The Master of Heathcrest Hall
Galen Beckett
Spectra, Mar 27 2012, $16.00
ISBN: 9780553807608

The old king of Altania is dead, and the coronation of his heir has been delayed by competing political and mage leaders coveting power. The Ashen see the chaos as an opportunity to overwhelm the kingdom, but the power brokers squabble over their role in the new government rather than insuring what is best for the country.

Ivy Quent feels euphoric over her husband the mage’s recent endeavors and her own in Evengrove. However, she will soon conclude her optimism is an illusion when her extended family is in peril from those willing to cause a civil war while an external threat intensifies; all for a little more power. Pregnant, Ivy tries to keep her family safe while dealing with betrayal. She finds allies in the mage Rafferdy and illusionist Garrit of the Theatre of the Moon.

The third Quent dark fantasy (see The House On Durrow Street, and The Magicians and Mrs. Quent) super thriller with several stunning bit plausible twists. The key to this entry and its predecessors is the Beckett mythology feels genuine due to the fascinating eccentric cast and the title abode. Ivy is a brave fabulous heroine who earns the respect of the audience. Galen Beckett scores the hat trick with her third entertaining Mrs. Quent quirky thriller.

Harriet Klausner

Deliverance
Dakota Banks
Harper Voyager, Mar 27 2012, $7.99
ISBN: 9780062049988

Three centuries ago Maliha Crayne sold her soul to Rabishu the demon who saved her when she was Susannah Layhem being burnt at the stake in 1692. Since then she has become Rabishu’s prime assassin (see Dark Time). However, she recently learned of a path out of the darkness by balancing the scales between hits and lives saved. Thus she goes rogue choosing redemption over murderous torment.

However, her path to redemption proves troublesome when close friends begin to vanish and subsequently body parts arrive in packages delivered to her home. Trusting no one, not even her lover Jake, Maliha is given a horrid choice by an evil immortal psychopath; kill the innocent or receive the body parts of her friends. Regardless of what she decides, Maliha knows she still remains eternally damned.

The third Mortal Path urban fantasy (see Sacrifice) is an exhilarating thriller in which the assassin feels she jumped from the frying pan into the fire. Filled with deft twists, sub-genre fans will wonder how the beleaguered protagonist will handle the Mt. Everest size deterrence to her goal of redemption.

Harriet Klausner

Back From The Undead
D D Barant
St. Martin’s, Mar 27 2012, $7.99
ISBN: 9780312545062

Human FBI profiler Jace Valchek and her vampire boss National Security Agency chief David Cassius share one “lousy” night together when work intrudes on their office romance. David disappears on a top secret mission while NSA Intel Analysis Unit head Gretchen Petra the Pire mom with a teething fanged baby informs Jace that Aristotle “Impaler” Stoker wants to meet with her. The Impaler who has spent a lifetime avenging the slaughter of humans by the paranormal, is in crime ridden Vancouver where he swears to her he has found a Pire child trafficking ring.

Jace needs to capture the Impaler to fulfill the terms of her legal evil agreement and return to her earth. Accompanied by her golem field partner Charlie and Damon Eisfanger, Jace heads to Vancouver to meet Aristotle. In British Columbia, the evidence points to the Yakuza running the illegal child black market. Jace, with her former lover Tanaka the samurai and Charlie prepare to invade heaven for the heavenly cause of saving the children at the risk of losing her soul.

The latest Bloodhound Files investigative fantasy (see Death Blows) is a great entry as friends and foes do not know how to deal with the heroine’s amusing alien shtick while facing danger. Fast-paced, fans will relish D D Barant’s entertaining thriller as Jace’s graveyard humorous asides enhance an exciting quest.

Harriet Klausner

Perilous Pleasures
Jenny Brown
Avon, Mar 27 2012, $7.99
ISBN: 9780061976070

In 1803 London, La Belle Isabelle is a beauty who spends more than she earns as a courtesan; her philosophy is why waste money paying rent on last month’s lodging when you can buy a gown for this month’s seduction. Her daughter Zoe Gervais, scared by smallpox, teaches at Mrs. Endecott’s Female Academy because she cannot convince her mother to be frugal.

La Belle Isabelle thinks Lord Ramsey will be her next protector. However, instead he frightens her in front of her daughter when he reminds her that she sold her child nine years ago in France. She realizes he is Adam Selkirk whose sister Charlotte died during the terror in due part to Isabelle. Adam tells her that the dying Dark Lord Robert Montgomery named him heir and he came to claim remittance of what she promised him. Stunned, Zoe learns she has no choice as his master is her guardian and soon he will be in charge of her fate. Neither is prepared for the passion between them yet the astrologist knows their destiny is written by the Ramsey Curse.

