Book Review: The Darkest Edge of Dawn

The Darkest Edge of Dawn

By:  Kelly Gay

Publisher:  Pocket Books

Publish Date:  September 2010

Format:  Paperback 371pgs, pocket size

Genre:  Urban Fantasy

Series:  2nd book in Charlie Madigan series; 1st book ~ The Better Part of Darkness

Recommendation:  Yes, if you read and enjoyed The Better Part of Darkness, this action packed read is for you as well.  If you love action and historical world building check this one out!

Book Synopsis:
It takes a strong woman to keep the peace in a city of endless night...

Deep beneath Underground, a cunning bid for power and revenge has begun - one that threatens to make Atlanta the new battleground in the ultimate confrontation between good and evil.  The powers of hellish Charbydon have the upper hand after plunging the city into primordial night.  And under the cover of darkness, a serial killer targets the most powerful Elysians in the city, the angelic Adonai.  For Detective Charlie Madigan and her siren partner Hank, tracking deadly predators is all in a day's work... but this case will test the limits of their strength and friendship as it draws them into a deadly world of power plays, ancient myths, explosive secrets, and a race against time that risks all that Charlie holds dear.

First Sentence:
"Okay.  I'm ready.  Give me a leg up."

My Thoughts and Summary:
Two months after the darkness came from the night Mynogan performed the ritual, in which Charlie played a huge part, the darkness is still hanging over Atlanta.  Relations between the Charbydon and the law enforcement then between the Charbydon and Elysians is rather shaky.  The darkness is making all in the town edgy.  Charlie is doing her best at learning to handle and use her newly engineered off-worldly abilities with the help of Aaron.  Charlie and Hank are members of a new elite part of the law for dealing with the unruly off-worlders.  They are now investigating a dead body, and a case to find six missing top elite Elysian's of the Adonai (a race that will not go down with out a fight, if they even go down) had disappeared to without a trace.  The deeper Charlie and Hank go the more they find out, and they are standing in the middle of a deadly battlefield between two powerful races.  The secret history of all the races is important.  The further Charlie and Hank dig into this case and history they could jeopardize their lives, friends lives, and many relationships... including theirs.  Can Charlie solve her case and stop the war from happening?  She has one week to do so.

We dive into the book right as Charlie and Hank are entering the warehouse where one dead body was found.  And with in the beginning of the first few chapters you are dropped right into the action and start getting trails for the investigation. 

I have to say Kelly is amazing at filling a book packed full of action.  When the actions not in full swing we are digging deep into the great world building.  I learned more of the myths and history of the different races.  The history and cultures are very nicely drawn out for you to understand, more so towards the end of the book you learn the most.

As a second book in the series Kelly dives us into the action and gives us the little drops of information to refresh our memories.  I like that Kelly doesn't rehash everything from the first book right up front, but uses the events happening now to share that information.  This brings us right back up to speed, not even knowing that's what shes doing.  The book at times seemed to sway from the plot some, but that is to build the characters more. 

Overall, this is a wonderful action read.  I would suggest this book to anyone loving lots of action in their Urban Fantasy reads.


I read this book for my own fun.


This book qualifies for the Speculative Fiction Challenge hosted by Floor to Ceiling Books along with The Horror and Urban Fantasy Challenge hosted by Book Chick City.