Book Review: Thunderbird Falls

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

[5 stars]

Thunderbird Falls Amazon US TPB Amazon Canada TPB
C. E. Murphy
Class/Genre: Fantasy Woman Main Character Supernatural
Series: Joanne Walker # 2
Luna, May, 2006, $14.95

Though she possesses supernatural powers, Joanne Walker ignores them even when they would make life easier. The Seattle police officer wants to live a normal life and be the best cop on the force; besides her superior Captain Morrison is watching her since the URBAN SHAMAN saving the world incident. Thus she rarely employs magic fearing Morrison will fire her.

However, Joanne’s shunning of her shaman skills is put to the test when she finds a corpse at the university showers. The victim belongs to a coven whose associates turn to her for help. They insist that the eternal war between good and evil has taken a critical turn with the enemy becoming the more powerful and their only hope rests with an ancient demi-god Virissong coming to earth to join the forces of good to tip the balcony back. To succeed in expediting his return, the coven needs Joanne’s help. She wonders if she should trust them as placing the fate of humanity on a being from beyond could tip the balance to the wrong side. Either way Joanne knows she must learn to use her magical ability as demons arrive in Seattle, which implies Armageddon seems around the corner but her spirit and taxi guides are both out of commission.

THUNDERBIRD FALLS is a terrific police procedural fantasy starring a delightful protagonist still struggling with the magical skills she inherited as defined by her birth name Siobhan Walkingstick vs. her legal name of Joanne Walker. The fast-paced story line moves out rather quickly from the moment Joanne finds the dead woman in a nearby shower and never slows down, though filled with doubts and hesitation, she knows she must act, but do what is the question. Readers will enjoy Joanne’s walk through the Dead Zone in this gripping thriller.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner