Felix Castor has reluctantly returned to exorcism after a successful case convinces him that he really can do some good with his abilities — “good,” of course, being a relative term when dealing with the undead. His friend Rafi is still possessed, the succubus Ajulutsikael (Juliet to her friends) still technically has a contract on him, and he’s still dirt poor. 

Doing some consulting for the local cops helps pay the bills, but Castor needs a big private job to really fill the hole in his bank account. That’s what he needs. What he gets is a seemingly insignificant “missing ghost” case that inexorably drags him and his loved ones into the middle of a horrific plot to raise one of hell’s fiercest demons. 

When satanists, stolen spirits, sacrifice farms, and haunted churches all appear on the same police report, the name Felix Castor can’t be too far behind. . .

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Like the approximately 43 other urban fantasy series I’m reading, the Felix Castor series by Mike Carey is one that feels like I started reading “the other week,” but it turns out I read the first one in late 2019, and then…that was it. Fucking hell.

2020 really was such a weird time-sucking year, no?

So anyway, I started chipping away at VICIOUS CIRCLE quite awhile ago, reading it mostly late at night, when the urban fantasy/horror vibe of books like this feel most right to me. Incidentally, I started reading the third & final book in M. R. Carey’s Rampart Trilogy, THE FALL OF KOLI, concurrently with VICIOUS CIRCLE. I think it was the first time I’ve ever been reading two books by the same author at the same time, so that was pretty cool!

The overall tone of the first two books of this series is just dark & atmospheric as fuck. Felix Castor is written with this perfect mix of world-weariness, sarcasm, and compassion. This time around, he’s hired on to solve a missing person case.

Or, well. A missing ghost. I mean, who ya’ gonna call?

(I’m so sorry, wtf)

Soon enough, Felix finds himself embroiled in the world of Satanic cults, weird rituals, and werewolves, all while tracking down another exorcist who may hold the key to the whole mystery. At the center of it all is the ghost of a girl that Felix doggedly tries to bring some sense of peace to.

The overall pace of this one felt a little slower than the first book, but that certainly could have had something to do with how slowly I read the book.

It’s also worth mentioning that there’s some disturbing moments in VICIOUS CIRCLE. In particular, there’s a description of a ritualistic sex act that, while not necessarily graphic, is certainly detailed & could be upsetting for some.

I’m sure I’ve said this in nearly every review I’ve written for one of his books, but I honestly think Mike Carey is one of the best storytellers we have. He’s the very definition of an auto-buy author for me, no doubt. The Felix Castor series sits right on the line between horror & urban fantasy, and that is Extremely My Thing™️. Really looking forward to reading the rest of this series!!