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Minerva Grey
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Smoke and Mirrors (The Stricken Squad Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Minerva Grey (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 out of 5 stars 16 ratings
Victoria, BC, 1964. Following a major tragedy, a new police squad led by Inspector Allen Church is given the task of investigating cases related to the stricken. These individuals with inhuman natures have begun to integrate with society, but often with dire results. Even as his team is forming, Church must investigate two suspicious deaths with possible ties to the stricken, while navigating the secret surrounding his newest recruit.
Church's case begins with a corpse found on a still-burning pyre, a suspicious death that Church fears may be tied to superstition and prejudice. While he focuses on this case, he hands off a secondary file to his new detective, only to find he may have made a mistake when a body turns up in the course of that investigation as well.

What readers say:
"I couldn't put it down! It's the right blend of spooky, historical and supernatural. In a fresh new world set in 1960s Victoria, BC, follow the newest police squad as they do their best to solve crime." - Amazon reader

"What is particularly great is how the two worlds (occult and non-occult) are so intertwined that it begins to seem normal. And despite the grisly nature of some of the non-human creatures, the story isn’t full of gore and horror. " - Amazon reader
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  1. Book 1 of 2
    The Stricken Squad
  2. Print length
    264 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    2 December 2022
  5. File size
    525 KB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BNY1NK6K
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ self-published (2 December 2022)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 525 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 264 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 1738718425
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 out of 5 stars 16 ratings

About the author

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Minerva Grey

Minerva Grey

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Minerva is a young professional and author. She has lived in three provinces in Canada, as well as in Europe and Japan, and she is conversational in French and Japanese. Her writing is influenced by her training in public administration, and much of her work features at some level the roles and impacts of government on its citizens. She also enjoys finding new lenses through which to explore familiar settings.

Minerva’s favourite authors are Dorothy Sayers and Terry Pratchett. Her favourite mangaka are CLAMP and Aoyama Goshou. She also paints in watercolour and spends an inordinate amount of time amusing her cat.

Check out her website for more information and for links to her socials with up-to-date information on new projects: www.minerva-grey.com

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
16 global ratings

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Top reviews from Australia

  • Grady Harp
    5.0 out of 5 stars A very fine mystery - a police squad investigates the occult!
    Reviewed in Australia on 4 February 2023
    Canadian author/artist Minerva Grey makes an impressive debut with SMOKE AND MIRRORS, the first volume of a projected series - The Stricken Squad. Her skill of creating vivid atmospheres is quite obvious as she opens her story: ‘Police whistles on a foggy night. The sound of boots pounding on the ground, of men panting with exertion. All around trees loomed out of the mist while gravestones rose from the earth like teeth, catching one officer off guard and sending him in a headlong dive on the damp grass, cursing as he tumbled.’ The stage is set for a searing mystery, outlined as follows: ‘Victoria, BC, 1964. Following a major tragedy, a new police squad led by Inspector Allen Church is given the task of investigating cases related to the stricken. These individuals with inhuman natures have begun to integrate with society, but often with dire results. Even as his team is forming, Church must investigate two suspicious deaths with possible ties to the stricken, while navigating the secret surrounding his newest recruit. Church's case begins with a corpse found on a still-burning pyre, a suspicious death that Church fears may be tied to superstition and prejudice. While he focuses on this case, he hands off a secondary file to his new detective, only to find he may have made a mistake when a body turns up in the course of that investigation as well.’

