These books keep getting better and better! I enjoyed this book much more than The Goblin Emperor. I will read anything else Katherine Addison sets in this world.

Okay, so the problem I have with Katherine Addison's Goblin Empire world is that it doesn't *need* to be a fantasy series. Both Witness for the Dead and Grief of Stones are simply cozy. mysteries wrapped up with strange names and new lands.

Understand that I'm not complaining, I don't want my time back- these books are all well worth the read. They're well crafted, thorough and detail oriented while maintaining interest in whodunnit. I will say that grief of stones felt like it should have ended when the first mystery was solved. After that, even as interesting as it was, I just kept wondering why is the story continuing? That transition could've been handled better.

Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to access this title in exchange for an honest review.

This book was good, much better than the previous, I think it's because the main character had more development by this point and the mystery was better done. Celehar is also given an apprentice and the banter and character dynamics between the two is fun. This book is fun, and I would recommend it to people who want a mystery set in a fantasy setting.

I have reconciled with myself, after three books in this universe, that I just despise the names. I hate them. Sorry, Katherine Addison, they are needless complex and confusing. Especially listening to a mystery on audio, I just never have any concept of who any character is. Which is a problem for a mystery because reveals and twists mean nothing. "Oh wow, it's Belmforahingseringpolis!" but I don't remember who the hell Belmforahingseringpolis is or why that's surprising. So I will probably refrain from reading any books published in this world going forward, but I do think they're well written and fun.

7/10

If we can’t have more adventures of our favorite Goblin Emperor, at least there’s more Witness for the Dead, now with an apprentice and investigating murders and corruption in his new location, including sexual exploitation of vulnerable teens. Obviously, some grim subject matter, but our protagonist is as gentle and unrelenting as we expect.

I don’t really typically read stuff in the genre. But clearly I need to give historical fiction a bigger try because it was fantastic

I’m willing to bet that I’d have enjoyed this more had I realized it was book 2 in a series before I started it. The cover sold me and I requested it from NetGalley and was approved. The story was great, but I do feel like I missed out on something - I don’t know what seeing as I didn’t read book one. Maybe it’s world building, maybe it’s something else but the beginning of this book was rough for me.

Once it got going and I started figuring things out it was great! Such an interesting book with several little mysteries going at once that build up to a big mystery that needs solved in this fantasy word. I can’t say I’ve read a book that unfolded quite this way before and it was definitely enjoyable.

If you like fantasy and mystery books - I’d definitely recommend giving this a try, but I also recommend reading book one first!

3.5⭐️

Celehar is has become more settled in his life as a Witness for the dead in the city of Amalo, with even an apprentice to train. However, in his investigations, a mysterious message and a dead foundling girl leads him into a mire of politics and treachery, threatening the life he's built.

As usual, Addison pulls the reader into a Celehar's world, honoring the dead with integrity. At times, this reads like a medieval Sherlock Holmes story with little mysteries woven with the larger story and flowery language. But it's filled with such care for Celehar and how he interacts with the world and how his friends cherish him in a way that he cannot. I liked the new dimension of the apprentice and how Celehar interacts with her. The mystery is a good one, and the story ends on a bittersweet note and I look forward to the next installment. Definitely recommend.

Thank to Netgalley and Tor Books for the advanced audiobook of this novella. And audiobook narration fits the story very well and I enjoyed it.

I was OVER THE MOON to get an ARC of this to review. I devoured "The Goblin Emperor" years ago, and had somehow sat on book 2 since it's release, only held back by my cripplingly large TBR. But getting an ARC got me in gear, and I listened to "Witness for the Dead" AND "The Grief of Stones" over a 3-day period. And such a wonderful 3 days it was!

This second Celehar-centric book focuses a bit more on the fantasy and politics of the world. We begin by learning about the more mortal, physical evils of Amalo. Orphaned children, blackmail, murder, and crimes more heinous. And the real-world thrusts Celehar into fantasy peril, and in these books, that means the dead. This book has the most perilous fight of the whole series, and that's saying something, when the first book is all about the emperor and people trying to assassinate him!

I was delighted to see a bit of Celehar dancing around romance with his opera-director friend. Addison has me hooked on this relationship. They're so tentative, but there's this comfort and obvious longing for fulfillment that has me already wanting the next book.

Really, the whole thing has me wanting the next book. For a mystery series, it's not so much a spoiler to say that we're set up for a new book of crime and justice, but Addison gave a really compelling ending. One that promises a lot more fantasy (and gay pining) in Amalo book 3.

I need it NOW.

If you’re a fan of the modern classic The Goblin Emperor then you are probably excited for this 3rd book which returns to the world, it’s a direct sequel to The Witness for the Dead which was considered a standalone so it’s fun to see a new series being made out of it and it continues to follow Thara who is able to talk to the dead, getting to the bottom of what happened to them. This is a fantasy/mystery mix so if that’s what you’re in the mood for. This is a great option. Kinda has that investigation quality to it. Reminds me of the video game Murder Soul Suspect a bit. It’s certainly a great installment and worthwhile book within the Goblin Emperor universe. Narrator does a fantastic job and I’m glad I followed along with it.

