Book Shelf: The Daemoniac (A Dominion Mystery, #1) by Kat Ross

It's August of 1888, just three weeks before Jack the Ripper will begin his grisly spree in the London slum of Whitechapel, and another serial murderer is stalking the gas-lit streets of New York. With taunting messages in backwards Latin left at the crime scenes and even more inexplicable clues like the fingerprints that appear to have been burned into one victim's throat, his handiwork bears all the hallmarks of a demonic possession.

But consulting detective Harrison Fearing Pell is convinced her quarry is a man of flesh and blood. Encouraged by her uncle, Arthur Conan Doyle, Harry hopes to make her reputation by solving the bizarre case before the man the press has dubbed Mr. Hyde strikes again.

From the squalor of the Five Points to the high-class gambling dens of the Tenderloin and the glittering mansions of Fifth Avenue, Harry and her best friend, John Weston, follow the trail of a remorseless killer, uncovering a few embarrassing secrets of New York's richest High Society families along the way. Are the murders a case of black magic—or simple blackmail? And will the trail lead them closer to home than they ever imagined?

More info on Goodreads.....


Review:

The Daemoniac is the first book in the Dominion Mystery series by Kat Ross and is a lush and vivid tale set in the 1888 that is a delightful blend of The Diviners by Libba Bray and Lady Helen and the Dark Days Club by Allison Goodman.

Harrison Fearing Pell is the younger sister of New York’s most famous female investigator and when Harry is approached by a client wanting to enlist her sister’s help in searching for a missing friend, Harry takes advantage of her sister’s absence to take on the client herself. A string of gruesome murders are shaking New York and with the police baffled, Harry and her best friend John set out to determine the connection between the strange deaths and Harry’s missing client. Supported by her uncle, Arthur Conan Doyle, Harry hopes to make a name for herself outside her sister’s shadow. But when the case turns bizarre and bears all the hallmarks of a demonic possession, will Harry and John discover the killer is of paranormal heritage or is the truth closer to home?

Having previously been familiar with Kat Ross’s work in the form of her Fourth Element series, I was delightfully surprised to discover how different, but equally well written The Daemoniac was. Perfectly presenting a vivid late 1800’s New York, Ross details a very mysterious and dangerous city. Weaving together aspects of the supernatural, murder and intrigue, Ross keeps you on your toes as our main character struggles to find a killer before more lives are lost.

I’ll admit I had been expecting Harry to share a larger connection to the infamous Arthur Conan Doyle, but that being said Kat Ross does a good job telling the story without him. Arthur Conan Doyle really is only mentioned in passing, although considering how the story ends, I do wonder whether he will make an actual appearance further down the line.

The Daemoniac does keep you on your toes and Kat Ross does a great job keeping the mystery surrounding the story's murders a secret until the final few chapters. As the reader, you’ll find yourself eagerly following Harry and trying to decide whether the killer is human or of a more demonic nature. Has possession played a part in why this individual is taking lives, or is it simply the actions of a deranged madman?

Fast paced and well plotted, The Daemoniac concludes well; finishing up on one mystery and setting the stage for the next. Perfect for those who are fans of 19th century detective tales, The Daemoniac is well worth a read and leaves me excited to read more when the sequel eventually releases in the new year.

Rating:
Source: Sent for review by Xpresso Book Tours and the author (Thank you Giselle & Kat!)
Publisher: Acorn      
Format: Kindle ebook
Release Date: October 12th 2016
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks
Final Thoughts: A really interesting read, not only is The Daemoniac's cover absolutely AWESOME but the story it houses too--looking forward to seeing what Kat Ross has in store in the sequel!