Still on the run from the Covenant, Antimony Price loses
herself in the anonymity of a low-scale job in Lowryland,
a Florida theme park. Luck seems to be going her way, and
life is basically ok, despite missing her family more than
she ever thought possible. When freak accidents begin to
occur, almost always in her vicinity something begins to
smell rotten in Lowryland.
TRICKS FOR FREE is book seven in Seanan McGuire's InCryptid
series, the second featuring Antimony Price. I thoroughly
enjoyed reading this. Antimony, having struggled to
bridge the gap between teen and adult in MAGIC FOR NOTHING,
comes into her own in TRICKS FOR FREE. Important character
development (and loads of fun skating), plenty of mystery,
action, and a smidgen of romance are only the icing on the
cake to one of the best-laid storylines I've read. I
particularly enjoyed the people from Antimony's past who
become integral to the plot. We were teased with glimpses
in book six, but in book seven we learn more about them. There
is even someone from book three, HALF-OFF RAGNAROK, included,
who I always wanted to know more about.
Seanan McGuire is also writes the October Daye series,
among others. I am greatly anticipating book eight in the
InCryptid series, as will many
other readers. One slight
warning, unless you really don't mind reading books out of
order, you will want to at least begin with book six, MAGIC
FOR NOTHING, rather than plunge in to TRICKS FOR FREE.
The seventh book in the funny and fast-paced InCryptid
urban fantasy series returns to the mishaps of the Price
family, eccentric cryptozoologists who safeguard the world
of magical creatures living in secret among humans.
Penance, noun:
1. Punishment for past actions.
2. An attempt to pay for what can't be bought.
3. See also "exile."
Antimony Price is on the run. With the Covenant on her tail
and her family still in danger, she needs to get far, far
away from anyone who might recognize her--including her own
mice. For the first time in a long time, a Price is flying
without a safety net. Where do you go when you need to
disappear into a crowd without worrying about attracting
attention? An amusement park, of course.
Some people would call Lowryland the amusement park. It's
one of the largest in Florida, the keystone of the Lowry
entertainment empire...but for Annie, it's a place to hide.
She's just trying to keep her head down long enough to come
up with a plan that will get her home without getting anyone
killed. No small order when she's rooming with gorgons and
sylphs, trying to placate frustrated ghosts, and rushing to
get to work on time.
Then the accidents begin. The discovery of a dead man brings
Annie to the attention of the secret cabal of magic users
running Lowryland from behind the scenes. They want the fire
that sleeps in her fingers. They want her on their side.
They want to help her--although their help, like everything
else, comes with a price.
No plan. Minimal backup. No way out. Annie's about to get a
crash course in the reality behind the pretty facade. If
she's lucky, she'll survive the experience.