BLACK OAK

In Murphy’s debut, the first in a prospective supernatural series, people in a small town become entangled in an ongoing war between immortal beings.

At a glance, Wichita is a quiet, modest town near South Kansas City. Local truck driver Mark finally gathers up the courage to ask out Sharon, who works the counter at the one-stop shop he patronizes. Meanwhile, Mark’s friend Ron is at odds with his ex-convict brother, Tommy, who’s just finished a 15-year stint in prison. Other residents include reputedly immortal witches. Nearly 250 years ago, the area was the site of the Great War in which witches and human Hunters battled wolflike beasts called Jackals. That war officially ended, but the tension between the various beings continues to this day. Witches have tried to increase their numbers through recruitment, including reaching out to some people who aren’t aware they have witch bloodlines.Now, witches are contacting local residents, including Sharon’s parents, who may be at least part witch and have powerful abilities. Tracking down potential recruits is essential, as recent maulings of campers suggest that Riffs—vampire-Jackal hybrids—are in the vicinity and that all-out war may soon be returning to Kansas. Murphy’s novel is populated by myriad, vibrant characters with engrossing backstories. For example, Mark and his mother both suffered abuse at the hands of his alcoholic father, and readers eventually learn about the crime that sent Tommy away, which ties to other characters’ pasts. A prologue offers a hint of the Great War in 1782 and another section portrays witch recruitment in 1815, but most of the story consists of present-day characters in real-world predicaments. Frequent dialogue scenes give the narrative a consistent pace and are often informative, and although very little action occurs in this book, Murphy has plenty of material to develop in planned sequels.

A low-key but detailed introduction to a world of uncanny characters and creatures.