Review: A Quiet Death, by Kal Spriggs

[easyazon_link identifier="B093TTFYCD" locale="US" tag="upstreamreviews-20"]Ari Kiehl is back. Along with his guardian angel, the retasked grim reaper Sam, he's ready to take on the forces of darkness.[/easyazon_link]

Well, at least he's willing. But nothing could prepare him for what's coming.

The story

Ari Kiehl walked out of the Sandbox with a new best friend, an angel of death named Sam. After a pack of demonic, soul-eating werewolves tried to kill Ari and half the Colorado City police department, Ari has been tasked as part of Major case. He's now part of a team.

Except not even this team knows what to do when a murder victim gets up and walks away.

When the first body walked away from his own crime scene, it was bad enough. When the second one did it, Ari thought it might be a problem.

When the bodies kept dropping and getting back up, it was a world-ending issue. Even if it is ready to take out Colorado.

In Death's Shadow was a white-knuckle thriller, where it felt like something was going to jump out of the shadows at any minute. This one was more of a mystery, building up the world and finding out not only what the threat was, but how to stop it.

The characters

It's amusing to watch all of these characters and how the negotiate a path around each other. Ari was a murder suspect only six months before. Watching him as a rookie cop, trying to work with and around other officers who would have shot him months before is an interesting dynamic. And of course, watching Ari negotiate between Sam, his partner Amanda Ashburn, and "normal" cops is a treat. Though there are days that Ari feels like the straight man in this relationship.

Basically, everyone gets more of a character arc moving out from book 1.

The world

The world-building feels like it got a massive shot in the arm in [easyazon_link identifier="B093TTFYCD" locale="US" tag="upstreamreviews-20"]A Quiet Death[/easyazon_link], which is interesting, since I thought it was great in the last one as well. It builds up a lot about the limitations of the supernatural, the preternatural, and even has some rock-solid angelology. And yes, that's a real word. It does a great job of building up the world of angels and demons while at the same time building up a solid mystery.

Ari also touches on trying to do a police DD5 daily report form when you're fighting the supernatural. It's always a great source of entertainment.

Also, the Devil is Lawful Evil, apparently. Then again, with his contracts fixation, are we surprised?

The politics

It's hard to tell in this particular climate. Ari is a military veteran and isn't crazy. The cops are largely on the side of right, even if some of them are out of the loop. Politicians are tools of the Devil, but what else is new? This is good, there is evil, and there's lawful evil. Yes

Content warning

It's a horror novel. Plan accordingly.

Who is it for?

This is for fans of the Urban Fantasy or horror genre. Anyone who's read Ringo's Princess of Wands or Larry Correia's Monster Hunter International novels.

Why read it?

A straight-up, old fashioned monsters and mayhem novel.