Nell, now a rookie for PsyLED, is called out to the home of a famous country music star where she and her team find the dead and rapidly decomposing bodies of the star and a few members of her staff. What looks to be an aggressive form of magic turns the situation dangerous not only to them but to the general public. Nell and her team need to quickly solve this mystery but local law enforcement prejudices make investigating difficult and her team becomes the center of a magical fire storm.

A few months have passed since the previous novel Circle of the Moon has ended and it seems that Nell’s life has moved forward rapidly. Her sister, Mud, is still living with her and going to school in town, but now her other sister Esther has also come to live with them. Esther’s advanced pregnancy has made her true nature come out and her husband divorced her in front of the church, ending his support and opening her up to abuse by their elders. Nell has always wanted to provide a safe haven for the women in her family but the bickering between her sisters has caused a lot of tension in the house, something that she’s trying to find the energy to resolve. Another relationship that has changed is with her boyfriend Occam. Now, completely enmeshed in their love for each other, that added emotional bond creates an interesting dynamic in their working relationship. I loved how Occam has helped Nell stay true to herself but to also evolve past the strictures of her upbringing. He may be an alpha male but he keeps to his promise of letting her make her own decisions and I loved how that dichotomy amped up the tension in his reactions to her doing her job.

Living in Nashville, I’ve always loved the East Tennessee setting for this series. I can hear the accents I’m reading on these pages because I’ve heard them spoken in my daily life. Throw in our murder victim’s occupation as a country singer and I knew I was going to enjoy how Faith Hunter would add in that paranormal twist. The magical phenomenon when combined with this murder’s “ick” factor really made me hold my breath through a great portion on this novel. This one is not for the faint of heart, folks, but the emotional tale underlying the mystery really makes up for the sticky subject matter.

If you’re a fan of Urban Fantasy and you haven’t read a Faith Hunter novel I’d have to say, ‘where have you been!’ Followed quickly by pick up the first book in this series! You don’t have to read the Jane Yellowrock series first, but I know you’ll want to after the first couple of books. These characters stand on their own, but there are a couple that you’ll want to find out more about and you’ll find those answers in the very lengthy Jane Yellowrock books. Spells for the Dead is a wonderful story on all it’s own but my feelings for it are enhanced by the fact that I’ve read the other books in the series and I’ve witnessed the journey of this fascinating woman named Nell. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this ARC from the publisher through NetGalley for my honest results and they were honest.

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