Better Living Through Alchemy by Evan J. Peterson

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Better Living Through Alchemy by Evan J. Peterson

Published by Broken Eye Books 

Kelly Mun is a private detective... with an uncanny sense of smell. She runs Non-Linear Investigations with her cousin Critter, using psychic and esoteric methods to try to earn a living. When a mysterious businesswoman hires them to find the source of a deadly new street drug called bardo, Kelly's life gets even stranger than usual in this occult-noir Seattle.

The monsters are incidental. 

 Buy the book here

 

My Review:

We open with a drug-fuelled dancing frenzy. Tonya is high on a mysterious new drug and swept away in the music. The scene is chaotic, sexy, and almost ethereal. The New Year is on the horizon and as the clock counts down all around her, Tonya finds herself in the early stages of a threesome. Everything is lining up for an exciting start to the new year, when Tonya's body comes apart at the seams and falls broken to the floor. This is the mysterious new drug called Bardo that Kelly Mun, our PI protagonist and her cousin, Critter, must investigate the source of.

Kelly and Critter exist in a world parallel to our own where magic is real and known, to an extent. Her power consists of a sense of smell that can detect psychic information and emotions. This sense comes in handy when solving crimes and determining the truth. The author came close to using this as too much of a plot device a couple of times, but I felt never quite crossed that line. Overall, it was a neat power that I haven't seen before which added some freshness to the story.

The relationship between Kelly and Critter is well-developed and brings with it a strong sense of history. You can really feel that these are two characters who have known each other a long time and care deeply about one another. The villains are similarly engaging and complex, making for an interesting read.

The book does feel like the middle of a series more than the potential beginning at a few points. For example, Kelly's psychic scent powers could be spelled out a bit clearer for the audience. While, I appreciate that the story doesn't dumb things down or hold my hand too tightly, I would have liked to have it discussed a bit more clearly at the start. I was able to pick up on how it worked as we progressed. 

Despite the opening scene and its shocking disintegration, as well as the dark answer to the riddle of Bardo, the tone of the book is lighthearted and a joy to read. Like I said, the main characters have a strong relationship which gives the book a heartwarming centre that grounds the reader amid everything that is going on in the tale. It definitely feels like there are more to come, and if a sequels is ever developed, I'll be sure to grab a copy.

Recommended for fans of urban fantasy, supernatural detectives and strong characters.

 

I received and reviewed a copy of this book as it was the winner of the 2025 SSBA Fantasy Category.

 

 

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