystery vibe to it with characters you’ll adore from Rue Hollis, who has been wronged, to Asa, her mate. Like most urban fantasy series, ti is best to listen in the order of their release. The overall story arc, bonds and character growth will be hindered if you dive in.

Rue attends the demon challenge where other demons fight Asa for his position as heir. While there she gains the attentions of Asa’s father. I am not a fan of the high king. Not that Rue’s family is any better. They come with their own backstabbing, power grabbing set of problems.

The mystery was a good one. The deputy director calls them when the ghosts of dead demon hunters appear. This leads to more chaos as killers and famous monsters rise from the dead. It held me captive and kept me guessing as Rue and the team dug in for answers. We got to see Colby shine.

We see growth and get to witness this team come together. Each brings something to the table. Now that Rue has embraced Asa as her mate, the romance isn’t as distracting, making room to shine some light on Clay and Colby’s abilities.

The overall arc advanced and we see Rue come into her own, facing her foes. Despite the outcome and where things are headed, we get a sense she is ready. Thanks in part to her new family. I am hoping she loosens up regarding Colby and her fears. That girl has spunk and is so clever.

Fans of character driven urban fantasy with snark and suspenseful mysteries will enjoy the Black Hat Bureau series. I am looking forward to the next audiobook.

Stephanie Richardson narrates and does a wonderful job of bringing voice to Rue. Her tone and pacing enhances the overall tale. She has created unique voices for each of the characters picking up on their personalities, snark and humor. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer

[Robbin Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best one yet

Rue’s team has settled into the roles and it was absolutely wonderful to watch. I really like how Hailey’s characters are realistic enough to never have it all figured out. They all struggle with feeling inadequate or scared just like me. I love the humorous and sarcastic comments thrown around even while fighting so many baddies. Can’t wait for the next one to see how Rue does in her new role. Hopefully we’ll also get more of her parents too.

[Angela (Angel's Book Nook) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gray Witch is book five in the Black Hat Bureau by Hailey Edwards.

I had a blast with these characters. I’m really enjoying the over all story ARC, the mystery has a cozy vibe, the characters are loads of fun, and the world building is great.

Rue has accepted Asa as her mate. She’s doing demon princess stuff, attending challenge matches, and wining over the masses, but she’s caught the eye of Asa’s father, the high king.

We’re off on another mystery. Rue, Asa, and Clay are called in to deal with the ghosts of dead pop culture demon hunters. The case kept me on my toes. It’s got layers upon layers.

Our group of characters have finally hit a comfortable balance. I’m happy that Rue and Asa are a couple now. The romance and mystery are better balanced in this installment. Colby is growing and spreading her wings. I like seeing her change and grow stronger. The overall ARC advanced and we also see Rue coming into her own and facing her foes.

Fans of urban fantasy and mystery will enjoy the Black Hat Bureau series.

Audio: Richardson continues to do a wonderful job brining the voices in this sereis to life. The tone and pacing enhance the overall tale. I look forward to the next audiobook.

Rated: 4 Stars

[Darcy · Rating 3 out of 5]

At times it felt like not much was happening, at others it felt like so much was happening in this one. The crimes the team were going after seemed to be the least of the problems. They were fairly straight forward and by the end our team had things well in hand.

What really surprised me was all the family issues that happened, both on Asa and Rue's families. Some of the things were fairly straight forward, like Asa's dad, who really needs to be put down, then there is his mom, who was just doing mom things and looking out for her baby boy. Now Rue...her family is a nest of vipers and this book just proved how bad it was. Rue had her own cards to play and now she is firmly entrenched in the game. I just hope her and the guys can hold their own.

On a side note...I loved how Asa's other half found a new warg friend! How fun were those scenes!! I really want more, would love to see the hunt that was talked about!!

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Things are complicated in Rue's world. But then, when haven't they been? I mean, she's had her world implode and had to completely ditch her previous lifestyle and go on the run and she had to find a balance in herself that she absolutely didn't think she had AND THEN Clay and Asa dropped into everything and she started this gloriously awkward mating dace with Asa. I mean, that's a lot. While some things have smoothed themselves out with time (her feelings for Asa and her ability to somewhat express those feelings are a start, amirite?!?!), the rest of it just keeps tangling up further.

Like her parentals. And the stuff her grandfather did to ensure his legacy. And the fact she (well, they as a group, really) can't trust anyone in the Bureau because everyone is a little suspect.

Yeah. There's a lot going on. But Rue's finding her balance. She has family who isn't actively attempting to destroy her bit by bit. Some of it is blood (or...close enough, I guess) and some of that family is found, but they're all her chosen people (and demons!) and that's what's important.

