Demons Are Forever - Julie Kenner

Demons Are Forever
Confessions of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom, Book 3
Julie Kenner
Berkley

Paranormal

WARNING: If you haven’t read the first two novels in this series (CARPE DEMON and CALIFORNIA DEMON) this review contains unavoidable plot spoilers for those books.

Nearly twenty years ago, Kate Connor was a Demon Hunter for the Vatican. Then she married, got pregnant, and retired with her Demon Hunter husband, Eric, to the seaside California town of San Diablo. Both felt that their retirement, coupled with the proximity of a large cathedral, would keep the demons at bay. After Eric died, Kate remarried. Her new husband, Stuart, has no idea about her past. He’s consumed these days by running for San Diablo County Attorney. Their son, Timmy, is a toddler. Only teenager Allie, daughter of two Demon Hunters knows the truth. And Allie only knows because she was kidnapped by a demon and rescued by her mom. Obviously, explanations were in order.

Kate’s problems are hardly behind her. Allie, once she assimilates the truth, wants desperately to follow in her parents’ footsteps and train to be a Demon Hunter. Then there’s David, the high school chemistry teacher. He’s what’s known as an untrained, rogue demon hunter. And Kate keeps getting the unsettling feeling that, when David looks at her, it’s really Eric’s soul behind the eyes. Transferring souls is dark magic, though, and Kate is afraid to go too far down that road for all kinds of reasons, not the least of which is her current happy marriage and family.

Just when she thinks that things are going to settle down in San Diablo, demons begin to appear. They’re all demanding the release of Andramelech. He’s one of the Biggest Bads in Hell; a high chancellor to Satan. If he’s around, there’s going to be trouble, and lots of it. Adding to her troubles, there’s new information about the circumstances of Eric’s death and a possible connection between Eric and Andramelech. Which would explain why his minions are sniffing around San Diablo and Kate’s family.

This is the third in a great series, and it doesn’t disappoint. Reading the first two installments isn’t necessary to understanding and enjoying this one, but you’ll most likely find that you want to go back and start at the beginning, just for the fun of it. The domestic scenes are a nice contrast to the research and demon hunting passages, but I’d be happier personally if those domestic bits were fewer and farther between. They do serve to nicely point up Kate’s divided life and loyalties, though. Putting teenager Allie into the mix and learning more about Eric’s death and past keeps the series fresh. The way this one ends makes it very clear that there’s more to come. Here’s hoping for several more installments.

Rating: 8
July 2007ISBN# 978-0-425-21538-8