Downpour

Sep 07, 2012 The Reading List (Megan) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It took me a little while to figure out why I didn't enjoy this novel as much as I did the others in the series.

It was sort of eating away at me and I actually sat and thought about it before writing this review. I came to the conclusion that it's because it seems like everything that's been happening with Harper so far comes to a grinding halt in this novel.

In book five of the series, Harper was literally in the fight of her life. She had to track down vampire overlord, Edward Kammerling in L...more It took me a little while to figure out why I didn't enjoy this novel as much as I did the others in the series.

It was sort of eating away at me and I actually sat and thought about it before writing this review. I came to the conclusion that it's because it seems like everything that's been happening with Harper so far comes to a grinding halt in this novel.

In book five of the series, Harper was literally in the fight of her life. She had to track down vampire overlord, Edward Kammerling in London, find out who killed her father, and save her own hide from Wygan--one of the astetem, a race of powerful ancient vampires--who needs Harper for his evil scheme.

That whole saga ended in Labyrinth and I was looking forward to more action packed scenes, maybe some more explanations about the astetem and the vampires, more talks with the Danzingers who are probably my favorite secondary characters (by the way)-- but that's not what happened.

Downpour honestly seems like a filler novel which is disappointing since I had so many unanswered questions after Labyrinth.

The plotline in this novel feels like something that Richardson would have done early on in the series. It's the classic, "solve the case, save the town" kind of story. I love those types of novels, don't get me wrong, but without the character growth or any advancement in the overarching plot it just falls flat and quickly becomes dull and hard to read. It just feels much too late in the series for this.

There are some references to earlier events and there's a brief exchange with Will's brother, Michael, and some dialogue with Seattle Police Detective Rey Solis about Will's disappearance, but that ultimately goes nowhere except a trip down memory lane.

However, I digress. There were a number of things I did like about the book. As usual Richardson continues to create interesting new characters. I really liked Jin and Harper's "frienemy-like" relationship with him; and Willow, one of Steven's daughters, was so looney she was perfect. The witty banter between Harper and Quinton was cute and funny as always. And Richardson continues to be amazing at world building and creating the desolate and creepy feeling that you get when Harper slips into the Grey.

As a long time fan of the series, I will read the next book. I just hope that book seven will have the same flair that made me fall in love with the series in the beginning.
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Apr 11, 2012 Kathy Davie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, urban

Sixth in the Greywalker urban fantasy series revolving around Harper Blaine a private investigator for Others as well as the real world in Seattle.

My Take
I love the combination of magic and science between Harper and Quinton. He has his piezoelectric and wave guides, amplitudes and frequencies, which are mother's milk to Quinton while Harper slides sideways into the Grey.

In this installment, Richardson plays on our fears of the dark, the woods, and water as well as the beasties that hide under o...more

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Nov 19, 2012 ***Dave Hill rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: text

The latest Greywalker tale takes place far from Harper Blaine's urban stomping ground, off on the Olympic Peninsula on an enchanted lake being battled over by various sorcerers. But more important for Harper is a ghost whose murder needs avenging, a young delinquent who may be a murderer, and something odd happening with her love relationship with Quentin ...

This installment didn't do it for me, for a variety of reasons -- it was enjoyable, but not so much as previous volumes. It's not that the...more

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Oct 28, 2011 Paula Phillips rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Being Harper Blaine is a mission unto itself , as a Private Investigator -she works closely with her lawyer friend Nan but unlike regular Private Investigators , Harper Blaine has a secret - she is what is known as a Greywalker . It seems that after the occasional dying episode you start to inherit gifts and for Harper it is the gift of being able to see the dead. Though depending on which way you look at it , seeing the dead is not exactly a gift - others tend to frown upon it as a curse. So wh...more

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Feb 19, 2013 Stephanie Jobe rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a later novel in a series so there might be spoilers but this is the first one I read.

