The Scarlet Coven
by David Stuart Davies
Urbane Publications

Horror , Mystery & Thrillers
Pub Date 20 Apr 2017   

Review

Grab a Gibson and enjoy this thoroughly refreshing cocktail of mystery and horror with just a hint of sass.  Simon Finch may have retired from the police, but that hasn’t stopped him from taking on the odd investigation.  It also hasn’t stopped his wife, Laura, from joining in on the fun.  Like the leads of many of the mysteries from the 30s and 40s,  Laura and Simon trade quips, drink cocktails and romance each other while tackling the case.  

At the start of The Scarlet Coven, Simon and Laura are approached by a troubled man convinced he is about to be killed.  When the duo arrive at the prearranged meeting, they find the man dead, stabbed with a strange dagger.  Simon soon discovers that the man was searching for his sister who had disappeared a few months earlier.  The young woman had been working for a small bookshop before her disappearance.  As Simon and Laura pick up the threads, they discover links to a sinister group, The Scarlet Coven.  Through the practice of black magic, the Scarlet Coven gathers wealth and power, readily crushing any who get in their way.  That isn’t about to stop Simon or Laura from trying to stop them.  

While there is a touch of the fantastic, this isn’t what you would call a “horror” novel.  It is more of a supernatural mystery.  The Scarlet Coven is an appealing novel, that even those who normally stay far away from the horror label will enjoy.  If you like old-school mysteries like The Thin Man, you will definitely enjoy The Scarlet Coven.

5 / 5

I received a copy of The Scarlet Coven from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

--Crittermom

Description
 

New York 1936. Leading New York detective Simon Finch has received an unexpected inheritance and left the force to pursue his dream of becoming a writer. But a true detective is never far from finding trouble...or trouble finding him...

A stranger approaches Finch in the Algonquin Hotel, asking him to help find his sister who has disappeared. When he later visits the man's hotel room he discovers that he has been murdered - stabbed with a dagger decorated with strange markings. As Finch investigates further he discovers recently acquitted crime boss Fats Molloy is mixed up with the man's murder and the missing sister. The trail leads him to an occult bookshop ...has the missing woman been kidnapped by a group of Satanists, The Scarlet Coven?

Joining forces with a black private eye, Patrick Murphy, who is also investigating the cult, they endure a series of wild adventures and close calls with demonic forces as they seek the truth about the mysterious leader of the Coven...and the nefarious plans for death and mayhem