Under Ordshaw by Phil Williams

Pax is screwed. She made a killing at the poker game, but an awkward encounter at her local dive bar leaves her looking for her stash. Rent is due and her money is gone. In the midst of her investigation she meets a representative from a mysterious government agency. He may have a badge or something, but is The Ministry for Environmental Energy real and what is it hiding? Pax digs deeper and the veil is pulled back from a vast underground of monsters and fae. Soon she is caught between an angry pistol-whipping fairy, the feds, and a downward spiral into the gritty world Under Ordshaw.

I felt like the tension at the beginning of the book was created by the mystery of the supernatural residents of Ordshaw. It’s a large sprawling city somewhere in the UK.  It drove me to keep turning pages early on, but as the worldbuilding gets a bit clearer, it’s these characters that Williams has created that make this book memorable. From the sassy fairy Letty (who seems to be everyone’s favorite) to the morally grey Cano Casaria, the agent from The Ministry; I was unsure of their intentions from the beginning.

Under Ordshaw is full of twists and gave me a bit more of a taste of Urban Fantasy. I’ve read some Butcher and a couple one-offs, but this book is a good immersive tale that gripped me from the start and I’m excited to continue the series.

I want to say a big thank you to Justine and Timy for all their work in setting up Storytellers on Tour. They have put together a great selection of books and bloggers to review them. I’m so happy to be a part of this tour and look forward to many more with this group.