The Undetectables

 Book 80 of my 2025 Reading Challenge

read from November 2 - 14

The Undetectables by Courtney Smyth

published 2023

Summary (via the book jacket)

A magical serial killer is stalking the Occult town of Wrackton. Hypnotic whistling causes victims to chew their own tongues off, leading to the killer being dubbed the Whistler (original, right?).

Enter the Undetectables, a detective agency run by three witches and a ghost in a cat costume (don't ask). They are hired to investigate the murders, but with their only case so far left unsolved, will they be up to the task?

Mallory, the forensic science expert, is struggling with pain and fatigue from her recently diagnosed fibromyalgia. Cornelia is suddenly stirring all sorts of feelings in Mallory. Diana is hitting up all her ex-girlfriends for information. And not forgetting ghostly Theodore: deceased, dramatic, and also the agency's first - unsolved - murder case.

With bodies stacking up and the case leading them to mysteries at the very heart of magic society, can the Undetectables find the Whistler before they become the killer's next victims?

My Opinion

3 stars

Be Gay.  Solve Crimes.  Take Naps.  Best tagline ever.

I wavered between 2 and 3 stars on this book but ended up on 3 because I am interested in continuing the series.  I liked the characters but felt the writing was an odd mix of not enough story to explain all the plot points yet also too much story because it dragged as I waited for them to catch up to what I predicted early on.  A prequel with some backstory of the town and magic would be super helpful.

I was surprised by how many major characters were victims, especially considering this is the first book in a series.  I like books where nobody feels safe because it adds to the unpredictability.