Harper is still recovering from her most recent death. It has changed her connection to that other realm, the Grey. She is back to work but her body and her mind are not fully recovered. She was just looking for a witness but she found a murder covered up and ignored for 5 years. The more she digs the worse it seems and this is a case that she cannot refuse because there is something wrong with the Grey...more

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Aug 03, 2011 Ranting Dragon rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: garrett

http://www.rantingdragon.com/downpour...

As the sixth installment in the Greywalker series by Kat Richardson, Downpour continues the story of Seattle-based P. I. Harper Blaine. Harper is no ordinary private investigator, however. When she died for two minutes earlier in her life, Harper became a Greywalker—a human able to interact with and manipulate the strange plane of energy, magic, and ghosts known as the Grey.

Original and unique
The thing that initially captivated me about this series is the...more

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Jun 16, 2012 Loralee rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I've read a few of the previous books in this series, and while I enjoyed them, I got too bogged down in the magic, or the vampire double-dealings, or something to really get interested in pursuing them. This book takes place after all that has apparently been cleared up, and so is more a straightforward magical mystery in which the main character tries to solve the murder of a ghost she spots at the side of the road. A few things seem a little far-fetched even in a magical world, such as the ma...more

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Aug 13, 2011 Sharon rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

http://ismellsheep.blogspot.com/2011/...

Downpour is the 6th book in the Greywalker Series. I will talk a little about this book, but if you are a fan and have read the first 5 then you are going to read this one no matter what I say . I want to convince those of you who haven’t read this series yet that it would be worth your time to read these books. They are classic Urban Fantasy that can appeal to both men and women.

Downpour is sort of a transitional book in the series. After the climatic, ac...more http://ismellsheep.blogspot.com/2011/...

Downpour is the 6th book in the Greywalker Series. I will talk a little about this book, but if you are a fan and have read the first 5 then you are going to read this one no matter what I say . I want to convince those of you who haven’t read this series yet that it would be worth your time to read these books. They are classic Urban Fantasy that can appeal to both men and women.

Downpour is sort of a transitional book in the series. After the climatic, action-packed events of the last book Labyrinth, this one deals with the emotional aftermath for Harper and her friends and ties up some loose ends. There is a murder mystery that must be solved involving a magical lake, hoodoo magic, Native American legends and Chinese Demons. Harper and Quinton’s relationship is explored more in this book, which is nice 'cause the girl deserves a break! . We also get to see more of the carpet-shark, Chaos in this one (in case you don’t know, Chaos is Harper’s ferret)

While this wasn’t my favorite book from a “Grey action” perspective, I just enjoy Richardson’s writing. I have always loved the rich visual images she can produce with words. You not only see what she is talking about, you can hear it too. I would call her writing a sensory smorgasbord!

Which, leads me into why you should give this series a try…

When I first discovered Urban Fantasy a few years ago, Greywalker (book #1) was one of the first I tried. The series is now on my “must buy” list. If you like classic UF without all the romance stuff, then this is the series for you. I especially enjoy the first person POV of the lead character Harper Blaine, she is a smart, tough as nails woman with a sarcastic edge to her. This is how Harper explains what she does:

“…I have a job to do: protect the Grey-the fringe between the normal world and the world of the purely paranormal, where ghosts roam and magic sings in neon-hot lines of energy across the empty space of the world between- and to protect the rest of the world from it. I am not a ghost or a vampire, not a witch or a sorcerer or a mage. I am just the unfortunate schmo who happened to touch death the right way and get stuck with the job. I’m a Greywalker.” – Downpour

I also like the fact that Harper is a normal person. She has no superpowers to help her deal with the magical creatures that live in the Grey, instead relying on her wit and determination to survive. I find the Grey itself an amazing piece of world building. It is more like another character than a place. Add in the vivid writing style of Richardson and you have a kick ass Urban Fantasy. Here are some examples of Richardson’s descriptions:

“He banged around on the nearest computer keyboard for a moment and coaxed a page from a cranky laser printer that made grinding and coughing noises and shook as if the page were being generated by a hidden Gutenberg press tended by the asthmatic souls of the damned.”

“He raised his head and looked at me, the watery light through the window streaking his face with age he hadn’t lived.”

