Crown of Shadows (Relic Hunters, #1)

by Keri Arthur

Never mess with the relics of the old gods… or the pixies who once guarded them.

After her mom’s disappearance six months ago, Bethany Aodhán has been running their tavern in old Deva—something her family had been doing ever since a light-fingered pixie lost them the job of guarding the treasures of the old gods eons ago.

Then her brother, Lugh, is attacked, his best friend murdered, and the tavern firebombed. A confrontation with a former lover leads to the discovery of another murder and a missing jewel from a godly relic, and Beth learns that the Éadrom Hoard—one of three godly hoards now guarded by the elves—has been stolen.

But this is no ordinary theft. Darker forces are at work, and they’re not only seeking the means to resurrect a god of destruction but the power to forever banish daylight. That power lay with Agrona’s Claws—three godly artifacts that, when used together, give the user full control over night itself.

With the webs of suspicion drawing ever tighter around them, Beth & Lugh—with the help of two sexy elves and a cantankerous old goddess who knows far more than she admits—race to find the missing artifacts before those intent on unleashing chaos.

It’s a race they must win, because it’s not just their lives on the line, but the fate of modern-day England.

• ISBN10: 0645303100
• ISBN13: 9780645303100
• Publish Date: 22 February 2022
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: NG
• Imprint: Urhobo Historical Society
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 332
• Language: English

Reviews

[Quirky Cat]

Man, I love it when one of my favorite authors starts a new series! Keri Arthur's latest series, Relic Hunters, kicks off here in Crown of Shadows. If you love pixies, fantasy worlds, intrigue, magical politics, and more than a little bit of danger, then you're going to love this book.

Bethany Aodhan lost her mother six months ago. Literally – she doesn't know where her mother went. She's trying to keep things together, including her family's tavern. This would be challenging enough before adding her brother's work threat.

Said brother hunts treasures, professionally, that is. It's this work that gets him attacked and his best friend killed. And all that mess is about to fall directly in Bethany's lap. Her gifts, family history, and connections have put her squarely in the middle of this mess.

“Which was one of the reasons I usually wore my knives when working.”

Eee! I can't believe it's already time for a new Keri Arthur series! I've loved her past couple of series, so you can imagine my excitement at this news. Crown of Shadows is the first in the Relic Hunters series, and I already have SO many questions.

This was a solid start to the series, naturally. There's a lot of foundational work laid down here, which sometimes messed with the pacing. I do not doubt that it will all pay off in the end, though, so I'm not even remotely worried.

There are a lot of characters to get to know right off the bat, starting with Bethany and moving out to her friends, family, dalliances, and, I guess, coworkers? Not to mention enemies and the like, of course. I enjoyed this twist of pixies, their magic, and their history. Actually, so far, I'm enjoying everything I've seen in this world, including the magical system. I can't wait to see more.

The story was fast-paced, with many high stakes keeping Bethany and her allies on their toes at all times. Throw in a romantic subplot (maybe romance is the wrong term to use here – but it's undoubtedly lust at first sight if nothing else), and it's pretty apparent how Bethany will be spending her time in the foreseeable future.

As with all of Keri Arthur's novels, the pacing was fast, the plot tense, and the danger high. All of which have left me looking forward to the next installment in the series (Sword of Darkness). Please let it be soon (I just checked – October 25th! That's not too bad!).

Read more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks