ARC Review: Adam Binder #4

Redneck Revenant by David R. Slayton

Publication Date: October 28, 2025

Summary from NetGalley:

Adam Binder’s life has never been better. Sure, he has no money, no car, no home to call his own, and he’s worried about creating a future with his boyfriend Vic, but he’s closer to his family than ever before. He’s also Page to the Elven Court of Swords, and that appointment is not without its perks—like the invisible sword strapped to his back.

But on Halloween night, Adam’s life takes a disturbing turn. Annie, his brother’s long-lost wife, turns up on her husband’s doorstep alive and well, with no memory of her death. But is it really Annie, or a Trojan horse from some new magical enemy?

To uncover the truth, Adam will need help from those he loves most—as well as a couple of friends at Rogue Community College. As he navigates a perilous maze of magical politics and battles terrifying creatures from beyond the known realms, Adam will discover a secret darker and more unsettling than anything he could have imagined.

ARC provided by Blackstone Publishing via NetGalley for an honest review.

Confession:

It was so much fun being back in Adam Binder’s world with a new mystery and a new adventure for him and his friends. I really enjoyed this one and if you haven’t yet read any of the books in this series you really must. It is a great urban fantasy series full of magic, fae, unearthly creatures, and characters you will love and want to root for.

Adam is such a wonderful character. Full of such self doubt, but also so willing to put himself in danger in order to protect his friends and family. There has been a lot of growth over the course of the series, but I think he showed the most in this book. He is beginning to realize that he doesn’t have to do things alone, that other can help, and to know his limitations. I loved that Vic points out to him that he has ‘main character syndrome’. It was said with love of course, but I was also glad that Adam heard him. Adam is such a kind, smart and brave character that I really enjoy spending time with.

One of the best things in this story was seeing how well Vic and Adam’s relationship is growing and getting stronger. They are a wonderful couple and I love how they support each other. It doesn’t hurt that Vic has some powers of his own, being a grim reaper, but they just fit so well together. Adam’s relationship with his brother Bobby is also growing, with them dealing with the generational trauma in their family.

The story itself was very well done. I loved seeing Annie being brought back from the dead, and I just loved her fierceness once she discovered what her parents have done. The world building is well done, we continue to learn new things about it and meet new being that live within it. I loved the cameos from Isaac and Jack who are from Rogue Community College, a standalone novel, or hopefully the first in a new series, set in the same world. Many characters from the first series are back and it was wonderful to see them again as well.

If you have not read the previous books in the series, you could still pick this one up, but I’m not sure I would advise it. There are lots of things mentioned in this book that were part of the series, that won’t have the same impact if you are not aware of them. I even struggled a bit to remember some of them as it has been a few years. If you have read them, then you certainly need to get this on your TBR. I am sure that you will love this one as much as the others.