If you are looking for a new UF series to try, pick up a copy of Greywalker (book #1) and join the Horde ;)(less)

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Aug 26, 2011 Catherine Thompson rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is the sixth in Richardson's "Greywalker" series, and it's a humdinger.

Harper Blaine is working on a very ordinary case for a lawyer, when she sees the ghost of a murdered man burning in his car. This is precisely the sort of thing she can't ignore, so she begins poking around. Before she knows it, she's stirred up a whole nest of mages--not to mention Chinese demons and various other Otherworldly creatures.

The book pretty much grabs you from the get-go, and doesn't let up much in the next...more

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Aug 03, 2011 Nora-adrienne rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy, paranormal-romance

Downpour
By Kat Richardson
Copyright August 2011
Publisher ROC

Harper Blaine was your average small-time PI until she died, for two minutes. Now Harper is a Greywalker, treading the thin line between the living world and the paranormal realm. And she’s discovering that her new abilities are landing her in all sorts of “strange” cases.
After being shot in the back and dying-again- Greywalker Harper Blaine's only respite from the chaos is her work. But while conducting a pre-trial investigation in the...more Downpour
By Kat Richardson
Copyright August 2011
Publisher ROC

Harper Blaine was your average small-time PI until she died, for two minutes. Now Harper is a Greywalker, treading the thin line between the living world and the paranormal realm. And she’s discovering that her new abilities are landing her in all sorts of “strange” cases.
After being shot in the back and dying-again- Greywalker Harper Blaine's only respite from the chaos is her work. But while conducting a pre-trial investigation in the Olympic Peninsula, she sees a ghostly car accident whose victim insists that he was murdered and that the nearby community of Sunset Lakes is to blame.

Harper soon learns that the icy waters of the lake hide a terrible power, and a host of hellish beings under the thrall of a sinister cabal that will use the darkest of arts to achieve their fiendish ends…

Harper was doing some pretrial investigating for Nannette Grover, an attorney who was a steady client. Driving home from what she thought was a wasted interview, Harper had an unexpected vision while driving home of what appeared to be an accident. An SUV on fire pushed up against a tree. She backs up and goes to see if she can help. She gets to the SUV as the ghost floats out of his burned out SUV. He tells her that it wasn’t an accident, and then she asks him his name, he says Steven. He wants her “Family... Blood Lake, we should never…. “ and fades away, leaving Harper more curious than ever.

The Olympic Peninsula is not Harper’s usual territory and she finds it extremely uncomfortable there. She heads back home, going into Nannette’s office to file her report on the supposed witness which brought her to the Peninsula.

This is the sixth book in the Greywalker series and the first that takes her out of her comfort zone, making her really stretch to find a killer or killers, and solve the mystery of Blood Lake. I found the book not only an enjoyable read, but also an interesting and multi threaded plot line. I highly recommend the entire Greywalker series to lovers of Urban Fantasy and Mysteries.

Kat Richardson can be found hanging out at https://www.facebook.com/#!/Kat.Richa... and also at http://katrichardson.com/

FTC Full Disclosure: This book was sent to me by the publisher, requesting a fair review.
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Jan 02, 2012 Dawn rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really enjoyed the back to basics approach for Harper. Not being able to move in and out of the Grey as much as she use to and having to rely more on her investigative wits was a nice change of pace. It seems she hasn't lost all of her abilities after dying for the third time, instead what abilities she has left are evolving. Her relationship with Quinton is moving into a new direction what with the "bonding" and all. I was kind of glad not to see the usual suspects throughout this book as muc...more

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Sep 24, 2011 Caramelia rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jan 21, 2012 Aimee rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 12-books-in-2012, paranormal, ghosts, modern-fantasy, mystery

4.5 stars

So after the way the last book ended, I had no idea how this book was going to go. The last five books built to a pretty dramatic close on that part of the storyline, but there were a few threads left untied.

