Glimmer of the Other

An Urban Fantasy Novel (The Other Realm, Book 1)

By: Heather G. Harris

Narrated by: Alyse Gibbs

Length: 6 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's summary

I can tell when you’re lying. Every. Single. Time.

I’m Jinx. As a private investigator, being a walking, talking lie detector is a useful skill - but let’s face it, it’s not normal. You’d think it would make my job way too easy, but even with my weird skills, I still haven’t been able to track down my parents' killers.

When I’m hired to find a missing university student, I hope to find her propped up at a bar - yet my gut tells me there’s more to this case than a party girl gone wild. Firstly, she’s a bookish soul who’s as likely to go off the rails as Mother Theresa. Secondly, I’m not the only one on her trail; she’s also being tracked by the implacable and oh-so-sexy Inspector Stone.

Stone and I team up, and he shoves me into a realm where magic is real – a place where there are vampires and werewolves, dragons and trolls. And where my skills are more than just detecting lies…

Oh, and my dog? He’s a freaking hellhound who can manipulate the magical realms themselves.

I need to find the girl. I need to discover who killed my parents. And I need to find out more about the attractive but mysterious Zachary Stone…

©2021 Heather G Harris (P)2024 Heather G Harris

Promising start to a new series

The author did a great job creating a fascinating magical system and characters that I am already invested in. I can’t wait to hear what happens next.

Great Urban Fantasy Novel

This was my first experience with Heather G. Harris' work, and I enjoyed it very much. I thought the realm of magic that she created was inventive and interesting. I enjoyed the complex characters that populated the story. I was entertained by the different fantastical creatures that appeared in her tale. I am looking forward to the next book in the series. I recommend this book to others who enjoy this genre. Alyse Gibbs' narration was great and added to the story's entertainment. I was given a free copy of the audiobook and I have voluntarily posted this review.

liked

I liked the concept and it worked out better then I honestly thought it would be. Looking forward to see what is in store for these characters.

Unique, complex and well written

I was very pleased and surprised at the depth and complexity of the magical world this author has created. There are elements to this magical world that I've never seen before, which is quite a trick to pull off to someone who's been reading fantasy and sci-fi for more than 50 years. This is a very unique and satisfying book. The book also has well developed characters, and the main female character is very easy to like and respect. The dialogue is witty without falling into cheap snark, and the main male and female leads have a tentative interest in each other that may or may not develop into a relationship. The relationship angle does not get in the way of the plotline of the story. The hellhound is fabulous, we'd all want one. Lots of different types of magical beings, and a complex plot happening in an unusual magical world. This book has all the good stuff.

Very enjoyable UF

This is one of the more enjoyable UFs I’ve read in a while, but it’s also a little frustrating. This clocks in around 6 hours, and I actually think it might be too short. The storytelling is very efficient and economical, but so much so that there’s not a lot of surprise left. If you meet a character, they’re going to be vitally important. Worldbuilding details are all vitally important. If Jinx needs knowledge of something, she just so happens to have experience with said thing in her past, so there’s rarely ever a need for her to research anything. When she learns magic for the first time, she picks it up immediately. There’s no trial and error. There doesn’t seem to be much limit in what she can do. Being unflappable is part of her personality, but she’s almost too levelheaded. In someone else’s hands, Jinx could have easily become a Mary Sue, but she’s got enough spunk and personality that she’s not. I think I would have liked a bit more depth, a bit more fleshing out of the world, and to have Jinx struggle more. It’s all a little too convenient at times. Despite all this, I immediately picked up book 2. It’s very entertaining and the narrator is solid. Plus it’s always nice to read a UF that’s not set in the States.

Great start

Great start to the series. Really loved the characters and the story. Lots of action going on! Really enjoyed the narration as well. She has a calm soothing voice.

Such a fun series!

I first listened to Glimmer of the Other as a free download. I put it on speaker while puttering about the house -- let's just say I was glad the littles weren't around for that first chapter. Nothing explicit happens, but it might have sparked conversations they (me. It's definitely me that's not ready.) aren't ready for yet. That first chapter is as racy as it gets, though (again, nothing explicit happens. Jinx is a private investigator. PIs are frequently hired to see if spouses are cheating.)
Jinx discovers that she is part of a hidden world, which is one of my favorite urban fantasy tropes. How she goes about uncovering -and keeping - the secrets of that world while conducting her business as a PI lead to an entertaining story with several laugh-out-loud moments. Oh, and let me also give a nod to the narrator - I love an accent, and Alyse Gibbs' voice is delightful. I've just downloaded the final audiobook in the series, which makes me both happy, in that it is another Jinx story to listen to, and sad, in that it is the last. (Unless enough people review/send emails and the author is convinced to come up with a spin-off! What a fantastic idea!)

love this

I loved everything about this except the end. It felt very familiar, and I wish things would have gone down differently. Totally hoping for team Emery to be a thing. We will see how the next book turns out!

Btw, love the way our gal talks to her dog. I do the same things she does and say the same things she does. It felt like a book not just for me, but for me AND the pup.

Love this series!

If you enjoy fast paced action packed books, you will LOVE this series. Jinx is witty and full of spunk. You instantly fall in love with her story. I started off reading this book but quickly switched to the audio so I could finish the series faster! Reading this series is one thing but listening to the audio really makes this series! You know its set in the UK but listening to the accent in the audio really cements you into the story…specially Stone’s character (YUM). I can’t wait for more!

Fun idea, good story and characters.

This is my first book by this author and this narrator and I enjoyed both. The story is intriguing, with plenty of excitement and some humor to keep it interesting. I'm excited to listen to next one and see where the storyline goes.