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Arcane Casebook #6

Blood Relation

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Young women are turning up dead, exsanguinated by a killer who leaves strange and powerful symbols behind, drawn in his victim's blood. Now Alex Lockerby must stop the killer before he can complete his dark ritual and release hell on the city.

Murder isn’t uncommon in a big city, but when young women start turning up dead next to mysterious symbols painted in their blood, the police turn to Alex Lockerby to find the killer. Unfortunately, the bloody symbols aren’t any form of magic Alex knows, leaving him precious little to work with and a nagging feeling that he’d better stop this madman before he finishes whatever spell he’s attempting.

Adding to the list of unknown symbols, Alex is called to the murder of a woman who worked with government secrets. She was found with strange coded markings written on a blackboard near her body. To make matters even more confusing, several robberies have been perpetrated by a highly skilled gang of thieves. Among the stolen articles were ingredients used by alchemists. These cases seem random and unconnected, but Alex can’t shake the feeling that they’re part of something bigger.

With a brutal killer on the loose, Alex must figure out an unknown magic, catch a group of professional thieves, and learn what government secrets the murdered woman might have passed on…and to whom. With luck, he might even be able to do it before the blood killer completes his dark ritual, and unleashes hell on the city.

362 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 26, 2020

231 people are currently reading
166 people want to read

About the author

Dan Willis

62 books316 followers
Dan is an award-winning, best-selling author who has been writing for most of his life. He wrote for the long running DragonLance series and has worked in the board game and video game industries as well. His current work is the Arcane Casebook series, a fantasy twist on the 1930’s noir detective story.

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5 stars
1,273 (70%)
4 stars
435 (23%)
3 stars
97 (5%)
2 stars
6 (<1%)
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3 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 144 reviews
Profile Image for Bryan Brown.
271 reviews9 followers
August 6, 2022
I quite enjoyed this one. Alex has been given some more time to move on from the loss of Jessica several books ago and his newly formed coterie of friends opposed to the ominous "others" who seem to be masterminding threats to the city and the world. It quickly becomes apparent that while Sorsha expressed an invitation for Alex to get closer to her that he's done nothing in that department for months. That feels normal to me for someone trying to return to forming romantic relationships after a trauma.

Fortunately Alex's new group has provided him a strong social network as he recovers, and his business is becoming very successful, to the point of hiring a lesser Rune wright to take on the simpler activities of his firm.

The book opens with a view into what is supposed to be a typical day in Alexs life. He reveals the solution to a mystery in the classic grand detective style, does some office work, and some outside work for the Sorcerer Barton. This routine is quickly interrupted, when Alex is asked to consult on two different police cases. The murder of a mathematician, and later on the murder of a prostitute. Alex quickly determines that only the second involves magic and tries to disentangle himself from the first. Typically, that plan fails, and he ends up becoming deeply embroiled in both of them.

One fun part was Alex trying to make up to an annoyed Sorsha that he does like her and desires to spend some time with her, in spite of the seeming neglect he's given her for months now. That plan fails too, but through no fault of either of them and as the story continues it's clear that they are developing feelings for each other. The growing relationship was played nicely with very little interaction between them because they were both deeply involved in what seemed to be separate problems.

The completion of the book resolved both mysteries in satisfactory fashion and revealed that Alex was right about only the second murder involved magic, but fortunately Sorsha was involved in the first one so his remaining embroiled meant they could help each other in meaningful ways and have opportunities to showcase their growing relationship mentioned above.

The ending of the story also progressed the meta story. The second perpetrator was involved with the mysterious Moriarity and their group of hidden meddlers in current affairs. Alex is even visited again by Mariarity and learns a bit more about their group and their goals. It was enough to satisfy curiosity about the overarching story while also satisfying the current book.

The hidden group appeared in what? Book 4? Maybe the end of book 3? In any case it feels to me like Willis will have to involve more and more of the meta story and find some sort of balance with it within the next few books or it will become frustrating in its continued vagueness. I hope he moves that way.

I have one more of these on my bookshelf so I'm sure it won't be too long before I read book 7.
Profile Image for Diana.
482 reviews7 followers
February 1, 2021
I have been reading this series religiously since the beginning, and the sixth in series did not disappoint.

The Writing: Too often, there are amazing ideas that bomb because the execution didn't match up. This series does not have that problem. Once I started reading, I could not put it down. The level of writing matched up with the ideas, the story moved at a fast pace, and there were some funny moments to liven it up.

