Book Reviews and More: They Burn Witches, Don't They? - Declan Finn

They Burn Witches, Don't They?

A St. Tommy NYPD Short Story #3

Saint Tommy, NYPD Book 3.6

Declan Finn

Tuscany Bay Books

eISBN 9798215974728

ASIN B0BHCCL632

This is one of three short stories set in the Saint Tommy NYPD world that released just before the final novel. It fits into the Saint Tommy Story arc between books 3 and 4. There is another short story between these two novels, Lupus Dei, that also includes witches and Tommy’s encounter with them abroad. This one has the witches back home in New York City and it is up to Alex and some allies to deal with them. There are four published short stories in the series, but of the three new ones, I reached out to Finn to find out where they would fit in the series:

They Burn Witches, Don't They

(between Lupus Dei and City of Shadows)

Principle Necromancy

(between Deus Vult and Coven)

Vessel

(after book 12, Blue Saint)

This story is told from Alex Packerd’s point of view. He has been staying in Tommy’s house while he is overseas and he is prepared for what happens. Being Tommy’s partner had given him some skills, some tools, and he has been doing his research.

The description of this story is:

“When body parts end up on the front lawn of a cop, Detective Tommy Nolan would be the first on the scene. But he's unavailable, driven out of the city by corrupt cops and more corrupt politicians.

Tommy's partner, Detective Alex Packard is a normal cop who knows that the supernatural can kill. With the local priest as a consultant and the ME at his side, they must dig into the rash of human sacrifices all over the city, and how it ties into Tommy's past. With no powers of his own, Packard must face off against a coven of monsters.

Can he manage on his own? Or will he be next on the sacrificial altar?”

This story starts with these words:

“I walked out of my partner’s house, drinking out of his “World’s Best Dad” travel mug, when I found the dismembered corpse artistically displayed in the front yard. I didn’t blink, flinch, or do a spit take with the insanely hot coffee. I merely sighed and sat down on the front steps. All of my partner’s demonic troubles may have made me even more jaded than I had realized. I’d like to think that I was fairly hardened when I started this job, but a demon, a death cult, and a warlock later, very little fazed me anymore.

I grabbed my cell phone and dialed my precinct, only a few blocks away.

“Hey, boss. Packard here. This is me checking in. Could you send people down? Because we’ve got another body. This time it’s out in the front yard. Heh. You think the medical examiner can find Tommy’s house without directions by now? Thanks.”

My partner was Detective Thomas Nolan, and that man was a saint. He was a Swiss Army knife of saintly superpowers. In the last few months, he had bi-located to put down a prison riot, levitated to escape an exploding building, and smelled evil on a possessed serial killer. When not being shot at, Tommy was known to open his house to any random homeless person he met, volunteer for every church function that didn’t involve liturgical terrorists, acted as Eucharistic minister, and stood over the little old ladies who prayed outside of abortion clinics to make certain that no one harassed them. Since getting married, he never even noticed other women, unless it was to act like a big brother to them, especially if they were part of a case.”

Soon Alex, the chief medical examiner Doctor Sinead Holland and Father Freeman realize what they are up against and they start to work to stop something that will be bad, very, very bad. But can they take on a coven, some of whom are super powered without Tommy?

This is another excellent short story in the world of St Tommy. If you have already read the whole series of novels, pick it up and see what trouble arises for Alex and friends when Tommy is away. For any fans of the Saint Tommy series this is a great story and piece of the canon. For any fans of the Saint Tommy series this is a great story and piece of the canon. Writing short stories is a very different art form than novels Finn is an expert at both. And this is a great story. An excellent short read, masterfully written!

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2023 Catholic Reading Plan!

Books by Declan Finn:

Love At First Bite Series:

Short Stories:

Blood Stained Cliffs of Dover

Bad Date

Mad Dog Moon

…

Novels:

Honor at Stake

Demons Are Forever

(Murphy's Law of Vampires)