Review - Night of the Loving Dead by Casey Daniels

Night of the Loving Dead
Pepper Martin Mysteries, Book 4
Casey Daniels
Berkley Prime Crime
January 6, 2009
ISBN# 978-0-425-22555-4

Book Blurb:
Introducing sleuth Pepper Martin...

And now, in her fourth hip, quirky mystery, she’s all ours.

Pepper Martin, heiress-turned cemetery-tour-guide, often has her hands full with two hotties and the ghosts who won’t let her rest—or work, or shop—in peace.

Now the specter of a young woman in a lab coat wants Pepper’s help. Before the woman died, she worked with a sexy, mysterious doctor who coincidentally once saved Pepper’s life—and who the woman claims is now in danger. But Pepper doesn’t know that there’s more to the story, including a devious doctor—and an obsessive, crazy love.

My thoughts:
Filing in for her boss to represent Garden View Cemetery at a conference in Chicago, Pepper Martin is not thrilled with Madeline, the sarcastic ghost she’s been pushed into assisting. Giving in to the sympathy that she has for a friend, Pepper agrees to help stop a doctor who’s running a shady operation and in the process prevent a friend from wrongly winding up in jail.

As things heat up and Pepper finds herself in life threatening danger, the pieces begin to form a shocking picture. Pepper’s willingness to help the dead is about to force her into crossing a line she’d never agree to on her own.

This is the fourth book in the Pepper Martin Mysteries, and Pepper’s newest investigation brings her closer to the dead than ever before. Ms. Daniels weaves a well-plotted paranormal mystery that takes a dangerous turn for the heroine and leaves her emotions in turmoil. Night of the Loving Dead shares some answers that fans have had since we first met this entertaining character, and adds several surprising twists along the way. I’ll be looking forward to visiting with Pepper as she unravels her next ghostly mystery.

To learn more about the Pepper Martin Mysteries, please visit the author: HERE

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Review - Real Vampires Don't Diet by Gerry Bartlett

Real Vampires Don’t Diet
Glory St. Clair, Book 4
Gerry Bartlett
Berkley
January 6, 2009
ISBN# 978-0-425-22564-6

Book blurb from the author’s site:
First Glory's stood up on New Year's Eve by her long time main squeeze Jeremy Blade. Then a moonlight boat ride on Austin's Lake Travis with newly turned vampire, rock star Israel Caine (Ray) goes horribly wrong. Who knew there was a Siren lurking in the lake just waiting for her chance to lure unsuspecting vampires into a trap? Now Glory and Ray are racing against time to find vampire sacrifices or they're doomed.

With the storm of the century threatening to wash out her new home and an old enemy taking aim at her, things don't look good for Glory.

As for her relationship with Blade? Well, Glory wonders if maybe it's time to cut her longtime lover loose.

Valdez is at her side as usual, along with her friends who won't let Glory go down without a fight. Surely all this action is bound to help our curvy vamp lose a pound or two. You think?

My thoughts:
With Blade called out of town, Glory and Valdez are expecting a quiet New Years Eve, but those plans are quickly changed by a phone call. Ray, singer and recently turned vampire, is in need of help and having committed herself as his mentor Glory has little choice but to respond.

Ray’s place has a great view of the lake, and against her better judgment Glory heads out for a late night ride in his boat. What should have been a harmless decision is about to cause them more trouble than either of them ever anticipated.

This is the fourth installment in the Glory St. Clair series, and Glory finds herself with a dilemma that could end up costing her a life in what may as well be hell. Ms. Bartlett adds a mythical being to the cast of characters that has the heroine scrambling to save her friend’s lives as well as her own. Real Vampires Don’t Diet provides the adventure and surprises fans have come to expect from this fun series, with more turmoil and temptation than ever. Glory has such human issues mixed in with her life as a vampire, that you just can’t help thoroughly liking this character. If you haven’t yet experienced the pleasure to be had from this series, be sure to start at the beginning.

To learn more about Real Vampires Don’t Diet, please visit Ms. Bartlett’s website: Here

You can read an excerpt from Real Vampires Don’t Diet: Here

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Review - At Grave's End by Jeaniene Frost

At Grave’s End
Night Huntress, Book 3
Jeaniene Frost
Avon Books
December 30, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-06-158307-0

Book blurb:
Some things won't stay buried . . . at grave's end.

It should be the best time of half-vampire Cat Crawfield's life. With her undead lover Bones at her side, she's successfully protected mortals from the rogue undead. But though Cat's worn disguise after disguise to keep her true identity a secret from the brazen bloodsuckers, her cover's finally been blown, placing her in terrible danger.

As if that wasn't enough, a woman from Bones's past is determined to bury him once and for all. Caught in the crosshairs of a vengeful vamp, yet determined to help Bones stop a lethal magic from being unleashed, Cat's about to learn the true meaning of bad blood. And the tricks she's learned as a special agent won't help her. She will need to fully embrace her vampire instincts in order to save herself—and Bones—from a fate worse than the grave.

