By: Caitlin Kittredge
Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks
Publish Date: November 30, 2010
Format: Paperback 343pgs, Pocket book size
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: 3rd book in Black London Series; 1st~Street Magic, 2nd~Demon Bound
Recommendation: Yes, If you love dark banter between characters and magic, check this one out!
Book Synopsis:
Ever since crow-mage Jack Winter was lost in Hell, there's only one woman who can save Black London. Her name is Pete Caldecott.
Witch hunts are on the rise and supernatural turf wars are reaching a boiling point. Then, just when it seems life couldn't get any worse for Pete, Jack reappears - but he's no longer the man she's always known. Hell has changed him forever. And he's brought back with him a whole world of trouble...
A cabal of necromancers is using ancient, unspeakable magic to turn the tide of war in their favor. Then, as the city is about to sink into chaos, Pete receives a chilling directive: To end the war, you must kill the crow-mage. Beset from all sides, Pete finds herself turning to an unholy source for help...even if doing so could destroy Black London - and life as she knows it - once and for all.
First Sentence:
The dead man lay in repose at the feet of Ramses II.
My Review and Summary:
Six months after Jack was taken by the demon, Pete is trying to live without him... and not coming back. Pete is a wreck with loss, surfacing in different forms. Ollie, Pete's old partner, has asked her to come and check out a stiff. As soon as Pete sees the body, she knows there is rather dark magic involved. And all the spiral carving and scars over the dead mans chest and arms, just adds to the mystery along with something completely unrecognizable to her. Pete has a touch of talent to work with magic on her own, but doesn't know how to use it. Can Pete help Ollie? And who else is involved in this case? Pete must follow the leads for this case that she may not want to.
I enjoyed this book as it is what I wanted to happen. Well, not in the sense of the whole book, but I wanted to see Pete grow, become her own character. And This book delivers on that journey for Pete. Pete is upset with the loss of her lover Jack and trying to carry on what they had in business and life. In this Pete has to stand on her own and try to make things work with other characters that worked with Jack. In making Pete stronger as a character it helps bring some secondary characters to the light a little more. And even introduces us to a few surprising, new characters.
The story line keeps me guessing and wondering what is going on. Pete makes her suggestions as we go through the book, but I kept wondering if there was something else - deeper darker. We keep getting the small details of the rituals and meanings behind what's going on, and just kept waiting to see how deep the story was going. The more Pete digs, the more we see, and the darker the magic gets. With unexpected turns and characters.
In this book we learn more of the Black, Weir powers and what the purpose of the weir is. We even learn some on the work between Morrigan and Jack. Caitlin isn't afraid to push her characters and break them, I think that is part of what I enjoy most with this series along with the brutally truthful and humorous banter.
If you enjoy dark magic and heavy banter, this is definitely a read for you. A great fun journey.
I purchased this book for my own reading.
This book qualifies for the Speculative Fiction Challenge Hosted by Book Chick City.
