Dead Witch Walking

Dead Witch Walking is an urban fantasy novel set in an alternate version of Cincinnati where supernatural beings live openly alongside humans after a pandemic decimated much of the human population. Rachel Morgan, a witch who works as a runner for Inderland Security, decides to quit her job and start her own bounty hunting business. Rachel partners with Ivy, a living vampire, and Jenks, a pixy, as they establish their detective agency in an old church. Their first major case involves tracking down tax-evading criminals, but Rachel soon finds herself targeted by her former employer who has placed a contract on her life. The story follows Rachel as she navigates complex relationships with her new partners while trying to stay alive and build her business. She must use her witch abilities, along with help from her allies, to survive increasingly dangerous situations in both the human and supernatural worlds. This first installment in The Hollows series explores themes of loyalty, independence, and the costs of challenging established power structures. The supernatural elements serve as a lens to examine prejudice and social hierarchies in modern society.

Readers rate Dead Witch Walking as a solid urban fantasy that takes time to build momentum. The book averages 4.0/5 stars on Goodreads (180,000+ ratings) and 4.4/5 on Amazon (2,000+ ratings). Readers praise: - Complex world-building with unique takes on vampires, witches, and supernatural politics - Rachel Morgan's flaws and realistic character growth - Supporting character Jenks the pixie - Mix of action, humor, and detective work Common criticisms: - Slow first third of the book - Rachel makes questionable decisions - Too much focus on outfits and appearance descriptions - Romance elements feel underdeveloped Several reviewers note the series improves significantly after book one. Reader Amanda K. writes: "Push through the setup - by the end you'll be hooked on the world Harrison creates." Multiple reviews mention dropping the book on first attempt but enjoying it on second read after adjusting expectations for the pacing.

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🌙 Dead Witch Walking was Kim Harrison's debut novel under this pen name, though she had previously published young adult novels as Dawn Cook. 🔮 The series title "The Hollows" comes from the Cincinnati neighborhood where supernatural beings live openly after a genetically modified tomato wiped out a large portion of the human population. ⚗️ Harrison created her own unique vampire mythology for the series, including three distinct classes of vampires: living vampires, dead vampires, and high-blood vampires. 🧪 The main character Rachel Morgan's witch name "Morgan" is significant in occult history, as Morgan le Fay was a powerful sorceress in Arthurian legend. 🌿 The author extensively researched herbs and earth magic while writing the novel, incorporating real botanical knowledge into her fictional magic system.