To say that the case she ends up on is a little messed up is downplaying things a touch. Between resurrected bad guys and Asa's dad doing what he's doing (gross, btw), Rue's dealing with a multitude of things. And she's about to take on more. A LOT more.

I am VERY excited to see where this road takes us.

-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal

[Ann Lou · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one started with Rue watching Asa's daemon accept challenges from others to save his life. She met Asa's father and that dude was super weird. He wants her and wants to have babies with her. Eewwww. Anyways, the mystery is also good in this one. Legends are coming back to life and there are lots of killings. The relationship of Rue, Asa, Clay and Colby is the best thing in this series. 😊 Oh and Blay, of course. Asa's daemon finally gets a name. He is so cute.

[Jen (That's What I'm Talking About) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now that Rue has fully accepted Asa as her mate, she’s doing things a demon princess should - like attend the challenge matches where usurpers fight Asa for his position as heir to the throne. She wins over the masses, but unfortunately captures the attention (and fascination) of Asa’s father, the high king, who won’t take no for an answer.

Rue, Asa, and Clay are called by the deputy director to deal with the ghosts of dead pop culture demon hunters, which leads to other deceased infamous killers and a ring of summoners. This mystery is my favorite thus far! The complexity of the case keeps me guessing along with Rue as to the how’s and why’s. I love that the gang must peel back each layer to figure out what is really going on - and it’s pretty shocking. The overall impact to the entire series is exciting.

I enjoy that the group seems to really hit a comfortable stride in Gray Witch. First, I like that Rue and Asa are a couple now, and even though they are obsessed with one another, it doesn’t dominate the story. There is a better balance between the mystery and the romance. Second, I like watching Rue’s familiar, Colby, spread her wings. Colby is getting extremely intelligent and is of real use to the team. What I don’t like is Rue’s constant mental reminders that Colby is stuck as a ten year old. I don’t understand how she won’t develop mentally or emotionally, especially since we are seeing it as she learns and hones her talents. She may be stuck in an immature body, but she’s not stunted in any way.

Narration: The story is shared via first person POV of Rue. Ms. Richardson uses a strong, confident feminine voice for Rue/the narrator, which suits the character and storytelling. The narrator alters dialogue, giving characters a unique voice, suited to the age, gender, species, etc. Some voices are immediately identifiable, like that for Clay, whose voice is deeper, slower, and large, just like him. I also enjoy Colby, whose young voice sounds a bit cartoonish, which is perfect for the mythological friend. The narrator successfully portrays emotions and has created unique identities for the main characters. However, this time around, I found a few of the new characters had voices that were very similar to the existing main characters, making it a bit confusing at times.

While there are a couple much-too-convenient surprises at the end of the book, overall, I really enjoyed it. Gray Witch is an excellent addition to the Black Hat Bureau series, and with the changes that come about for Rue and the gang, I find I’m more excited about the series and look forward to the next title.

My Ratings:
Story: B+
Narration: B/B+

Review copy provided by publisher
Originally posted at That's What I'm Talking About

[TJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this may be the very best one yet in this highly entertaining and immediately addicting series! Anyone who has read Ms. Edwards books, knows of her absolutely delightful sense of humor that imbues every story she writes. No matter how dark, dangerous or thrilling the plot may become, there are always little side remarks that keep the reader entertained and chuckling. This story is a perfect example. With Rue and Asa's relationship solid and strong, the snarky innuendos fly fast from Clay and company, at times embarrassing the two lovebirds, at other times turning into a game of who can embarrass who first! *insert small warning for clean readers: I did label this a clean read, and it is, but many of the jokes are slightly sexual so enter at your own risk.*

I have ached for more depth in the last couple of books and in this story, my prayers were answered! (No, I don't actually pray over it, but it is a great phrase to express how I feel.) I thoroughly enjoyed the growing and deepening relationship between all the characters! There is also some serious enlightenment in the familial relationships for both Rue and Asa in this installment, as well.

Overall, I ate up and loved every single moment I spent in this world and with these characters! My adoration of Ms. Edwards multiplied (as if it could anymore) and I'm now experiencing withdrawal and aching for the next!

[Cristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story continues, and the character development is 10/10!!!

[Katyana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've really been enjoying this series, but I feel like this book stepped it up a few levels - it was excellent.

My only quibble is honestly how much Rue lets her grandfather walk all over her. I'm being somewhat forgiving because I think that it is some residual childhood fear - he was an abusive monster raising her, and that's going to color how she views him. But I'm dying for her to finally snap against him. She still just takes all the shit he shovels her way, from breaking her contract (shredding it right in front of her), to physically assaulting her in his office, to all of this.

