Nightfall
Stephen Leather
47 North, Mar 20 2012, $13.95
ISBN: 978-1612182292

Metropolitan Police CO19 armed response unit Negotiator Inspector Jack Nightingale works a crisis at Chelsea Harbor. Apparently nine year old Sophie Underwood sits on a locked thirteenth floor balcony talking to a doll while her father works at a bank and her mom shops; Inga the Polish au pair called for help. He talks to her to try to get her inside, but she jumps anyway as the only means to escape her pedophile dad. Raging he visits Mr. Underwood who falls through a twentieth floor window to his death. Refusing to defend himself or for that matter speak with anyone, Jack leaves the force.

Two years later, Jack is a private investigator who works cheating spouse cases. His office assistant is Jenny McLean though he has no idea why this beautiful brilliant woman stays with him. Solicitor Mr. Turtledove informs Jack he inherited his late father’s estate, which confuses him since his parents died a decade ago. The solicitor explains that the Nightingales were his adoptive parents, but his biological dad is the late Ainsley Gosling. His father leaves Jack a DVD in which he explains he sold his son’s soul at birth and a demon from hell will collect on his upcoming thirty-third birthday. As he follows the enigmatic mystical trail, he finds out Gosling committed suicide and rhere is useful information in a new mansion’s customized library. Meanwhile; death pursues people he knows.

This is an exciting horror noir starring an unlikable individual who inherits a place in hell. Fast-paced from the moment the little girl leaps and never slowing down, readers will enjoy Nightingale’s nightmare as he realizes chain smoking will no longer be the death of him.

Harriet Klausner

World Divided
Mercedes Lackey, Cody Martin, Dennis Lee and Veronica Giguere
Baen, Feb 7 2012, $25.00
ISBN: 9781451638011

The meta-humans of Echo and CCCP managed to halt the blitzkrieg Invasion by the Nazis in spite of the seemingly superior ultra-powerful weaponry of the invaders. Both sides know they have no time for respite as the Nazis robotic war machine was created by the Thule Society. Echo chief Alex Telsa, though severely injured from the recent hostilities, knows his team hopefully allied with CCCP must take the war to the real enemy.

Romance writer Victoria Victrix Nagy struggles still with her anxiety attacks. However, a techno-mage, she figures out how she can enter any computer network. Alex assigns Bulwark’s unit to beta test Vic’s concept. Red Djinni rejects the proof of principle but rescues Vic from an ambush from an interested multibillionaire third party planning to defeat Echo and its allies the Thule. Meanwhile Bulwark’s unit and Vic escape; Alex declares Operation Overwatch a success while some remain skeptical.

Action in the second Secret World Chronicle is a bit muted compared with Invasion as much of the hostility is from within rather than the Nazi/Thule threat. Once again the key is the superhuman are filled with flaws that reduce their super quality while making them more human. The enjoyable storyline emphasizes the shaky political bedfellows who make for a World Divided at a time when unity is needed.

Harriet Klausner

Forever Claimed
Rachel Lee
Harlequin Nocturne, Feb 21 2012, $5.50
ISBN: 9780373618781

Vampire Luc St. Just has not been the same since his claimed mate Natasha died. Some of his kind insists he is insane and he would agree. However, his friend Messenger Investigations, Inc. private investigator Jude Messenger (see Claim The Night) thinks otherwise and has been there for Luc as he grieves his loss and thirsts for vengeance against rogue vampires.

He intrudes when four rogues leave a woman near death. Luc takes her with him, but is stunned when Dani Makar rapidly heals with no need of medical assistance. Dani fears the vampire as the natural enemy of werewolves, even one who cannot shift; but Luc acts differently towards her than what she always believed to be true about the bloodsuckers. As they fall in taboo love, the star-crossed pair must persuade their respective “clans” that each are trusted good guys, which goes against the natural order of life; while the evil rogues stalk Dani to finish the job and Jude for interfering.

The third Claimed Messenger romantic urban fantasy is a fabulous paranormal starring two courageous souls in forbidden love. Dani’s deep rooted instinctive and learned racism against the vampire species enhances a delightful thriller as evil stalks the duet who may find themselves with no allies due to the “unnatural” alliance between vamps and shifters. This is great work by a top gun author.

