Dead, Undead, or Somewhere in Between by J.A. Saare

Rhiannon's Law, #1
URBAN FANTASY

Source: Purchased
rating

One bad corpse can ruin your whole day.

No one knows that better than Rhiannon Murphy.

She left behind the flash and sass of Miami for the no-nonsense groove of New York City, eager for a clean slate and a fresh start. A bartender by trade, a loud mouth by choice, and a necromancer by chance; she managed to keep her nifty talent hidden from those around her—until now.

The deliciously good-looking vampire, Disco, knows her secret. When he strolls into her bar to solicit help investigating the mysterious disappearances of his kind from the city, Rhiannon discovers he’s not the kind of person that appreciates the significance of the word no.

But in a world where vampires peddle their blood as the latest and greatest drug of choice, it’s only a matter of time before the next big thing hits the market. Someone or something is killing vampires to steal their hearts, and unlike Rhiannon, this isn’t their first stroll around the undead block.

“Rhiannon's Law #37: Don't get so high and mighty, God will only reward that arrogance with a huge bitch slap back to reality.”

Necromancer based Urban Fantasy is fascinating but not done nearly enough for my liking, so I was especially excited to read this one. Rhiannon is a bartender who doesn't want her ability known, but finds she has little choice when called out hiding by a local Master vampire who needs her help finding out who has been slaughtering local vamps for ritual magic.

The story-line is good, full blown mystery material, as she pairs up with another necromancer who is less powerful but more knowledgeable. With the supernatural community they follow clues, attend bizarre parties, and finally stumble upon the real villain, who turns out uber creepy.

The book is hard to put down because the pacing stays strong, there's excitement pulling me in multiple directions - between personal and the mystery - and the author has a well-done writing style. A lot of emotion comes through the characters, who feel well rounded, even the tormented ghosts who want vengeance. It's not a simple find and follow trail, but they have to go into different strange situations to find out secrets, even holding a seance that packs a punch of its own surprises.

On the downside, I seriously hated the ending and its implications. I won't spoil it here, but it almost makes me not want to read the second book. I'll only try it out because the other ratings are so encouraging.




   Book Quotes:

“If her death taught me anything, it’s this. Cherish the time you have. Don’t worry about tomorrow. Right now is all we are promised.”

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