Ghost of a Chance

Arcane Casebook, Book 2

By: Dan Willis

Narrated by: Alex Knox

Length: 9 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's summary

When a bizarre string of locked-room murders terrorize New York, the police have no leads, no suspects, and only one place to turn. Now private detective Alex Lockerby will need every magical trick in his book to catch a killer who can walk through walls and leaves no trace.

Unfortunately Alex's magic hasn't been working very well. He can't even manage to track down several truckloads of stolen goods, including one belonging to New York's preeminent sorcerer, Andrew Barton. To make matters worse, Alex and his clients are being stalked by a shadowy cabal with strange powers that Alex has never seen before.

With the Ghost killer seemingly able to murder at will and the tabloids, the public, and Alex’s clients demanding results, Alex will need a miracle to keep himself, his clients, and his reputation alive.

Download Ghost of a Chance today.

©2019, 2021 Dan Willis (P)2021 Dan Willis

new addiction

this is a well thought out world. well thought out magic system and well thought out character's.

Great story, bland narrator

I liked how the pieces of this story came together. I’ve gotten into this series thoroughly now. However, this narrator isn’t my favorite. I know people didn’t like the first book’s narrator (Vic Mignogna) due to the younger-sounding voice. However, this narrator reminded me of the narration on the weather channel or “How It’s Made.” He didn’t have a wide range of voices and often times dropped the voice to his general one altogether. I prefer Vic Mignogna.

Top-notch!

Excellent Paranormal Detective series. So glad they are coming out in Audible. Great characters and action. The Narrator does a pretty good job too.

Much better

I found the first in the series a little slow and clunky, but this one flowed much better. Thoroughly enjoyable.

Who Done It With Fantasy Twist

This is a pretty good 'who done it' series. The characters are likeable and have some depth, don't feel flat. The story reveals itself like a Homes novel which is referenced in the series. The magic is a nice twist. The world Dan Willis built is a cross between the real past and fantasy - and it works. If you like Agatha Christie or Homes detective type stories you will likely enjoy this series. Some people have a problem with the narrator, I did not. He does a decent job and didn't get in the way of reading the story.

Creative a different

Mix of early old detective stories and magic, I’m enjoying the series so far. If you enjoy magic and mystery I would recommend this series.

nice interesting series

a great series, not too dark but with lots of interesting plot twists. I would recommend reading the series in order it's going to help fill my Harry Dresden void.... and it's so nice to discover something new like Glenn Cooks PI Garrett series.... good fun with some historical references and historical characters... it was a good narration as well a lot easier on my ears than the last one easier to focus and concentrate.

How do you solve an impossible puzzle

You work at it. Alex, still reeling from the first case, dives into his second major case. It is one puzzle after the next. It isn't magic that solves the case; it is hard work. This book solidified my interest in the series. The first was great, and this one confirmed that any Alex Lockerby book would be an enjoyable listen.

As to the performance, I was expecting Vic back, but Alex Knox does a superb job. He picks up and runs with the characters. I find him easy to listen to, and his voice acting is excellent.

The story is good, and as not to give things away. Alex has a tough time and relies on all of his bag of tricks to solve this case. Mundane and Runes. It is well crafted and an enjoyable listen.

*******************
Audible's rating is:
1 Star is "not for me"
2 Stars "it is okay"
3 Stars "pretty good"
4 Stars "it's great"
5 Stars "I love it"

A one star book could be a very dry topic, story, crude, or someone preaching down to the reader. I generally don't have 1-star books. I will just return them and go my own way. My last three were from the same series; I had hit a very dry spot in my listening.

A 2-star story, would be something that was phoned in by a writer that typically has done much better work. I have a couple of reviews from authors that just seemed to phone it in, one most recently from an author that decided to mix current politics into his novel. If I wanted that, I would just watch the news.

A 3-star review is where I really start. It means I enjoyed the book. That I did not have a hard time following it (I have lost a lot of my conversational hearing). That the story kept to a plot, the characters were not static, and the world built was plausible.

A 4-star review is something that I really enjoyed. It puts the author on my map to keep an eye out for. I go through 12-15 books a month. (audible is my primary source of entertainment. ) I will search for the author's works regularly and seek out their stories for future purchases.

A 5-star review, These are not as rare as one would think. These are the books where the characters grow, learn, and act according to their nature. Where the world is not only plausible but believable. Where there are economic systems, businesses, and rules of law that make sense. Where the story is woven, progressed, and told with caring and dedication. These are books, series, authors, and narrators that bring it all in a package.

So, when reading my reviews, if anyone does, that is how I judge the books.

Good story. The read was disappointing.

I've really enjoyed this niche genre...
It's sort of a Raymond Chandler meets Hogwarts detective story.
I was delighted with "In Plain Sight" because the voice characterizations made it a 'radio play' style experience. It was just amazing.

This narrator of Ghost of a Chance has a good voice but he's just reading the text rather than enacting the story.
Still enjoyable but not as vibrant or engaging as the first.
In Plain Sight had distinct character voices and it was almost like being present for the unraveling of the mystery...
By contrast, Ghost of a Chance, while still a good story, is less engaging.

Fun Mystery, Perfect Fiction

Love the contemplation, reflection, and conviction of the Lockerby. Willis provides great depths to his character in a world not overburdened by excruciating detail. Allowing for the story to let your imagination build the scenes. I already bout the next book and am excited to hear more of this narrator’s work.