Book Review: Raven Calls by C. E. Murphy

Raven Calls by C. E. Murphy is the most recent addition to Murphy's Walker Papers series. This just might be the best book in the series thus far, with action and character growth far exceeding even what this fan expected. Raven Calls picks up right on the heels of Spirit Dances. Joanne is tired, hungry, and suffering from a werewolf bite. She also quit her job, and solidified her relationship with her former boss, Morrison. Her encore performance includes flying off to Ireland to follow the mystical pull that tells her that she has some unfinished business in her late mother's homeland. While Joanne has made some serious strides, the werewolf bite that is plaguing her just might be the least of her problems. Even with the unexpected help from Gary, her powers and skills might not be enough to deal with the ancient powers that reside in Ireland.

Raven Calls chronicles Joanne's mission to wrap up the unfinished business she has with her late mother, and the evil force that everyone simply calls The Master. While struggling to stay non-furry; Joanne encounters gods, goddesses, and beings that she can not quite classify. Her mission is to battle the darkness, The Master, while setting her mother's essence free from his influence. Her efforts take her, and those she encounters along the was, slipping through time and closing some complicated time loops. While the journey takes some turns that Joanne does not expect, and sets the stage for further adventures. However, although her path might not be a straight line, Joanne comes a long way in accepting herself and the world around her for all of its light and dark.

I highly recommend Raven Calls to fans of the Walker Papers series. For those that have yet to read the first six books in the series, I do not recommend starting here. Without the previous knowledge of Joanne, her issues, her friends, and her family you will simply not understand the significance of most of the story line and the growth that Joanne's character makes. I do recommend the entire series, it is a great example of urban fantasy that balances the action, personal growth, and romance plot lines of the characters well. This is one series that I refuse to fall behind on.