If I had a single complaint about this book, it's that there was a lot of story about characters that were wholly unrelated to Harper's own story in the separate mystery before I realized that she was going to make some of those knots. This isn't a bad thing but I was a little distr...more

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Jan 25, 2012 Talk Supe Blogspot rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I enjoyed this book but I'm sad that KRichardson is slowly weaning us off of Ben and Mara Danziger. I guess Mara primarily never really recovered from the whole Alfred incident in Underground followed by Ben almost dying in Labyrinth, she must have been really traumatized and finally decided to distance herself from Harper. We're reading less and less of them and it made me sad because I really like those characters.

I also worried that aside from the Danziger, I though I'll lose Quinton too! For...more

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Apr 20, 2012 Stephen rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Although I enjoyed the book, this was my least favourite in the Greywalker series. Some of the characters seemed to be simply thrown in for good measure, some of the more potentially interesting characters were not developed and certain parts of the plot were a little thin.

Kat writes in her author's note at the end of the book:

"I leaned heavily on Dashiel Hammett’s book Red Harvest for the basic plot structure—which he stole from previous authors, so I figured he couldn’t complain, not least of...more

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Nov 13, 2012 Deb rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'm a fan of Ms. Richardson's Greywalker series. This is book six in the series. If you like a supernatural/paranormal tale with a dense and very complete "world," you'll enjoy these books. If you like hard-boiled detective fiction, the central character, Harper Blaine, will be to your liking. This book journeys out of Harper's familiar Seattle territory and explores a lakeside resort area where strange things are happening that only Harper can help set to rights. I like how Ms. Richardson mingl...more

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Aug 24, 2011 Julia rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, fiction, arcs, urban, available-for-swap

It's a pleasure to return to the foggy environs of Forks, though in this instance the magic and mythology is much denser than anything Bella had to face. Harper Blaine has come a long way from her paranormal origins in GREYWALKER, and I must say I greatly enjoyed the meld of her practical, investigatory skills with the mysteries and concerns of the Grey.

Two parts mystery and one part ghost story, it is as much her P.I. chops as her magical abilities that makes Harper a force to be reckoned with...more

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Sep 10, 2011 Heather rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy

:) 6th book in the Greywalker series.

As always, Kat draws me into the world of Harper Blaine and takes me on a journey down the supernatural highway. Harper is strongly nudged by the Guardian Beast to take on a job where rogue mages are taking control of the magic in the community of Sunset Lakes. Zombies, and other undead creatures as well as Japanese fox demons make an appearance further hampering Harper's investigation.
Non stop battles between Harper and the supernaturals ensue. She finds ou...more

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Aug 29, 2011 Daniel rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Harper Blaine doesn't let a little thing like dying get in the way of her job. She's back out there again investigating a couple murders and has to deal with the supernatural along the way. She is even forced to make a stop in Forks, WA, but she says nothing more than how it's filled with fangirls.

All-in-all, this is a prime example of how Kat Richardson can make an excellent book. The only negative thing about this book is that I must now wait a year for the next one to come out. Though I shoul...more

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Nov 26, 2011 Irene rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

- I think I prefer you normal.
- I object to being called something as boring as 'normal'.
- Will you settle for 'within a standard deviation of deviant'?
- I guess, - he replied with a shrug.
(Harper to Quinton)

"Downpour" is the sixth installment in "Greywalker" series by Kat Richardson. It continues the story of Seatle-based P.I. Harper Blaine, who for business-related reasons drives to Olympic Peninsula and uncovers there her next "Grey assignment". She sees a ghost of a man showing her his death...more

- I think I prefer you normal.
- I object to being called something as boring as 'normal'.
- Will you settle for 'within a standard deviation of deviant'?
- I guess, - he replied with a shrug.
(Harper to Quinton)

"Downpour" is the sixth installment in "Greywalker" series by Kat Richardson. It continues the story of Seatle-based P.I. Harper Blaine, who for business-related reasons drives to Olympic Peninsula and uncovers there her next "Grey assignment". She sees a ghost of a man showing her his death and urging her to investigate what happened to him. While looking into the "accident", Harper starts seeing a much bigger picture of what's going on around the Lakes. And when she has plunged deep into uncovering the facts, she begins to understand that there are major problems with the Grid there and it's up to her to straighten things up.

