There’s power in stories. This is a story of power. Dead bodies aren’t unusual in the alleyways of Fenest, capital of the Union of Realms. Especially not in an election year, when the streets swell with crowds from near and far. Muggings, brawls gone bad, debts collected – Detective Cora Gorderheim has seen it all. Until she finds a Wayward man with his mouth sewn shut. His body has been arranged … sewn shut.
His body has been arranged precisely by the killer and left conspicuously, waiting to be found. Cora fears this is not only a murder, but a message.
As she digs into the dead man’s past, she finds herself drawn into the most dangerous event in the Union: the election. In a world where stories win votes, someone has gone to a lot of trouble to silence this man. Who has stopped his story being told?
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‘An utterly absorbing tale set in a fascinating world’ MICK FINLAY.
‘If you love storytelling, you’ll love this’ S.J. MORDEN.
‘It’s rare to find such a richly imagined world about the art of myth and storytelling’ CHRISTOPHER FOWLER.
‘Irresistibly thrilling, weaving together gaslit crime, fantasy and mystery … I can’t wait for more’ TIM MAJOR.
‘There is more than meets the eye in this gripping and inventive debut … Rife with intrigue, deceit and cultural tension’ JAMES AITCHESON.
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WIDOW’S WELCOME has one of the most unique worlds I’ve ever read in a fantasy book. In an election year in the city of Fenest, power will be awarded to the “party” with the best story. Several storytellers are heading to the city to attempt to sway voters with their tales. Alarm sets in when a dead man turns up with his mouth sewn shut with black and white threads—the colors used for voting. Detective Cora Gorderheim leads the case, and she’s determined to solve the mysterious man’s murder.
The characters didn’t interest me so much as the world and the two stories within the story. Cora is a fine detective, but I found her lacking in personality. This didn’t bother me because I was more focused on the plot than her character development (or lack thereof). The real winners in this book are the Casker’s story and the Lowlander’s story. I was completely enraptured by both and hope that the next book will contain at least two more (if not three or four!) of these deeply moving pieces nestled within the larger storyline. The novellas were where real emotion lurked under the politics and in-fighting.
This is going to sound contrary: I was confused for the duration of this book, yet I enjoyed it. The world itself was my favorite character. The reveal of the murderer at the end didn’t surprise me, but my interest is definitely piqued. I’m eager to see where the authors take the next installment.
The only thing I felt WIDOW’S WELCOME lacked was a glossary, which would’ve helped me immensely in understanding what was going on. I still can’t really explain the book without making a LOT of assumptions that might’ve been cleared up with a better understanding of the world’s vocabulary. At some point, I just accepted that I needed to figure things out on my own and hoped I was drawing the right inferences. I’m still not sure if I did, but that’s part of the fun of unraveling a story with complex world-building.
I recommend WIDOW’S WELCOME for those who enjoy books with unusual world-building that lead readers far off the beaten path.
Witty, clever, and totally unputdownable.
I would have rated this book 4 stars except that the main question of the plot does not resolve in the first book and I have some question as to whether it will do so in the 2nd. I like the main character and enjoyed the inclusion of “tales” that are part of an election competition in the world of the novels. I like the “hard-bitten detective” aspect in a fantasy setting. But I’m not getting involved in another series where a writer strings the reader along for several books. I understand people have to make a living, but I didn’t love this world enough to spend several books’ worth of reading in it.
Started a little rocky but found its legs quickly. Interesting world, interesting characters. Because it is # one of a series, one expects to be left wanting more but this ended a bit abruptly for me, rather like it was a mega novel subdivided . . . .
Just did not connect
Honestly, if I thought I could get away with using a series of emojis to sum up my feelings about this book I would. Most especially the one (my best ‘Laura catching flies’ look *snorts*) – but, alas, you want more words from me, right? Or is that debatable, lol?
Bear with me a moment, brief tangent coming up…
The Mommy: Whatcha reading?
Me: Widow’s Welcome by D.K. Fields
TM: Oh, good?
Me: Ah-maz-ing!
TM: What’s it about?
Me: Hmm, how best to describe the story? *clicks fingers* Got it! It’s a bit like Ripper Street meets Game of Thrones!
TM: Tell me more…
Cue an in-depth overview of the Six Realms and the Union (including map) along with the people who inhabit them.
*sigh*
I don’t want it to be over. August is too far away. I need Book 2 now! I’m on tenterhooks. I need to hear more stories…
You’d think solving a crime would be the end of the story. For Detective Cora Gorderheim it’s only the beginning!
Hand on heart, this story, no, this world had me enraptured from the beginning. The writing just sucked me in. Plus, stories with glossaries and maps equal this bookworm in her natural habitat *snorts*. Geek mode: engaged!
I must confess to getting a very bad case of the willies with one specific chapter in the book. The parallels to current real-world issues were a tad too freaky for me. Goosebumps for one, please! *shivers*
Authors’ minds fascinate me. Don’t you agree? What I’d give to be able to sit and grill this duo on all things Fenest! I have SO many questions (quelle surprise *smirks*).
Thrilling, thought-provoking, suspenseful, engaging characters, Widow’s Welcome had it all for me.
Now the wait begins. I have my stones at the ready. Will it be black or white? Decisions, decisions. I can’t wait to find out.