The Alchemist's Illusion

The Alchemist's Illusion

Gigi Pandian

Pub Date 08 Jan 2019

Book Blurb:

"Surprising plot twists, several cliffhangers, and vivid magical imagery will keep fans of paranormal cozies turning the pages."—Publishers Weekly
The latest alchemical adventure from Gigi Pandian, USA Today bestselling author and winner of the Agatha Award
Centuries-old alchemist Zoe Faust is tired of running from her past. She's finally got her life on track in Portland, Oregon, gardening and cooking in her fixer-upper house with her mischievous best friend, Dorian the gargoyle chef. It seems like the perfect life for Zoe, until she discovers that her old mentor Nicolas Flamel, who she thought had abandoned her, has been imprisoned.
A local artist holds the secret that could lead Zoe to her mentor, but the artist is murdered and the painting containing the hidden clue is stolen. To rescue Nicolas, Zoe and Dorian must explore art forgery, a transformative process that has much in common with alchemy and cooking—but one that proves far more dangerous.
Includes delicious vegan recipes!
Praise:
"Sparkles most when it stays true to the wonder of its magical subject."—Foreword Reviews         

I wasn’t sure about this book when I picked up.  The cover had caught my eye several times, but a book with a gargoyle and alchemy seemed a bit woo-woo.  I finally decided to give it a shot; if it moved too far into the world of fantasy, I could always put it down I reasoned.  And it did take several pages to get acclimated, but once I did, I was hooked.  Zoe and Dorian and interesting characters who just happen to be an alchemist and gargoyle.  True, it does present a few challenges, especially for Dorian, but it works.

This specific book starts off with Zoe seeing a painting and recognizing her mentor - the person who introduced her to alchemy.  He had vanished centuries earlier with only a single clue, but with the painting, Zoe has to look for him.  Adding to the challenge of finding Nicolas is that the person who might be able to help her died recently.   She’s also juggling how and how much to tell her love, Max, about her alchemist past.

Altogether a fun book - highly recommended.  I plan on looking for other ones in the series!

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley.com and voluntarily chose to review.