For those who haven't read the previous books in the series, there will be several, not many, references to people, places and events from "Labyrinth". Apart from telling the story of ghosts, Chinese magic (!) and detective work, we see Harper, Quinton and others from Seatle dealing with what went down in the previous book. And the book ends real sweet!

As usual, there are a lot of catchy phrases and nice vocabulary (it's important for me as an english language student) and Harper's final speech is something we all should remember (she is talking about a bad guy, who started all the mess): "He was right in front of you all the time, taking away everything you really cared about. And you, none of you, saw what he was doing. You saw only what you wanted. Even the way he looks is a mirror of what you want to see." I think it happens all the time in real life - people tend to see in others what they want to see, not the reality.(less)

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Nov 17, 2012 Topher rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: horror, modernfantasy, mystery

This is one of the series that remains on the fringes of my memory - I think I went much too long between reading earlier books in the series, and as a result the story has melded and blended into all of the other urban fantasy series.

That said, I'm still enjoying the books, even if my memory does mean I'm losing something of the continuity between books.

I'm nearly caught up in the series (the most recent book was published just a few months ago), so perhaps it'll stay clearer in my mind when...more

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Sep 14, 2011 Mitchell rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, public-library, endeavour, urban-fantasy

6th book in a series I read mostly for the Endeavour Award. This one was disappointing. It just felt off and confused. The afterwards implied it was a rip off of Dashiell Hammett's Red Harvest - which gave me something else to avoid. I think just changing the setting to the Olympic Peninsula shouldn't have wrecked the mood of the book and it kind of did. Basically it was lots of uninteresting plot around the control of magic around a lake and blah blah blah who cares. With about 50 pages of ripp...more

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Jun 12, 2012 ♆ BookAddict ~ La Crimson Femme rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ghost, urban-fantasy, library-book, suspense

Is this the end for me in this series? I think so. Harper is dragged into the Grey again. This time, it's just f-ed up Chinese magic stuff. I actually understood some of it without research because I am Chinese.

In this latest installment, Harper is still with Owen. This is good because I like him. Harper is following up on a lead for a witness and ends up opening a huge can of worms. She finds a town where the ley lines are unbalanced. Figuring out how this is all going wrong and how she can fix...more

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Oct 19, 2011 Jackie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The sixth installment of the Greywalker series takes place outside of Seattle, on the Olympic Peninsula, where strange things are happening in the Grey:

"There was something deeply wrong with Lake Crescent; I knew it even before I saw the accident that wasn't there. The ground seemed to hum and mutter as if a current raged beneath it. Cobwebs of colored light leaked from the Grey - that slippery place between the normal and the paranormal where ghosts are real and magic gleams like neon reflecte...more

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Dec 29, 2011 Julie H. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal-fiction, urban-fantasy

While not my favorite in the series, Downpour did a great job of creating a world that felt very, very far from Harper Blaine's familiar world of Seattle but is, in reality, just a few hours up the coast. I'm not altogether sure how I felt about the oblique references to Forks and a particular vampire series set there, as there haven't been in-text references to what Harper, Quinton, or other regular characters' reading preferences are. I did, however, thoroughly enjoy the atmosphere set up at t...more While not my favorite in the series, Downpour did a great job of creating a world that felt very, very far from Harper Blaine's familiar world of Seattle but is, in reality, just a few hours up the coast. I'm not altogether sure how I felt about the oblique references to Forks and a particular vampire series set there, as there haven't been in-text references to what Harper, Quinton, or other regular characters' reading preferences are. I did, however, thoroughly enjoy the atmosphere set up at the Lakes, the fact that the action centered on a form of hybrid magic generated by members of minoritized groups who had, in point of fact, done much of the actual grunt work in building the cities, transportation networks and other essential-yet-unsung work in founding and growing this part of the Pacific Northwest. An unexpected surprise came in the form of a little throwaway comment by author, Kat Richardson, in the author's note at the end when she stated that certain elements of the story "leaned heavily on" Dashiell Hammett's Red Harvest. I appreciated both the candor and the fact that now I'm sufficiently motivated to go read that work to see if I can readily discern its influences.

