Blood Bath & Beyond - Michelle Rowen

Blood Bath & Beyond

An Immortality Bites Mystery
Michelle Rowen
Obsidian

Paranormal Mystery
 
Sarah Dearly has only been a vampire for seven months.  In that time, she’s adjusted to her new life, faced a few dangers, and become engaged to master vampire Thierry.  They’re planning the wedding when Thierry breaks the news.  He’s been offered a job he pretty much can’t refuse: he’s going to be a consultant for the Ring.  The Ring is a sort of elder council of vampires.  They police the vampire population of the world, making sure no one does anything to get them noticed or hunted by the general public.  The job will take him all over the world and will last fifty years.  Sarah decides to go with him instead of sitting at home, waiting for him to appear for a day or two.
 
The first posting is in Las Vegas.  It seems that a contestant in a toddler beauty pageant is actually a vampire.  Her success is gaining her too much attention.  There are professional vampire hunters out there who might not worry about collateral damage when going for the vamp.  When Sarah and Thierry arrive at their hotel, they’re greeted with the sight of a body being wheeled out on a stretcher.  Apparently, there have been six murders in as many days.  The Ring has kept the press quiet, but insiders know that there’s a vampire serial killer running around town.  And just to add to the fun, Thierry will be meeting Bernard, another master vampire who was once one of his best friends.  The two argue in public just before Bernard is dispatched by a hunter.  Of course, all clues point to Thierry as the killer.
 
First, I have to applaud the author’s decision to put the meet-cute-fall-in-love part of this relationship in the past.  This is the first installment in a series, and I’m quite glad not to have to go through the trauma/romance period with these characters.  They’re together, they’re engaged, and we can move on from that point.  Of course a murder investigation is going to be tough on any relationship, especially when the Ring’s enforcer (a guy who functions as judge, jury, and executioner) arrives on the scene.  Instead of fleeing to a safe location, Sarah decides to try and figure out who might have wanted Bernard dead, even though she has no idea where to start.
 
Sarah is accompanied for part of her investigation by Victoria, the adorable blonde six-year-old beauty pageant contestant – who happens to be a hundred-year-old vampire.  That strikes me as hilarious and possible.  She’s an interesting character who swings between a smoking, drinking, know-it-all and a little girl who loves ball pits and pink ruffles.  I’m not sure I buy both sides, but that’s what makes her a fascinating and unpredictable.  There are plenty of other vampires around Vegas, some are good and some are not. 
 
While the book starts out looking like a frothy chick-lit take on the vampire mythos, I was glad to see that it was both deeper and darker than that.  Sarah’s tendency to crack wise nicely leavens the very real dangers and fear she faces.  If Thierry is found guilty (and it looks pretty bad for him) he’ll be executed.  That honestly scares Sarah, as well it should.  The mysteries presented here intertwine and some reach far back into the past.  To be honest, Sarah kind of stumbles on the solution to one mystery, but the methods used to find the truth about Bernard are inventive and macabre.  The newest installment is out this month, so watch this space.
 
Rating: 8
August 2012
ISBN# 978-0-451-23764-4 (paperback)

Supernatural Born Killers - Casey Daniels

 

 

Supernatural Born Killers

A Pepper Martin Mystery
Casey Daniels
Berkley Prime Crime

Mystery/Paranormal

You’d think a cemetery would be a fairly sedate place to work.  If you’re Pepper Martin, you’d be wrong for all sorts of reasons.  First and foremost, she sees and talks to ghosts.  They usually want her to do something for them so they can cross over or whatever it is that ghosts do.  At Garden View Cemetery in Cleveland, there’s also been a recent shake-up in management when the guy in charge got caught messing around with the books.  After a brief lay-off, Pepper is back at work and promoted from tour guide to manager of community relations. 
 
Her first task is to put together a cocktail party in an effort to attract new donors.  She certainly succeeds in attracting Milo Blackburne, whose huge wallet is matched only by his outsized love of all things Superman.  When you’re wealthy, that’s called being eccentric. During all of this, Pepper is distracted by puddles of water that keep appearing.  The puddles come with a ghost: a man who was clearly drowned, as he appears with duct tape over his mouth, bound, with a cinder block tied to his feet. 

