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Horrific in the best way.

Augustus Baltazar is a great blend of a few genres - namely urban fantasy, mystery, and horror. The story follows Stu, a paranormal investigator gifted with some supernatural powers, as he tries to solve a string of murders in his town. The victims are found burnt to ash, always missing their jawbone. The intensity of the murders ramps up throughout the story and Stu seems to be in a bit over his head as he gains the killers attention. With the help of his best friend Mike, Mike's clairvoyant girlfriend Sera, and a few love interests, Stu prepares to face the threat.

The story is written in present tense third person omnipotent, which makes the story read a bit like a screenplay at parts. This allows the author to give plenty of description and to set up the scenes to his liking. Sometimes it feels too descriptive, but overall it works well.

There's a lot to like here. When Bursnoll describes some of the more violent murders, it is with gut-wrenchingly vivid detail. In these moments the story really comes alive. Bursnoll weaves a dozen plot lines into this story, involving both Stu and his friends, and each take unexpected turns.

The downside to having so many plotlines is that I felt like there was little resolution for most of them. As this is the first story in a series, this is to be expected to a degree, but I think the story would have benefited if some of the subplots were taken a little further toward resolution.

Overall, I would recommend this story to anyone who enjoys horror or urban fantasy. If you are looking for a good mystery that involves otherworldy forces, look no further.