The Characters: From the beginning, I have loved the main character Alex Lockerby. He is a bit predictable because he fits the trope of the character who comes from nothing, is taken in my a mentor, and becomes a good guy who helps others. Yes, its a little cliche, but its what I look for in this series. He has the mind of a detective, the moves of an action star, and a heart of gold that keeps him on the right path.

The Romance: And of course, in this kind of detective noir novel, there has to be a romance. I absolutely adore his relationship with Sorcha and look forward to where their relationship is going. It is definitely one of the parts that I look forward to in this series. Plus, I like the fact that it doesn't overpower the mystery and it doesn't turn into a cheesy romance novel.

Warning: If this review has made you interested in this series in any way, I definitely recommend that you don't read this one first. This is the sixth one in the series, you need to start with the first one for any of this to make sense.
Profile Image for Ami.
6,261 reviews489 followers
January 30, 2022
So it has been 1.5 years since I read book #5 in this series, Limelight. Safe to say, I think my excitement level has slightly dropped down - and don't expect me to remember things from previous books 😉. Still, it's a good read and I like coming back to the characters. I just don't feel elevated delight during reading or total need to jump to the next book when I finish.

Anyway, Alex has several cases that he needs to work on, that ends up to be connected to one another. He also meets another character . Not a lot happens in way of the mysterious Legion, though. And I miss Alex doing the investigation with Danny (in this book Alex spends more time with another detective, Nicholson, probably because Danny has been promoted).

There's one development I really like... that Alex taking a step as a mentor to his new employee, Mike Fitzgerald. Mike helps Alex with other "small cases" like lost pets (so Alex can deal with the bigger cases). Now Alex teaches Mike so he write his own runes in the future. That's nice 🙂
Profile Image for Claudia.
2,987 reviews38 followers
June 17, 2022
Even when this is still a very good book, it's the one I liked less in the series. Part of it is the fact that we don't see Alex working a case with Danny, and I miss their interactions. Yes, I know, Danny is now a lieutenant, but I enjoyed a lot watching them work side by side. The rest is that I think that I prefer the more classic mysteries to this magic arc.

But I liked Alex mentoring his new employee, it's a nice touch that highlights how much he has accomplished since we met him in In Plain Sight.

I must confess that, for a tiny moment, I was afraid that we would have to deal with , but luckily, that didn't happen :P

And, even when it isn't my favourite, I'm intrigued by this storyline, so I'll be anxiously waiting for the next book =D

Profile Image for Maria.
1,220 reviews17 followers
July 3, 2022
4.5 stars

I was seriously worried I would have to sit through a "long lost brother" trope sort of plot in this book, when seeing the title. I was happily introduced to something quite different.

Alex is getting more and more busy as his business grows and I must say it's actually very nice with a private detective who isn't struggling with money issues and crappy cases all the time. *fast glance at other books in the genre*

There were so many different cases going on here, it could have been confusing, but I actually found it stimulating and fun.

One thing I really like about this series is how little things in each book add to the bigger plot that spans the entire series. I can sort of imagine this to be a bit of a weakness if you don't binge the books.

I'm happy I'm binging them though. 😉
844 reviews6 followers
October 15, 2024
I am really enjoying this Series and I do not want to stop listening to them. I am forcing myself to listen to a different book and author between them, so I can make the series last longer. The narrator's reading of this Series is very well done and also helps with keeping these books, full of life.
65 reviews
August 2, 2023
Magic, murder and mayhem

Well written, well paced series, 30s noir style, think Mike Hammer meets charmed lol.
It works to make a thoroughly enjoyable series with individual stories and a continuing engaging sub plot
Profile Image for Mark  Thomas.
26 reviews
June 10, 2024
Stellar. Each book in the series builds off of the others great mysteries with fantastic twists and turns and surprises. I can’t wait to see where the rest of the stories will lead. I’m listening to the audiobooks, and the narrator does a fantastic job. What pleasurable experience for me
Profile Image for Jen King.
43 reviews5 followers
November 11, 2020
Another solid entry