Pepper realizes fairly quickly that the man is the former partner of her on-again, off-again paramour, Detective Quinn Harrison, Jack Haggarty.  Jack disappeared under a cloud of suspicion some years ago.  He radioed in an arrest, but never arrived with the thief in tow.  Instead, the thief in question was found, murdered, and Jack was nowhere to be found.  Every so often, the police get a postcard – always from a different city – signed by Jack.  Quinn thinks maybe Jack just dumped the job and went travelling, as he’d always said he would.  Other cops put a decidedly more negative spin on it.  Now that he’s contacted Pepper, they can get to the truth.     

Having the ghost of Jack appear with his mouth taped shut is an interesting twist, since it means he can’t simply tell Pepper (and Quinn) exactly what happened and who killed him.  Following his line-of-duty injury, Quinn has been reassigned to a community liaison desk job, which makes him very unhappy.  After several books (TOMB WITH A VIEW, A HARD DAY’S FRIGHT, WILD WILD DEATH) it’s nice to see the main characters in different circumstances.  The writing, as always, is breezy and fast, making the pages fly by.  For me, the final payoff is not the strongest of the series (that honor goes to A HARD DAY'S FRIGHT) but without spoiling anything, I’m sure many readers will enjoy it.  Pepper does emerge from this a stronger character, so I hope to see more of her someday.
 
Rating: 7
September 2012
ISBN# 978-0-425-25152-2 (paperback)

Trouble Vision - Allison Kingsley

Trouble Vision

A Raven’s Nest Bookstore Mystery
Allison Kingsley
Berkley Prime Crime
 
Mystery/Paranormal
 
Change is coming to tiny Finn’s Harbor, Maine, and change is never easy.  Developers have started work on a new resort hotel and golf course on the outer edge of the tourist town.  The local population is still pretty divided about it, opinion-wise.  Some worry about an increase in traffic and crime; others are thrilled about the attendant increase in business.  No matter what their opinion, everyone is shocked when the foreman is found dead at the construction site.  The police fairly quickly determine that he fell off a slippery scaffolding and rule it an accident.
 
Clara Quinn knows different.  She inherited what her family calls the Quinn Sense, and has seen the truth about what happened that night.  If only the Sense came complete with clear faces and names.  Together with her cousin, Stephanie, she sets out to prove that the death was any but an accident.
 
This is the third installment in a solid series (MIND OVER MURDER, A SINISTER SENSE) based around cousins and their bookstore, The Raven’s Nest.  Most people in town pass through the store at some point, so gossip and answers aren’t too difficult to come by.  The mystery this time is disappointingly thin.  The two women take chances and ask questions, but come up empty more often than not.  At one point there’s a ‘deus ex witness’ moment when some strange woman claims she doesn’t want to talk to the police, but she’ll confide a detail to Clara that could crack the case.  As is the norm in this series, the finale is a bit rushed and too pat for my personal taste.  Readers who enjoy a nice dose of the paranormal in their cozy mysteries will be happy to visit Finn’s Harbor again.
 
Rating: 6
June 2013
ISBN# 978-0-425-25198-0 (paperback)

A Matter Of Blood - Sarah Pinborough

 

 

A Matter Of Blood

The Forgotten Gods: Book One
Sarah Pinborough
Ace
 
Fantasy/Urban Fantasy
 
There’s no better way to begin this than with the opening line of the novel: “The orchestra of flies buzzed above the mutilated corpse.”  That line alone will tell you if this book is for you or not.  If you like your fantasy populated by adorable elves and helpful Blue Fairies, then you need to look elsewhere.  If you enjoy a dark adventure through the minds and souls of morally ambiguous characters – and not a little violence and gore – then settle in.  And if you’ll take my advice, don’t start this one too late at night.  It’s incredibly difficult to put down.
 
The story is set in a near-future London, with the world enmeshed in a global recession both financial and spiritual.  The city teems with life, yet seems bleak.  Detective Inspector Cass Jones loves the city, but has lost a part of himself to an event that happened some years ago; an event that has irrevocably colored every aspect of his life since.  His caseload includes the drive-by murders of two innocent boys, and the apparent series murders of women.  There have been four women found in the last few months, killed by an injection, stripped naked, with “nothing is sacred” carefully painted across their chests in blood.  The blood used for painting belongs to none of the victims. 
 
All of that would be enough to grind a man down.  Then comes the devastating news that Cass’ brother, Christian, is dead.  The evidence shows that he first murdered his wife and young son, then committed suicide.  Cass knows that these acts are completely out of character for Christian, but he carries a huge load of guilt, knowing that his brother had been trying to reach him by phone for days.  Like everyone, Cass assumed that the calls could wait; that there would be time later.  He was wrong.
 
