Live And Let Drood
Simon R. Green
Roc, Jun 5 2012, $25.95
ISBN: 9780451464521

Eddie “Shaman Bond” Drood muses that he saved the world and went on vacation in the South of France with his beloved Molly Metcalf the witch only to come home to find Drood Hall a burned ruin. Since there is no whisper of smoke the incident occurred a few days ago. Finally as he thinks he no longer has that rooftop he has escaped to many times over the years, he wonders what happened to his family who seemingly are all dead and why no one notified him?

Eddie knows he must honor his Shamon Bond as the last Drood standing to make the vile Crow Lee pay for this assault. The only problem Eddie has is that his Drood armour is no more, which means a frontal suicidal attack against Mr. Evil is doomed to failure. As he and Molly begin to find enigmatic clues that imply Drood Hall is intact and his family lives, Eddie asks the Regent of Shadows for help knowing the powerful essence will enact an exorbitant price.

The latest Secret Histories urban fantasy (see For Heaven’s Eyes Only and From Hell with Love) is a fresh thriller as Drood realizes he is stripped of his weapons and armour while facing malevolence. Thus he learns to err is Drood; to forgive is death as Eddie and Molly work a twisting vendetta that turns into something more complex and lethal.

Harriet Klausner