A bit less successful, I thought, was the fact that now all of a sudden Harper is more vulnerable in terms of harm that she might encounter from the Grey. I know she got her butt kicked royally at the end of the preceding book, but that's so often the case that it was just a bit "Why now?" in terms of trying to understand why she has less--as opposed to simply different--powers than in previous outings. I'm not arguing with the fact that this is the case, but am suggesting that it doesn't seem sufficiently explained. (I'm generally a pretty careful reader, but clearly some major development--and the underlying rationale/explanation for same--has eluded me here.)

All told, this was a fun departure in assuming more of the standard form of a Whodunnit while still having the dark, urban fantasy layer. (less)

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Dec 17, 2012 Angela rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebooks, urban-fantasy

Oh, I do love me some Greywalker. I DO. And I happily devoured Downpour, the sixth in the ongoing Kat Richardson series.

Given that this is an urban fantasy series, by now we're well and thoroughly into the character progression--and into the inevitable levelling up of Harper's Greywalker powers. At least a few other series I've stuck with this far have almost exhausted me, between a never-ending sense of "shit, does nothing good ever happen to these people?!" and the aforementioned levelling-up...more Oh, I do love me some Greywalker. I DO. And I happily devoured Downpour, the sixth in the ongoing Kat Richardson series.

Given that this is an urban fantasy series, by now we're well and thoroughly into the character progression--and into the inevitable levelling up of Harper's Greywalker powers. At least a few other series I've stuck with this far have almost exhausted me, between a never-ending sense of "shit, does nothing good ever happen to these people?!" and the aforementioned levelling-up often not feeling like it's justified at all. Happily, Kat Richardson never has this problem for me. Harper's gaining power, sure. But so far it's felt real, and logical, for her to do so. It's changing her as a person, and she knows it, and she's reacting to this in real and logical ways as well.

It's awesome as well to see her continue to try to actually solve cases, and continue to try to operate at a level that isn't necessarily ZOMG THE WORLD IS GOING TO EXPLODE. Such as in this installment, how she's gone out on the Olympic Peninsula to do some investigating--and oh look! Ghostly car wreck victim! That investigation pulls her off on a side quest, only, of course Investigation A and Investigation B eventually tie together. Like ya do, in any urban fantasy novel.

And oh, I did like this story. Since I've been out on the Olympic Peninsula a time or two, it was great to see that area of the state getting some on-camera love. And I liked a LOT that we got elements of the fantastic that were rooted more in the Native American myths of the region than in more heavily used staples of urban fantasy--and I say that as somebody who loves her some elves.

And Quinn! Quinn! I love, love, love that there is an ongoing relationship here, and that we're continuing to get more bits from his point of view as he's trying to keep up in his own non-powered way with Harper's changing status. Just because he loves her and because he's that damned awesome.

Really, over all, this was great fun and I didn't have a single quibble with it in the slightest. But for the love of all gods, don't start here if you want to dive into the Greywalker books. Do know, though, that if you get through the first couple, you'll have this one to look forward to. Five stars!(less)

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Sep 02, 2011 All Things Urban Fantasy added it · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed-by-julia

Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy:
www.allthingsurbanfantasy.blogspot.com

It's a pleasure to return to the foggy environs of Forks, WA, though the magic and mythology opposing Harper Blaine is much denser than anything Bella had to face. Harper has come a long way from her paranormal origins in GREYWALKER, and I greatly enjoyed how her style melds practical, investigatory skills with the mysteries and concerns of the Grey.

Two parts mystery and one part ghost story, it is as much her P.I....more Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy:
www.allthingsurbanfantasy.blogspot.com

It's a pleasure to return to the foggy environs of Forks, WA, though the magic and mythology opposing Harper Blaine is much denser than anything Bella had to face. Harper has come a long way from her paranormal origins in GREYWALKER, and I greatly enjoyed how her style melds practical, investigatory skills with the mysteries and concerns of the Grey.

