Review: Tricks for Free

Tricks for Free by Seanan McGuire
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Tricks for Free is the seventh entry in the InCryptid series and one of my favorites, in spite of the novel’s lack of Aeslin mice. (Aeslin Mice fans, take heart! Included with this novel is the account of Mindy and Mork’s perilous journey back to the Price compound, following Annie’s difficult decision to send them home at the conclusion of Magic for Nothing, in a story previously only available to McGuire’s Patreon supporters.)

Over the course of the first six books we’ve gotten to know the three Price siblings and Antimony, the youngest, has in many ways become my favorite. Magic for Nothing and Tricks for Free have the feel of a bildungsroman, offering us the account of how Antimony grew up, stopped resenting her siblings, learned to graciously accept help from friends and loved ones, and learned not to hate her magic. Annie is wildly brave, deciding at the conclusion of the previous book that the best way to keep her family safe is to run, cut off all family contact, and hide from the Covenant of St. George. Now if you’re looking for a great place to hide, you know it would be natural for Seanan McGuire to think of a theme park, Disneyland fan that she is. Rather than going for the Mouse, Antimony goes to work at the fictional Lowryland, to lay low, and rooms with a former Slasher Chicks roller derby friend, Fern, a sylph, and new-found friend Megan, a medical resident who just happens to be a Pliny’s gorgon, both of whom work for Lowryland. (In Megan’s case, its hospital.) Of course you know it’s all going to go haywire. This is Annie Price we’re talking about, and where Prices tread/roll, action always follows.

With murders, cabals, explosions, parade disasters, near drownings, Aunt Mary and Aunt Rose (yes, that Rose, Rose Marshall, the girl in the diner, the girl in the green silk dress, the phantom prom date...), a jink named Cylia, and (heart-swell) a fûri named Sam, Annie is going to sort out Lowryland’s problems like any child of the Price family would be expected to. With knives.

We learn quite a bit more about the Crossroads in this book, and get a bit of a hint about the fate of Thomas Price, Annie’s missing grandfather, who bargained with the Crossroads. (I am still hoping Alice will be able to find and rescue Thomas.) We also learn how Crossroads bargains are made if you’re lucky to have Mary Dunlavy as your advocate. The subtle differences between the rules observed Mary and Rose are explored in somewhat greater depth in this book.

All in all a very satisfying entry in the InCryptid series! Bring on the recitation of the mice! Hail!

I received a Digital Review Copy of this book from DAW and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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