My one criticism of these novels is the pacing. The dial is set at 11, and events are always rushing by at breakneck speed. While this is better than a slow plodding story, it would be nice to slow the pace at times, both to allow for a richer story and to give the action sequences more punch.
Profile Image for Terry.
447 reviews1 follower
March 27, 2025
Good story but felt rushed and short like we had to keep it under a word count.
Profile Image for Mary Carolyn .
117 reviews1 follower
January 5, 2022
I love this series, both the stories, and the brilliantly crafted writing. Willis is completely consistent in showing the world our hero Alex lives in. In the first paragraph of each new book in the series, we are instantly back home, everything immediately familiar. His descriptions of the city, its rings, the architecture, the police department characters, Alex's companions, are consistent over all the books, detailed and rich. I particularly love the public transportation crawlers. Though Alex's 30s noir era is a world apart from ours, it is at once familiar. Watching Alex grow in power, while retaining the Alex we love because he is good, is so satisfying. The slow burn of his relationship with Sorcha is delightful, driven by a deep mutual respect and liking, yet they keep a distance. Alex is a larger than life character who is totally believable. I hope that Mr. Willis keeps writing this series.
Profile Image for Ka.
288 reviews10 followers
March 13, 2025
With the amount of people grinding their teeth in this series, a dentist in this book's universe would be rolling in customers. Not to mention all the sour faces, since sour stuff is generally acidic and bad for your enamel.

The author's favorite expressions aside, this was, uh, another book in this series! The action, intrigue, and murder continues apace. Also the Nazi shenanigans and mysterious secret magic societies. In the vein of other "reviews" I've written for books later in a series, I'm actually just gonna use this space for a quick summary of the book's contents (and my thoughts) so I will remember the details later, since I think I want to take a break on this series until the story is finished.

Profile Image for Ben Savage.
404 reviews11 followers
March 20, 2025
4.2, review to follow.
Once again, Dan Willis layers in several seemingly unconnected challenges, cases and people, to weave together a narrative. And the book covers always illuminate the story!
When things go right, Alex Lockerby gets stranger and stranger cases. No longer content with lost dogs, he instead works on industrial sabatoge, blood magic, a German spy ring and secret malcontents and secret societies. All in a days work for the Runewright Detective.

I like how people grow and change in this one, for example Iggy using magic that was previously hidden for longitudinal gain. Or Alex and Sorsha can start to stop the Mal-and-Inara game and admit what they mean to each other.

The plot holes, are Noir/ pulp plot holes and all the better for them.
Definetly a series I want in paperback.
3,120 reviews14 followers
April 2, 2025
“Blood Relation”, sixth in the 'Arcane Casebook' series, sees Alex investigating a killer who is murdering prostitutes by draining their blood.
There's magic involved but not anything that Alex is familiar with.
There's also a case involving a woman who worked as a 'computer' for the War Department. It's clearly murder but the powers that be would prefer it to be brushed under the carpet ASAP.
Not forgetting a series of strange burglaries at various warehouses - there's no evidence of entry and the items taken just don't add up.
On the personal front Alex is finally beginning to get through to Sorsha (or maybe it is the other way round) and his magical powers continue to increase.
The universal plot which is being revealed gradually through the series is still quite vague and, tbh, I would prefer if it moved a litle faster.
Very readable.
4 Stars.
137 reviews
November 11, 2020
Each new title gets better.

I think this one was the best of the series so far. My only suggestion would be to make the stories longer and more intricate. There is a small sense of disappointment when you can finish a book in one night's bed time reading.

Also as a suggestion, it seems like wasting a lot of plot potential to casually dismiss A. Conan Doyle's fascination with the occult or some of his hoaxes such as Piltdown man or the photographs of faeries he publicly declared as genuine. Any of that could be used to come back to haunt him and thus Alex. Could be good pepper to add to the plot pot.
Profile Image for Karl.
329 reviews1 follower
November 29, 2023
I am enjoying this series but finding the plots to be rather straightforward and in some cases relatively transparent. I do like the way the author Willis writes and it does capture me but the ongoing backstory feels a little overcooked, like the storyline is being dragged across a full 22 episode season of network television rather than advancing the story.
Despite my criticism there are some nice twists and the characters are interesting, although the introduction of so many secondary characters in the past few books leaves little time to focus on any of them other than passing commentary.
Profile Image for Gary.
117 reviews
October 11, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rating: 4.0/5.0 Stars

Blood Relation finds author Dan Willis’s successful detective, Alex Lockerby, working a series of police investigations alongside a separate private case of theft. As if that is not enough to keep the beleaguered runewright busy, Sorcerer Barton demands his time in return for his new office space.
Willis masterfully weaves all the narrative threads, some intertwining, into a gripping detective noir that keeps the reader engaged and guessing. This is a tense and complex sixth installment in the Arcane Casebook series, solidifying Willis’s work of smart world-building and relentless pacing.
Profile Image for David Griffin.
96 reviews4 followers
July 25, 2025
Lured down the rabbi hole

