On a definitely unrelated note I promise, I want to rewatch the Star Trek episode “The Devil in the Dark.”

Anyway, in What Stalks the Deep by T. Kingfisher, retired soldier Alex Easton receives a message from Dr. James Denton, asking for help with a bizarre situation. So Easton, who owes Denton for helping at the Usher’s place two years before, journeys to America with his loyal friend/assistant Angus in tow. Once there, they reunite with Denton, who explains that his cousin has gone missing in a defunct mine in West Virginia. So Easton and friends investigate, only to find that the cousin’s strange letters seem to have truth to them—because there are sounds and lights deep within the mine that shouldn’t, couldn’t, be there. But surely there’s a reasonable explanation. And moreover, Easton is certainly not claustrophobic.

You might have noticed by now that I really like T. Kingfisher’s books. What Moves the Dead remains one of my favorites of hers, though I’ll freely admit that its sequel What Feasts at Night wasn’t nearly as memorable. It was fine, but I couldn’t tell you much of what happened in it. Luckily, each book in this series works on its own, though this new one does have a lot more references to What Moves the Dead, so I’d still suggest reading them in order.

On another fortunate note, this book is excellent. Somehow, I’d forgotten just how much I love Alex Easton, both as character and as narrator. The quippy dialogue and narration is absolutely delightful. Even within the first seven pages there were several moments that made me chuckle, just from Easton’s inner monologue.

And truly, humor as a coping mechanism is the real MVP of this story. So many moments have a perfect blend of fear and humor, and to me, none of these darker, more serious events are diminished or undermined by the levity. Rather, the humor is a welcome addition.

But speaking of seriousness, this book (like its predecessors) does a good job of showing how trauma can affect someone’s everyday life, often in little ways. There are several moments where Easton must grapple with sudden bursts of anxiety or hypervigilance, and though they’re quickly shaken (Easton has been away from the war for several years, and is starting to recover pretty well), they still aren’t brushed aside. Kingfisher gives them the gravity they’re due. Further, the scenes where Easton and Denton discuss their trauma and commiserate are emotional and true.

I also don’t know if I’ve talked about Easton’s gender identity in a while. In short, I really like it, and how it’s presented in the story. In my opinion, Kingfisher does a good job of not overstepping as a writer; she explores and explains who Easton is and how being non-conforming often informs or affects their experiences with the world, but that isn’t what the book is about. Instead, we see who Easton is, and it’s not a big deal. I just like this sort of respectful, yet casual, representation. Also I just generally find Easton delightful; I’d do anything for this person, frankly.

The other characters are also amazing. Kingfisher has a knack for writing endearing side characters, as I’ve said before. Angus returns, his usual grumpy but steadfast and capable self as he was in the previous two books, and I love him. And it was great to see Denton again, like picking up where you left off with the man you once trauma-bonded with over some terrifying, semi-sentient mushrooms (sorry, this probably doesn’t make sense if you haven’t read What Moves the Dead, but I’m not going to delete it).

However, my favorite character is John Ingold, the Bostonian who joins the group to investigate the mine, and who has an interest in chemistry and decent knowledge of how gases in mines work. He’s a wonderful character, so charming and full of infectious enthusiasm for learning new things. I love his rapport with both Denton and Easton. He’s marvelous and I adore him, would die for him, etc., etc.

As for the plot itself, it’s a great time. Creepy at times, yes, but far less frightening in my opinion than other Kingfisher books. Others might disagree, of course, but I didn’t find myself nearly as scared of what’s within the mine than what was going on with the Ushers in book one, for example. The truth of what dwells in the mine is gross and bizarre, of course, and at times quite viscerally upsetting, but less scary to me. Or maybe I’m just not as squeamish about this sort of thing than brain-controlling mushrooms? Either way, though, there’s plenty of eerieness anyway, and I enjoyed the gradual discovery of the truth, and the heart-pounding climax. What a horrifyingly memorable scene.

Also, on a completely different tangential note, this supernatural horror novella somehow features a better love story (between two side characters no less) than lots of actual romance books I’ve read. How does that work?!

Anyway, in the end, I had an absolute blast (mining pun intended) with What Stalks the Deep. I read it basically in one sitting because I couldn’t put it down. The combination of humor and horror is stellar, the characters and their interactions are so entertaining, and the subplot about navigating trauma is wonderful. It’s a peculiar, sometimes grotesque little book to be sure, but I had so much fun with these characters, and honestly the creepier elements are weirdly delightful to me. And best of all, this book ends with an implication that there will be another installment in this series, which—despite it not having been announced yet—I’ve already preordered in my mind.

What Stalks the Deep is available now!