Obscure (Ghostmaker Book 1)

I have been a fan of Krista Walsh's books for many years and was very excited to receive an ARC of her most recent urban fantasy. Obscure is the first book in her Ghostmaker trilogy and it does not disappoint. In it Ms. Walsh has created a very realistic scenario through her world-building and her characters are well developed. MC, Captain Jet Dawson and her "team" are drawn into the darkest shadows as they work to uncover a supernatural drug syndicate. Obscure is a story of friendship, loyalty and (possibly) second chance romance. So join Jet, Madison and Gideon as they literally work to save their world. I am really looking forward to the release of the second book and seeing where the story takes us next.
4.5 stars.

We are introduced to a fascinating and powerful new version of the world in this first book in the Ghostmaker series. The plot is intricate and absorbing, the characters compelling, the writing clean and evocative. Ms. Walsh has an uncanny ability to make characters who are wonderfully relatable and flawed & to whom I feel deeply connected...even if I actually have very little in common with them. I want to know these people in real life! Often in fiction with superpowered characters the powers fall into similar qualities: invisibility, flight, super strength. Ms. Walsh has thought beyond these and has given some brilliant out-of-the-box traits to her powered characters. No spoilers, but it is very cool, and yet another reason to read this book

I was given an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review consideration.

I've read everything Krista Walsh has published - I LOVE her writing style and how intricate her plots get. I was excited to read a series set in Ottawa, Ontario, as - being American - I know very little about Canada and am intrigued by it.

Some of the characters' supernatural abilities were familiar to me, but many of them were new, such as Gideon's being able to "mist" away. One character is described as a "water-shifter" who can turn bits of himself into water. Jet can see shadows of past events with her third eye. Also, Madison's grandmother sends her tea with the addition of magical plants that literally help calm one's nerves. I definitely need some of that!

The action and intrigue builds all the way through the book, and I kept trying to guess who could be trusted and who couldn't. I got more and more invested in the characters and the action, and when I reached the end, I couldn't wait to start book two!