My thoughts:
Cat Crawfield’s job as the Reaper has become more dangerous than ever when her disguises no longer hide who she is. In a desperate attempt to stop more children from being kidnapped, the team agrees to use a vampire as bait in Cat’s place. It’s a high risk that she hopes they won’t regret.

An indiscretion from the past has caught up to Bones, and Cat seems to be the target of the vampire using forbidden talents to cause him pain. One vampire has the strength and knowledge to prevent their final destruction, and now the team’s fate rests in his reluctant hands.

This is the third book in the Night Huntress series. Ms. Frost throws the action into high gear as the characters battle a sinister force they have little protection against. At Grave’s End blends strong love, life’s temptations and dark magic into an urban fantasy that will have fans thoroughly engrossed. This series should be read from the beginning, you don’t want to miss a word.

To learn more about the Night Huntress series, please visit Ms. Frost’s website: Here

You can browse the first 50+ pages of At Grave's End: Here (I have to say…Wow!)

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Review - On the Prowl by Karen MacInerney

On the Prowl
Tales of an Urban Werewolf, Book 2
Karen MacInerney
Ballantine Books
November 25, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-345-49626-3

Book Blurb:
Talk about a bad-hair day!

Sophie Garou is a master at taming her inner beast, which comes in handy since she’s a werewolf. With a big promotion at work and a supersexy boyfriend, Heath (whom she recently spotted leaving a jewelry store with a beguiling ring box), she’s one happy girl.

But when Heath starts spending long nights at the office with his new associate–a dead-ringer for Career Day Barbie–Sophie smells trouble. And when her professional relationship with her big new client–who also happens to be Texas’s brilliantly blue-eyed most eligible bachelor–begins to sizzle, she wonders if her animal instincts are leading her in the wrong direction. Just when it seems that things can’t get any more complicated, they do. The Houston werewolf pack has sniffed Sophie out, and their message is chillingly clear: you’re either with us or against us. And unless she can prove that she’s with them, the next full moon may just be her last.

My thoughts:
Hanging on to her semi-quiet life and remaining hidden from the Houston werewolves is about to come to a screeching halt for Sophie Garou. They’ve found her and brought trouble to her front door, but that’s only a start to Sophie’s troubles. Someone’s trying to hex her mother and her love life is suddenly out of control.

The new client that earned Sophie a partnership at work has set his sights on more than business, and she’s finding that temptation hard to resist. With the Houston pack issuing demands that could cost Sophie her life, and a group of young werewolves looking to her for guidance, life has just taken a complicated turn.

This is the second book in the Tales of an Urban Werewolf series. Some of Sophie’s worst fears have come true when word gets around and she’s discovered by the Houston werewolf pack. Ms. MacInerney shares a sequel that’s every bit as difficult to set down as the first. On the Prowl grabs the reader’s attention with its danger filled action, and keeps them engaged through the heroine’s intriguing adventure. Fans won’t want to miss Sophie’s latest hair raising exploits.

To learn more about On the Prowl, please visit Ms. MacInerney’s website: Here

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Review - Succubus Takes Manhattan by Nina Harper

Succubus Takes Manhattan
Succubus series, Book 2
Nina Harper
Del Rey
November 25, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-345-49507-5

Book Blurb:
WHEN YOUR JOB IS DISPATCHING CREEPS TO THE HEREAFTER, A GOOD MAN IS HARD TO FIND.
Lily loves working for Satan. Being one of Her Chosen means a gig filled with fashion, food, and the best supernatural gal pals a succubus could imagine. Still, being dumped by the first mortal she’d fallen in love with in centuries has put Lily in a serious funk.

IF THINGS GET ANY HOTTER, LILY MIGHT GET BURNED. . . .
Nathan Coleman bolted because he couldn’t handle Lily’s inner demon, but blond, buff, blue-eyed Marten is a delicious distraction, and he’s one of her own kind. Only Lily’s not sure she can trust him–especially when her best friend’s demon boyfriend is kidnapped, the ranks of the Hierarchy of Hell are gunning for her downfall, and Lily’s dashing P.I. beau is back on the scene, rekindling flames. Two men, too much temptation, and assassins closing in–if Lily survives, who claims her heart?

My thoughts:
As one of Satan’s Chosen, Lily has obligations to uphold, but her day job keeps her just as busy. She’s just returned from a trip to Aruba where she met Marten, a ceremonial magician and she's back to trying to keep her job on track as the accessories editor for Trend magazine. Lily soon finds herself stuck trying to placate an obnoxious coworker whose suddenly set his sites on turning her career upside down.

Her doorman has disappeared and Lily has reluctantly asked Nathan, the ex she’s still in-love with, to investigate. This is difficult enough for her, but when Marten comes to town on business it’s all Lily can do to hold her emotions in check.