    The Stricken Squad, led by Church and Meares, become a force to follow as this initial episode of a series takes flight. Grey imbues her writing with her visual artistic flair and the result is a well-spun mystery, beautifully paced, and making the occult credible! Very highly recommended.
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Grady Harp
    5.0 out of 5 stars A very fine mystery - a police squad investigates the occult!
    Reviewed in the United States on 4 February 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Canadian author/artist Minerva Grey makes an impressive debut with SMOKE AND MIRRORS, the first volume of a projected series - The Stricken Squad. Her skill of creating vivid atmospheres is quite obvious as she opens her story: ‘Police whistles on a foggy night. The sound of boots pounding on the ground, of men panting with exertion. All around trees loomed out of the mist while gravestones rose from the earth like teeth, catching one officer off guard and sending him in a headlong dive on the damp grass, cursing as he tumbled.’ The stage is set for a searing mystery, outlined as follows: ‘Victoria, BC, 1964. Following a major tragedy, a new police squad led by Inspector Allen Church is given the task of investigating cases related to the stricken. These individuals with inhuman natures have begun to integrate with society, but often with dire results. Even as his team is forming, Church must investigate two suspicious deaths with possible ties to the stricken, while navigating the secret surrounding his newest recruit. Church's case begins with a corpse found on a still-burning pyre, a suspicious death that Church fears may be tied to superstition and prejudice. While he focuses on this case, he hands off a secondary file to his new detective, only to find he may have made a mistake when a body turns up in the course of that investigation as well.’

    The Stricken Squad, led by Church and Meares, become a force to follow as this initial episode of a series takes flight. Grey imbues her writing with her visual artistic flair and the result is a well-spun mystery, beautifully paced, and making the occult credible! Very highly recommended.
    Report
  • Irina C
    5.0 out of 5 stars Good world building and an interesting mystery
    Reviewed in Canada on 15 January 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Very much enjoyed the book. World building is well done. At first you notice new terms - stricken, sun-struck, Moon-struck, blood-struck - then meaning slowly crystalizes. By the time "official" definition is given - approx chapter 12 - it's a confirmation of what you already know.

    Great use of language, little details that make it feel "old" - kerb instead of curb, loupe instead of magnifying glass, etc.

    A very believable world. It has the supernatural, but all the other problems exist too: people of many races and cultures, sexual orientation. And all the usual problems that come with it: prejudice not only against the stricken, but any "other".
    Report
  • Kevin
    5.0 out of 5 stars Utterly Captivating
    Reviewed in Canada on 23 June 2023
    Verified Purchase
    This story was worth losing sleep over, and I say this as the mother of a young toddler. It's easy to get lost in the world the author has created, which is at the same time fantastic and very, very real. The detail and historical research that must have happened add depth and take the reader on a vivid tour of 1960's Victoria... with a dark, mythical twist. Each character is very much their own being on their own journey, and we are given just enough insight to appreciate their development throughout the story. I love a good mystery, too! Looking forward the rest of the series!
    Report
  • KMB13
    5.0 out of 5 stars An Enthralling Supernatural Mystery
    Reviewed in the United States on 6 February 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Smoke and Mirrors (The Stricken Squad Book 1) by Minerva Grey is an enthralling supernatural mystery set in the 1960s in Victoria, B.C. Protagonist Allen Church leads the Stricken Squad, an elite team of investigators dedicated to solving occult-related crimes. The author successfully combines reality with the paranormal in a way that makes them both seem normal and believable.

    The plot centers around an unsolved murder that has left Victoria gripped in fear. With the help of his teammates, Church must use all his skills as a detective and paranormal investigator to uncover the truth behind the crime. As he and his team investigate, they discover a connection between the murder and a powerful supernatural force.

    The characters in Smoke and Mirrors are intriguing and intriguingly flawed. As the story progresses, we get to know each member of the Stricken Squad and gain insight into their motivations and relationships.

    Overall, Smoke and Mirrors (The Stricken Squad Book 1) is an engrossing, fast-paced read with plenty of supernatural thrills and surprises. Looking forward to reading the next episode.
    Report
  • Shannon Corregan
    5.0 out of 5 stars Clever, compelling urban fantasy / mystery novel
    Reviewed in Canada on 21 December 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Smoke and Mirrors is a very clever, very atmospheric mystery novel set in 1960s Victoria, reimagined through an urban supernatural lens. The characters are clearly-drawn and immediately compelling: we follow new recruit Meares and his boss, Inspector Church, as they tackle the mystery of a local death AND navigate the increasing social unrest of a town where supernatural creatures walk the streets. Fantastic sense of scene: the supernatural elements build organically off the well-researched historical setting. Wonderful world-building, with a compelling mystery at the centre.
    Report

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