The Bookwyrm's Review of A Nightmare on Elk Street by C.T. Phipps and Michael Suttkus

Author: C.T. Phipps and Michael Suttkus

Length: 247 Pages

Publisher: Crossroad Press

Release Date: April 27, 2021

Series: Bright Falls Mysteries, Book 3

Amazon Order Link

"Enjoy the final installment of the Bright Falls Mysteries! It's deerlightful!"

PLOT SYNOPSIS

Jane Doe has settled into her new role as the Shaman of Bright Falls but that doesn't pay the bills. With her boyfriend off chasing his evil father, Jane has decided to take up a job as security on the set of horror movies being filmed in her hometown. Unfortunately, the crew have been threatened by an ominous force that quickly sets its sights on Jane herself.

Complicating matters is that Jane's past sins are coming back to haunt her with her vengeful cousins still blaming her for the death of their sister. Her complicated relationships with Alex and Lucien are also about to come to a head. 

MY THOUGHTS

It always amazes me that authors with such a large shared universe across multiple series can come up with new material that doesn't just retread other stories. Once again, this duo has created a fresh new story that adds to the lore in this universe and series, adding new characters and bringing in some old favorites from across the various series. The characters, as has been the case in this series, are the real selling point. Yes, the plot and world building are top notch, as is usually the case with these authors, but they really pulled out all the stops with the characters in this final chapter in the Bright Falls Mysteries.

The series main character, weredeer Jane Doe, has come a long way from her introduction as a teen caught up in magical events. Now both a wizard apprentice and the shaman of Bright Falls, she is still a snark factory, but is now more than ever willing to take on baddies way outside her weight class. She is the anti-damsel, and the story she's involved in now tests her to the limit and beyond. Her companions, especially Emma and Lucian, get nice little growth arcs of their own, and the new additions to the cast of characters are fun, with Jane's cousins being a real delight. The one flat note was the  anti-supernatural Christian politician's daughter, who of course did everything her religion forbade, basically just being a parody hypocrite. It just felt flat, since its just such an easy shot to take. Not a deal breaker by any stretch, just kind of a flat spot.

The villains fit well in with the worldbuilding, since they are integrally tied to Bright Falls. If there's some bad juju that could possibly happen, it's bound to end up in Bright Falls. This is the case again, and the town's sordid past once again helps create a villain that threatens the entire town's safety. The final fight with the villain ends up determining the course of the rest of Jane and her friends lives, in some intriguing and unexpected ways.

While this is the end of the Bright Falls mysteries, I suspect this is not the last time we will see these characters, whether in the other series in the universe, or in their own new arc of stories. I'll be glad to read them either way, and I will of course update this review when the audiobook releases. This is a recommended read.

Rating: 9/10 Stars