It's all fun and games until someone loses a hand.
Dixon has been dying to introduce Yuri to Uncle Fonzo, the Hand of his family, and now he'll finally get that chance. All they need to do is meet him at a traveling carnival with an unused piece of Spellcraft. Easy peasy, right? Not even a little. And even worse, they might encounter a clown.
Uncle Fonzo has left a trail of magical destruction in his wake, but he claims he's been helping people. Spellcrafters are a slippery bunch, and it's hard to say if he's stretching the truth or telling an outright lie. One thing's for sure, he's between a rock and a hard place now, and if he doesn't deliver an outrageous ransom to Strange Manor by midnight, all deals are off.
From a lackluster carnival with a booby-trapped tour bus to the decrepit mausoleum behind an old mental asylum, the Spellcraft leads Dixon and Yuri on a goose chase that's not only wild…but deadly.
Author and artist Jordan Castillo Price writes paranormal sci-fi thrillers colored by her time in the Midwest, from inner city Chicago, to various cities across southern Wisconsin. She’s settled in a 1910 Cape Cod near Lake Michigan with tons of character and a plethora of bizarre spiders. Any disembodied noises, she’s decided, will be blamed on the ice maker.
Jordan is best known as the author of the PsyCop series, an unfolding tale of paranormal mystery and suspense starring Victor Bayne, a gay medium who's plagued by ghostly visitations.
Will write a review in the morning... but just one thing now... I am happy to say I was wrong thinking this was the last book of this series... the author mentioned in an afterward that it is just the end of this story arc!!! So that means I get to read more stories with Dixon and Yuri in the future!!!!
Review: This one had a little more urgency and seriousness to it than the previous books, but it still had the same overall light, fluffy feel. There was still a bit of the signature ridiculousness of the series, and Dixon's signature optimism and obliviousness, and overall it was another fun addition to the series that wrapped up the story arc about Dixon's Uncle Fonzo. It was nice to finally get some answers about that, I once again enjoyed seeing this unique magic system in action, and it was sweet seeing just how much Yuri cares about Dixon, even if a part of him still seems to be struggling with believing Dixon will stick around. These are silly books, for sure, but enjoyable.
I enjoyed the audiobook, narrated by Nick Hudson. Further thoughts on the audio can be found in my review for Book 1 or The ABCs of Spellcraft Collection Volume 1.
Recommended For: Fans of previous books in Jordan Castillo Price's The ABCs of Spellcraft series. Anyone who likes sweet m/m romance, unique magic systems, and silly, sitcom-esque stories that aren't meant to be taken too seriously.
Such a good series. I was so mad at Dixon's uncle in this books. No matter his motives, he was so wrong for what he did and Dixon was the one that had to pay. For the most part. Granted, Fonzo had gotten what he deserved too, to a point. And maybe now things with him will change and he will chill out. But I love how strong it's made Yuri and Dixon. They've grown so much stronger and things are so much better between them. They talk and share and because of Dixon's love, Yuri is more free to be what he needs to be to Dixon. It's a great series and I'm ready to read the next one.
This book was the best one of the series. Everything comes together as I finally got my answers on what made Uncle Fonzo leave so mysteriously.
Dixon finally receives a call from his fave uncle to meet him at a traveling carnival. Of course he takes his main squeeze, the ever serious and adorable Yuri with him on this wild chase. We get the unusual characters I’ve come to expect, from the evil carnival owner Reverend Fun to the weirdo identical twins Violet and Pansy. It was all very creepy and hilarious. I had a rollicking good time. Yuri and Dixon are the cutest couple. They are so opposite yet perfect for each each other. Uncle Fonzo lived up to the hype and worth everything that Yuri and Dixon went through to find him. I highly recommend this most unique and unusual series. I’ll read anything and everything this author writes.
Another fun read that has twists and turns with crazy adventures which cause so many laugh out loud moments. Dixon finally hears from his uncle and off they go to meet up at a circus. Yuri & Dixon have to help Fonzo break a curse and we finally get answers as to why Uncle Fonzo left under mysterious circumstances.
Along the way we get to see growth in their relationship. I love watching the character development of Dixon and Yuri's relationship. Dixon is super outgoing and sees the good in every situation. Yuri is more reserved and not used to a loving family environment. Along the way we see growth in their relationship and Yuri's acceptance of one big happy family.
I've seen read all of Jordan's books and they are ALL well-written and character driven. This was other excellent piece of work.
Dead Man's Quill picks up immediately after the events in Something Stinks at the Spa. Dixon finally received a call from Uncle Fonzo and they arrange to meet at a traveling circus. Dixon is excited that Yuri will finally get to meet his uncle while Yuri is less than impressed given all the mess they've had to undo. The mysterious disappearance of Fonzo is finally explained in Dead Man's Quill. It was nice to have the Fonzo factor come full circle. But I'm on Yuri's side regarding his feelings about Fonzo because I was less than impressed with Fonzo and I found him annoying. I didn't like the way he treated his nephew despite his explanation to Yuri in the book. What a great series and I can't wait to see what new adventures await Dixon and Yuri!
