The Last Necromancer

Mystery, danger, a touch of romance, and a lot of spooky fun!

Charlotte Holloway discovered the hard way that she has a special power. When her adopted mother died, she wanted nothing more than to bring her back to life, and… her wish came true. Yikes. Her adopted father, a religious man and not the nicest person, kicks Charlotte out of the house for her abominable black magic. With few choices in Victorian London, Charlotte becomes "Charlie," disguising herself as a boy to live as a pickpocket. The law finally catches up with her, and to avoid a violent assault in jail that already left one prisoner dead, Charlie uses her necromancy again to free herself...

But this catches the attention of a secret society, The Ministry of Curiosities, an ancient order tasked with protecting normal citizens from dark magic. The Ministry is headed by the handsome and mysterious Lincoln Fitzroy. Initially, Charlie has no desire other than escaping the Ministry and keeping her secrets safe, but she soon discovers that she might be able to help the Ministry’s mission with her special powers and living in Lincoln’s mansion isn’t so bad. Plus, the Ministry may be able to help her find her birth family and discover more about her magical powers.

This book is the first in a series of 10 books, the first 3 of which are available on Hoopla as audiobooks. I love listening to the lovely English accent of the narrator. 

The first book in the series adeptly sets the tone for what is to follow. I flew through the first three books, they are consistently well-written, brimming paranormal elements, mysteries to solve, dangerous villains, gothic tropes, disused mansions filled with secrets to explore, mostly unrequited romance, and themes of trust and friendship. There are touches of violence and supernatural and horror aspects that may be off-putting to the more sensitive or young readers.

I think this series will appeal equally to older teens as well as adults who are fans of all things spooky.

Happy reading!