I was down in the library basement archives, re-boxing a donation of damp 1920s newspapers, when I queued this up. The smell of decaying paper usually puts me in the mood for Lovecraft, but I decided to give Blackwell's "San Francisco witch" vibe a shot. I like my witches scary—think The VVitch or anything by Shirley Jackson—but sometimes you need a palate cleanser between the nightmares.
The Breathless Whisper Problem
Xe Sands has a voice like crushed velvet. Distinct, textured, undeniably professional. But let's address the elephant in the audio booth: the "dying breath" cadence. Sands tends to trail off at the end of sentences into a sort of vocal fry choke. It happens constantly. Some listeners probably find this emotive and raw; I found myself checking if my earbuds were losing connection. It adds a layer of noir to what is, essentially, a cozy mystery, but if you prefer punchy, declarative narration, this might grate on your nerves by chapter three.
Her character work saves it, though. When she voices Oscar—Lily's gargoyle (or gobgoyle) familiar—she drops the breathy affectation and commits to the gravel. Technical skill, plain and simple. She manages to make a small demon sound distinct from the human cast without resorting to cartoonish distortion. That's the difference between an actor and a reader.
Sands brings that same disciplined restraint to Secondhand Spirits, where she's working with a nearly identical supernatural-cozy setup and somehow makes it feel just as lived-in.Witch Hunts & Daddy Issues
The setup hooked me faster than I expected. Lily Ivory is at a vintage fair (my natural habitat) when a merchant named Griselda gets murdered. Not just killed—burned. It's a nod to old-school witch hunts, and I appreciate when authors remember that "witch" historically meant "target," not just "woman with cool jewelry."
The tension dips when the estranged father plotline takes center stage. I get it, character development matters, but I'm here for the magic and the murder, not the family therapy. Still, the scene where Lily visualizes Shakespeare's witches toiling is a nice touch for the lit nerds among us. It respects the lore.
Who's This For?
If you want atmospheric dread that keeps you up at night, look elsewhere—this isn't horror. But if you dig cozy mysteries with a goth coat of paint, vintage shop settings, and supernatural sidekicks, you'll feel right at home. Skip it if breathy narration drives you up the wall.
On the other end of the Sands spectrum, Pretty Little Wife gives her something grittier to sink into—less velvet, more blade.Back to the Stacks
Shirley (my cat) slept through the murder scene. I didn't, but I wasn't exactly sleeping with the lights on either. If you want to hang out in a vintage shop with a gargoyle while someone solves a crime, Sands will take you there—provided you can handle the whispering.
