Nope, it’s not about Batman.

I’m all for urban fantasy, paranormal discoveries, modern-day witches, magic, even horror–PLUS a mystery to solve. I came across Ghosts of Gotham, saw it was full of all that, and jumped right in expecting to be impressed.

And I was impressed.

A couple times.

All the elements were there. It had it’s moments. Some of it was even fun. But mostly Ghosts of Gotham left me feeling underwhelmed and disappointed because of the lame romantic subplot and it’s strong adult content.

Oh, and Batman was missing.

Lional Page (is it just me, or is Lional a stupid name for a leading man?) is a journalist. He seeks out paranormal hoaxes and other mystical fakery to expose the con men behind faith healing, fortune telling, and the like so they can’t steel any more money from old ladies. Very noble.

Except it’s also not. Something mysterious and magical happened to him when he was a kid that he can’t remember, and so he’s subconsciously trying to prove that magic is actually real. Except he doesn’t know that. Except he should.

Ya, I was confused too.

Anyway, when he gets a tip there’s a lost Edgar Allen Poe manuscript with magical ties being peddled in the shady underground of New York City, he’s off to uncover the secret.

And finds MUCH more than he expected…

All that’s good. I’m pumped for a magical mystery ghost adventure in New York City! But then there’s this romance thing. He meets a woman who turns out to be key to the story, and of course they fall desperately, powerfully, fantastically in love. In a day. And it’s stupid.

So the lame romance, combined with distracting adult content (sex, language, violence), ruined the experience for me. It started dragging, the fun vanished, and it ended up taking me two weeks to read a 400 page book.

Plus, no Batman.

I probably should have just cut it loose, but I did want to see how the mysteries came together. So there’s that.

Sorry kids, adults only for this one.

Happy Reading!