Harriet Klausner

Burned
J.F. Lewis
Pocket, Jan 31 2012, $7.99
ISBN: 9781451651867

Eric Courtney the vampire wonders how killing one evil vampire ruler could cause such sh*tty chaos in Void City. His Mouser Talbot explained many time over the past year that it is easier to criticize the opposition than to rule. Still Eric in spite of his tumultuous tsuris as the city’s leader, would kill again; as Lord Phillip, the twisted late city ruler, deserved to die for his assault on Courtney’s adopted lunatic daughter Greta. Now by default he is the ruler of a lunacy ridden Void City as the riffraff has risen to the surface with Phil’s demise.

Responsibility sucks, but it is time for to begin the Big Plan. First is to kill immortal VCPD Captain Stacey the crooked Mouser running unlawful enforcement due to a deal with the Mages Guild. That is if Eric can remember not to step out of the squad car into the sun as his Alzheimer’s syndrome can make him forget to stay out of the sun.. He orders Stacey to leave his hole and meet him at a scene where many cops lay comatose thanks to his Eric’s mage Magbidion. Step two is to place Greta as sheriff; her crazed credo is to kill first and ask questions afterward. The final transformation is hell breaks loose in Void City as Lord Eric demands loyalty or else. That’s just the job; his personal life is even more screwed up with family curses and cursed females.

The latest Void City fantasy (see Crossed, Revamped and Staked) is a fabulous satirical noir starring an antihero whose attitude switches from bad ass leave me alone to bad ass I’m in charge. Fans will enjoy his “transformation” while he deals with myriad of paranormal species with demons always lurking in the gut.

Harriet Klausner

Legend
Marie Lu
Putnam, Nov 29 2011, $17.99
ISBN: 9780399256752

The Republic of America has twenty million citizens and seems to be at constant cold and hot war with its neighbors the Colonies. The laws are strictly enforced regardless of economic and social placement though the elite have all the special advantages and privileges.

From a highly prominent affluent family, fifteen year old June is mentored to become a member of the inner most military leadership. However, her fast track to the top is derailed when her brother Captain Metias is murdered while officially hunting for criminal teenager Day, the number one most wanted person in the Republic, who, in spite of security video cameras all over Los Angeles, his face remains a mystery. Commander Jameson claims Day killed June’s sibling. She vows to avenge her brother’s murder.

Although the High Noon encounter goes the way one would expect even with a fascinating twist, this is a superb futuristic dystopian police procedural. The storyline is fast-paced as readers will appreciate the teenage chess match between the elusive felon and the obsessed soldier; as checkmate is an intriguing spin. Marie Lu provides a fabulously exciting thriller starring two teens from polar opposite sides of the track.

Harriet Klausner

Claimed by a Vampire
Rachel Lee
Harlequin Nocturne, Jan 24 2012, $5.50
ISBN: 9780373618767

Writer Yvonne Dupuis moves into her new apartment, but feels uncomfortable as she believes a demon stalks her. Fearful she hires Messenger Investigations, Inc. private investigator Jude Messenger to protect her. Jude assigns investigator Creed Preston the vampire to keep the client safe.

Creed wonders who will keep Yvonne safe from him as his olfactory senses send his brain messages of desire from her elixir. Still he knows deep in his gut he would die to keep this mortal he wants safe from harm including from him. However, Creed and Jude miscalculate the totality of the threat wrought by the target’s odious former boyfriend, as the demon who claimed the writer has allies as evil as he is.

The latest Messenger Investigations, Inc. romantic urban fantasy (see Claim the Night) is a wonderful thriller starring two strong lead characters supported by Jude who seems never afraid. Yvonne is great as a bewildered frightened human while Creed is a terrific tormented vampire. The evil and his malevolent horde enhance a delightful paranormal romantic suspense as Yvonne learns the meaning of Claimed by a Vampire.

Harriet Klausner

Borrowed Heart
Linda Lamberson
LAOL, Dec 2 2011, $8.99
ISBN: 9780615498768

The psychic Madame Sasha tells Evie Sanders things about herself and her family very few people know. She also warns her that she has been marked with The Curse of Three, which will include two near death experiences and something worse. Evie awakens from a bad dream that seemed so real because she met Sasha two years ago.

After class, Quinn Harrison introduces himself to Evie and asks for her notes from a session he missed. He asks her to come to a party, but she is dating her Michigan boyfriend Ryan Walker though they are apart as she attends IU and he goes to Illinois. Still Evie is attracted to Quinn so she and her two BFFs (Lisa and Rachel) attend the party. However, due to a drunk, Evie dies in a car accident after seeing Ryan with another woman in Champagne. Five days later she awakens to a Peter informing her that this is no longer Bloomington and he will guide her in her transition into being a rare chosen Shepherd to help humans. As she learns the rigid Rules, Evie has one problem with obedience, Quinn.

