Reviewed by Kelley Armstrong

When Jayné Heller’s uncle Eric dies, she travels to Denver to settle his estate, and discovers that he’s left her a massive inheritance …one that comes with a far less welcome legacy. Her uncle died fighting the Invisible College, a group of wizards who use the power of demon spirits for evil. And, now that Jayné has been named his heir, the college presumes she’s taking over that part of the family business as well. With the help of her uncle’s friends and colleagues, she’s forced to take up the fight…or she won’t live long enough to enjoy her inheritance.

Jayné is a great urban fantasy heroine. Strong-willed without being kick-ass. Stubborn without being arrogant. She knows she’s in over her head and bound to make mistakes, but she’s willing to learn.

Character is what makes this book, and Jayné is only the beginning. We also get a former Jesuit, a cursed two-hundred-year-old man, a mystical Buddhist and her uncle’s scientist assistant. Together they form a fascinating crew with endless possibilities.

Unclean Spirits has the feel of a “first in a series” novel. A lot of time is spent exploring characters and setting up the universe, and the action comes in fits and starts. While I was aware of this, the setup was engaging enough that it didn’t bother me.

If there was something that died bother me, it was the romance. Jayné falls fast and hard for her uncle’s assistant, and it felt like an intrusion on the plot, as if shoehorned in later to appeal to the paranormal romance market. Less romance and more action would have made this a near-perfect book for me. That’s a minor quibble, though, and I’ll be eagerly awaiting the next installment.