Spiral Hunt (Evie Scelan series, 1)

by Margaret Ronald

Some people have the Sight. Genevieve Scelan has the Scent. They call her "Hound," and with her unique supernatural sense Evie can track nearly anything--lost keys, vanished family heirlooms . . .... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0061662410
• Release Date: January 2009
• Publisher: Harper Voyager
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 6.8" x 0.8" x 4.2"

Customer Reviews

One of the best books I have read this year.

I would gladly reread this book, and I believe I would gain some understanding by doing so. I have read three books in the last week: one by a new author; one by an established author; one by Margaret Ronald. Spiral Hunt is easily one of the best books I have read in a long time. It is rich in ideas and backstory. The main character is fully realized and behaves rationally. The plot is interesting and well revealed. Cudos to Ms. Ronald!

The Hunt is on ...

In this first book of the Evie Scelan series, Margaret Ronald introduces us not only to Evie - a woman with a powerful sense of smell, a natural form of magic which allows her to track anyone or anything by scent - but also to the "undercurrent" - the magical subculture of Ronald's fictionalized Boston, grounded strongly in the real-world Boston ... and then mixed up with a healthy dose of urban fantasy and Irish mythology. Ronald does an excellent job in this book expanding on the mythology, drawing the reader in, and making it so that our emotional tie to the main character continually increases. Evie's backstory is not provided in a large infodump, but is woven into the fabric of the story as we learn about "the Hound" and her world ... even as we learn things about both which she herself did not know. Spiral Hunt provides a fascinating introduction to a world and a character that I hope to see more of in the future. I look forward to seeing what other mysteries await in the undercurrent, and going along with "the Hound" on her next hunt.

Great book by a new author!

This is Margaret Ronald's first novel, though I've read some of her short fiction before. I really enjoyed reading this: It's a fantasy-like story set in real-world Boston. The protagonist, Evie, can find things by tracing their scent. When she begins to search for a former friend, however, she finds herself pulled into an underworld that blends ancient Celtic myth and very present danger. I believe that Ronald is planning to write more books featuring Evie--I'm looking forward to it. She's given the character a great voice, and has devised a plot that's intriguing and multi-layered, but still easily followed.

I look forward to seeing what Margaret Ronald has in store for Evie Scelan

Evie Scelan promised her mother that she would always be careful. She broke her promise when she received a call from an old lover in the middle of the night. She always swore that she would not be drawn into the dark shadowy underworld that lies beneath Boston, but this time, she may not have a choice. By day, Evie tries to lead a normal life as a courier. She is trying to start scrounging out a living by offering her service in "expert retrieval and recovery services." She tries to keep her old friends out of the undercurrents by not allowing them to hire her for her services. How she goes about tracking these items is by following her nose. She was born with the gift of scenting. By keeping her head down, she would stay out of the underworld, but when she decides to hire herself out, she draws the Bright Brotherhood to her doorstep. She no longer can keep her promise to her mother, but will she be able to keep her friends and loved ones of out harm's way? I had a tough time rating this book. It had elements that I thoroughly enjoyed, such as being set in historic Boston. While I've never been to the actual city itself, the history of Boston has always called to me and I can easily see there being paranormal elements buried deep beneath the city's surface. I also thought that Evie being able to track things, yet not be a shapeshifter an unusual concept. I think Ms. Ronald has definite promise with this storyline. My struggle came with trying to follow too many strands of the story at once, and I found myself a little confused here and there. However, I easily believe that the storyline has a lot of potential and Ms. Ronald's plot is unique. On those two factors alone, I have to give this book 4 1/2 tombstones. Spiral Hunt is not your standard paranormal story and has many appealing aspects to it. If you enjoy reading paranormal novels that have historical elements throughout them, then I think you may enjoy Spiral Hunt. I get the impression that this is going to be a series and I look forward to seeing what Margaret Ronald has in store for Evie Scelan and her scenting ability down the road. Reviewed at Bitten by Books Paranormal Fiction Review Site by Virginia

Excellent first novel

I thought this book was excellent. The pacing was great and the characters were real and compelling. I read a lot of Charles de Lint and Jim Butcher and Spiral Hunt has some of the best elements of both. It is a great urban fantasy and reads like a fast-paced detective yarn. A real page-turner. I really hope that Margaret Ronald will write at least a few more adventures with Evie and her circle of characters. There is a great deal of potential here. Good job!