Every book in Dan Willis's Arcane Casebook series is finely crafted, and book 6 showcases his talent as a storyteller and author. Set in the1930's gritty New York City, where magic is real, and private detective Alex Lockerby combines his magical talents with sloothing out magic related crimes. This captivating series blends a 1930's gumshoe genre with fantasy. After reading each book in the series, I find myself compelled to reach for the next book in the series. With book 6 of the series, I suddenly realize I am being lured down a rabbit hole.
14 reviews
October 30, 2020
Great Book, I very much enjoyed it. I give Dan credit, he improves his craft with each book (not that any are bad, he just gets better). I am looking forward to the next in the series. Briefly his stories provide unexpected twists and turns while maintaining the integrity of the story. I have recommended him to my friends that normally do not enjoy fantasy. It is a good mystery with some added flavor. He writes fun reads that you don't want to put down.
8 reviews
November 6, 2020
Dan Willis has done it again!

I always look forward to Dan's Arcane Casebook Books! Blood Relation is an excellent read as is the series. The story moves fast, has a lot of action. The characters are likeable, especially Sorcha. In the mix of Rex Stout, Conan Doyle ( ha ha!) and J K Rowling the stories are a joy to read! I look forward to the next book. I hope there are many more to come!
Profile Image for Jp.
309 reviews5 followers
December 16, 2020
There are few authors that jump to the top of my To Read queue, as quickly as Dan Willis. And the world that he created for Alex Lockerby never fails to draw me in and keep me excited to read the next book in the series. Mystery, magic, and noir: it feels like an algorithm was developed to draw me in.

Each book raises the stakes and gives readers more facets of the world/characters to be invested in.
5 reviews
April 17, 2022
These keep getting better.

The writing and characters were both amateurish and a bit shakey to begin with, but I'm glad I stuck with it.

Alex is becoming a hero worth watching. And he keeps gathering excellent allies, by virtue of his talent and affability. He is getting into deeper waters and will clearly need them. I do like where this is heading.

I'm kind of amazed that Sorsha is so patient with him though.
Profile Image for Todd.
2,257 reviews8 followers
October 15, 2022
Alex is called to an assist on a murder where the victim was exsanguinated. Since to this point in the series there have been no sign of supernatural creatures such as vampires there must be another answer.
Between that case and the appearance of more German spies, Alex has his hands full.
An excellent series, but since the protagonist is growing in knowledge I definitely recommend you start with book 1 In Plain Sight
Profile Image for Cheryl O'Brien.
10 reviews
October 28, 2020
Keeps getting better

The Arcane Casebook series, like it's characters, continues to grow. The 30's detective noir style, multi-stranded plots, and well-conceptualized, rich setting help to draw you into Alex Lockerby's world. The characters feel real, and the events matter. I find I can't put these books down.
Hopefully the next will be along shortly.
3 reviews
November 29, 2020
one of my favorite books series in 2020. have the books in all formats. they are that good :D
hope this series is really long.
they keep getting better and better.
many of the books have clues in other books. and many point ties well together. some stuff will really surprise you.
the world is expanding the more books you read. so is the magic of this world
6 reviews
December 20, 2020
A series with staying power.

It's not everyday that I find a series of books that I agonize over waiting for. This one pressed that button for me. Every knew one pushes forward an entertaining story and continues to flesh out an interesting and entertaining world.

Highly recommended, and I can't wait for what's next.
Profile Image for John.
12 reviews
December 20, 2020
Fantasy, detective story, magic and compelling story

This is a book with magic, set in the late 1930s with an alternate history. The detective story is good on its own, the magic interesting, the overall story arc is strong. Each book stands on its own but the series makes it better.
Profile Image for David Noel.
Author 2 books5 followers
May 15, 2021
Great Fun!

This book, like the others in the series has a nice balance of action and thinking in it. Each story is better than the last. I have only 1 criticism and 1 suggestion. There are a handful of nagging typos in the book but not enough to subtract a star for. I would also love to see a bit more of Sorsha Kincaid please! I highly recommend this book.
Profile Image for Lesley Hewitt.
832 reviews6 followers
November 8, 2021
Excellent

These books just get better, once I start reading I can't stop. Alex has a lot of magical things to sort out in this book. He and Sorcha are drugged and there's the murder of women for power, There are German spies and plenty of mayhem. I'm trying not to give spoilers here. These books are all worthy of five stars.
41 reviews1 follower
February 3, 2023
Great book!

I love finding books about Alex Lockerby. As a rune mage, and still learning that from Iggy, he stretches his ability by thinking about using his runes in different ways. Since we don't know rune magic ourselves, we depend on Dan Willis to tell us through his stories. The stories mix murder and magic in these fast action murder mysteries!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 144 reviews

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