Vernon Oickle’s Crow Series- Part Two

With the ninth book of a thirteen-book series scheduled to be released this spring, I’m continuing this series review in three parts. The first two parts will build up to the third part: a review of Oickle’s new release Nine Crows for a Kiss. This is part two.

Five Crows Silver

Eyeing the birds that are now staring at him from their perch, Greg breathes deeply, unsure of what he should do. He’s heard too many stories about the weird crow behaviour that’s become synonymous with this town and he’s witnessed some of their antics first hand.― Five Crows Silver, page 18

Five Crows Silver, republished by Moose House Publishing, is the fifth installment in Vernon Oickle’s Crow suspense series set on the South Shore of Nova Scotia. While Corporal Cliff Graham recovers from heart surgery after a major heart attack in December, Special Investigator Sergeant Greg Paris has temporarily taken over the Corporal position as head of the Liverpool RCMP Detachment.

Paris was just adjusting to small-town life with his wife and daughter, and the responsibilities of his new position, when the body of a young girl with light hair was found in the sand dunes at Beach Meadows Beach. The beach is a short twenty-minute drive outside Liverpool and the young girl had been abducted in Windsor, an hour and a half away. A small chain with a cross around her neck is the only clue in the case. A snowstorm is fast approaching, and an amber alert has been issued in Yarmouth for another young girl with light hair. With the chances of finding a child alive diminishing just 12 hours after they have been abducted, it’s a race against time to solve the crimes. This begins a fast-paced, nail-biting thriller set over a handful of days in February.

Some people dismiss these old beliefs as superstitious, but not me. I’ve seen enough strange things in my lifetime to know better than to do that. When the crows have something to say, we should listen to them. Sometimes, ignoring them makes it worse and whatever they’re trying to tell you won’t go away just because you don’t want to accept their warnings.” ― Five Crows Silver, page 69

Six Crows Gold

“Never dare the crows to make good on their warnings, because if you provoke them, the black birds will do just that,” she hears Clara saying. “They are powerful and all-knowing and when challenged, they will never back down. They know things. It’s wise to always take them seriously.” ― Six Crows Gold, page 120

It’s been two and a half years since Corporal Cliff Graham resumed his position as head of the Liverpool RCMP detachment following his recovery from his heart attack and the subsequent surgery. It’s his last year on the job as he plans to retire at the end of the year. Meanwhile, Josh Goodwin and Lily Pittmann’s 3-year-old son, Alex, claims six crows are communicating with him, telling him not to be scared. Scared of what or who? Should they be worried?

Steeped in secrets, lies, bullies, anonymous callers, prowlers, and crows, with a major plot twist that you don’t see coming. Vernon Oickle has written another fast-paced, entertaining thriller that takes place over a handful of days in the heat of the summer. I’m looking forward to jumping right into Seven Crows a Secret Yet to be Told.

Seven Crows a Secret Yet to be Told

Come on, Cliff Graham. Get a god-damned grip. Slipping out from behind his hiding place, he thinks, these freaking crows are going to be the death of me yet.

He’s been dealing with unusual crow behaviour around this town from as far back as he can remember, and he can’t shake the feeling that something major is brewing with those black birds.―Seven Crows a Secret Yet to be Told, page 240

It’s been thirteen-and-a-half years since Alex Goodwin’s family was wiped out in a bloody crime and he was left an orphan. In Seven Crows a Secret Yet to be Told, the seventh book in Vernon Oickle’s Crow series, Alex’s Aunt Zoey, his mother’s twin sister, has come to town. She has promised Alex that she will reveal to him all his family’s secrets.

Set in the small town of Liverpool, Nova Scotia, this story tells the back story of Alex’s ancestor, Alexandria. This was creatively done by way of a journal. It takes place during the time she arrived in the New World and the beginnings of the settlement of Liverpool in the 1760s. Vernon did an excellent job with this, creating a completely different “voice” for Alexandria. Meanwhile, in the present, Alex is trying to figure out who are his friends and who are his enemies. This was a well-plotted suspense thriller, with a glimpse into the beginning of his next novel in the series, Eight Crows For a Wish.

What in the bloody hell am I stuck in the middle of? Destinies? Pacts? Vengeance? Crows? Owls? ―Seven Crows a Secret Yet to be Told, page 253

Eight Crows For A Wish

With centuries of knowledge to draw on, along with an uncanny ability to tap into and access any change in circumstances that may affect the family, the crows are keenly aware that a major threat has emerged, and they must watch over their charges until the danger has been neutralized. They have chosen their protector and he will know what to do. ― Eight Crows For A Wish, page 131

A badly injured man is found washed up on the rocks in Liverpool, Nova Scotia, by a local woman. He does not know who he is, where he is, where he came from, or even the date. Nothing is familiar, except for the crows, eight to be exact, but what do they want from him?

Eight Crows for a Wish by Vernon Oickle is an astounding follow-up to Seven Crows a Secret Yet To Be Told. All is not as it seems in this small community on the South Shore. But, it becomes clear very fast that the crows are up to something, and the badly injured man plays a central role in a conflict. A conflict that goes back hundreds of years.

This gripping and unpredictable story begs you to forget the housework and to continue reading well past your bedtime, just to find out what happens next. I can’t wait to read Nine Crows for a Kiss, which comes out this spring.

Sue Slade

Sue Slade has a Bachelor of Child Study from Mount St. Vincent University in Halifax. After working with children and adults with special needs, she now has her midlife dream job of working with books. Sue manages an independent, locally owned bookstore, Dartmouth Book Exchange, and is known for planning and executing amazing, engaging book events. Through her charismatic sharing centred around books and community, Sue has created an interactive cornerstone for authors, customers, and book lovers of all ages. Sue is an avid reader, and her reviews cross over many genres. As the East Coast Advocate for The Miramichi Reader, Sue champions Atlantic Canadian literature by featuring the diverse works and unique communities that define her home region.

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