Review: A Whisker Behind (The Worlds Behind Book 1) by W.R. Gingell

About the Book (From Amazon)

Searching for redemption in the shifting realm between the human and fae worlds, not-so-reformed fae steward Athelas seems likely instead to find death, dismemberment, and deadly magic…

Exiled, excommunicated, and with a bounty on his head, Athelas is lying low in Seoul for exactly one reason: he has a wedding to attend. Whether or not he’s welcome is another matter.

Luckily for Athelas, several bodies have turned up with their soft insides gnawed out, whether by magic or Behindkind—and the latest of those bodies is at the very wedding hall he has been staking out. The Behindkind investigators suspect one of Athelas' housemates: YeoWoo, a gumiho with a thirst for revenge and an even greater appetite for soft underbelly than Athelas. To buy herself time, YeoWoo barters alibis with the suspiciously quiet fae sharing her house, but to remain free, she must find the real murderer.

By joining the investigation, Athelas has exactly the chance he needs to prove that he is now a repentant, changed, and selfless fae, bent on atoning for former deeds…no matter how many Behindkind and humans he has to cut through to confirm that impression.

NOTE: A Whisker Behind is the first book in the Worlds Behind series, a 5-book spin-off from the main "City Between" series which occurs several years after those events. Please read the "City Between" books first for a more thorough appreciation of this spin-off (or do what you want—I'm not your boss. Just be aware that there will be reasonably major spoilers).

Amazon / Goodreads

Available in Kindle Unlimited at time of posting

MY THOUGHTS

Wow, just wow! This was a wild and weirdly wonderful ride. I loved being back in this world, but I loved, even more, the fact that this is the start of Athelas' journey to redemption. To say he's a complicated character is putting it mildly. Even after all the things he did in the City Between Series, there was still a part of me that couldn't help but love him. I enjoyed seeing a different side to him in this book. It was interesting, to say the least, getting a glimpse inside his head. He's still the twisty guy we all know, but it seems as if he's really trying to be better. And I LOVE it!

I will admit that I missed the original cast of characters from the City Between Series, but by the end of this book, I really came to love these new ones. YeoWoo was fascinating. She's gumiho, which I knew nothing about beforehand, so it was really interesting learning about her. She's fierce and fiery and not one to be trifled with.

If you're a fan of the City Between Series, this is a must read! I don't want to say too much more, but wow! I'm so anxious for book two. That ending was a doozy!

FIVE STARS