A Ritual for the Dying

Detective Inspector Declan Walsh, Book 6

By: Jack Gatland

Narrated by: Robin Laing

Thrice cursed. Thrice bound. Thrice damned.

When the body of a famous television academic is discovered in Greenwich Park, carefully positioned beside a megalithic stone fountain and missing a hand, DI Declan Walsh and the team of the Last Chance Saloon find themselves not only involved in a case that connects to the supernatural, but one that also involves seventeenth-century architects, ley lines, nuclear reactors, and a secret, black market organization that specializes in particular occult items; some that date all the way back to both Aleister Crowley and the Elizabethan Magician, Dr. John Dee himself, and connected to a missing treasure.

But as the team hunt a killer, one that uses ritualistic locations and weapons to perform their murders, Declan will journey on a heretical treasure hunt through an underground pagan and spiritual subculture of witches, shamans, druids, magicians, and heathens, a world of esoteric luncheons and virtual sabbats, and where curses are believed real, and the dead indeed talk . . .

But is one of those dead voices that of his one-time love, Kendis Taylor?

©2021 Jack Gatland, Tony Lee (P)2022 Tantor

Still a good series!

This was not my favorite book in the series but it was still worth the listen. There were just a lot of characters and skipping around in this one. I found myself scrolling back quite a few times to figure out which characters were in the scene and what was actually going on. One reviewer complained about the paranormal angle. When I'm not listening to police procedurals I'm listening to Urban Fantasy so trust me when I say there was nothing over the top paranormal in this book. So overall I enjoyed the book, and I will be getting the next one when it comes out.

Robin Laing was excellent as always!!

Mind games and manipulation

For all the emphasis on occult and supernatural forces, this is really about good old lust and greed. The author weaves another very complex story, and I enjoyed it, but would prefer less convolution and more character development.

Complex story

Very good narrator, interesting story I initially thought less than believable. Funny though as the weirdo’s seem to be running the asylum these days because they are so deluded maybe not so unbelievable.

Great series

The series is excellent and well narrated Lots of twists and turns. I’m ready for the next one.

Struggled to finish

Even this excellent narrator faltered with this many multi-named characters. The great uncle in particular was a miss. The nonsense of the occult holds no interest for me anyway but I found no enjoyment in this convoluted plot. Worst of all, the recurring characters have faded. Not sure I will continue with this series.

Disappointing

After having listen to the other books in the series from the beginning, I am disappointed with this book. Plot was inconsequential, and characters were superficial. That said, I will listen to the next book in the series because of the interesting cliffhanger at the end.

Mediocre

Too many characters and most of the regulars seemed to have personality changes. I really struggled to finish this! Not worth a credit ☹️

“That said…”

Overworked cliches like the one above get pretty tiresome after the first book. The writing is repetitive and unimaginative, but it’s been an okay detective series until now. This last one about the occult jumped the shark. It’s just silly. I listened til the end just to find out what happens with the main characters, but it was painful. Give this one a skip.