It all sounds like a police procedural.  But the reader is aware from the first page that something Other is at work here.  That “orchestra of flies” is being conducted by someone who is clearly not quite human.  It takes Cass a while to work the cases and get around to this, but it’s all completely, grittily real.  He’s a police in the real and realistic world.  As the cases progress, he becomes more and more convinced that there is something else going on behind the scenes – that something has maybe been going on for a lot longer than he or anyone else has suspected.  His character is flawed and imperfect and utterly sympathetic, even when he’s crossed over to the dark side of human behavior.  The author writes with a visceral intensity and a unique voice that had me completely immersed from the first page.  Putting down this book was like waking up from a particularly intense and not completely pleasant dream.  Fans of dark fantasy and thrillers should not miss this one.
 
Rating: 9
April 2013
ISBN# 978-0-425-25846-0 (trade paperback)

Murder Hooks A Mermaid - Christy Fifield

Murder Hooks A Mermaid

A Haunted Souvenir Shop Mystery
Christy Fifield
Berkley Prime Crime
 
Mystery/Paranormal
 
The tiny town of Keyhole Bay, Florida is gearing up for the spring influx of tourists.  Pretty much anyplace near a beach can expect some tourist income during the spring and summer months.  Souvenir shop owner Glory Martine is sidetracked by a familiar problem.  Her best friend since forever, Karen, used to be married to Riley, a commercial fisherman with a lifelong penchant for bailing his younger brother, Bobby out of trouble.  Bobby seems to unerringly find trouble, and what was endearing in their teen years has become significantly less so now that they’re all adults.  Nevertheless, when Bobby is in trouble, Riley is there for him, and that means Karen is, too.
 
This time, the trouble looks pretty serious.  Bobby convinced Riley to let him use his commercial fishing boat to take out a dive charter.  Never mind how sketchy that sounds right off the bat, at least Bobby was trying to earn some money.  As soon as the group returns, they’re all arrested for suspected smuggling.  That means Riley’s boat – his only means of making a living – is impounded.  Not long afterwards, one of the divers is found murdered.  The scant evidence points to Bobby.  No one believes he’s capable of murder.  Although Glory tries to stay out of it, the fact that her best friend is running herself ragged trying to prove Bobby’s innocence means she’s part of the investigation.
 
This is the second entry in this entertaining series.  One of the most interesting aspects of this series is Bluebeard, the parrot that Glory inherited from her uncle, along with the souvenir shop.  It’s pretty clear that he sometimes channels Uncle Louis.  I have to admit that at first I was skeptical of this.  But Bluebeard/Louis has/have grown on me a lot.  It might be because in this one, Glory has to explain Bluebeard to a couple of people.  She knows exactly how crazy it sounds, and her reluctance to share is completely believable.  The reactions are believable and, in one case, really touching. 
 
If you like your mysteries without paranormal aspects, there’s still plenty to like here.  There are characters we met in the first volume (MURDER BUYS A T-SHIRT) who become much more detailed and complex in their relationships as the series progresses.  Glory and her friends continue to hold weekly suppers, and many of the recipes for traditional southern cooking are included at the end.  The cast of characters really gels and gives the feeling of a small town group of people who have known each other forever.  There are ups and down to that, but it always feels real. 
 
Rating: 7
January 2013
ISBN# 978-0-425-25184-3 (paperback)

The MIst-Torn Witches - Barb Hendee

The Mist-Torn Witches

Barb Hendee
Roc

Fantasy
 
This novel, the first in a new series, is set in the world of the Noble Dead series, written by the author and her husband.  I admit, I haven’t read any of those books (for reasons I cannot figure) but I have read most of the Vampire Memories series by this author and find them to be unique and entertaining.  This is all to say that I am not qualified to detail exactly how linked this series is to the Noble Dead series.  I’m just taking this book on its own merits, and it succeeds quite well.
 
Celine and Amelie live in a small village.  As two girls alone (their parents are both dead) they eke out a living in their mother’s apothecary shop.  In addition to being a healer, their mother was a seer with a true gift.  Celine quickly learns to “read” customers who come to her, wanting information about their future.  She feels a bit guilty about it, but figures there’s no real harm done.  Until a member of local Prince’s household arrives with much-needed coin and an order to tell a woman that her proposed marriage will be happy.  Celine agrees, since refusing could result in her death.  When the woman arrives for her reading, Celine is shocked when she receives a true vision of the woman’s future.  To her horror, the proposed husband will have the woman killed.  Celine is completely unable to lie to this woman and tells her the truth.  Hours later, the shop is firebombed.
 
