Where there are ghosts, Cassidy Blake follows . . . Unless it’s the other way around? Cass thinks she might have this ghost-hunting thing down. After all, she and her ghost best friend, Jacob, have survived two haunted cities while traveling for her parents‘ TV show. But nothing can prepare Cass for New Orleans, which wears all of its hauntings on its sleeve. In a city of ghost tours and tombs, raucous music and all kinds of magic, Cass could get lost in all the colorful, grisly local legends. And the city’s biggest surprise is a foe Cass never expected to face: a servant of Death itself.
Final case for Cassidy Blake
I only started my journey with Cassidy in 2023, but was quickly drawn into her world, her friendship to Jacob, and her parents’ TV show format. While her mom and dad explore and explain the haunting history of different cities, Cassidy gets to know some of the most renown ghosts of those stories—sometimes quite involuntary. Since her near-to-death experience, she can move between our world and the veil, the world of the ghosts. Although these books are written for children and teens, I still get goosebumps every now and then from her encounters with ghosts. Thankfully, she’s not by herself but has her best friend, Jacob, a ghost, steadily by her side.
Last city, last adventure
This third book takes us to New Orleans, after we explored Edinburgh and Paris with our protagonists. What I love about these books is not only their spooky vibes, but also how Victoria Schwab makes the settings come alive through beautiful details as much as the history of the cities. Cassidy’s parents are the perfect narrative tool to explain the historical and supernatural sides of a city’s ambience. They set up the world that Cassidy then walks into when crossing the veil. Every city therefore has their own narrative and adventure, but in this third installment, the former experiences, of course, return to haunt Cassidy like they should in a proper ghost story. Fortunately, she has by now not only her best ghost-friend by her side but also another in-betweener. Both friendships are moving and supportive and made me tear up while reading this final book of the series.
Final but not closed off
Cassidy is only twelve years old and already experienced a lot of supernatural encounters. Her interference with some of death’s business has drawn attention to her that now bites her in the ass. So more than featuring Cassidy setting out to help some ghosts move on, this book focuses on her trying to escape the consequences of her former actions, of her very being. I loved accompanying her on this last adventure in beautiful New Orleans with its rich history of the occult and its new allies, friends, and foes. Thankfully, this series only ends on the page, but not in our imagination, as I can still see Cassidy growing up, encountering ghosts, and turning comic pages for her best friend. I would love a spin-off or revival series of Cassidy in her 20s or 30s, bringing the amazing and spooky vibes to an adult audience.
In Conclusion,
I loved spending those three weeks with Cassidy throughout her parents’ shooting process. We did not only get to explore different cities and their real and supernatural histories but also to fall in love with the characters and their friendships. Spooky to an appropriate amount but entertaining and moving up to the brim.
The author:
VICTORIA “V. E.” SCHWAB is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty books, including the acclaimed Shades of Magic series, the Villains series, the Cassidy Blake series and the international bestseller The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. Her work has received critical acclaim, translated into over two dozen languages, and optioned for television and film. First Kill – a YA vampire series based on Schwab’s short story of the same name – is currently in the works at Netflix with Emma Roberts’ Belletrist Productions producing. When not haunting Paris streets or trudging up English hillsides, she lives in Edinburgh, Scotland, and is usually tucked in the corner of a coffee shop, dreaming up monsters. Source