Ballad of the Bone Road is a standalone dark fantasy novel written by A.C. Wise, published by Titan Books. A mysterious spectral story articulated around the fascinating city of Port Astor, playing with a setting where magical beings are gone from memory, but still remnants are haunting the place; in that setting is where our two characters run an agency dealing with the supernatural being.

Bellefeather (Belle) and Brix are partners in taking cases of the paranormal business, about the unusual and the haunted. When they receive a case at the prestigious Peony Hotel where a whole room has disappeared, they know this is the case they were looking for; however, Belle's demon Belezial (they share a body with Belle), is reluctant to enter, so she decides to take another lane of investigation, to understand what's making Belezial so scared. While Brix continues investigating the mystery behind the hotel and how it is related to the ghost of Jimmy Valentine, Belle's estranged sister calls her back home. But there's more behind the call, as preacher Clarence and his flock are under the influence of something more sinister than faith; a new proof that the fae are still reluctant to leave Port Astor.

Brix and Belle are two sides of the same coin: both are carrying in their own way with grief and demons; at the end, this is a book about how difficult is to let things go, and the main characters are the best example of it. The author does a marvelous job of fleshing out these characters, making us care for their struggles and suffer when they are in danger.

The novel is structured into two seemingly disjointed storylines that end up converging together in a kinda chaotic way: it is impactful when it happens, so I recommend just trust the process. The setting is definitely one of my favourite aspects of the book, how it blends together the Gilded Age atmosphere with the uncanniness of those magic remains; all paired with an almost lyrical prose that suits well the themes of this book.

Ballad of the Bone Road is a great novel, one that you will love if you are into paranormal themes and wish to read a quirky but still compelling character duo; a really enjoyable standalone novel by A.C. Wise!