This is book two in Ms. Harper’s Succubus series. Readers are taken deeper into life among the denizens of Hell, as well as Lily’s passion filled love life. Succubus Takes Manhattan is a suspenseful adventure that’s topped-off with the sizzling charms of a succubus and the inner battle she’s engaged in over two men. I’ll be watching for more of Lily’s escapades.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Review - In the Blood by Adrian Phoenix

In the Blood
Adrian Phoenix
Pocket Books
December 30, 2008
ISBN# 978-1-4165-4145-5

Book Blurb:
DANTE LIVES.
Vampire. Rock star. Begotten son of the fallen angel Lucien. Dante Baptiste still struggles with nightmares and seizures, searching for the truth about his past. It is a quest as seductive as his kiss, as uncontrollable as his thirst, and as unforgiving as his determination to protect one mortal woman at any cost.

KNOWLEDGE KILLS.
FBI Special Agent Heather Wallace now knows the extent of the Bureau corruption that surrounds her, but worries she is losing the battle. And when Dante and his band Inferno come to Seattle on tour, Heather can't help but be drawn back to the beautiful, dangerous nightkind. But what Heather and Dante don't know is that new enemies lurk in the shadows, closer than they think...and even deadlier than they fear.

DESTINY UNFOLDS.
Shadowy government forces have pledged to eliminate all loose ends from Project Bad Seed -- and Heather and Dante are at the top of the list. Elsewhere, the Fallen gather in Gehenna, intent on finding their long-awaited savior, the True Blood nightkind whom Lucien DeNoir would die to protect. And a damaged and desperate adversary, with powers as strange and perilous as Dante's own, plots to use Dante as a pawn in a violent scheme for revenge. But only one of these lethal forces holds the key to Dante's past -- a key that could finally unlock the secret of his birth and the truth of his existence...or destroy him completely.

My thoughts:
Dante Baptiste and his band, Inferno, are on tour and their next stop is Seattle. In the aftermath of the Project Bad Seed discovery, Dante continues to struggle against his personal demons. As he digs into the mysteries of his past, the Fallen discover the existence of a True Blood, and it’s just a matter of time before they use Lucien to track him down.

Heather Wallace seeks answers from her own past and has little choice but to remain guarded when it comes to trusting her colleagues in the FBI. While Dante coming to town is an opportunity to spend a little time together, they may make an easier target for those who still wish to destroy them for what they know. Their lives are in more danger than ever.

This is the second book in the series and Ms. Phoenix continues to provide all of the action, suspense and chemistry that readers found in the first installment. In the Blood has plenty of unexpected twists to keep fans hooked and looking forward to seeing where the characters take us in book three.

To learn more about In the Blood, please visit Ms. Phoenix’s website: Here

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Review - Defending Angels by Mary Stanton

Defending Angels
A Beaufort & Company Mystery, Book 1
Mary Stanton
Berkley Prime Crime
December 2, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-425-22498-4

Book Blurb:
With a long list of ethereal clients who need her help, Savannah lawyer Brianna Winston Beaufort's career choice is beginning to haunt her . . .

An already dead businessman needs Bree's help to find his murderer and prove his innocence against the charge of greed, which comes from the mightiest hand of the law, the Celestial Court. And the verdict in this case could put Bree's life on the line-as well as her client's afterlife.

My thoughts:
Moving to Savannah to take over her uncle’s practice, Brianna Winston Beaufort soon finds that her experience as a lawyer didn’t prepare her for the clients that would come with the new job. It’s a good thing that the staff Bree’s hired has experience, or she might not survive her first case.

With so many possibilities it won’t be easy to prove that Mr. Skinner was murdered, but there’s much more at stake. Benjamin Skinner is being charged with Greed in the Celestial Court, and if Bree can’t prove his innocence he’ll face a grim fate in the hereafter.

This is the first installment in the Beaufort & Company Mystery series. Ms. Stanton gives readers a murder mystery with an intriguing storyline and makes it her own with wonderfully fresh twists. Defending Angels entertains with a surprising paranormal element and a charming cast of characters. I’ll be looking forward to more from this fun new series in the future.

To learn more about Defending Angels, please visit the author’s website: Here

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Promo - Berkley Prime Crime

Dead Men Don’t Crochet
A Crochet Mystery, Book #2
Betty Hechtman
Berkley Prime Crime
December 2, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-425-22500-4

Book Blurb:
When a member of Molly Pink's crochet group is suspected of murder, it's up to Molly and her pals to pick up the dropped stitches and catch a killer.



Ding Dong Dead
A Dolls to Die For Mystery, Book # 4
Deb Baker
Berkley Prime Crime
December 2, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-425-22502-8

Book Blurb:
Doll restorer Gretchen Birch and the other Phoenix Dollers can hardly wait to open their doll museum. But when an out-of-town doll-maker meets her own maker, the Dollers's dream-come-true will soon prove more of a nightmare.



Eggs in Purgatory
A Cackleberry Club Mystery, Book #1
Laura Childs
Berkley Prime Crime
December 2, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-425-22495-3

Book Blurb:
Now Laura Childs is cracking a whole new case of murder in a brand new series-RECIPES INCLUDED.Introducing the Cackleberry Club Mysteries...Suzanne, Toni, and Petra lose their husbands but find independence when they open the Cackleberry Club. Then their cozy cafe becomes the scene of a crime when a lawyer dies with a secret on his lips and egg on his face. What this all has to do with a religious cult and Suzanne's past could put her own life on the line.


Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews