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    Spirit Dances
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    Spirit Dances
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    Spirit Dances
    Ebook369 pages5 hours

    Spirit Dances

    By C.E. Murphy

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook



    For Seattle detective Joanne Walker, spring is about new beginnings. She's mastered her shamanic abilities (mostly), survived a cannibalistic serial killer (barely) and now she's facing the biggest challenge of her career—attending a dance concert with her sexy boss, Captain Michael Morrison. But when the performance—billed as transformative—actually changes her into a coyote, she and Morrison have bigger things to deal with.

    And there's more. Homeless people are disappearing, a mystical murder puts Joanne way out of her jurisdiction and with the full moon coming on, it's looking like the killer is a creature that can't possibly exist.

    But Jo could probably handle all of that, if one ordinary homicide hadn't pushed her to the very edge .

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarlequin Luna
    Release dateApr 1, 2011
    ISBN9781426888939
    Unavailable
    Spirit Dances
    Author

    C.E. Murphy

    According to her friends, CE Murphy makes such amazing fudge that it should be mentioned first in any biography. It's true that she makes extraordinarily good fudge, but she's somewhat surprised that it features so highly in biographical relevance. Other people said she began her writing career when she ran away from home at age five to write copy for the circus that had come to town. Some claimed she's a crowdsourcing pioneer, which she rather likes the sound of, but nobody actually got around to pointing out she's written a best-selling urban fantasy series (The Walker Papers), or that she dabbles in writing graphic novels (Take A Chance) and periodically dips her toes into writing short stories (the Old Races collections). Still, it's clear to her that she should let her friends write all of her biographies, because they’re much more interesting that way. More prosaically, she was born and raised in Alaska, and now lives with her family in her ancestral homeland of Ireland, which is a magical place where it rains a lot but nothing one could seriously regard as winter ever actually arrives. She can be found online at mizkit.com, @ce_murphy, fb.com/cemurphywriter, and at her newsletter, tinyletter.com/ce_murphy/, which is by far the best way to hear what's out next!

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    Reviews for Spirit Dances

    4/5

    143 ratings14 reviews

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    • 3/5
      Yeah, Werewolves!. The hot and steamy finally starts, we have a band of dancers who make a spiritual energy, and Joanne learns to shape shift.These books are becoming typical.... I don't think I'll be continuing with the series.Enjoy!
    • 4/5
      This sixth book in the Walker Papers series. This novel follows Jo through some new challenges as she faces another bad guy. Her powers continue to expand, and she gets more comfortable with both acting on them and talking about it. Coyote is away leaving Jo to deal with issues on her own again. Morrison features more heavily in this story line including a pseudo date between he and Jo. Still well worth the read for fans of the series.
    • 5/5
      I have to admit, I have read the Walker Papers multiple times, and every time I do (which is every time a new one comes out, and then whenever I feel a need for an upper) I get more out of them, and enjoy them even more than the last time.

      It is wholly admirable how Ms. Murphy has developed her characters through the series in a slow, methodical manner which allows you to grow to love them both individually, and as a group. I do have to disagree with the people who are wanting the "sexy Morrison" scenario to come to a head. Come on, people! Jo/Siobhan has a LOT on her plate! She has grown from an obnoxious, self-centred, arrogant mechanic into a nearly-fully-realized shaman in a period of months. Maybe kicking and screaming all the way, but she HAS grown. There is a little too much on her plate right now to gain the "reward" of a relationship right now. Who has time? Especially with everything that is coming up in her life. She was put here for a purpose, remember, and I would be devastated if she turned into just another stupid romantic fiction character, as so many kick-ass women in urban fantasy seem to turn out as. Sure, give her a love life, I am all for it, but keep her strong, working to save the world, not just a relationship.

      Ms. Murphy is doing an incredible job of making Joanne someone I can truly both like and admire! I have already read Raven, and can hardly wait for Mountain - - - and of course, I will go back and read all of them again before I start each one . LOL. THANK YOU Ms. Murphy, for incredible characters, marvelous world building (just WAIT till you read Raven Calls!!!) and a tight storyline which shows just how much Jo is making a difference in the world - sometimes, despite herself.
    • 5/5
      I have to admit, I have read the Walker Papers multiple times, and every time I do (which is every time a new one comes out, and then whenever I feel a need for an upper) I get more out of them, and enjoy them even more than the last time.

      It is wholly admirable how Ms. Murphy has developed her characters through the series in a slow, methodical manner which allows you to grow to love them both individually, and as a group. I do have to disagree with the people who are wanting the "sexy Morrison" scenario to come to a head. Come on, people! Jo/Siobhan has a LOT on her plate! She has grown from an obnoxious, self-centred, arrogant mechanic into a nearly-fully-realized shaman in a period of months. Maybe kicking and screaming all the way, but she HAS grown. There is a little too much on her plate right now to gain the "reward" of a relationship right now. Who has time? Especially with everything that is coming up in her life. She was put here for a purpose, remember, and I would be devastated if she turned into just another stupid romantic fiction character, as so many kick-ass women in urban fantasy seem to turn out as. Sure, give her a love life, I am all for it, but keep her strong, working to save the world, not just a relationship.

