A Plunder of Souls: The Thieftaker Chronicles
In the third in a series set in 18th-century Boston (after Thieves’ Quarry, 2013), D. B. Jackson, better known as David B. Coe, blends “fantastical and fictional elements with the actual historical events” in the life of a bounty hunter with special gifts. With colonial opposition to taxes imposed by Parliament becoming more vocal, Ethan’s lover and his friends urge him to speak up for the cause of Liberty. But Ethan, who is a conjurer as well as a bounty hunter, has less earthly things on his mind. Corpses are being unearthed and mutilated. Wraiths are appearing. Something (someone?) is preventing the dead from settling peacefully into their afterworld. When Ethan tries to use his magic to calm the restless spirits, he is thwarted by a more powerful conjurer. Forced to find allies, he enlists his competitors to help put an end to the evil—temporarily. The historical framework is sturdy—Jackson knows 18th-century Boston—but the plot and characters here interact on a different plane. A Plunder of Souls is recommended for readers who enjoy fantasies with historical settings.
