Ready for your next magical mystery, packed with witty humor, a sprinkle of slow-burn romance, and awesome tight-knit female friendships? Then you’re in the right place, because author Deborah Wilde’s newest book, Golem For Broke, checks all the boxes. Golem For Broke is the first book in the Mad Queens Inc. series, and it’s perfect for readers who are looking for an older protagonist they can relate to. Get excited, fellow readers! This book is a must-read!
With a cover packed with shades of blues and purples, Golem For Broke quickly draws the eye of readers. The main protagonist is portrayed standing in the middle of a lit street with her auburn hair blowing in the wind. Swirling around her is wisps of blue smoke, and arcing in a circle all around her is a swirl of pink magic. Tovah is pictured wearing a leather jacket, and on the back is a golem. A pretty cool way to give a nod to the main focus of the story.
For readers who are new to author Wilde’s books, you are absolutely in for a fun ride. This is our first book that we’ve read of hers, and we had no idea what to expect. Kicking Golem For Broke off with a nod to women’s health, and a touch of humor? Not at all what we expected, but it makes for a great opening.
“No woman woke up with a song in her heart and the words “What a great day for a mammogram!” on her lips.”
What follows that line? Well, it is humorous while at the same time summarizing a day that sounds like it was completely exhausting while still being fascinating for those who didn’t have to live it. LOL! While Tovah seems to be having a damper of a day, things are about to get…more interesting to say the least.
Author Wilde’s attention to detail captures the clinic in this opening chapter while expertly weaving humor effortlessly into the story. The banter between Tovah and the clinician, Piper, is absolutely chef’s kiss. Keeping what would be an uncomfortable moment for most into something with a touch of levity to keep it light.
Of course, this is also where author Wilde decides to bring in one of the elements that will be driving this story – a golem. This initial golem is what will come to mind for most of us when we think of golems. Big, clunky, blocky, and generally just not that impressive in appearance. The twist? Apparently, this isn’t a typical golem in Tovah’s world. Interesting.
Getting to witness Tovah taking on this golem is wild in and of itself. Just disregard the fact that this situation is a less than ideal one concerning the situation and location that she’s currently in. But author Wilde is like – “Hold on, I have more to show you.” It’s crazy! Because when Tovah reveals a closely guarded secret concerning her magic…our jaw…dropped.
Tovah unleashes her second magic. As you’ll learn in this first chapter, (yes! We’re still in the first chapter), having one magic? Perfectly fine! Having two? Oy ve! Nope! Absolutely not okay. It’s forbidden. It will get you locked up if the world finds out, and that’s if you’re lucky. So it’s understandable why Tovah is utilizing this magic as a last resort against this golem.
The first chapter in Golem For Broke is intense and will have you on the edge of your seat with all the drama that plays out. When things begin to simmer down a bit, Tovah is able to take a breath. Briefly, but hey! A breath is a breath! Right?! LOL! Well, in come the authorities…and a certain individual who Tovah has a touch of history with.
Luke is part of law enforcement, so author Wilde makes the decision to write him into a particular role. We’re pretty sure which one you can guess. The type who wants to be that “white knight” coming to the rescue, and trying to keep Tovah from “interfering” in a police investigation. Well, as a Mad Queen, Tovah is not about to let him push her around. Even if they’ve known each other… “biblically,” so to speak. LOL!
Luke isn’t the only person that Tovah knows “personally” in law enforcement. Tovah’s cousin, Rin Yoshida, is the commander of the Gevurah. Rin is a wolf shifter and is a real “do not cross” character. There is history between Tovah and Rin and ties back to the original Mad Queens. It’s complicated, but it makes for some interesting dynamics between the characters and why things are the way that they are.
The golem attack at the clinic gives the impression of a one-off to the Geruvah, but Tovah sees it for what it was…a test. Someone is coming after her, and while she thinks she knows who might be behind it…proving it? Well, that will complicate things in a ways that she would never have expected. But one thing is for sure! It’s going to make for one hell of a run read!
“Neither snow, nor rain, nor melted heads…Golems made the postal service look like quitters.”
Tovah is such a fun character. She’s got great wit, is quick to banter, wields snark like a sword and a shield, and we can’t get enough of her. What we really appreciate about how author Wilde has created Tovah’s character is that there isn’t any over-the-top behavior from her. There aren’t any snarky moments that you just ultimately feel… “that was totally unnecessary.” It toes the line sometimes, but you can’t help but love every second of it regardless.
There are three other Mad Queens that Tovah is friends with and works with. They get brief moments in the spotlight, but none of them ever have a moment of where you think that they are going to “steal” the spotlight from Tovah. They all work together to create a beautifully cohesive unit of work, friendship, and family. Honestly, it’s great.
We like how they each have their own unique abilities and that author Wilde gives us more than just a glimpse of them. Though our favorite is probably Nisha’s ability to strip emotional energy from people and “feed” it to their spider plant (it’s just a plant, not a truly sentient being or a plant or anything like that LOL). Kvetch at times threatened to steal the scene when he’s gotten a good amount of energy that makes him happy.
The amount of humor in this book keeps you highly entertained. Some of the humor you’ll see coming, and then others will smack you out of nowhere. Golem For Broke isn’t all humor, though. There are some serious moments in this book which help bring balance to all the craziness.
The back and forth between Tovah and Azarov, a reputable golem maker, is really interesting. Right from the first conversation, you get the sense that there is some underlying tension between these two. Is that attraction we “smell” Tovah? Hmmm? LOL! While she’s trying to shake Luke, we sense that there is something brewing between her and Azarov. Stay tuned! It gets good!
But back to the mystery element of the story surrounding the initial golem. It is quite intriguing. Azarov makes golems, but denies making this clunky monstrosity that attacked Tovah. So, then…who did…and why did they send it after her? It is quite intriguing. Because this is a mystery that persists for the majority of the story.
The mystery angle of Golem For Broke is so well done. You are kept engaged in discovering who could possibly have it out for Tovah. The Mad Queens have drama swirling all around them. The Geruvah don’t like them; their methods are questioned by some, and now someone is targeting Tovah, which threatens to open the door for the Geruvah to step in and be an even bigger headache for them.
The intrigue will persist throughout the story as Tovah digs through her past cases to try and discover who could possibly be holding a grudge against her. In her sleuthing, it pulls her closer to Azarov, and the secrets that he holds tight to his chest concerning his own life. Author Wilde goes to highlight that Tovah’s life isn’t the only complicated one.
Tovah is such an engaging character. She really reminds us of author Kim Harrison’s character, Rachel Morgan, from the Hollows series. Which we absolutely loved. So, this author has absolutely got us hooked on Tovah and her fellow Mad Queens.
So, if you’re looking for a book with an older protagonist, a great amount of humor, and are a fan of Kim Harrison, then we can’t recommend Golem For Broke enough. The slow-burn romance, the mystery surrounding the golem attack, and the way that these are all kick-ass women in their 40s are all elements that readers of urban fantasy mysteries will not want to miss out on.
Pros:
- Engaging storyline
- Great amount of humor
- Suspenseful mystery
- Slow-burn romance that leaves you yearning for more
Cons:
- None of merit
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