Features
- Cover Type: Paperback with 304 pages
- Published by: Ace January 2, 2008
- Written in: English
- ISBN 10 Number: 0441015662
- ISBN 13 Number: 978-0441015665
-
Book Dimensions:
6.7 x 4.1 x 1 inches
- Weighs: 4.8 ounces
From Publishers Weekly
Shape-shifter Mercy Thompson has a complex life, juggling two werewolf lovers and a job working for a fae mechanic; things get even more hectic when her boss and mentor is arrested for killing a citizen of the fae reservation. As the fae seem content to let him rot, Thompson takes it on herself to clear her friend's name, beginning a lone-wolf investigation that may cost her life. Briggs's third novel featuring Thompson (after
Blood Bound) is another top-notch paranormal mystery; her well-balanced contemporary world, where humans live uneasily among werewolves and fae, is still a believably lived-in world; the ever-present threat of government legislation against nonhumans (though familiar to
X-Men fans) adds weight to her paranormal elements, and thoughtfully researched mythology adds rich detail. Thompson is a sharp, strong heroine and her lycanthropic love triangle is honest and steamy. Briggs never shies from difficult material, and she moves effortlessly from werewolf pack psychology to human legal proceedings, making this a tense, nimble, crowd-pleasing page-turner.
(Jan.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Product Review
"In the increasingly crowded field of kick-ass supernatural heroines, Mercy stands out as one of the best."
--
Locus
Reader Reviews
Someone's killing fae on the Umatilla Reservation. Mercy (Mercedes) Thompson gets called in by her mentor, Zee, to help see if she can scent out the killer. She's a skinwalker, possibly the only one in existence, and her sense of smell could provide the fae with information to solve the case. While she's investigating, she also discovers a secret and now she understands far better why the fae were so willing to have permitted themselves to be locked up on reservations. Unfortunately, the rulers of the fae, the Gray Lords, know she knows and that could pose a problem since they keep their secrets close. Very shortly after, a reservation guard is savagely murdered. Zee is the prime suspect, literally caught red handed while the guard's blood is cooling. Zee goes to jail and refuses to speak a word in his defense despite Mercy hiring the best criminal defense lawyer she can for him. Despite warnings from the fae, Mercy takes the case. In order to find the killer, she's going to have to use more than just her nose. Mercy Thompson novels are some of the best serial fiction in urban fantasy. Patricia Briggs excels at character development and not rushing relationships or even growth on her people. Her characters are also good at staying in character. The mystery in this plot is almost as good as the fantasy. Ms. Briggs has a talent for dramatic writing and she can sink a barb deeper than a mad porcupine. She also did keep me guessing until very near the end of the novel, which is not that common even for hardcore mystery writers. What is most interesting about Briggs' writing is her worldbuilding. What happens to the world when the supernaturals come out? Many authors have posited an alternative world with this type of scenario. In many ways, I think Patricia Briggs' guess is one of the most interesting and accurate. And as the old saw goes, "those who do not study history are destined to repeat it." Well, those who do study history will strongly recognize the common patterns from Ms. Briggs' books to our history, particularly reservations and the level of hate group activity. Mercy Thompson Books in Order: Moon Called (Book 1) Blood Bound (Book 2) Iron Kissed (Book 3)
Comments (10) | |
(Report this)
Search for books at
