Unholy Magic

Downside Ghosts, Book 2

By: Stacia Kane

Narrated by: Bahni Turpin

Length: 10 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's summary

For freewheeling ghost hunter Chess Putnam, finding herself near-fatally poisoned by a con psychic and then stopping a murderous ghost is just another day on the job. An agent for the Church of Real Truth, she investigates claims of harassment by the undead. But Chess has been extra busy these days, coping with a new “celebrity” assignment while trying on her own time to help some desperate prostitutes. Someone’s taking out the hookers of Downside in the most gruesome way, and Chess is sure the rumors that it’s the work of a ghost are way off base. But proving herself right means walking in the path of a maniac, not to mention standing between the two men in her life just as they are moving closer to a catastrophic showdown. Someone is dealing in murder, sex, and the supernatural, and once again Chess finds herself right in the crossfire.

©2010 Stacia Kane (P)2010 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“ Unholy Ghosts is a wonderful, weird, wild tale filled with gritty magic, punk rock and macabre spirits. Kane’s world is dark, dangerous and haunted, populated by hustlers, junkies and exorcists…and you’ll never want to leave. Simply the best book I’ve read this year.” (Caitlin Kittredge, author of Street Magic)

Cliffhanger!!

She has to tell Terrible the truth 😳😳🤞🤞🤞 15 words 🙄 I would have stopped with the word cliffhanger.

Entertaining

When the synopsis says this book is dark, what they mean is that the story is based around a main character who is a drug addict. somehow this character manages to stay alive with so many people trying to use her for their own ends. I was curious about this series I thought would I like a heroine so flawed? I do like her that is. I don't always agree with her reasoning or her choices but I do like her. Our heroine never speaks her mind when others try forcing her to do her bidding. She simply agrees to everyone's demands regardless of how unreasonable they are. Of course most of the time she's just pretending to do what they want in the hopes to feed her addiction and live another day. So no one around her really knows her or why she chooses to do what she does. At the end of this book it is painfully clear she is lonely and her love interest thinks she betrayed him. I'm hoping she can mend fences in the next book. I'm also wondering if she will learn to strike bargains rather than simply agreeing to all the demands others place on her. I am also hoping she will somehow kick her addiction Haha as you can tell I'm quite invested in this series and can't wait to see some character growth.

omg! creepy suspensful fun!

What made the experience of listening to Unholy Magic the most enjoyable?

The narrator is terrific. she really can interprate (sp??) the characters emotions well, brings the characters to life. there is a lot of slang and i believe it is a better listen than read. she does a great job. this story had a real creepy mystery, i got goosebumps!

What other book might you compare Unholy Magic to and why?

This book is truely unique. the ideas of the world they live in and how things are run really stand out. the graffic crime scenes and darker side of things are intense, maybe compare to a little early laurell k hamilton.

Which scene was your favorite?

the roof top talk between terrible and chess. also there is an intense scene earlier in the book with her drug use that brings you to tears. great writting.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

absolutely!!! i finished it in 2 days.

Any additional comments?

start with book one and keep going! i am downloading the next and really enjoy the unique style of these books.

Love this series

I listened to this audiobook because I wanted to check out a new to me narrator, Bahni Turpin. She was awesome.

I don't know how Stacia Kane does it; she makes the most unlikely protagonists sympathetic and very real. I'm really uncomfortable with drug addictions and yet, I understand Chess Putnam's issues and why she does what she does and admire her for being so effective in her calling. At the same time I can barely resist yelling at her "you'd be able to think so much more clearly if you weren't high as a kite you dufus!"

This book, like the first one, is full of action and the pacing is spot on.

Stacia Kane - Unholy Magic

This is such a great book, the reader is very good, has a very good diction and I understand clearly the characters intentions by her tone alone. I recommend this completely, together with the first book in the series Unholy Ghosts and the last City of Ghosts. I can't wait for the fourth book next year.

Thoroughly Enjoyed

If you could sum up Unholy Magic in three words, what would they be?

dark, mystery & magic

What did you like best about this story?

The characters! Even though sometimes I wanted to shake them, I really liked them. They made me want to keep reading/listening.

Have you listened to any of Bahni Turpin’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No. I really liked. She does a good job of the slang. If I read it I don't think it would have been the same.

Wow just wow!

I read this book on faith. And my faith paid off! I really wasn't sure whether I liked the series after the first book. It dragged a little bit for me but I found the premise, Characters and world building so original and well done I had to finish the first book. The narration is amazing and brings so much flavor and variety to such a diverse cast of characters.

The reviews for the second book made me give it a try and I'm sold! This series is a winner. I'm really tempted to go back and re-read the first book because now I really appreciate the nuances of this author's writing. The characters are real and raw some of the scenes are hard to read because they are so true. Chess is not a hero or an antihero she just human. Shaped by her experiences. Flawed like us all and doing the best she can with where she is in life.

The relationship and romance building will keep you on the edge of your seat. You won't be disappointed. And you won't know what to expect. This is a must read!

Brutality of facing one's own demons

When you are a screwed up person and an addict, and don't want to face your truths they have an ugly way of coming out. This is the reality our heroine finds herself in. mix that with gruesome murders along with investing an ultra rich couple for a possible fake haughing. Things get uglier, with everything from being left body parts and blackmail. The hardest part to face is the ugly truth is better than the ugly lie.

Loved the book!

Loved the book! The book was a different way to look at region, magic and the supernatural.

Loved it!

Loved Unholy Ghosts and Unholy Magic. The heroine is so flawed and damaged that she is very realistic and believable. I couldn’t stop listening to her story unfold and I wanted her life to have happiness. She is an addict who does her best to keep her job and her head above water. The reader was great.