Reviewed by Delene Vrey for Readers' Favorite

They say the legendary Craedon has awoken. They say she is burning villages and animals alike. Some say Craedon does not kill and should be revered, while others say she is a menace and should be killed. In the town of Lake Home, residents can trace their lineage back to the first human settlers in the area and the Smoke Breathers, who, as legend tells, could breathe fire. Calec and Serileen are on the trail of a merchant who has information regarding Merindal's murder. As Calec investigates the burnings in Lake Home, Serileen searches higher up in the mountains for the merchant. As tension builds between the two factions in the town, Calec is determined to discover the truth. Spending nights on the lake, he witnesses Craedon and the Sky Sea Falls, which legend says is the bridge to the dragon's original home. When tensions break and chaos ensues on the lake shore, Calec follows a lead and is almost burnt to a crisp. When he finally fits all the puzzle pieces together, the culprit seems unbelievable. Craedon appears in a dramatic, awe-inspiring manner before the whole town and disappears up the Sky Sea Falls. Knights, Witches, and the Dragon of the Lake is the ninth Calec of the Woods Mystery Thriller by R.M. Schultz.

R.M. Schultz once again successfully combines the fantasy and crime thriller genres in this fast-paced mystery. Knights, Witches, and the Dragon of the Lake is set in a world that complements the plot and characters. The descriptions of the scenery and background add to the bleak and hard lives of the people of Lake Home. The story has some interesting themes, such as vengeance and its consequences, family, and standing up for your beliefs. The central theme is that of the enemy among us. People can fool others into believing a threat comes from outside when it is living among them as one of their own. The fact that the novel is narrated in the same way as a modern crime novel, with a driven protagonist, gives it an authentic feel enriched by the fantasy element. Fast-paced and full of intrigue and mystery, this book is hard to put down and a wonderful read to escape into for a few hours. Albeit the ninth book in the series, it can still be enjoyed as a standalone, as its main story stands apart from the sub-story arc.