Throughout all of these scenes with her being a fucking doormat in his presence, the author is trying to wink and nudge with us - oh, Rue is playing along because she has a plan - but I'm over it. I've been over it. She stands up for herself to the King of fucking Hael, but she just meekly takes whatever shit this abusive bastard throws at her. No hint of spine in these encounters, no hint of pushback. Not even after everything she knows now - she DIDN'T kill her parents (hell, one of them isn't even dead), etc. I think this is made worse by the fact that so far, he doesn't impress me ... like not even one iota. We hear a lot of blah blah about how scary he is, but so far all we've seen is an old bully with shaky hands cowering from the world in his office. He ain't shit.

And her being so spineless around him is deeply undercutting her character. I really hope that ends very soon.

[Ami · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

My issue is still the same as previous book. This fascination phase of Rue and Asa is a bit annoying in the middle of murder investigation. I really hope it will pass. ALTHOUGH, I am having a good time siding with Clay and Colby about Rue and Asa being grossly in love. But yeah, I'm dodging .5 stars because of that. My rating my rule 😁​

On a different note, there's further steps taken related to Rue's plan to bring her grandfather (the director of Black Hat Bureu) down to his knees. I'm so going to see how that plan goes (Rue takes position as Deputy Director at Black Hat Bureau, but I'm sure she's going to hatch plans to rebel on her grandfather's orders)

Also the daemon finally gets his own name!. I'm fascinated with the daemon's portion of Asa's life. They're pretty much like separate entities sharing one body. While Asa is in love with Rue, clearly the daemon doesn't feel that way. Yes, he often acts Rue to pet him, and he claims that Rue is his, but I don't sense it as a sexual/lover kind of way, you know? It's intriguing to read.

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this series but I don’t love it. I’m going to try and explain why but this may just be personal preference and mood on my part, so take it with a grain of salt.

This is well written with characters who are endearing. There were moments that made me FEEL for the characters. I want to know them and hug them. They’re great and sweet and give the feels.

The world is interesting. It’s well rounded for the most part.

My problems are perhaps nit-picky. I don’t know.

There are at least two inconsistencies that took me out of the story. The villain is misnamed at one point and in another, Colby is one place and then referenced as being in a different place. It’s confusing.

The plot was often hard to follow. It was hard to remember what happened previously and the technical aspects of the case seemed overly complicated. This may just be me, though, honestly.

There is a lot of repetition:
—Asa and Rue get lovey, and then Clay and Colby gag. Over and over again.

—Rue worries about Colby and her trauma and keeping her safe.

—Colby is sad bc she doesn’t get to participate IRL.

—Clay is under control of the director and could turn on them at any moment.


However, Clay and Colby are endearing characters. And Asa and Rue’s growing affection and love is adorable and the daemon is so cute and sweet. All of that makes the repetition worth it to some extent.

Spice level is basically a half a 🌶 if that. There’s one dirty scene and it’s over before it begins basically. That’s not bad but the amount of time they spend lusting over each other feels wasted when we don’t get to enjoy the spice as most of it happens off book. It’s like all foreplay and no show.

So it’s a 4 or 5 star series overall. I enjoy it but I do feel like I’m getting a bit tired of the same stuff every time.

[Lana *Best left alone with books and snacks* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brutal! No wonder Rue hates feelings when her family is just pummeling her with them. Jeez!

Orion is such a d**k, I'm gonna cheer when he gets his ass kicked.

Oh, it's all coming together, I can't wait 🤗

Over and out

[SheLove2Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whew, that was intense! Most certainly the best one since book one. I will say that the scenes with Rue's father were extremely emotional. I'm glad she has Asa, Clay, Colby, and Aedan in her corner. 5 stars

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook and the narrator did a good job.

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Source* Kindle Unlimited
*Genre* Urban Fantasy Romance
*Rating* 3.5-4

*Thoughts*

Gray Witch is the Fifth installment in author Hailey Edwards Black Hat Bureau series. As the story beings, Rue Hollis, not her real name, but the name she created after escaping from the Black Hat Bureau 10 years ago, is visiting Astraroth Xan Stavros, High Prince of Hael, and his father Orion Pollux Stavros, High King of Hael where Asa is once again facing challenges to his legitimacy. But when The Boo Brothers seem to rise from their graves, it sends Rue and her team, Clay, Asa, and Colby, on a cross country monster hunt.

*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*

https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...

[Marsha · Rating 2 out of 5]

I used to be really enthralled with the Black Hat Bureau series but for the past two reads I've just been moderately entertained. For whatever reason, "Gray Witch" has made me question my desire to go on with this series. The plot seems to have evolved into a YA feel rather than adult. The situations are silly and I truly had a very difficult time wanting to finish this read.Additionally, the plots have become formulaic in nature. Because of this I've decided that this will be the last book in the series for me. Sorry Ms. Edwards. This just didn't do it for me!

