At Death’s Door: A Deadman’s Cross Novel

Overfilled with piratical melodrama and plot twists galore, the final romantic historical fantasy in Kenyon’s Deadman’s Cross trilogy (after Death Doesn’t Bargain) is an over-the-top adventure. As a member of the Deadmen, a crew of reanimated pirates sworn to fight demons, Valynda has never fit in, cursed as she is into the body of a doll made of straw. Throughout Valynda’s tenure aboard the Sea Witch II, the only person to make her feel whole has been Nibo, a powerful Voodoo spirit. When one of the demons known as the Malachai reveals to Valynda that Nibo betrayed her, she no longer knows who to trust. As the Deadmen prepare for battle and Valynda works to break the curse and regain her human form, she struggles to untangle her romantic feelings for Nibo. But the focus on their overdramatic love story comes at the expense of the action, and the cast of supporting characters is so vast and their shifting loyalties so convoluted that even returning readers will find it difficult to keep track of everything. This bloated series finale suffers for attempting to do too much. Agent: Robert Gottlieb, Trident Media Group. (Sept.)