A delightfully creepy and atmospheric mystery set in the near future. I adored the fantastical horror elements and the slight hints of mythology. It was also extremely cool to read a book set it New Zealand by two residents! I cannot wait to pick up the second book and hope it comes to audio as well!

Plot - 3
Writing and Editing - 5
Character Development - 5
Narration - 5
Personal Bias - 5
Final Score - 4.6

Really enjoyed the book from start to finish. Author wrote this with great pace. This book is now one of my top books of the year for sure. Loved every second of this book.

This one was a different kind of ride! So, there's a scientist who investigates, but it is obvious that her parents do not agree or like her choice of work. The parents want her to change her career choice and then marry a successful businessman. I love that she branches out and goes her way! That I enjoyed!
I enjoyed the many twists and turns of the narrative! I love the emphasis on science and enjoyed that the MC went her path and stuck with it! Penny is her person, and she is a forensic scientist, though she does take her adoptive brother on her adventures for safety. I loved the witty dialogue, as it was entertaining. The descriptions of the scenes and the opposite perspectives were nice.
This was an easy listen. The narrators fit the parts, and I enjoyed listening to the story! The narrators help build up the suspense!
Thank You, Netgalley and RDS Audio for the opportunity to listen and review this one!

Phew! Edge of the seat! I couldn't put this down! I dare you to see if you can. ;) I love a sister and brother team. I love that they are protective of each other and completely, off the charts, polar opposites. Or are they? Attention to detail, in different ways. Can't wait to get their hands dirty and solve the mystery but in different ways. Just because they are different doesn't mean it's wrong or that they don't love each other. They have the same goals.

This book was just OK for me. It was too slow up until maybe 2/3 in for my liking. But I think that was mostly because of character building. This is a good first book in the series and I'm interested in seeing what the next book has in store. The narrator was great!

Thank you, Netgalley and the author/publisher, for an advanced copy of the audiobook version of this book, in exchange for my honest opinion! I'm leaving this review voluntarily!

This was an interesting blend of a “detective” story and horror. While the detective in question is a scientific consultant for the police and not officially a detective, the vibes were the same. The horror aspect was there but not over the top to where it would turn off non-horror readers.

The way this book unfolded was perfect. I really enjoyed the pacing and the storyline was solid. In the beginning it felt like it wasn’t cohesive, but once it got going everything clicked into place.

I was granted access to the audiobook through NetGalley and dual narrators for the dual POV was great. I’m not sure I could have kept up with it otherwise since each POV got half of a chapter and it wasn’t always consistent with who started the chapter. The sound effects and transition music were also a nice touch.

I thought I would like this book when I first started it, but it quickly turned into something I didn't want to hear about. I'm surprised at this day and age that dog fighting would be a big part of what was going on. I didn't and won't finish it.

Is Matiu going crazy and hearing voices? Or is Pandora (Penny) too focused on the science to see the supernatural?

This was an interesting mix of fantasy/horror and crime mystery. Penny (a forensic scientist hired by the police to collect and process evidence from crime scenes) and her brother Matiu (an ex-con who drives her around) end up deeply entrenched in a case. How did the body disappear from a locked room leaving only blood and an old artifact bowl behind?

I loved trying to figure out if the supernatural elements were real or not, if Matiu was going crazy or not, if Makere was a figment of Matiu's imagination or an actual demonic creature.

At the end of the book, I still don't know the answer to that.

I loved that the audiobook was narrated by one of the authors. I also loved how heavily the book included elements of New Zealand (the culture, the language, etc) into the story without it feeling obnoxious or over-the-top (how I find Spanish inclusions to be a lot of the time).

4 stars - I really liked it, and I'm looking forward to reading more.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an advance copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

Hounds of the Underworld is about siblings Matiu and Penny, who team up to solve a man's disappearance. Penny, on the brink of losing her laboratory, is hired by the police for her services, and Matiu, her adopted Maori brother, tags along to the crime scene. Accidentally touching a bloodied bowl on the floor, Matiu hears a cacophony of screams in his head and wakes up his childhood imaginary friend, Makere. The siblings are thrust into a dark world of dog fighting, murder, and supernatural forces.

With respect to the audiobook recording, I really loved listening to the New Zealand accents of the narrators. The book includes a list of Maori terms that were used throughout the book, but I didn't find it helpful in the audiobook version. With a paperback, you could flip to the back to see the definition, but by the end of the audiobook, it was already too late.

The dog fighting ring depicted in the story may be a trigger for dog lovers -- it was for me. I was ready to cry at some points in the book and I was not happy that the authors didn't do more to at least have a happy ending for a certain dog I have in mind.

The book starts off slow, focusing on the siblings' relationship, but picks up pace in the last half and ends on a cliffhanger. Since this book was first published in 2017 (I think the audiobook format was just released), the 2nd and 3rd books in the trilogy are already published and available. I already have a long list of books on my "TBR" list this year, but I will definitely be adding the next books for reading in the future.

Pandora (Penny) Yee is on the verge of losing everything when she gets her first contract with the police department. The police are ready to let her handle all of it as they have too many other murders to deal with. With her brother left to drive her around, she will need to pull herself together and face the things that spook them to solve the murder that she has been handed.

