Wow, it’s been a year since the first Sloane West book was introduced. I had forgotten quite a bit, so much I probably should have read Lies Are Forever again before this one. I would have benefited from the world building Downer created in the first book.

Which brings me to my first point—the author builds a wonderful and mysterious fantasy world. Familiar characters return and new characters are introduced. Downer maintains the consistency of the characters I loved initially as a new evil threatens their existence. I don’t do spoilers. The author gave me hours of escape into a world of imagination, and I loved it. That is the best a book can offer.

Just as with the first book, I couldn’t wait to finish the book but didn’t want it to end either. This is a fun read! I hope we don’t have to wait until next December for the next, just sayin’.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bella Books for providing this book for my review consideration—opinions here are mine and mine alone.

Probably should have started 1st book before going into this, but alas i am here. Its a interesting book with witches and magic and mystery, its engaging enough to kept me going. It ended with a hint book 3 or more were to come, can't wait.

A really good story. I didn’t realise this book was it was part of a series. But this book explained everything that needed to be known from the previous book. The story line was very good, but the first half was a bit slow and it was a struggle to get through it, but the second half was really good and kept me engaged in the story. This was a very challenging book, and the characters were well written. I would recommend this book, and I look forward to what's next from this author.

First off I will admit right away I did not read the prequel, Lies Are Forever, so it was a bit tough going for me in following the story without knowing some things prior-I do plan to immediatly remedy that by buying the first book and reading it as soon as I can, because even though there were a few holes for me, I really enjoyed this second book in the series. My plan going forward, purchase and read LAF and then re-read UTCM.

With all that being said, I still enjoyed this book and could not put it down. I was so invested in the main character Sloane West, her character is so rich and her interactions with the others in the story I just felt I was right there with her. This storyline is heavy on the mystery and intregue and is like a roller coaster ride with its twists and turns but there is a romance as well with Rose that you just want to cheer their relationship on.

If you like stories steeped in the supernatural but well grounded in realism you will enjoy this story and the writings of Ms. Downer. Once I have a chance to read the first book in this series and give this second book a re-read, I will add to my review here and on Goodreads , I am excited to have discovered this series and look forward to more.

Thank you NetGalley and Bella books for a chance to read and review

Lies are Forever (December 2023) is the first book in this series and probably should be read before this one. In that one the reader meets Sloane West who used to be a NYC detective and now works as a private investigator. She finds that there is more to the world than she knew as she arrives in Denwick, a small Canadian village. Her family are part of the Magicals and she is still developing her skills. But she lives and works with the Nogicals (non magicals).

This story begins about six months after the previous book. Sloane finds herself drawn into two different mysteries. On the Nogical side she is hired to find an eleven year old boy who is missing from his family sheep farm. She works with her contacts in the RCMP as she tries to figure out if he has been taken or run away. On the magical side there are mysteries too. An entire flock of sheep are slaughtered. And there is a stranger who claims to be a hunter in town.

The author is great at interweaving the supernatural world into a mystery. I am a little frustrated at the very, very slow burn romance with Rose. And didn’t really understand the need for an interlude Sloane has. But maybe that will be part of the next book in the series. The side characters, Doreathea and Elvina, along with cousin Jack, bring some humor and resources to help Sloane. This book does tie up the main mysteries introduced in this story but there are smaller ones that are ongoing. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for this review.
It is Part 2 of the Sloane West Detective Series. I read a page and decided I should perhaps have read Book 1 first. So I bought it and read it. Loved it and moved on to Book 2.

The world that has been created as the stage for this series is fascinating. And very clever. There are various cross overs between our (Nogical) world and the world of the Magicals. It is seamlessly integrated it is just like magic.
There is a mystery to solve - which Sloane does. She works alongside the RCMP and her contacts there. She has already developed herself a little lesbian inner circle. In solving the mystery she deals with magical 'interference' and also the nasty Nogical crime.
Sloane 'lost' her chance with the woman she was interested in by leaving and spending time sorting out her affairs before she moved back to Vancouver Island. This develops in an interesting manner in this book but again perhaps it is not meant to be as nothing runs smoothly.

It seems I am perfectly ok with remembering the names of various creatures and what they can and can't do. However, name a car Pearl and I am forever trying to remember who she is!
I also have reached the conclusion that the number of books you can read without a mention of breast cancer diminishes upon diagnosis and thereafter you find it everywhere!

This book ends on an interesting cliff hanger hopefully ready to go straight into Book 3.
And poor Rose is left home alone again.

If you are going to read this, make sure to read the series as it will make much more sense and you will understand what is happening and who everybody is.
But I do think you should read them.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this 2nd book in a brilliant series

when the slaughter of the sheep is found and a young boy goes missing sloane knows that evil has arrived again....

at first the police think the boy is a suspect in the sheep mutilation but sloane knows differently and when the boys parents ask for help in looking for him sloane does what she does best....

but evil is abound and its coming for sloane....

a great second book with plenty of fighting and misdirection i love the the fact that sloane hasnt quite gotten to grips with her new wicca talent and those lessons are very amusing

cant wait for the next book in this series

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.


Sloane has discover that she is a witch now she reside in a small town of Old Denwick on Vancouver Island with her newly found family and coven. As she dives more into the magical world she learning to master her powers while trying to figure out who after them I love that Sloane as private investigator can see both sides of magical world with non magical and how both aren’t so different there are some twists with both world. I love the slow burn romance that has its own problems. I won’t give more details but there are answers but more questions and can’t wait for the next book.

I enjoyed this book, I didn’t realise it was part of a series however it explained everything that needed to be known.

The plot was good, I did struggle with the first half as it was a little slow but the second half I enjoyed more but overall it was a great story.

My only issue was why was les calling Cathy mother when she’s his wife, it didn’t make sense to me and was just odd.

Trigger warning- does have mentions of child abuse and sexual exploitation

Witches, magic, mystery on Vancouver Island
The Sloane West mysteries (this is part 2 of a series) excels at combining a mystery with a world which has an additional magical part kept secret from normal people (known as nogicals).
Sloane was hidden by her mother in NYC and didn‘t know that she is a witch until her early 30s. Now she lives in the small town of Od Denwick on Vancouver Island with her newly found family and coven. In „Lies are Forever“ we learned that their coven is under attack by „fallen“ magicals. This continues with some new and interesting insights into the magical world where not everything is at it seems.
I loved how Downer lets us participate in Sloane‘s own discovery of her powers and possibilities - not all is revealed yet! And Sloane as private investigator is again involved in the magical and nogical realm with interesting revelations and twists on both sides of the „curtain“. And nothing is easy because most things need to remain secret. There is a romantic subplot - a very slow, slow burn with a lot of pitfalls.
The writing is smooth and compelling, the (magical) world-building is well done.

PS: This is part 2 of the Sloane West-mystery series and you strongly suggest you read (or re-read) part 1 to have a better chance to understand what‘s happening.

I received an ARC via netgalley. The review is left voluntarily.