The third novel in Kelly’s delightfully fun Sam Quinn series finds the owner of The Slaughtered Lamb Bookstore and Bar once again on a quest to harness her powers, to keep her powerful vampire boyfriend, now fiancé, and to stay one step ahead of the aunt who is still trying to kill her. The Slaughtered Lamb is once again under attack, and Sam makes the fateful decision to close it down for the safety of her loved ones. With her aunt on the warpath, Sam has only a short time to find someone willing and able to teach her necromancy–and when she succeeds, the results are explosive and deadly.As in the first two books, Kelly again immerses readers into a shrewdly balanced paranormal setting, filled with the darkness of devastation but lightened by the humor and joy of complex, and sometimes twisted, relationships–particularly when Furies, demons and gorgons are involved. Sam’s burgeoning strength and confidence may come across to some readers as the familiar standard for an urban fantasy series, especially as she discovers a new connection to the fae, nearly completing her paranormal pantheon. However, Sam’s journey of discovery–everything involving powers, her family, and the friendships that have bloomed around her, even among the vampires–feels fresh and poignant, especially as it focuses on both self-reliance and the necessity of leaning on others.
Kelly builds the story–both in this installment and across the series–on engaging, believable interpersonal relationships, with each new book carefully expanding on the established mythos. Fans of the genre will be charmed by the novel’s deceptive simplicity–it has hidden layers and nuance, allowing readers to choose for themselves whether to enjoy it as something light and fluffy or to tease out the welcome depths of this new take on the hero’s journey.
Takeaway: Kelly’s latest rich, nuanced, and fun addition to the urban fantasy genre.
Great for fans of: Ilona Andrews, Katie MacAlister, Kim Harrison.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A-