Book One of the Evie Sanders series is a terrific romantic urban fantasy starring a fascinating heroine who at sixteen realized she had a gift and welcomed it rather than running from it. Evie holds the entertaining storyline focused with help from her mentor and her beloved. However, what makes this strong opening act work is the unique Lamberson mythos that sub-genre fans will appreciate and want more.

Harriet Klausner

Apocalypse To Go
Katharine Kerr
Daw, Feb 7 2012, $7.99
ISBN: 9780756407094

Across the multiverse, there are infinite earths with many containing people who fight to keep Chaos off their respective plane. to stop worlds colliding. On our earth, the top secret Agency consists of psychics whose mission is to prevent the chaos from entering the orb.

Trans-word enforcement organization TWIXT wants to liaison with the Agency. They vigorously recruit Apocalypse Squad Israeli Interpol agent Ari Nathan. His lover Agency operative Nola O’Grady learns her father in jail on Earth 5, a horrible place but not as horrendous as earth 3, which was destroyed by radiation. Nola must go to 3 because her brothers (world-walker Michael and finder Sean), in a failed attempt to save their dad, are in prison in a grotesque San Fran; a place that is a dark, gritty and filled radiation. Accompanied by Nathan and Spare 14, she travels to 3 to rescue her siblings and with bit of luck her father.

The latest O’Grady dark urban fantasy (see License to Ensorcell and Water To Burn) is a terrific thriller placed within an urban fantasy. Psychic powers are prevalent on some of the many earths. Nola and her family are strong psis whose extrasensory skills along with others make the paranormal seem real. However, Earth 3 makes the tale work as a grim world in which a Capone like individual rules amidst the radioactive poison.

Harriet Klausner

Deep Sky
Patrick Lee
Harper, Dec 27 2011, $7.99
ISBN 9780061958793

President Garner is on TV giving a speech to the nation from the Oval office when the screens went black. A missile strike hit the White House killing POTUS and blowing the roof off the facility. Vice President Holt is given the oath of office while flying back from Los Angeles to DC. In the Wyoming desert at the most secure facility in the world, agents of ultra-Top Secret Tangent discuss who is responsible. One of the operatives mentions the Archer Air Force defense program of missiles hidden in civilian areas as a last deterrent against nuclear strikes. Agent Travis Chase realizes what is implied; the military assassinated their Commander-in-Chief.

Soon after the assassination of the president, enemy operatives mount a precision assault on Tangent. The target is to take control of the Breach pathway to and from another dimension. Both incidents required powerful backing. His lover Paige Campbell and technological expert Bethany Stewart are running out of time in spite of having all the time in the world to uncover who is behind the unmentionable that dates back to the Reagan administration yet the truth lies in the near future.

The third Chase thriller (see The Breach and Ghost Country) is a great twisting tale that grips the audience from the moment POTUS is killed and never let’s go until after a climatic stunning finish. Faster than the show 24, Chase is a sort of Jack Bauer but in a science fiction universe. Readers will relish this exciting entry in a strong trilogy.

Harriet Klausner

Horizon
Sophie Littlefield
Luna, Jan 24 2012, $14.95
ISBN 9780373803422

California remains a wasteland overrun by the Beaters whose cunning has exponentially increased since the zombie wave began (see Aftertime). Survivor Cass Dollar, who once was a Beater, and her daughter Ruthie reside in New Eden where life remains hard for the living. Cass has two men she cares about, comatose Smoke and Dor, who is married to another woman and has a daughter; the latter of whom Cass helped rescue (see Rebirth).

As New Eden suffers from Beaters’ assaults and dwindling supplies, men on horseback arrive. Their leader Mathew claims there is a passage to a better Eden in the north. Cass and the others jump at the opportunity to relocate to a New Eden so begin a deadly sojourn led by Mayhew.

The third post-apocalyptic Aftertime urban horror fantasy is a fast-paced grim entry once Mayhew arrives to disrupt the order with a new dream. The dark Pacific landscape remains nightmarish as beaters are everywhere and civilization no where. While some like defrocked leader Dana wonders if Mayhew is the serpent leading them to their doom, others like Cass finds a renewal of hope in the newcomer’s assertion. Although the storyline starts slow, readers will relish the latest Dollar adventures in the nightmarish Littlefield realm.

Harriet Klausner