[Erika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love it!

I love to see Asa's and Rue's relationship growing and evolving, but most of all, I love to see Rue's evolution.  She had already changed so much from the person she used to be, but now she is finally accepting that the past is in the past, and that it's time to see into the future.  She has some very hard decisions to make in this book, and we are finally moving forward.Her relationship with Asa is now a fact, and his parents entering the scene cause trouble, especially with his father trying to take Rue from him.  We also get a surprise visit from Rue's parents in an unexpected way, and family as usual makes things difficult. The cases they find are, again, a glimpse of the past, with old killers re-enacting their crimes, and our team having to uncover the truth, as usual.  Once again, there is a target on Rue, but this time is personal, with things happening that are really hard for her to face.  At the end, she is forced to do what she never wanted to do, but it's part of her evolution, and what is coming, promises to be epic. I'm really liking this series and can't wait to see what's in Rue's future.  

[Anita · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, I'm annoyed with Amazon for screwing up the Goodreads app. It's been very difficult getting anything to save - especially shelves. So I'm typing up my reviews seperately and pasting them in, with fingers crossed.

I adore this author. She's a go-to, must-read author for me. Everything she writes is wonderful. I highly recommend her if you like contemporary fantasy.

The premise of this series is that there is a secret quasi-governmental bureau for the paranormal, and the heroine is a reformed black witch who escaped working there and adopted a child. (Literally an escape - the agents who work there are guilty supernaturals with the choice of work or die.) Books ago, we saw her get sucked back into working for the bureau, learned about her heritage, and watched her fall in love with a fellow agent, a dea (deamon/fae mixed heritage). In this book, she's rebuffing the romantic advances of her love's dad (the lord of hell), figuring out what's bringing evil creatures back to life, foiling an attempt to move against her family, and taking on more unwanted responsiblity.

[Penny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went into this book thinking, for some reason, that this was the last book. Thankfully, there’s more Rue, Asa, Colby, and Clay to come. And TBH, the author could write hundreds of books in this series, and I’d be there. In this latest, old enemies long-dead are being resurrected, and Rue and company are on the case to find out who’s doing it. But when the case becomes personal, Rue realizes that something more is at play than resurrection. This book was a fun adventure, and it was as well written as the author’s other books. Rue is coming to accept her new self, which I’m glad to see, and she has to deal with some of her soon-to-be new family, and I want to see more interaction between them. All in all, this was a good way to spend some time. Highly recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely continues the positive trend of the series, albeit only slightly when compared to the previous volume.

Both plot and characterization saw improvement. The mystery of the day was stronger than its predecessors, though by no means gripping or especially clever. More appreciated was the focus on Rue's relationship to her parents and, far overdue, some examination of Clay's servitude.

I still have no real idea what it means to practice "gray" magic or be a "gray" witch because the series never truly explains how any of it works; likewise, we've still made almost no progress with the grimoire, which is disappointing.

Rue and Asa were actually very cute in this one, though, I will say.

[Melindeeloo · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was fine. I don't like this series as well as the one with the necromancers, but it has improveD since the relationship between Rue and Asa moved beyond the swapping spit via food stage. ( and less focus on Colby's mothness was helpful too. That character is one of my least favorite author decisions in this series: techy gamer moth familiar perpetual ten year old - gak! If not for Kindle Unlimited that alone would have been a reason not to continue after book 1).

[Francesca ❆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the mystery wasn't super clever, it was still pretty intriguing, there were some new developments in the overarching plot that made me raise my eyebrows in stupor, and Rue and Asa had a lot of nice moments where we saw them work on their relationship.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

★★★★½

[Veray · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the characters and the story but I could do without the explicit sex.

[WonderWomanNZ · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF, Took a break between this and the others and I just couldn’t get back into them. I was struggling with the others, I just really struggled to get into them.

[IdRatherBeReading · Rating 5 out of 5]

asa and rues story continues

I love the development of their relationship. Also, Colby is super tech savvy and kicking butt in the investigating department. The present for Asas’ daemon was so awesome you can’t top that. Rues title has progressed significantly im not sure how she’s going to handle it. But she has family now, that DO love her to her her through anything. Lots of laughs in this book too.

[Elisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

just brilliant

Things are heating up in Rues world to the point of exploding in many more ways than one.
It’s a wild ride, with flashes of humor and intriguing mysteries.

[Mariaan Belinfante · Rating 4 out of 5]

Started a bit slowly but then it definitely got more interesting Plus I'm sure sure the next book will be very interesting

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars:)