Several words come to mind: creepy, snarky, charming, cozy. Cozy eldritch horrors, anyone? But you get that in a small town that has an Agreement with the Dark. The Four, direct descendants of the original pact-makers, do the Dark's bidding when needed and the Dark keeps Lake Argen prosperous and untroubled. Cassie is the current Mouth, who can give orders that can't be resisted, and she is the last to see a stranger stab himself in the foot and disappear into the Dead Grounds.
When a private investigator comes to town to look into the man's fate, Cassie is instantly attracted to her. But she knows that at some point, she will have to explain her town's odd circumstances if she wants a real relationship. There may be some problems with that! Especially since the vanished man seems to be unsettling the Dark and changing the balance.
This book shows off Tanya Huff's sharp sense of humour and her vivid imagination. I loved the assortment of characters in Lake Argen, the wild, funny ravens, and the matter-of-fact dealing with the Dark. As if deals with the supernatural were an everyday thing. I love urban fantasy (even when it takes place in non-urban environments) and I really enjoy Huff's versions of it.
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