Another great entry and closing off on Uncle Fonzo's story arc. We finally catch up to Uncle Fonzo at a traveliing carnival and the antics and thrills that ensue all the way back to Pinyin Bay was nothing short of a whirlwind. We finally find out why Uncle Fonzo's Crafting all ended up wonky, and why he was out on the run. The twists and turns were thrilling to say the least, all the way up to the encounters with the Stranges.
Uncle Fonzo himself was a hoot and a half, and Dixon is almost like a clone of him in terms or mannerisms and personality. It was pretty fun seeing Yuri having to deal with both of them together. As for the Yuri and Dixon, they are pretty well established at this point in time, but the chemistry and ease between them two are still as present.
All in all, this series definitely still holds up and is still worth continuing, and hopefully with much, much, much more to come. Well, if it keeps up the way it is 3 books in, I really wouldn't want it to ever end!
Nice wrap-up of the Uncle Fonzo hunt for the most part, although I'm interested to see what he thinks of the current condition of his original quill...
The trek to find Uncle Fanzo comes to fruition only to be fraught with more peril. Dixon remains his true chipper self, seeing only the good in everyone and every situation. Yuri is still stoic and still deeply in love with Dixon. He indulges all of Dixon's hairbrained ideas and tries his best to be gracious to Uncle Fanzo. The storyline is great with a bit of cloak and dagger, a creepy carnival owner, a bitter rival, and a nasty curse. Loved every minute. Highly recommended author and series
Audiobook: I really enjoyed the narrator. He occasionally loses Yuri's 'Russian' accent but it almost makes it more enjoyable.
Dead Man’s Quill (ABCs of Spellcraft 4) Jordan Castillo Price JCP Books, 2019 Four stars
The fourth installment of the Dixon Penn saga shifts abruptly in tone because of the appearance, finally, and not neatly, of Fonzo Penn, Dixon’s uncle and the Hand – or chief magical practitioner, of the Penn clan. Uncle Fonzo seems dodgy (and he is dodgy) at first, the reasons for which gradually become clear. News to him since he last saw his nephew a year earlier is that Dixon has found his quill – i.e. come into his powers as a scrivener – and he has fallen in love with big, brooding, tattooed Russian émigré, Yuri Volikov. Uncle Fonzo, to his credit, absorbs all this readily enough, before dragging his nephew and Yuri on a reverse road trip back to the Dixon family’s home turf.
As with the previous books in the series, each chapter is narrated by either Yuri or Dixon. Dixon is learning to manage his clueless dithering, while Yuri is learning to trust in others, and to understand that, in joining hearts with Dixon, he has gained something he never before had – a family.
Uncle Fonzo finally explains why he went rogue, and the story is even worse than Dixon feared. Through Yuri’s eyes we come to understand how profoundly linked Dixon is to his uncle – and why his position as heir to the family magical power is somehow logical. Dixon and Fonzo are eerily similar, although with Fonzo’s much greater magical power goes the danger inherent in using it carelessly or misusing it.
Critical in the charm of this book – and the whole series – is that it doesn’t get too dark. The sitcom silliness remains to lighten the mood, but even so the narrative plays out as a test of all three men’s willingness to step back and do what they need to do without being impulsive or pessimistic. In the end, it is by working as a team – as a family – that they will save themselves.
With all the various takes on worlds in which magic exists in contemporary literature, Price’s spin is distinctive and rather endearing. Magic is not just waving a wand and uttering spells – it is creating power with words, and words can harm if not thoughtfully composed. It is a very different kind of magic-filled world than Jordan L. Hawk’s “Hexworld” series – in which magic is commodified. Here, it is emotional and personal, a calling rather than a product. I have the final book of the series ready to go.
Finally, finally, Dixon and Yuri catch up to the missing Uncle Fonzo! In a story that will finish Uncle Fonzo’s arc and start the couple off on a new adventure, Dead Man’s Quill picks up where the last book ended, with a surprise phone call from Uncle Fonzo!
Dixon and Yuri have been in pursuit of Uncle Fonzo since they uncovered the events that led to Dixon’s failed exam, and their family’s poor financial situation. That it all started with Uncle Fonzo and his disappearance.
Since then they’ve been chasing him from town to town but never catching him. Now mysteriously, Uncle Fonzo wants to meet up.
Price gives Fonzo , Dixon, and Yuri a whopping great yarn of a tale here and it needs to be for all the themes involved. Fonzo has betrayed the Handed, he caused Dixon to fail his exam with all the damage that followed, no matter that he was tricked, he knew better. So there’s much to make amends for. And Dixon has never been able to admit exactly how angry he is at the one man who he has thought of as his father, and who betrayed him. He’s ignored those emotions and the thoughts behind them. And for Yuri, there’s a barrel of issues that Fonzo represents, a reason not to trust, a family member not to accept, and more.
