Grave Witch (Alex Craft, Book 1) [Mass Market Paperback]

Kalayna Price (Author)

Book Description

Release date: October 5, 2010

Not even death can save her now.

As a grave witch, Alex Craft can speak to the dead-she's even on good terms with Death himself. As a consultant for the police, she's seen a lot of dark magic, but nothing has prepared her for her latest case. When she's raising a "shade" involved in a high profile murder, it attacks her, and then someone makes an attempt on her life. Someone really doesn't want her to know what the dead have to say, and she'll have to work with mysterious homicide detective Falin Andrews to figure out why...

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Only a thin border separates the worlds of the living and the dead in Price's captivating series debut. Alex Craft is a penniless PI attached to two very high-profile cases: she's raising the first shade ever to take the witness stand and has discovered that the death of a local official involves magic. Nekros City police detective Falin Andrews wants her out of the latter investigation, which would suit Alex just fine if she hadn't been infected by a soul-sucking virus that only solving the case can cure. Add a little work freelancing for Death and a budding romance with Falin, and Alex is in way over her head. The world is nothing new, but a zippy pace and entrancing descriptions of "grave sight," which juxtaposes a decaying spirit world on top of ours, will keep readers happily turning pages.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"[A] captivating series debut." ---Publishers Weekly

--This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Roc; Original edition (October 5, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451463803
• ISBN-13: 978-0451463807
• Product Dimensions: 4.1 x 0.9 x 6.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (158 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #77,564 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

USA Today Bestselling author Kalayna Price writes the Alex Craft Novels, a new dark urban fantasy series from Roc, and the Novels of Haven from Bell Bridge Books. Her works have been translated into several languages and are available (or have been contracted for release) around the world. Kalayna draws her ideas from the world around her, her studies into ancient mythologies, and her obsession with classic folklore. Her stories contain not only the mystical elements of fantasy, but also a dash of romance, a bit of gritty horror, some humor, and a large serving of mystery. Kalayna is a member of SFWA and RWA, and an avid hula-hoop dancer who has been known light her hoop on fire. To find out more, please visit her at www.kalayna.com

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

103 of 107 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Enthralling Paranormal Murder Mystery October 5, 2010

By anne-marie

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Grave Witch is an enthralling paranormal murder mystery. Set in a world where the imaginary have come out to play, Fey are members of government and magic is as common as kleenex. Our heroine Alex Craft is a rare Grave Witch able to raise shades, give them enough energy to be visible, and use "grave sight" to see into alternate planes of reality. But even to other grave witches she different, with the ability to see and speak with death himself.

The story begins with Alex just trying to make ends meat, and while helping out her sister, stumbles onto a ritualistic serial murder. Before she even knows it someone's trying to kill her, while death, ironically is trying to save her life. In a world where disapperances are all too common, the Fey are doing there best to kidnap her. And sexy new Detective Andrews seems to be everywhere she is, becoming just as bad as her new ghost stalker. But Alex has to find the murderer, and soon, her own life depends on it.

Grave Witch is fast paced, and complexed. There was a lot going on in this book. All the different threads could have become a jumbled mess, but were well handled, and came together nicely in the end, weaving some unexpected surprises sure to provide the foundation to the sequel. Kalayna Price's new book is heavy on the storyline, light on the romance, that built slowly bewteen Alex and her admirers. This has potential for a serious love triangle in the next book. With the foundation set and charaters established I can't wait to see what happens in the next book.

This is a great book to curl up in your favorite comfy spot and get lost in. For Hours. Highly entertaining. Hard to put down.

71 of 78 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Good enough to keep reading... October 26, 2010

By S. McCullough TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Mass Market Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I wavered over my rating for "Grave Witch" by Kalayna Price. I really enjoyed the story but it had some big flaws. With a litle editing and polish, this book could have been a phenomenal success in my opinion. I really liked our heroine Ms. Alex Craft. She has been disowned by her wealthy family for being a grave witch. Meaning that she can use 'grave sight' to see althernate planes of reality. She can also rise shades of the ghosts and find out how or why they were killed. She does this for a living as well as uses her skills as a specil P.I. Investigator.

Alex comes across fairly tough but immediately we find out she loves her dog P.C. and has a gargoyle taht lives in the front yard. Yup she is kind of a softie inside too. Now a famous politician is dead and Alex has to help uncover the mystery. Enter an unusual and handsome detective named Falin Andrews who is also investigating the case...is he help or more trouble? Oh, and did I forget to mention Alex can see and talk to Death? Death is a hot guy who wears blue jeans and seems to have a crush on Alex.

The characters are for the most part a real treat. I really like Death, just the novelty of him as a character is intriguing. Falin was so-so for me, I can't get a feel for him yet. There were some side characters with promise, but they didn't do much. I assume they will be fleshed out somewhere down the line in the next books. For me, Price's characters are the strongest aspect of the story outside of the general premise of the story. The premise is wonderful...the girl who can raise shades of the dead and talk (and more) with Death and ghosts.

What fails to work as well are the details. Alex's grave sight is confusingly portrayed. Sometimes I wondered what was reality and what was in the other planes. If Alex is walking on sold steps in reality but in her grave sight she can see them start to crumble, is she really going to fall or is she one solid ground? Some clarification on grave sight really is would be nice.

There were too many different pieces to this mystery. Usually this is fine with me but for a first novel, where readers are just beginning to become accustomed to the world and characters, it just became too much. The revelation about Alex's father was ok except that I couldn't understand the motivations behind is treatment of Alex after everything was revealed.

There was just a little too much clutter.

I am most certainly engaged enough to contine and I look forward to seeing where these characters go. Overall if you like Urban Fantasy this is worth reading.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Grave Witch March 3, 2011

By Ithlilian

Format:Mass Market Paperback

It's hard to invent something new in the realm of urban fantasy, but Grave Witch does just that. It's refreshingly different. A great magic system, great world building, and an interesting set of characters (including Death) outline this novel and I can't wait to read more. One of the things I loved most about this book is the mystery. I feel like we are kept just enough in the dark as to what is going on without being completely lost, and I do appreciate when the author doesn't spell everything out for you constantly. The main character is intelligent, and I don't mind knowing just as much as she knows. There is a constant stream of information being fed to us at a good pace that many mysteries lack. I love the world presented in Grave Witch more than any other aspect of the novel though. I like how the fae are portrayed, I like the different types of witches, and I love how well described Alex's abilities are. Everything is realistic and believable, and I couldn't put the novel down. My only negative is that I didn't find the characters to be too multidimensional. In fact, except for the love triangle, I found the presence of the other characters to be almost a hindrance. There are series like The Hollows where I love every single character the main character is connected with, and then there is this where I don't really care about anyone but the main character. The author has to devote time to the supporting characters from the start in order for them to shine, and in Grave Witch it feels like they are thrown in as an afterthought. I was annoyed every time a friend popped up, it was like they shouldn't have even been there. It's a minor gripe, but in a perfect world I would love every character in this story. I barely tolerated the love interests, but hey at least I didn't throw the book when the love triangle came up. So lightside points for the uniqueness in magic and worldbuilding but darkside points for the stereotypical love triangle and the "he lied by omission so I'm mad...but I can't stay mad at him" nonsense.