Review: Yet Another Winner!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 06 25, 2010
This is Frank Tuttle's fifth Markhat novel. The wise-cracking 'finder' (PI in Tuttleese) is back and it's the longest story to date, probably the equivalent of about 300 pages or so.This time Markhat is hired by a patroness of the arts who lives 15 miles or so down south, beyond the relative safety of Rannit's walls. The estate, Werevilk, is over 400 years old and holds some quirky secrets. Someone has been surveying her property on the sly and she wants to know who's doing it and why. Stakes are showing up in the strangest places. Also, people are suddenly showing up dead--and undead.The Banshee's Walk features the return of some favorite characters and some new wackos, um, friends. One of my favorite parts of the book is when Darla, the love interest from Hold The Dark, finally forces the L word out of Markhat: hysterical.Only in the world of Frank Tuttle do you find Banshees named Buttercup and kindly, aristocratic vampires like Evis Prestley (sublte, Frank, lol). Getriss, Mama Hog's young country-fried niece, is Markhat's new apprentice. Didn't know he needed one until she arrived, but she's fun. The Corpsemaster returns and you'll be surprised by the new twists.As usual, Markhat's up to his ears in trouble and only some very special magic is going to get him out of it this time. Once he finally figures out who's been staking out the property, it's too late to go for help. There's a seige by a group of foolhardy socerers who are trying to dig up ancient things better left alone. Markhat nearly buys it this time, but that's the only sure thing in this story: you know Markhat has to live to appear in the next novel. Everything else is up for grabs.Darla, the seamstress from Hold The Dark returns as Markhats's love interest and there are some hysterical passages that result in Markhat's reluctant use of the "L" word.Fast-paced and suspenseful, the story moves right along. Is it as funny as other Markhat books? Not quite, but there is still a hefty dose of the usual Tuttle wit. This longer story leans more towards the thriller genre, with a healthy side of fantasy.If you haven't read a Markhat story yet, this *can* stand alone, but you'll miss a thing or two if you don't start at the beginning with The Mister Trophy. Reading Hold the Dark would be helpful, as well. The books are reasonably priced, so there's no reason to miss out on more Markhat wit.