Welcome friend! I love detective style historical fantasy and in The Reanimator’s Heart, Kara Jorgensen, skillfully combines the paranormal with romance and suspense. Here is what the book is about:
Kara Jorgensen | Goodreads | The Reanimator Mysteries
A reluctant necromancer, a man killed before his time, and the crime that brings them together. Felipe Galvan’s life as an investigator for the Paranormal Society has been spent running into danger. Returning home from his latest case, Felipe struggles with the sudden quiet of his life until a mysterious death puts him in the path of the enigmatic Oliver Barlow. Oliver has two secrets. One, he has been in love with the charming Felipe Galvan for years. Two, he is a necromancer, but to keep the sensible life he’s built as a medical examiner, he must hide his powers. That is until Oliver finds Felipe murdered and accidentally brings him back from the dead. But Felipe refuses to die again until he and Oliver catch his killer. Together, Felipe and Oliver embark on an investigation to uncover a plot centuries in the making. As they close in on his killer, one thing is certain: if they don’t stop them, Felipe won’t be the last to die.
Content Warning: Death, dead bodies, murder, violence, grief, gore, Catholicism/Christianity, on page sexual content, mentioned/remembered ableism against autistic people, blood, consumption of relics/human tissue
The Reanimator’s Heart – Review
Oliver Barlow and Felipe Galvan have been coworkers at the Paranormal Society for many years now. While Oliver is a medical examiner who works with the dead, Felipe is an investigator and monster hunter. They have crossed paths in various cases but they have never been close. Oliver has been interested in Felipe but hasn’t had the courage to ask him out. His experiences with past partners have left him traumatized and he isn’t sure if he wants to be vulnerable again. Most people don’t know that he is a necromancer. One of the techniques he used during his exams is to bring back the dead. Necromancers are led to have a bad rep in society and this is deeply ingrained in how Oliver uses his abilities. I enjoyed the academic setting for a necromancer!
Felipe is a dedicated employee and has let many years pass by, immersed in his job. He is back after a long trip and feels like he has missed out on his family, especially spending time with his daughter who is now moved out and living her own life. In his latest travels, he came across a box of relics that he thought Oliver might find interesting. This rekindles Oliver’s desire to connect with Felipe.
As it happens, due to shortage of staff, Oliver and Felipe find themselves working together with another inspector to investigate the strange murder of a nun at a monastery. As the reader, I was privy to what happened to Sister Mary Agnes from the very start of the book though I did not know who would have caused her harm. The sisters believe something paranormal may be involved and, against the wishes of Father Gareth, they reach out to the Paranormal Society to look into her death. I loved how the case was a backdrop for Oliver and Felipe’s relationship.
Oliver became really dear to me as I read. He has spent so much time being critiqued by other people that Oliver has isolated himself, interacting with very few people and dead bodies that comes with his line of work. I particularly enjoyed how Oliver’s best friend, Gwen, one of my favorite characters in this story, looked out for him.
As Oliver and Felipe investigate, they find themselves entangled with dangerous nameless people who go the length of murdering Felipe. Oliver happens to find Felipe dead and with his powers, accidentally brings him back to life. Due to these unforeseen circumstances, the two of them are tied together closely and eventually their proximity blossoms into a romance. To protect himself and not fall into the traps of the bad side of necromancy, Oliver sets up some rules for their interactions. They give their unique situation a week to resolve and that meant solving Sister Mary Agnes’s untimely death as well as Felipe’s. They start to spend a lot of time together, at the society library, in their respective offices, the monastery, galleries and restaurants. I liked the everyday aspect of this book with seeing family and leaning on friends for help. I love them as a couple. The growing pains of the relationship were depicted beautifully.
Being with Felipe helps Oliver become more confident in not just his abilities but also who he is. Felipe has seen more of the world and was lucky to have found an understanding partner at a young age. His marriage with Louisa gives a glimpse into what a lavender marriage might look like and how people can be committed to each other and their child by being open about who they are.
Magic manifests in so many ways through this book! I learned that in this world, many people have powers. For example, Felipe is a fast healer and Gwen has telekinesis. The library’s private study room where Oliver loves spending his time reminded me of Harry Potter’s Room of Requirement. I liked how the Church and Christianity were an integral part of the storyline and old relics of the saints and ancient books played an important role in the mystery.
I listened to the audio version of the book to judge for Best Audio Narration award in the Indie Inked Awards 2023. The narrator was engaging to listen and sometimes, the voicing did a good job of differentiating between the vast cast of characters. The story itself is what makes The Reanimator’s Heart amazing. It is told in a humorous light manner yet at the same time it deftly covers the many dilemmas and challenges of growing close to someone and practicing a demanding profession while balancing one’s personal needs. The mystery at the heart of the book is interesting and nothing like I have ever read before.
The Reanimator’s Heart was an immersive read for me and I loved the moments of aha, joy and sometimes disgust that it evoked in me. Check it out on Goodreads and IndieStoryGeek. Let me know in the comments if you have read or want to read this series!
I am looking forward to the next book in the series. Book 3 is out later this month!
Many thanks to Inked Awards and the author for a review copy of this book for an honest review.
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