*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.
Law student Jude Aquilar returns to Lazaro after his mother’s death. While he does expect to take over his mother’s law practice, he does not anticipate how deep the corruption goes or how deeply they are connected to him.
I love the twists and turns in this book. Even if the cases weren’t all supernatural in nature, it would still have the familiar concepts of entrenched corruption, classism, and classic small-town gothic mysteries. The colors are moody and beautiful, hitting that perfect level to enhance the tone of the story. Unfortunately, this is another book that suffers from not having enough time. This could easily be 2-5 volumes of cases Jude unravels as he uncovers the town’s secrets, but as it is, it feels as if it ends before it’s even begun. This makes the ending less impactful than I think it hoped to be. 3.9 out of 5.