The third Lords Of The Seventh House Zodiac Regency romance (see Star Crossed Seduction and Lord Lightning) is a terrific mystical gothic thriller. The storyline is fast-paced from the moment cold acolyte arrives to collect his even colder evil master’s debt although it does slow down somewhat until the final confrontation between love and deity ascension.

Harriet Klausner

Lucky Bastard
S. G. Browne
Gallery, Apr 17 2012, $23.00
ISBN: 9781451657197

In San Francisco, no one understands luck like private investigator Nick Monday does first hand as he makes his living by stealing, with a touch, luck from a victim and selling it on the black market commodity exchange. He has no interest as to who his clients are or why they purchase purloined luck, but he knows luck is fickle like a lady as it runs out at the most inopportune moments. Still swiping and selling luck keeps Nick rolling in Lucky Charms and gourmet mocha coffee though he understands the karma of stealing luck as someone is fated to pay the price.

The daughter of the city’s mayor, Tuesday Knight arrives at Nick’s shabby office with an offer he can’t refuse as she will pay him $100,000 to recover her father’s stolen luck. Before he can begin the recovery, Chinese crime boss Tommy Wong makes an offer that Nick better not refuse as he wants the sleazy poacher to steal the rare pure luck. Additionally, Nick notices Feds and Scooter Girl are following his latest adventures into the world of the avaricious and if his luck turns good he will have plenty of mocha coffee to wash down his Lucky Charms and apple fritters.

This is a superb satirical Noir fantasy starring a charming rogue who finds his luck turned bad since the femme fatale entered his office as the cosmos demands karmic equilibrium with his debt in the stratosphere. Fast-paced and filled with all types of biting humor, readers will appreciate the antics of the Lucky Bastard as he deals with Greedy Bastards that would make even Dylan Ratigan’s head spin in disbelief.

Harriet Klausner

Angels of Vengeance
John Birmingham
Del Rey, Apr 10 2012, $26.00
ISBN 9780345502933

Several years have passed since the catastrophic wave of energy destroyed the United States killing millions in 2003 that came like a tsunami Without Warning; scientists remain baffled as to the cause and why it abruptly vanished a year later. President Kipper and the White House moved to Seattle where the new America is formed in the Pacific Northwest (see Without Warning and After America). World War III explodes as many nations want to fill the mantle of superpower.

In Uruguay, South American Federation, Echelon senior field special agent Caitlin Monroe seeks Ramon Luperico, held prisoner by a dictator; as she plans to interrogate the former prison governor of Guadeloupe detention center to learn how a terrorist escaped to destroy New York City and her loved ones. Teenager Sofia Peiraro survived the murderous rule of General “Mad” Jack Blackstone by fleeing to Kansas City with her dad Miguel; but a homicide hits home has her retuning to Texas to even the score with Mad Jack. In Darwin, Australia British smuggler Lady Julianne “Jules” Balwyn calmly waits for her stalker contract killer Norman Parmenter so she can kill her predator.

The final super alternate historical post-apocalyptic thriller works on four prime fronts (though there are other lesser ones) to show a world filling a power vacuum. The President’s problems in attempting to help the country heal and recover have issues from dissenters within his circle, from vicious despots throughout the nation and potential foreign invaders. The subplots led by the three female led subplots display how much the earth changed and yet remains the avaricious same since the wave. Together they make a cohesive exciting international tale as they converge as Angels of Vengeance.

Harriet Klausner

Arctic Rising
Tobias S. Buckell
Tor, Feb 28 2012, $24.99
ISBN: 9780765319210

The Arctic Ice Cap has melted leading to an economic race between Arctic Tiger nations claiming the land and water as theirs with the argument between Russia, Greenland, Canada and America over the vast oil deposits now reachable with the opening of the Northwest passage. United Nations Polar Guard Glover Airship pilot Anika Duncan a Nigerian knows how global warming impacts the area as the always frozen Lancaster Sound is just frigid not iced.

The Gaia Corporation fears the earth is dying while the leaders stitch meaningless platitudes. The group deploys thousands of miniature mirrors into the atmosphere in order to deflect heat, which will cool the planet. However, good intentions turn hellish when their weapon is purloined. As a stolen nuclear weapon makes its way to the polar cap, a rogue ship shoots down the Glover. Anika survives but is thrust into a geo war.

