I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Do you love books that blend fantasy and the mundane? Are you a fan of African mythology? Or murder mysteries? How about a book that blends all of the above? Karen Lord’s new novel has all of these aspects and more. Unraveling by Karen Lord is a creative blend of the fantastical and the mundane, with time travel and/or dream walking thrown in.

There is a mix of mythology and higher powers and yet it feels very grounded. However, I must admit I started the book in a slightly confused state. But I was so drawn into the writing and the possibility that I kept reading, much like Miranda keeps walking her labyrinths. Dr. Miranda Ecouvo is a brilliant woman. But perhaps even more impressive is her ability to persevere and keep moving forward even with devastating emotional trauma. Her strength is something to admire and I think even the immortals are impressed with her fortitude.

The route to uncover a murder forces Miranda to travel a path through memory and dreams and ultimately choose her destiny after discovering where it leads. This book does require some dedication and effort. As it wanders through time and viewpoints, it can be tough to unravel. But it is worth it. This is one of those books that stayed with me after I finished reading it. And I was left wanting more from Chance and Miranda as their paths continue to wind and unwind over time.

If you love the weird and quirky, if you enjoy seeing the Trickster about, do yourself a favor and pick up this new novel from Karen Lord. It’s available everywhere from DAW Books on June 4, 2019.

cover of Unraveling by Karen Lord

About the Book

In this standalone fantasy novel by an award-winning author, the dark truth behind a string of unusual murders leads to an otherworldly exploration of spirits, myth, and memory, steeped in Caribbean storytelling.

Dr. Miranda Ecouvo, forensic therapist of the City, just helped put a serial killer behind bars. But she soon discovers that her investigation into seven unusual murders is not yet complete. A near-death experience throws her out of time and into a realm of labyrinths and spirits. There, she encounters brothers Chance and the Trickster, who have an otherworldly interest in the seemingly mundane crimes from her files. It appears the true mastermind behind the murders is still on the loose, chasing a myth to achieve immortality. Together, Miranda, Chance, and the Trickster must travel through conjured mazes, following threads of memory to locate the shadowy killer. As they journey deeper, they discover even more questions that will take pain and patience to answer. What is the price of power? Where is the path to redemption? And how can they stop the man–or monster–who would kill the innocent to live forever?

About the Author

Karen Lord has been a physics teacher, diplomat, part-time soldier, and academic. She is now a writer and research consultant, BSc, MSc, MPhil, PhD. Her novella Redemption in Indigo won the Frank Collymore Literary Award and the William L. Crawford Award, among others. Her novel The Best of All Possible Worlds was published internationally, and won the Frank Collymore Literary Award, RT Reviewers’ Choice Award for Best Science Fiction Novel. She has been nominated for the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer. She lives in Barbados. Find her online at karenlord.wordpress.com and Twitter @drkarenlord.