Backpacking through Bedlam is the twelfth book in the InCryptid series by Seanan McGuire. It took me longer than planned to get to it, since after starting it I quickly I realized I had missed the previous book. I needed to fix that before diving into this one. For audiobook fans, there are very well done versions of this series available. This is very much a series that needs to be read in order. 
Alice Price-Healy gave up her life for fifty years to focus completely on the search for her missing husband. The danger of focus like that is that it leaves little room for thinking about what happens after…and now that she’s finally managed to find Thomas, she has no idea what she’s supposed to do next. The fact that he comes with a surrogate daughter who may or may not have some connection to Alice’s recently adopted grandson is just icing on the complicated cake. So the three of them are heading for the most complicated place in the universe: they’re going home. But things on Earth have changed while Alice, Thomas, and Sally have been away. The Covenant of St. George, antagonized by Verity’s declaration of war and Sarah’s temporary relocation of an entire college campus, is trying to retake North America from the cryptids and cryptozoologists who’ve been keeping the peace for the past hundred years. And they’re starting in New York. Alice and company have barely been back for an hour before the Ocean Lady and the Queen of the Routewitches are sending them to New York to help, and they find themselves embroiled in the politics of dragons, kidnappings, and of course, the most dangerous people of all: family. Getting “back to normal” may be the hardest task Alice has undertaken yet.
Alice Price-Healy gave up her life for fifty years to focus completely on the search for her missing husband. The danger of focus like that is that it leaves little room for thinking about what happens after…and now that she’s finally managed to find Thomas, she has no idea what she’s supposed to do next. The fact that he comes with a surrogate daughter who may or may not have some connection to Alice’s recently adopted grandson is just icing on the complicated cake. So the three of them are heading for the most complicated place in the universe: they’re going home. But things on Earth have changed while Alice, Thomas, and Sally have been away. The Covenant of St. George, antagonized by Verity’s declaration of war and Sarah’s temporary relocation of an entire college campus, is trying to retake North America from the cryptids and cryptozoologists who’ve been keeping the peace for the past hundred years. And they’re starting in New York. Alice and company have barely been back for an hour before the Ocean Lady and the Queen of the Routewitches are sending them to New York to help, and they find themselves embroiled in the politics of dragons, kidnappings, and of course, the most dangerous people of all: family. Getting “back to normal” may be the hardest task Alice has undertaken yet.
Backpacking through Bedlam is a highly entertaining read, and I am so glad that I have followed this series through this far. Alice and Thomas have found each other and are trying to readjust to life- but nothing is ever easy. I really enjoyed getting to see so many of the storylines from this series, and the companion series, start to come together. I loved getting to know Alice, Thomas, and Sally better- and I enjoyed getting the reminders of past events through in the story as they work to get everyone caught up on what is going on in the world. I love the irreverent humor of Alice and her family, and I cannot wait to see where the story goes from here. 
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