All that wrapped up in a magical, somewhat darkish story of redemption, remuneration, and family. It’s a fabulous story, even better when you know how short it is.
Love those twins too. One slight thing, vulture feathers don’t a plume make. I should know. Straight and stiff as can be. Nothing plummy about them.
Other than that, perfect.
I’m highly recommending this and the series as far as I’ve read. It’s fantastic! Binge read for your pleasure!
The ABC’s of Spellcraft series: - [x] Quill Me Now #1 - [x] Trouble in Taco Town #2 - [x] Something Stinks at the Spa #3 - [x] Dead Man’s Quill #4 - [ ] Last But Not Lease #5 - [ ] Don’t Rock The Boardwalk #6 - [ ] What The Frack? #7 - [ ] Present Tense: A Spellcraft Christmas short #8 - [ ] Brownie Points #9 - [ ] Forging Ahead #10 - [ ] Mayor May Not #11 - [ ] Bucket List #12 - [ ] Comic Sans #13 - [ ] It’s All Relative #14
Good story and nice to finally meet Fonzo but I had a really hard time picturing what was happening in the crypt scene. Usually I can picture everything she writes. I remember thinking that in one of the PsyCop books. But this scene just baffled me as did the scene that ensued. Plus Dixon was an idiot not detecting something Pansy said that revealed what he didn’t get until later. I also wanted them to explain to Fonzo what he’d really done with his one word craftings. One more thing, I felt the it is owner was explained too well to have a short plot.
One nitpick: I thought you couldn’t get rid of a spell by ripping it up. That’s true throughout the books including this one but not one of the spells that they ripped up before it started to go bad. That should have been explained better.
But I still enjoyed it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Well that was a short (at least shorter than earlier titles in this series) but packed conclusion to a 4 book storyline arc whereby Dixon (scribe) and his new boyfriend Yuri (seer) going hunting for Uncle Fonzo, absconded head of an ailing scribing family business. The action moves from a crazy fair-ground back to the secluded mansion of another scribing family located on the opposite side of the lake to Dixon's home.
Of course Dixon has to get himself into trouble and it is up to others to work together (getting past animosities and distrust) to rescue him from certain death. The action sequence near the end was suitable heart-beat elevating and the book closes with a hint of more action to come for our MCs in upcoming novellas in this series.
Having finally tracked down Uncle Fonzo, can Dixon and Yuri free him from the dreaded curse of a dead man’s quill? While not as funny as book 3, this final book in the story arc is immensely satisfying, answering all the questions about Uncle Fonzo’s misfiring spellcraftings. A great aspect of these stories has been Yuri’s progressive realisation of the anger and hurt he’s been carrying since childhood and the healing power of his relationship with Dixon. Dixon, on the other hand, seems as talkative, trusting, and naive as ever!
Finally, Uncle Fonzo has reached out to Dixon and Yuri, asking for help to rescue money he's owed from a carnival and help him get to the Strange family to clear his debt and lift his curse. Quite a lot is resolved in this book and Dixon gets to face his Uncle again and see it with more than rose tinted glasses. There's real danger and some grim dark parts in this one and the romance grows.
Yay, back to what I liked about the first few books. I'm so glad the story arc has come to an end I'm ready to move on.
QUICK THOUGHTS
• Fantasy/magic • Fast easy read • Established couple • I liked this adventure • Didn't want to put this down • Made me laugh, but this was more serious • Not a big fan of Uncle Fonzo (he needed to grovel) • Still love the MCs... Dixon & Yuri • Very satisfying ending • NOT a stand-alone
Yet another fun filled read! Quite often I become a bit disappointed as a magical series progresses. This is typically due to the main character becoming more powerful and the foes they face becoming more powerful. This series has had none of that so far and it is so refreshing. Once again I am more than ready to hop into the next book!
These are really cute, and while I'm not really a cosy mystery reader I am enjoying them a lot. It's kind of wonderful to have a little bit of untempered joy in the world right now. This one even had a tiny bit of JCP gore, lol.
This is pure fun and JCP is just so darn witty and clever that I had such a good time reading this. JCP is pretty much at the head of the pack in the M/M genre, in my opinion. Btw, do yourself the favor of getting the audiobook book because it is one of the most well narrated books I've ever heard.
We finally get to meet Dixon's trouble making uncle and we finally find out why he's on the run. Things get a bit creepy in this one but still comical with Dixon's word vomit.
I'm really liking Yuri and Dixon, and I am so glad that we finally meet the elusive Uncle Fonzo. This had a very interesting story line with action and drama. Very entertaining, and I'm looking forward to more Dixon and Yuri.