Being completely honest the story just didn't fully hold my attention. The narration was great, I liked the music included in the audiobook. This might be one of those stories that's better to read than listen to.

Thank you RDS audio for giving me an advanced review copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This was an amazing debut novel, the supernatural detective drama had a strong plot and interesting characters.
I listened to eaudiobook of this arc and the narrators helped to bring the story to life.
The start was a little slow but necessary to help build the world, once you are through that story does a good job of switching between suspense and action.
While this can sometimes feel like a debut book it has a strong start and the sequel should be even more enticing.

May 2, 2023
Hounds of the Underworld was published in 2017 and is just now getting an audiobook version of it, which is how I listened/read it. This future gritty noir/supernatural book follows a brother and sister, Matiu and Penny as they team up to solve a man’s disappearance. Penny (short for Pandora) on the brink of losing her laboratory is hired by the police for her services. This is her first contract with them and she doesn’t want to mess it up. Matiu, her adopted Maori brother, tags along to the crime scene and accidentally touches a bloodied bowl on the floor when he hears a cacophony of screams in his head. In his childhood Matiu had an imaginary friend named Makere, who wakes up again when Matiu touches the bowl. The siblings are thrust into a dark world of dog fighting, murder and supernatural forces.
Hounds takes an interesting format not only in the printed book but the audiobook as well. About every other chapter is helmed by one of the two siblings. In the audiobook two people take over their narratives, Susan Holt for Penny and the books co-author Dan Rabarts for Matiu. I’ve listened to hundreds and hundreds of hours of audiobooks and this is really clever because it’s not performed by only one person, which often they are.
The book is from two authors Dan Rabarts and Lee Murray, two New Zealand genre authors. Lee Murray is of Chinese descent and Dan Rabarts is Maori, of the original native population of New Zealand. It brings a unique voice to a horror/crime novel. I can’t say I’ve ever read a book from these two cultures at the same time. Lee Murray spans the whole genre fiction spectrum with her works. She’s a multiple Bram Stoker Award winner and a 12 time Sir Julius Vogel Award winner. Dan Rabarts is Maori and seems to stick to horror or steampunk /dieselpunk in novella or short story form. This is the first of 3 Path of Ra books.
I’m a very curious person so learning about new cultures is fun for me so this story was so entertaining. The authors use tons of Maori terms and words throughout the novel. There is an index at the end of the book which is read on the audiobook after the actual book is done, which is just not helpful. In a physical book you could flip to the back to find out more about words easily, but in the audiobook it’s tacked onto the last chapter so even if you knew it was there it would be hard to access. Dan Rabarts, himself, produced the audiobook and if the other Ra books are made into audiobooks hopefully this can be fixed.
Named the Path of Ra series you can tell there’s a bit of Egyptian mythology in the story as well. So Chinese, Maori, and Egyptian cultures mashed together, how cool is that?
I read enough description of a book to ask to get a copy but rarely know the whole description before I read it. I liked to be surprised most often. If I would’ve read the whole synopsis I’d have learned about the dog fighting ring in the story. You may not know this but I have 2 lovely pit bulls. I’m a proponent of “It’s the owners not the breed opinion. It was shocking but accurate and personally heartbreaking when the book described the dog fighting ring. So beware if you’re a dog lover. I just wasn’t prepared at the time.
The book physically is 204 pages, the audiobook is 8 hours 13 minutes and is unabridged to my knowledge. The beginning focuses on the siblings’ relationship and stalls the pacing a bit. Obviously you need to know them but the squabbling got to be a bit much. The last half of the book is very fast paced and really fun. It ends on a cliffhanger so it makes you want to get book 2.
Overall I enjoyed the book. If I didn’t have so many reviews that I had to do I’d pick up the 2nd in the series. This also made me want to pick up some of the compilations with short stories from Dan Rabarts. Other than the index snafu it really was a solid audiobook and well mixed. If you’re a person wanting to read new voices in genre fiction pick this up. The audiobook is out today. 3.5/5 stars

Wasn't my kind of book. It seemed to drag on for me and not catching or keeping my attention. It could be the Narrator or the sound that kept playing. There were a few parts that did get my attention though.

Why the music in between the chapters that only last for 2min? It became... undeniably annoying and I couldn't finish.

Hounds of the Underworld (#1 of The Path of Ra series) - Dan Raberts & Lee Murray

Thanks to Netgalley and the Raw Dog Screaming Press (isn't that a GREAT NAME?) for the eARC of this thriller.

A well written fantasy, with great plot development, that isn't too outlandish... Basically, good versus evil, as our heroes attempt to save the world from damnation.

A note about this AUDIO release:
I read/listen to books for review in audio or text format, whatever I receive. If the format in which I consumed a book impacted my enjoyment of a novel, then I will note that format in my review. This review is specifically for the audio version of this novel.

This was the first time I encountered this author, and the professionalism of this audiobook greatly added to my enjoyment of the story, it is the most wonderfully well-produced audiobook, a true pleasure to listen to.