Two parts mystery and one part ghost story, it is as much her P.I. chops as her magical abilities that makes Harper a force to be reckoned with in DOWNPOUR. Despite missing out on books two through five, I had no problem whatsoever catching up with the action in in this book, if only because logical explanation is a built-in part of Harper's world view. The mix of small town politics, various magical disciplines, and ancestral power comes together in a masterful way, with Harper swinging a baton and setting a steady pace. As much as I admired the technical proficiency of this mystery, and Harper as an investigator, I have to confess that I'm still a sucker for sidekicks and romance. Chaos, with her "weasel war-dance", and Quentin's near universal competence were the highlight of this book for me, and I appreciated that there is little page time when one or the other is not present.

Curling up with DOWNPOUR reminded me of nothing so much as the mystery books of my college years, and I enjoy the way Richardson has given this classic format a new, paranormal twist. Ultimately, however, this book went a too slow for my tastes. When Chaos wasn’t onscreen making me laugh, my attention was prone to wander. I’ll definitely be back for more of this series, but it will be a slow process prompted by my periodic cravings for mystery. Fans looking for the non-stop action of a more common Urban Fantasy may be disappointed, but for those who enjoy a little leg work and gumshoeing with their magic, this is the book for you.

Sexual Content: A sex scene and references to sex.(less)

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Aug 14, 2011 Tori smexys_sidekick rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, review-for-smexybooks

Originally posted at http://www.smexybooks.com/2011/08/rev...

Favorite Quote: “I have a habit of dying.”

As with any good series, we have a certain book that is the turning point and shows us the direction the series will take. Labyrinth (book 5) was the turning point of this series. Harper showed her friends and enemies just how powerful she is and it was a bittersweet moment. She fought and won but senses her friends are now more cautious and wary of her.

In Downpour, we are taking a rest. Harper...more Originally posted at http://www.smexybooks.com/2011/08/rev...

Favorite Quote: “I have a habit of dying.”

As with any good series, we have a certain book that is the turning point and shows us the direction the series will take. Labyrinth (book 5) was the turning point of this series. Harper showed her friends and enemies just how powerful she is and it was a bittersweet moment. She fought and won but senses her friends are now more cautious and wary of her.

In Downpour, we are taking a rest. Harper is trying to keep things calm by working and trying to forget what happened and what she did. I found Downpour follows more of a investigative bent than magical.

During a pre-trial investigation, Harper sees a ghost who informs her he is dead, it was murder, and it all revolves around a mysterious lake. When Harper digs deeper, she finds out that the town is a “magical” vortex that was, in essence raped and pillage by mages and those seeking powers of their own. Now the magic is fighting back and the town needs Harper to help them survive.

Kat Richardson’s Greywalker series continues to be an engaging investigative urban fantasy saga; pitting ghosts, demons, and other paranormal entities against Harper Blaine-P.I. extraordinaire. Dark and fluid, the storyline flows through you at a smooth and easy pace. Full of suspense and intrigue, Ms Richardson tells the story from Harper’s POV, leaving you and her to follow a twisting path to discover the truth. This is a quietly dark paranormal series with a complex low key protagonist.

I’ve enjoyed watching Harper grow as a person and learn to accept her gifts. She has gone from being a loner to having friends and a lover who honestly sfor her. I love that Ms Richardson isn’t afraid for Harper to falter at times because she has her learn from her mistakes. She isn’t a super hero. She uses everyday investigative skills as much as her supernatural gifts.

The romantic scenes were a very pleasant surprise in here. The past books have kept the romance very low key and only glimpses are seen but in here, we get some serious advancement. Watching Harper and Quentin together humanizes Harper and makes her more approachable as a character.

The contributing characters are extremely complex in nature and personality. Some add to the overall bleakness of the landscape while others are shining lights illuminating the story. Everyone here has their own agenda and background stories that add depth and richness to the storyline. I liked that their was a certain lightness and humor undertone to this book that wasn’t readily apparent in the last five books. As I said earlier, this is the calm after the storm book and it works.

