Witch Creek by Laura Bickle

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Supernatural Horror, Urban Fantasy
Content: Strong Language


As the daughter of an alchemist, Petra Dee has battled supernatural horrors and experienced astonishing wonders. But there’s no magic on earth that can defeat her recent cancer diagnosis, or help find her missing husband, Gabriel. Still, she would bet all her remaining days that the answer to his disappearance lies in the dark subterranean world beneath the Rutherford Ranch on the outskirts of Temperance, Wyoming.

This is the fourth book in the Wildlands series (previously the Dark Alchemy trilogy). With the exception of book two I've felt like this series has gotten better and better. The story was very engrossing and I had a hard time putting this book down. However, this book was not perfect. There were some things that seemed a little contrived and too convenient, but I think the fact that I'm enjoying this series so much made those things more tolerable.

All the characters that I liked from previous books are back; Petra, Maria, Gabe, Nine, and Sig. Petra is fighting cancer in this book and her friend Maria is acting the mother hen. I have to admit that annoyed me a little. I could understand Petra's feelings about the Chemo and the hospital and Maria's feelings about wanting her friend to take better care of herself, but they both still annoyed me a little bit.

Gabe is dealing with his own circumstances perpetuated by Owen and Petra sets out to find him. Besides the cancer, there are several obstacles along the way, one being the mermaid-like creature that has been living in the underground lake beneath the Rutherford ranch. Then there is the bar owner Lev, who gets more page time in this installment and his character gets expanded upon. I did enjoy finding out more about him, but I almost thought there was a little too much going on. In the end it ended up all being tied together. I won't say how so as not to spoil anything.

As I said before, it felt a little contrived and too convenient, but it was still very enjoyable. I was left with a few big questions at the end of the book, and a theory that I kind of hope is wrong. I'll definitely be reading the next book in the series to find out the answers.