When I found out this title was released earlier, in non-audio/text format, I immediately returned to the book site to purchase more novels in this series, however I didn't ultimately do so as they were not available in audio format.

Note: If you enjoyed this first book in The Path of Ra as much as I did, follow along with Penny and her brother, Matiu, as they continue their adventures in later books in this series!

Winner of the 2018 Sir Julius Vogel award.

Until next time, if you are afraid of dogs, beware the hounds of hell in this series!

I can appreciate the writing and the plot but this book wasn’t for me. It was very well detailed and creatively written to make you feel like you need to read the next book.
For me it felt like there was too much unnecessary cursing added in the mix.
The male narrator was okay, definitely better than the female. I feel like she wasn’t the right pick for this reading.

This was an interesting story that blends thriller- urban horror- and scifi together. The narrators of the audiobook did a great job, and were easy to follow along. I did enjoy the plot, and the horror elements, as well as how the story is broken up by chapter to provide clear switches of POV.

Unfortunately I found myself struggling to find a foothold to relate to the characters, which therein left me with a wandering mind at times zoning out on the story. I think it could be that this just wasn’t a book for me, or I wasn’t in the right mood for it. Overall it was a decent read/listen.

In short, good writing, not the most well developed characters, and an unfortunate reference to Asperger’s.
So, I rather enjoyed this book, but there’s kind of deal breaker. Right in the beginning, one of the characters is musing- providing back story on another and she discusses repeatedly that this other character possibly has Asperger’s syndrome. Perhaps things are different outside of the US, but this term is no longer a diagnosis now - and has some very creepy Nazi associations. It is considered offensive by many in the Autism community so, I was dumbfounded to read that entire passage. On top of it, after reading the entire book- the character described in this way - showed none of the classical signs of any kind of autism. His issues appeared more like an ADHD presentation with a side of Schizo-affective or Schizophrenia. Since the book is set in the “2040’s” I’d like to think that this diagnosis wouldn’t even be around in the future, since it has already been rejected. Honestly it added nothing to the story, and if that entire chunk were removed, this would be a solid 4 star read. I know TikTok’s Book Tok will have a field day roasting away at this.
So- the story unfolds of two siblings from a wealthy family working together to solve a mystery. Mateiu and Penny. Penny is a pedantic, uptight person who seems to avoid reality by surrounding herself with lots of useless information. Mateiu is sort of rebel without a cause who works as a driver, mostly driving Penny around, but actually solving most of the mystery while Penny worries about details and protocols. Penny unfortunately doesn’t soften too much through the book, and remains kind of irritating. Mateiu is a difficult “black sheep” kind of guy who’s smart but a bit reckless.
Together, with a dog named Cerberus they awkwardly unravel a nice chunk of this mystery, allowing Penny’s lab to make a profit and Mateiu to simply stay alive. None f the characters seem very well developed, but this may be in part because this is planned to be a series.
The horror writing is very good. I was definitely too creeped out to listen after dark, and I did want to know what happens next. It’s just that one unfortunate reference to Asperger’s that I can’t quite get past. I will not recommend this book due to that reference.

**I was provided an advanced listening copy from the publisher through NetGalley.**

Content warning: Please be aware of violence against animals in this work and pursue further information about content before choosing to read.

Kiwi authors Dan Rabarts and Lee Murray present the first book in a new series, Hounds of the Underworld. Readers follow Penny Yee, a scientist on the verge of losing her laboratory who takes on a contract as a science consultant to the police force. As Penny doesn't drive, she has to rely on her adoptive brother Matiu to chauffer her to various locations for the contract. Matiu has a criminal history and is hearing voices that make him want nothing to do with the murder cases Penny has to investigate. Add to the fact that Matiu's imaginary friend, Makere has returned and is giving him no peace, and there is more to these murders than Penny may have anticipated.

Hounds of the Underworld blends aspects of horror, crime noir, and a hint of locked room mystery. Certainly, this is a take on the genre that I, personally, haven't read before. Author Dan Rabarts pulls dual duty as the audiobook narrator for Matiu and Susan Holt provides voice for Penny. I think the choice to use two narrators for the different perspectives was smart and that the narrators chosen really put in work that contributed to making this novel a success. Combined with sound effects reminiscent of old radio shows between scenes, the audiobook did well at personifying the noir style.

Unfortunately, in order to enjoy this work, there must be a very significant suspension of disbelief. The entire premise is a stretch. Penny doesn't seem to have any real subject matter expertise that would make her a suitable scientific consultant to the police, nor would a science consultant be allowed basically carte blanche to wander between crime scenes and actually investigate the crimes herself, particularly unaccompanied aside from her brother who has a significant criminal record. There is also a lot of uncertainty around Matiu and trying to determine how much of his experience is mental health related or whether the issues are supernatural. As such, I was repeatedly taken out of the story by the sheer absurdity of what was taking place, and feel that there was a little too much of an ask for me to buy in to the various plot points.

This leaves me middle of the road. The story was interesting and fun, but there were many factors which made it not for me. I do feel like there is an audience for this type of novel, but would not necessarily recommend it to anyone with interest or insight into actual police procedure. Go in for the vibes and enjoy.