Review: Casket of Souls

More than the dissolute noblemen they appear to be, Alec and Seregil are skillful spies, dedicated to serving queen and country. But when they stumble across evidence of a plot pitting Queen Phoria against Princess Klia, the two Nightrunners will find their loyalties torn as never before. Even at the best of times, the royal court at Rhíminee is a serpents’ nest of intrigue, but with the war against Plenimar going badly, treason simmers just below the surface.

And that’s not all that poses a threat: A mysterious plague is spreading through the crowded streets of the city, striking young and old alike. Now, as panic mounts and the body count rises, hidden secrets emerge. And as Seregil and Alec are about to learn, conspiracies and plagues have one thing in common: The cure can be as deadly as the disease.

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I must admit to being a fan of the Nightrunner series ever since I stumbled across the first book.  I fell madly in love with Alec and Seregil even though I did have trouble with book four, Shadows Return.  To me it really seemed to drag.  However they are back in fine form in CASKET OF SOULS.

With the exception of the very first book, Luck in the Shadows, CASKET OF SOULS has to be my favorite.  It is set in  Rhíminee and we get to watch two masters of the shadows ply their craft as they work to discover who all is in the various factions that are not happy with the current Queen. 

Also children from the poorer quarters are dying which really concerns Alec.  While he is investigating that, close friends of both of them start to die without a mark on them.  Is there any way that the two are connected?

We get to watch Seregil deal with his fears over losing Alec again and Thero try to throttle his love for a completely inappropriate woman.  In doing so, we get to know them better than ever before. 

I highly recommend CASKET OF SOULS  to any followers of the Nightrunner series.  It is well worth the wait.  And to any lovers of dark fantasy, I recommend the entire series.

I rate this book a 4.5.

***I received this book for no charge from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.  No monies have or will exchange hands.