Christopher Buehlman (Between Two Fires) has given readers a spine-tingler in The Necromancer's House, wrapped in dark magic and a touch of folklore.
When the sexy but murderous rusalka (a Slavic water nymph) in the lake beside Andrew Blankenship's house claims a Russian widower as her latest victim, she draws an ancient and unstoppable evil down upon Andrew and his closest friends. Having spent the last few years in relative comfort, teaching witchcraft to a woman he met in AA and secretly loves, Andrew has more practice with youth spells and speaking to dead celebrities through VHS tapes than the magical artillery he'll need to survive a battle with a witch straight out of legend. To make it through the coming confrontation alive, he'll need to face his present, his past and the truth behind an entity he summoned and couldn't send back.
While Buehlman's chill-filled romp boasts entertainment value aplenty in the form of magical iPhone apps, deadly creatures and battles galore, its deeper layers explore the darker side of human nature--as all good horror must. Andrew's vices and vanity echo the imperfections that keep all of us from reaching our full potential, and an exploration of body-snatching echoes the loss of self that frightens everyone. Smart and scary, this seamless blend of horror and urban fantasy will satisfy thrill-seekers at Halloween--or any other time of year. --Jaclyn Fulwood, youth services manager at Latah County Library District and blogger at Infinite Reads