      Ms. Murphy is doing an incredible job of making Joanne someone I can truly both like and admire! I have already read Raven, and can hardly wait for Mountain - - - and of course, I will go back and read all of them again before I start each one . LOL. THANK YOU Ms. Murphy, for incredible characters, marvelous world building (just WAIT till you read Raven Calls!!!) and a tight storyline which shows just how much Jo is making a difference in the world - sometimes, despite herself.
    • 3/5
      Oh, what a difference time makes! I've at last made my way 'round to this book in the sequence of the series, and it makes so much more sense. I did really enjoy it. As said of previous books in the series, the characters grow and develop and learn, making them that much more interesting (and, at times, frustrating!). Plus, this one has shape-changing; fun!

      __________
      I didn't finish this one. Leaping from the first book in the series to the sixth didn't work at all. The author does a great job at getting the reader up to speed as much as possible with the characters and her world, but there's too much backstory to just skip over the previous four books. I'll try to pick this one up again in sequence after I've read the previous books.
    • 4/5
      Coyotes and rattlers and werewolves, oh my!The adventures of Joanne Walker, reluctant shaman, continue. Joanne is becoming more comfortable with her power as she faces new challenges, including a sort-of date with her boss.
    • 4/5
      Joanne is tracing strange murders trough the heart of Seatle while trying to get a handle on her powers and personal life. Overall a fun story.
    • 4/5
      It's been fifteen months since Joanne Walker saved her life by agreeing to be a shaman, and boy has she come a long way. With more confidence, more willingness to ask for help and listen to advice, she's got better control over her abilities. And now she's got to find a balance between her warrior and healer paths. When Joanne is presented tickets to a spirit dance show as a thank you from a woman she'd helped, she goes to Capt Morrison to see if it's okay to use them. He thinks she asked him out and they attend together, only to witness a murder onstage. This leads to some very big changes for Joanne.I'd only read the first three books in this series, enjoying the characters and the stories, but had problems trying to follow Joanne's detailed dreamscapes, often finding that I was getting lost trying to figure out exactly what she was experiencing. So when a friend told me in no uncertain terms that I just had to read this book, the best of the series so far, I took advantage of the free book I was able to snag. I don't think this book would work for someone if they hadn't read any of the other books, but I didn't have any problems following along and was immediately sucked into the story. I am somewhat sorry that I missed out on some events from those two books I skipped.There is still quite a bit of description from new things being experienced by Joanne, and I did get lost in a couple of places, but not nearly as bad as I had with the earlier books. There's quite a bit going on and seeing some of the new challenges Joanne faces with magic was exciting. Life for her is definitely changing, as is her relationship with Morrison.I would so love to see the spirit dances described in this story.Reviewed for Vine Voice
    • 5/5
      Ah, Joanne. The lovely thing about these books is that Jo manages to find entirely new ways to screw up, and it creates a delightful ride for the reader. There are many reasons why I consider this to be my favorite urban fantasy series, but a lot of it comes down to Jo. She's nice and approachable. Sure, she has a hard edge and can kick hiney in a fight if needed, but she's also a healer at heart. I can't help but love a Seattle cop-turned-shaman with a fondness for maple-covered donuts.Another big bonus for this book: Morrison. He's her boss and the tension has sizzled between them since book one. This time around, the sizzles catch fire. Morrison makes a great forbidden love interest. Not only is he her boss, but he's also a forty-year-old guy who is handsome even as he shows his age. He's become surprisingly tolerant of Jo's mystical side, and this book really explores that aspect and slaps things back and forth and upside down.Love these books. Every single one is strong. I can't wait for the next.
    • 5/5
      Joanne Walker, shaman and police detective, begins this story forced to shoot a suspect to save her partner which throws her magic in chaos as healers aren't supposed to cause damage. While suspended for the investigation, she connects with a formerly homeless woman whose life she saved and is given tickets to a theatrical performance of Native American dances. The dancers are channeling all kinds of energy and someone is out to steal it killing the central dancer in the attempt. Joanne, along with Billy and her Captain Morrison, need to solve the mystery. Sixth in an urban fantasy series.
    • 4/5
      When I reviewed Demon Hunts (Walker Papers, Book 5) by C E Murphy, I said that it was the best in the Walker Papers series to date. Well, as befits a series, Spirit Dances (Luna Books) trumps its predecessor as the best book in the Walker Papers. And, the ending leads one to believe that there are better books to come. The book opens with promise. Joanne actually ends up, albeit accidentally, on a date with Morrison. They are attending a performance of a Native American spirit dance, which I expected to lead to a lot of exploration of Joanne's shamanic side. I was surprised when her interaction with the dance troupe was somewhat minimal, although it was very interesting to see how her power was affected by the dancers, especially their intentions. There are new paranormal elements being introduced. I'm not going to divulge what happens, but suffice it to say that Joanne has her perceptions and preconceptions about Magic Seattle expanded. Most of the story is centered around Joanne--there is some presence of Billy and Melinda, even Morrison's presence is limited in a sense. Joanne is beginning to rely on her instincts more and communes with her spirit animals, Raven & Rattler to test/control the limits of her power.In fact, at one point, I was concerned that there was too much going on for the story to make sense in the end. Not that I am necessarily one for neat, tidy endings--especially not in a series--but sometimes there can be too many things happening that the pieces fail to fit together cohesively enough to make sense. Not so in this case. Not only does everything come together to make sense, but it all points to an exciting new adventure for Joanne and a promising beginning for the next book, Raven Calls.I have to admit that I was concerned that the Walker Papers would get stale. Knowing that I was about to read the sixth book in the series led me to wonder where it would go. I have stopped reading series that start repeating the same story lines or go too weird, even for paranormal fantasy. However, C E Murphy uses this book to take the series in a new direction. It leaves me with the impression that Joanne will continue to grow, both as a person and as a shaman, in the books to come. I look forward to reading many more installments of the Walker Papers.Follow me as readerbarbara at blogspot dot com
    • 4/5
      ....intrepid investigator dancing through the shadows of her worldThe exploits of urban shaman Joanne Walker, Seattle police detective extraordinaire, continue. Once more Walker’s best planned intentions go astray creating havoc during a new murder investigation. Sure she intuitively connects many of the dots of the case, if she could only solve her own relationship challenges and inner turmoil this would be an added bonus.As Joanne herself explains,‘I was bad at relationships. I was bad at reading between lines, at figuring out what people really meant if they didn’t actually say it, and at being charming or flirty or whatever I was, exactly that women were supposed to do to attract men. My skill sets lay along the lines of taking apart car engines, drinking grown men under the table—and more recently—solving esoteric murders.'The death of a Native American dancer under bizarre circumstances and the disappearance of some of the homeless of Seattle are seemingly unrelated. Yet even the most distant of relationships sometimes merge and dance to a different rhythm.A foot-in-mouth heroine who goes from incredibly wise, to a gangly teenage in under 30 seconds, Walker treads her world as a warrior-shaman, dealing with cases that would make the rest of us shudder.Here is a character we can laugh with and wince with. A heroine we readers can enjoy standing alongside—quirky, irreverent, yet sparklingly sincere and loveable. The self-deprecating humor and irony Murphy laces the direst of situations with is wonderful.The supporting characters of Billy and Melinda continue to grow and add strength to the story. Joanna’s relationship with her boss Morrison continues to fascinate and frustrate both her and us. Another fast paced, well crafted read from Murphy.A NetGalley ARC
    • 5/5
      The Book: Spirit Dances by C.E Murphy