Ms Richardson is still technical when describing Harper’s magic. I find my attention wanders during those descriptive scenes . The ending is climatic and wraps everything up tidily while leaving an opening for book 7. Ms. Richardson’s Greywalker series is a must read for those who appreciate an entertainingly dark urban fantasy that is light on the romance and heavy on the unique.

Overall Rating: B-(less)

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Sep 01, 2011 Karissa rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is the sixth book in the Greywalker series. I was unable to find plans for book 7 right now, but I'll keep looking :-) This was one of the weaker books in the series; it started out very slowly and Harper was apart from all the other characters we know and love for the majority of the book. I listed to this on audiobook. The audiobook was okay, I am still not totally sold on this narrator...sometimes the guy characters sound a lot alike.

Harper Blaine is out doing some pre-trial investigatio...more This is the sixth book in the Greywalker series. I was unable to find plans for book 7 right now, but I'll keep looking :-) This was one of the weaker books in the series; it started out very slowly and Harper was apart from all the other characters we know and love for the majority of the book. I listed to this on audiobook. The audiobook was okay, I am still not totally sold on this narrator...sometimes the guy characters sound a lot alike.

Harper Blaine is out doing some pre-trial investigation in the Olympic Peninsula when she stumbles across a ghostly burning car and its murdered occupant. This ghost wants Harper to find his murderer. In investigating the case of this burned car Harper is drawn into some wicked evil magic involving the Sunset Lakes region.

I had a lot of trouble getting into this book. In fact if I hadn't been listening to this on audiobook, while driving, I probably would have stopped reading it after the first half of the book. The mystery setup is very tedious. Harper is out in the middle of nowhere, and because of this, none of the characters or settings we know and love are part of the story. Harper kind of wanders from site to site interrogating people and trying to piece together the mystery of the Sunset Lakes...I just found this tedious and boring. In fact I started to fall asleep during my car ride a couple of times.

I know Richardson is always incredibly detailed in her description of character actions, but usually she focuses on something interesting in the story. I believe the focus of this story was supposed to be Chinese magic and voodoo; but we don't get to learn much about it because the plot is constantly changing focus.

I also missed Quentin. He is mysteriously absent for the first 3/4's of the book (this is explained later in the book) and without Quentin to banter with Harper the book was a lot less fun.

Okay done with the complaining. There were some things I liked about the book. The last quarter of the book was really awesome. Quentin is back in the story and crazy things really start happening and the storyline moves. I loved some of the stuff that happens between Quentin and Harper and am excited to see where this takes the series in the future.

I also enjoyed the inclusion of Chinese mythology and voodoo; although I wish there had been more info and detail on both (would have been way more interesting than Harper running back and forth between different locations around the Lake). The story ends well and is completed nicely.

Overall this was my least favorite book in this series. The beginning really drags; so much intricate detail is put into what Harper does that I found it incredibly boring. None of the characters I know and love are in the story. I did enjoy the inclusion of Chinese mythology and voodoo; but we didn't get to learn enough interesting facts about it. The last fourth of the book was very good and, once Quentin joined the story, I enjoyed it a lot more. At the beginning of the book I was wondering why I am even reading this series, the ending reminded me why. I will definitely read the next book in the series, but if the pacing is similar to this one I probably won't read any more after that. People who love ghost stories and investigative urban fantasy should check this series out. I will also admit that the narrator wasn't my favorite so that may have colored my impression of the book as a whole; I think I will read future installments instead of listening to them.(less)

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Sep 11, 2011 Shelley aka Gizmo's Reviews rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011-releases, paranormal-romance

*Rating* C
*Genre* Urban Fantasy

*Review*

Downpour is the sixth release in the Greywalker series featuring Harper Blaine, a Seattle P.I. who is known as a Greywalker. A Greywalker is a person who is able to tread the thin line between the living world and the paranormal realm. Harper became a Greywalker after she was dead for two minutes following a brutal attack on her. (See Book # 1 for more information.)

It is now nine months since the aftermath of Labyrinth and Harper is slowly getting back work...more

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Downpour: A Greywalker Novel (Greywalker #6)

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