Katherine Addison is not only an excellent fantasy writer, but an excellent mystery writer as well. Some of the cases Celehar receives as Witness for the Dead are larger mysteries. Others give a fascinating "slice of life", occasionally with comic relief. Celehar is a likeable character, and I'm enjoying his (very) slow burn romance. The apprentice who joins him in this book is a great addition. I am charmed by this mystery series set in a fantasy world, and hope to read many more in this series.

The archaic language (with formal and informal you, as well as the formal we) is not really to my taste as a reader, although I do like that she indicates in each instance whether the "we" is formal or plural. It gives the text the feeling of having been translated from a language with two different words for "we", maybe the elven language.

My full review is in the format of a podcast episode, which will be live at this URL as of 7/14/2022: https://narratedpodcast.com/episodes/156

The sequel to The Witness for the Dead is just a good as that one. Short version is if you liked book one then book two is just as wonderful. In this book a grieving Marquis petitions for the death of his wife to be investigated even though it was 3 months prior, and everyone says it was a natural death. In looking at everyone that might have had a grudge against her, he goes to a founding school and is passed a note from a student begging for help. At the same time this is going on he gains an apprentice, a widow who had the gift come to her later in life and has had no religious training or much use of her gift. What is happening at the school becomes a much larger mystery when the girl who passed the note is found to be murdered that night, but Celehar can’t see who did it with his gift.

There is the usual religious intrigue that seems to be part of his life but the murders get solved and the other crimes that come to light during the course of the book are also stopped. These are great mysteries set in a fantasy world and I hope there will be so many more to read in this setting. The audio of this is wonderful and has the same narrator as before.

Digital review copy provided by the publisher through Edelweiss

The Grief of Stones by Katherine Addison
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Like The Goblin Emperor and The Witness for the Dead, the story is full of rich fantasy worldbuilding that serves the purpose of an extended Cozy Mystery.

That being said, if you like sedate, rich fantasy that handles the little things and almost entirely the little things -- until it gets to the one big thing -- then this is definitely gonna be your kind of book.

This one doesn't disappoint. Indeed, I may have really enjoyed the small stuff better than the one big mystery. That one was rather rough, emotionally, and seeing justice be done was rather pressing for me.


I get it. Having this bit of realism, no matter how horrible, is necessary for these kinds of books, but it does take away from the reality of escapism. My initial reaction was... "oh hell no, no, no, I read these kinds of books to escape the horrors of reality, not realize that there is no escape... anywhere."

But then I remembered the kind of racism and nastiness that was inherent in the first book and I knew it was all of a similar vein.

My only complaint is that I felt a certain lack of urgency and conflict, aside from the big one, but this IS still a Cozy Mystery.

The Grief of Stones continues the adventures of Thara Celehar, Speaker for the Dead. Part cleric and part detective, Celehar uses his ability to connect with the recently dead to help people and solve mysteries ranging from trivial to those of deadly significance. I enjoy the often non-linear quality of Katherine Addison’s storytelling which provides both slice of life and mystery elements while keeping the reader engaged throughout.

Liam Gerrard’s narration of the audiobook has really grown on me and is well paired to the world and Celehar in particular. His depiction of Celehar is mostly reserved, occasionally grumpy, but fully endearing as we follow Celehar as he finds large and small ways to help those that cross his path.

I really enjoy the mix of mystery, slice of life, and fantasy elements in the series and hope to see many more of Celehar’s adventures.

Review episode (# 156) on Narrated podcast scheduled for 14 Jun 2022.

This book opens right after The Witness for the Dead ended, so I advise you to reread the previous book before starting this one.

The Grief of Stones is as incredible as the previous book. Celehar is slowly healing from his last heartache, and his walls are slowly coming down. Then the ending threw him a curveball that I’m dying to see how it will play out.

This can be considered the third book in a series, but you don’t need to read Goblin Emperor, though you need to read The Witness for the Dead. You should read them anyway because this fantasy world is full of goblins and elves working to improve their community. There aren’t evil people, just selfish people.

The audiobook is narrated by Liam Gerrard, who has done the previous books, and he always does a good job.

This review is based on an advanced reader copy provided through Netgalley for an honest review.

The Grief of Stones is the second in a series of fantasy detective stories set in the world of The Goblin Emperor. It follows the Witness for the Dead, Celehar, as he investigates problems for the city's working class.

I love this series. Fantasy mysteries are my favorite, and Katherine Addison is a master. The story is very noir as Celehar fatalistically goes about this misunderstood work which distances him from everyone. Only now an apprentice has been foisted on him and shakes him out of his routine. I love the themes of observation and community throughout the story. Although Celehar believes himself an outsider, his willingness to help anyone and devotion to the truth ingratiate him within his sphere, and he has more people on his side than he realizes.

I especially appreciate the multiple religions and cultural practices explored in this world of elves and goblins. The city is in the process of industrializing, with factories and trams, but religion is still strong in a place where people can talk to the dead and ghouls haunt the cemeteries.

This book was everything I wanted, and I can't wait until the next in the series!

The audiobook was wonderfully read by Liam Gerrard, who glides over the unfamiliar names and makes every character distinct.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for access to this advanced audio copy.