Running from the fire, Celine and Amalie are rescued by men in strange livery.  They’re from a neighboring Prince’s household.  The two Princes are brothers, vying to be named their father’s heir.  The two are taken to Prince Anton’s castle.  It’s a revelation.  The castle is surrounded by a village full of prosperous and safe people.  Here, the Prince’s men bring order and safety.  Prince Anton tells the sisters that they can have the local apothecary shop to live and trade in, as long as Celine uses her gift to help him solve a local mystery.  Recently, several young women have been killed by means unknown.  They go to bed perfectly healthy, only to be found in the morning, still lying in their beds, but as dessicated husks.  The deal is too good to pass up, despite the inherent risks when dealing with royalty.

Whether you know the Noble Dead books or not (I don’t) this is a solidly entertaining fantasy.  The sisters have very legitimate reasons for acting and reacting as they do.  They’ve spent years fearing the local Prince and his men-at-arms.  Being suddenly offered a life of safety and prosperity seems too good to be true.  Both sisters have a lot to learn about life in general and their mother’s past.  The inhabitants of the castle and surrounding village all seem very realistic.  The pacing is so quick that the pages seemed to turn themselves.  If you like your fantasy on the dark side with a dash of intrigue, you'll enjoy this book.  I hope for many more books in this series.
 
Rating: 8
May 2013
ISBN# 978-0-451-41415-1 (paperback)

Generation V - M.L. Brennan

Generation V

M.L. Brennan
Roc
 
Urban Fantasy/Paranormal
 
At first glance, Fortitude Scott looks like any other 26-year-old guy who’s finally got his degree in film theory and parlayed it into a solid job at a coffee shop.  The deeper truth, and the truth he’d like to forget, is that he comes from an unusual family.  They’re vampires, and so is he.  Well, almost.  He’s not quite a full vampire yet, and he’d really like to stay that way.  His older brother and sister (they’re centuries older than he is) seem like completely alien beings to him, and he’d rather maintain his humanity for as long as possible.

It was at this point that I thought I’d happened on another dreary, emo, I-hate-being-a-vampire kind of character.  I’m so glad I kept reading, because this book and this character are so much more than that.  Fort comes across as a pretty regular guy with a bunch of not-regular problems.  Sure, he’s not keen on being a creature of the night, but he’s not a whiny, sparkly mess, either.  In fact, when he starts whining, there’s always someone there to call him on it.  And, when the chips are down, he comes through in a big way. 
 
This version of the vampire mythos is original and believable.  Vampires don’t have little vampires.  Making little vampires is a long, difficult, unhappy, and very messy affair.  That’s why there are so few of them.  Fort’s blood mother, Madeleine, is something of a legend, since she has three offspring – a feat unheard of in supernatural circles. It’s because of her astounding success that Luca, a vampire from Italy, travels to the U.S. to meet Madeline.  The meeting is something like heads of state getting together, since Luca has to ask permission to enter Madeline’s territory and Madeline has to extend her hospitality to him. 
 
Luca is the first not-family vampire that Fort has ever met, and he’s not impressed.  The guy travels with a sort of entourage that includes a very young and very obviously abused girl.  The wounds all over the girl’s skin and her dead eyes tell the story.  Fort is horrified and wants to rescue her, but he’s clearly the only one in the room who finds her presence remarkable.  It’s not long before other girls go missing.  It’s no secret to Fort who’s got them, and he plans to stop Luca by any means necessary.
 
Fort’s character has a long and relatable backstory.  I won’t spoil any of it by detailing it here, but he’s got real and justifiable reasons for not wanting to live with his family.  After Luca arrives, Suzume appears in Fort’s life.  She’s a kitsune (a Japanese shapeshifter) hired by Madeline to protect Fort.  As the two of them spend time together, Fort’s character really blossoms and becomes someone you can really root for.  Suzume’s family also has a long history, some of it very darkly touching.  The world-building here is solid and fully realized.  The story’s pace is quite fast, with necessary exposition woven into the narrative in unobtrusive ways.  Each character is a detailed individual, with backstory and solid reasons for their actions and attitudes.  Highly recommended to anyone who enjoys fantasy with an edge.
 
Rating: 8 ½
May 2013
ISBN# 978-0-451-41840-1 (paperback)