I really enjoyed this book. Some creative twists I havent seen before. No cliffhanger but it definitely made me want to dive into the second book straight away.
Glimmer of the Other: An Urban Fantasy Novel
by Heather G. Harris
I can tell when you’re lying. Every. Single. Time.
I’m Jinx. As a private investigator, being a walking, talking lie detector is a useful skill – but let’s face it, it’s not normal. You’d think it would make my job way too easy, but even with my weird skills, I still haven’t been able to track down my parent’s killers.
When I’m hired to find a missing university student, I hope to find her propped up at a bar – yet my gut tells me there’s more to this case than a party girl gone wild. Firstly, she’s a bookish soul who’s as likely to go off the rails as Mother Theresa. Secondly, I’m not the only one on her trail; she’s also being tracked by the implacable and oh-so-sexy Inspector Stone.
Stone and I team up, and he shoves me into a realm where magic is real – a place where there are vampyrs and werewolves, dragons and trolls. And where my skills are more than just detecting lies…
Oh, and my dog? He’s a freaking hellhound who can manipulate the magical realms themselves.
I need to find the girl.
I need to discover who killed my parents.
And I need to find out more about the attractive but mysterious Zachary Stone…
I’m Jinx. As a private investigator, being a walking, talking lie detector is a useful skill – but let’s face it, it’s not normal. You’d think it would make my job way too easy, but even with my weird skills, I still haven’t been able to track down my parent’s killers.
When I’m hired to find a missing university student, I hope to find her propped up at a bar – yet my gut tells me there’s more to this case than a party girl gone wild. Firstly, she’s a bookish soul who’s as likely to go off the rails as Mother Theresa. Secondly, I’m not the only one on her trail; she’s also being tracked by the implacable and oh-so-sexy Inspector Stone.
Stone and I team up, and he shoves me into a realm where magic is real – a place where there are vampyrs and werewolves, dragons and trolls. And where my skills are more than just detecting lies…
Oh, and my dog? He’s a freaking hellhound who can manipulate the magical realms themselves.
I need to find the girl.
I need to discover who killed my parents.
And I need to find out more about the attractive but mysterious Zachary Stone…
Reviews
Fun new series starter
Cliffhanger warning
Parts of the plot are resolved but it ends on a cliffhanger. A small trigger warning - this includes mind control thus consent issues plus betrayal. Disappointing as both felt out of sync with the story and characters. Cliffhangers are cheap plot devices. If a story is good you should want to return for the next arc not for a cliffhanger.
Excellent book!
I didn't read this book for a long time. My TBR pile is a mile long. I'm a little sorry I waited so long. Good story and interesting characters. You know there will be more, but it doesn't end on a cliffhanger. I can't wait to find out what other talents Jinx has.
The third half was blazing! Can't wait for 2!
Some parts in the first half dragged a little (to be fair life had me distracted) but wow did the third part of the book pick up speed. So many interesting characters and questions. I especially loved the details that all came together really well (keeping this spoiler free) when parts were revealed. And the main character was so well written even when she did things I wouldn't have thought best, it made sense for her personality, she never hit those 'too-stupid-to-still-be-alive' lows, was likeable and well fleshed out. Sign me up for the next book please!
Jessica Jones meets Supernatural
Glimmer of the Other is unlike any book I’ve ever read, and it was a fun and entertaining break from my usual genre! It’s a quirky urban fantasy, and it had me laughing out loud at some of the commentary. I got vibes of Supernatural meets Jessica Jones! Our main character, Jinx, is a Private Investigator who has a gift for knowing when people are lying or telling the truth. But what she thinks is just a helpful skill turns out to be more along the lines of magic. When she teams up with Inspector Stone, her whole world is turned upside down when he reveals to her another dimension where elves, vampyrs, and other mythical creatures exist. If you enjoy the cheesy yet funny comic relief amidst the many dangerous circumstances in the TV series, Supernatural, you will enjoy this book!
fun new urban fantasy!
Great start to a new urban fantasy series! The book is fast-paced and well-written. Jinx is smart and resourceful, Stone is intriguing, and the mystery they need to solve involves innocent lives at risk. I also loved Gato, the hellhound.
I have to say, I lost the plot at about the time the 3rd element to the magic world was introduced (no spoilers! I'll be vague!). The 3rd aspect to Jinx's powers/abilities, in my opinion, made everything too easy. She became unstoppable and as a result, I lost interest a little bit. I hope that power is more limited in future books.
I can't wait to read the next one in the series and I have high hopes for this new author to continue to deliver the fun!
Exciting New Series
This book was a wonderful surprise. A well thought out alternate reality (or realities) supporting the pantheon of supernatural beings, vampires, wizards, trolls, werewolves, dragons and a hellhound. The characters are interesting and the plot of the book itself arcs neatly from beginning to end. This is a series and this book lays a solid foundation for its plot. I've ordered the sequel
Fantastic start to a new series
Wow, I was impressed with this first book in a wonderful new series. Ms. Harris has created a unique world, one where there are three layers of reality. Jinx must learn to navigate these in a short amount of time to solve her case and survive a huge conspiracy with many twists and turns.
Just when you were sure the trope of the female private detective has been done to death, something like this little gem comes along. Not only is Jinx a unique character, but she is interesting as well. She has a skydiving background, she has a hell hound, and she has had some dark moments in her past. She is well-rounded and developed with plenty of room to grow. In this book she discovers her 'other'ness. She is young and is building a business. She has fascinating powers but is just learning them so she isn't over powered. She has a lot of exploring her talents to do.
The secondary characters are also interesting and help to drive the plot. Yet, you grow to care about them and what drives them. Especially Gato! Who doesn't love a Great Dane/Hellhound named cat?
The city of Liverpool England is also a character in the background of this story. Since I've only been there once and knew next to nothing about it (except that the Beatles came from there and it's a port city), it was fascinating to learn about. I really didn't know about it being named for a bird (I guess I assumed it was named after someone or a very dirty body of water). I loved the fun and fresh location and learning about somewhere you don't usually read about.
I usually look at a group of criteria when judging a book. First and most important: Was it entertaining? Because that's the point of this kind of book. I can answer truthfully I read it in one day, so I was entertained. Next, was it readable? (Meaning that it was well-edited, researched, and it had flow.) Yes, it was all of these things. Also, would I read the sequel? Yes, most definitely. I was drawn into Jinx and Gato's world. I care about them, I want to know what they'll do next, I want to explore more of this world that has been created.
Overall this is a great book, you should pick it up today!
