I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Putting the Ice in Nice on 09-12-2023Format: ARC, eBook
Source: Netgalley
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It pays to be nice... but only if you’re into blood, pain, and tears.
Beck Wyatt, a witch with very few f*cks to give, is back in action, and as usual, her life has gone pear-shaped. Her maybe-boyfriend has gone MIA. One of her bffs fell into a big hole and got Lifeflighted to the hospital. The cops want to help her solve a kidnapping with a side helping of murder. Even worse? Her recently un-estranged mom wants to have brunch.
There’s also a homicidal deer.
It turns out there’s witchery involved in the murder/kidnapping, and a certain asshat detective has spilled the beans about Beck’s powers. Now she’s looking for a killer. Trouble is, the killer might be looking for her too.
Beck’s about to learn that no good deed goes unpunished, and nice is just another word for victim.
You simply can’t have read urban fantasy for any length of time and not have encountered Diana Pharaoh Francis. I’ve seen her name for years but never had an excuse to read anything. Not for lack of desire, but through a very, very long reading list. That was, until I discovered RJ Blain and went on a Magical Romantic Comedy (with a body count) bender. During the course of this, I picked up Dirty Deeds 2 — which is, I think, no longer available, alas — which is a compilation of novellas from several UF authors: Faith Hunter, Devon Monk, Jennifer Estep, RJ Blain, and yes, Diana Pharaoh Francis.
That is where I first encountered Beck Wyatt. Of course, Putting the Chic in Psychic is the second book in the Everyday Disasters series, so after being fascinated by Beck’s sarcastic, life’s-a-bitch-and-then-you-die-but-you-can-absolutely-make-that-everyone’s-problem point of view, I had to backtrack and read the first in the series: Putting the Fun in Funeral. (Note: the links on this post are NOT affiliate links, because they’re not available via Bookshop. Bookview Cafe, the site I am linking, is author-owned and would be my recommended place to get these, but I am not an affiliate and receive no personal benefit from that.)
Basically, Beck Wyatt is the living embodiment of my personal philosophy: I can do all things through spite, which strengthens me. When the people who are supposed to love and support you instead grind you down, tell you that either you don’t want what you want or that what you want isn’t important, try to keep you isolated and dependent, and are just generally assholes, you have two choices: let them win or take on an “I AM BECOME SPITE, DESTROYER OF EVERYTHING YOU STAND FOR” attitude. Whew. I guess I identify with Beck a little more than I thought. My personal situation never contained a fake-Aunty-Mommy with literal magic who enjoyed thinking up and implementing creative abuses (for which I am thankful) but Becks and I kind of ended up in the same place: Life thinks it can take everything away from me? Take it, bitch. I’ll still stand back up and still kick your ass.
If you’ve spent any time reading urban fantasy at all, then you owe Diana Pharaoh Francis the opportunity to convert you to her fandom. She’s been around forever and she doesn’t get nearly enough credit, in my opinion. She should be much more of a household name than she is, and I think that’s a shame. And, of course, Beck is now a favorite of mine.
