Grimoire Noir by Vera Greentea and Yana Bogatch

Bucky Orsen’s sister is lost. Lost in a town full of witches, clique battles, and a history that he never fully grasps. His father is the town sheriff, but because of misplaced loyalties to the mayor and others, Bucky takes it upon himself to investigate the disappearance. Clues are thrown in his way, and he’s pulled left and right off the trail, but he’s persistent.

The town of Blackwell has a history of witchery, as the charms are passed down through women and the mighty Coven of Crows, a group that hides secrets and power. Bucky must pick apart the ties that bind these young women to find what they are protecting in order to ultimately get his sister back.

The story is a bit jumbled. If that puts us in Bucky’s shoes a bit, that is good… but it seems confusing and only through select flashbacks did I really start to figure out what was going on in the town and between Bucky’s supposed allies. I appreciated the art and the varied backgrounds and the grim aesthetic, yet found many of the characters limited by the style and the color palette.

Overall, Grimoire Noir is a story with links to Salem and small-town amateur sleuthing. Pick this one up for a twisty tale that at times takes you down one too many bends.

3 out of 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, First Second Books, and the authors for an advanced copy for review.