This is an intriguing futuristic science fiction thriller that extrapolates global warming trends and the race to claim the Arctic into an exciting cautionary thriller. The storyline is fast-paced as, for the most part, Tobias S. Buckell balances the moral issues with the action this is especially true for the heroine. Anika who keeps the plot focused. Although the final confrontation seems out of a bloody pulp fiction that blows up many people and the profound economic-environmental debate, fans will appreciate entertaining Arctic Rising.

Harriet Klausner

Fair Game
Patricia Briggs
Ace, Mar 6 2012, $14.00
ISBN: 9780441020034

North American werewolf leader Bran Cornick brought his race out of hiding. However, he also understood by doing this, his pack needed stricter enforcement so as to avoid negative publicity of being out of control murderous beasts. His son Charles the alpha is his prime enforcer. However, execution of his kind (even murderers and being sanctioned by his dad) has disturbed Charles. Only his mate omega Anna Latham calms his raging demeanor (See “Alpha and Omega” in On the Prowl anthology for how they met). Recently he has rejected her.

The FBI asks for assistance with a serial killer case in Boston. Charles and Anna arrive in town and look at the evidence. Both realize that most of the victims were either fae or werewolves. An abduction has the werewolf couple and a law enforcement task force on a massive predatory hunt to prevent another homicide.

The latest super Alpha and Omega investigative urban fantasy (see Cry Wolf and Hunting Ground) is a fantastic thriller that plays out on two levels. First there is the paranormal police procedural as a hunt reminiscent of the Fritz Lang classic movie M occurs. Second there is the personal issue between the Alpha and the Omega as she refuses to allow him to stonewall her while he feels she deserves better since he is losing his mind to guilt and remorse. Overarching remains the X-Men theme of de facto and perhaps de jure racism. This is another winner by the fabulous fantasist Patricia Briggs.

Harriet Klausner

Dying Wish
Shannon K. Butcher
Signet, Mar 6 2012, $7.99
ISBN: 9780451236050

Jackie Patton desperately wants to return to the life she had before the Synestryn captured and tortured her for the past two years. However, Jackie “blue’ knows she will never live that carefree life ever again. Besides the impact of the ordeal on her mind and the knowledge her vile kidnappers stalk her; she feels a debt of gratitude to her rescuers, Theronai warriors. To make some remittance, Jackie believes she should mate with one of them as that will save the life of her chosen partner; though she hopes temporary is enough.

Jackie stuns everyone when she selects tundra cold Iain. He rejects her offer as he insists his soul already died when the Synestryn killed his betrothed. She ignores his rejection as he is the one. However, although both refuse to accept no, they team up to try to prevent the insidious enemy from abducting the recently liberated children a second time.

The latest, as always, great Sentinel Wars romantic urban fantasy (see Blood Hunt) is a superb paranormal suspense. The story line is action-packed from the moment Jackie chooses and never slows down until the final confrontation. Readers will appreciate this exciting thriller as two courageous opposites, ethically uber-optimistic Jackie and morally ultra-pessimistic Iain must choose.

Harriet Klausner

Range of Ghosts
Elizabeth Bear
Tor, Mar 27 2012, $25.99
ISBN 9780765327543

The Khagan of Khagans is dead. His descendants went to war to replace the late Great Khagan as ruler of the Khaganate. Temur fought on the side of the losers as he followed his brother into combat in the fratricide civil war. He awakens in the bloody battlefield surrounded by corpses and knowing he is the rightful blood heir to his divided family’s kingdom, but with no power to achieve what is his. Needing to escape, Temur joins a horde of refugees running from the war zone. While fleeing he meets fellow refugee Edene, but blood ghosts abduct her; he vows to rescue her somehow.

Once-Princess Samarkar was heir to the Rasan Empire until her half-brother was born. Her father exiled her as an expendable pawn in marriage to the Prince of Song, but there relationship ended in deadly combat. The royal widow wants nothing further to do with the blood of man so she climbed the thousand steps of the Citadel of the Wizards of Tsarepheth to learn if she had magical skills. Now a wizard Samarkar and Hrahima the tiger-woman who rages at her people’s god join Temur in his quest to rescue Edene and kill those who mass murdered a city; as war seems everywhere with no regard to casualties along the Celadon Highway

This is a great opening act as readers feel they live in the war riddled kingdoms. The cast is strong especially the lead protagonists whose point of view enhance the bloody conditions in the Bear where the sky over each kingdom reflects the respective ruler’s gods and a magic practitioner pays a high cost to perform. However, the key is the diversity between the kingdoms interwoven inside an exhilarating fantasy that fans will appreciate.

Harriet Klausner