In A Curse of Silver and Blood, by Kimberly A. Banks, the mystery begins in Charleston South Carolina in the sweltering heat of July. Elijah is attending his best friend and brother, Owen’s funeral. He’s told Owen committed suicide, and this shocks Elijah more than anyone can understand. Elijah is a psychic and has been since his father died when he was a child. He experiences ghostly shadows and visions of the dead that terrify him. He even sees Owen’s ghostly form, but as always, he tells no one. Elijah knows in his heart that Owen was murdered and had not committed suicide. Now he must uncover the killer of his best friend.

Author Kimberly Banks is a truly gifted writer who portrays Elijah as an intriguing character we can sympathize with. The reader experiences the heart-wrenching pain he’s enduring. We also understand his special gift of being a psychic, as it is portrayed in an interesting way that feels authentic. Another thing I really enjoyed about A Curse of Silver and Blood was the chapter length. Each chapter was concise and ends in a way that makes you want to keep reading, making it very difficult to find a good place to put the book down. A real page-turner. Banks also describes the settings of Charleston and Beaufort South Carolina as well as Savannah Georgia in great detail so that we are immersed in the locations. The reader feels the intolerable humidity, dampness, and moldy smells indigenous to the southern states.

I found myself absorbed by the realistic characters Banks created. The authentic, well-developed dialogue among the characters and smooth narration keeps the story flowing. Unlike those who doubt Elijah’s claim that Owen was murdered, I found myself captivated and believing in the urgency of finding Owen’s killer.

A Curse of Silver and Blood is a thrilling dark fantasy novel that will appeal to crime fiction fans looking for a paranormal backdrop to a stimulating murder mystery. 

Pages: 352 | ASIN: B09DK59M57