      The Particulars: Urban Fantasy, Luna, available both in print and e-book

      Why was it in my TBR? I love, love C.E Murphy

      The Review:

      The blurb:
      As half of Seattle's only paranormal detective team, Joanne Walker is a sassy urban shaman who has tangled with her share of odious creatures. Dark alleys might not raise her pulse, but her new assignment does: Recently, homeless people have been disappearing even more quickly than they can be identified and the killer seems to be materializing as a creature one would expect to meet only in hell. Vivid, realistic first-person narrative; empathetic characters.
      My impressions:
      To say that I loved this book would be an understatement. But, I have also struggled with this review. How do I tell that without spoilers? Well. I’ll try.
      This book rocked me, from the start to the end. It made me laugh, and go aww. The book was a tightly written rollercoaster. Filled with interesting characters, and unexpected plottwists. I didn’t dare stop reading, in fear of missing something. The only thing that annoyed me was the end. But, it was the good kind of annoyance. The end is a big, honking cliff-hanger. The kind that want you drop this book, and pick up the sequel. The problem? It is a year to the next one..
    • 5/5
      Spirit Dances by C. E. MurphyThis book takes up where “Demon Hunts” sort of leaves off. We find Joanne being approached by Rita Wagner, the woman she saved in the last book, who accidentally starts the ball rolling on toward a rollicking ride of a book. Joanne FINALLY gets to go out on a “sort of” date with her boss ‘Morrison’. But little did they know they would not only be enjoying a dance troupe, but they would also be dealing with a shape changing Joanne, murder, general mayhem, real (sort of) were wolves, Morrison being understanding and very sexy and Joanne finally figuring out just what and who in her life is important.I am thrilled with this book. I adored the very surprising ending. I have been following this series since it started and Joanne finally shows so much character growth and maturity that it breaks my heart to see what she is going to have to leave behind. I expect that not only will she be finding out about her furry issues, but more about her Shamanistic growth