Call of Vultures - Kate Kessler

I read Kate Kessler's first Killian Delaney book earlier this year and quite liked it. The second book is the newly released Call of Vultures. It starts off with a great opening line..."It would be a great place to get rid of a body."

Killian is an ex-con and hard core fighter. After a tumultuous reentry into society in the last book, she's taken a job with a 'security' company. The jobs are dangerous and more than a little left of the right side. If there are vulnerable women to be rescued, Killy's the one to do it. She has her own unwavering sense of justice.

"Violence was something she was good at, and violence was pretty much the only thing the people she was sent after understood. "

This time, the job is to rescue two sisters, reportedly living in a commune. Seems like a straight forward job. Not so much....

Killy infiltrates the group, but finds more than she bargained for - including some faces from the past. And some new faces with their own agenda. The reader is privy to more information that Killian has. We can see the danger, but can't warn her. (I must admit, I took a little peek ahead to see if she figures it out!)

Those familiar faces include the enigmatic Story, another employee of The Initiative. As well as Dash, her boyfriend. I really like these two. Killian's sister and her family are Killy's weakness - their safety is everything to her. Her niece Shannon does grate on me though.

Killian is such a great kick butt female lead. The reader can't help but be on her side as she battles seemingly overwhelming odds. Kessler continues to build this character, with more insight into her psyche.

But what drives this series (aside from Killian) is the danger, the action and the darkness of Killy's world. Truly, Call of Vultures reads like an action movie. Kessler provides quite a few turns in the plot that I didn't see coming (and neither does Killian) that kept me turning pages quickly! Killian's own moral compass never budges. The reader can't help but be on her side as she battles seemingly overwhelming odds. 

 Gentle readers, this one's probably not for you. Read an excerpt of Call of Vultures. And this reader is looking forward to the next entry!

Seven Crows - Kate Kessler

I always have a good look at a book's cover before reading the tale. The cover for the first book, Seven Crows, in Kate Kessler's Killian Delaney series drew me in. Have you heard that old nursery rhyme about counting crows? Seven for a secret never to be told....

Killian is an ex-con, hard core fighter and is associated with a biker gang. She's just been released after a nine year stint in prison. It was a sentence she gladly served. She messed up the man who killed her boyfriend. He's tried to have her killed numerous times in prison. But now that she's out, he's trying something else - he's kidnapped her teenage niece. And....yup you got it....she's gonna hunt him down....again....

Seven Crows absolutely reads like an action movie. With a kicka** female lead. Kessler does a great job of revealing Killian's past even as she fights to find Shannon. Her extended family includes the Crow MC. Now, fair warning - the activities of outlaw MCs play a large part in the plot. And Killian's actions and thoughts reflect someone living that life. As a reader, I did initially question some of the dialogue, reactions and outcomes of certain plotlines - were they realistic? Well, not maybe to me, but they perfectly suit the tone and tenor of the plot and players.

The supporting characters are also intriguing. Dash is from the old days - he and Kill have a history. (And maybe a future?) He's running a legit business now, but behind that front, he's still got his hand in some questionable activities. His cohort, Story, is another enigmatic female support characters I'd love to hear her backstory as well.

The action doesn't stop, the danger just multiplies and Killian's own moral compass never budges. The reader can't help but be on her side as she battles seemingly overwhelming odds. Revenge drives her forward. Will she find redemption?

Gentle readers, this one's probably not for you. But if you watched Sons of Anarchy, this is a book you'd probably enjoy.  Read an excerpt of Seven Crows. And....keep your eyes out for my review of the second Killian book, Call of Vultures. It releases December 1/20.

Dead Man Dancing - John Galligan

Dead Man Dancing is John Galligan's follow up to last year's intro to Bad Axe County - and Sheriff Heidi Kick. If you're a 'grit-lit' fan, you're going to enjoy this series.

The underbelly of Bad Axe County is a scary place. Kick is determined to clean up the town, but she's got her work cut out. White supremacists think the town is just ripe for their attention - as do a number of the residents. Beatings of migrant workers and the murder of a local author have Heidi working twenty four seven. And then her husband Harley goes missing...

Galligan's prose are definitely dark and gritty. The book hums with undercurrents of hate and danger that are not just an author's imaginings. Instead they are real and present day events.

Heidi doesn't hesitate to wade into the fray. I think bad a** when I think of Sheriff Kick. Her calm approach is much more effective as she tries to deal with the corruption in the department and the lack of support from the town council in addition to the crime. Now, that's not to say she's a pushover. Far from it.

Neon, a young Black man is in Bad Axe County tracing his ancestry. He is given a voice in the book as well. His timeline runs parallel to Heidi's investigation - and the listener can only hope what might happen - doesn't.

The plotting is very good. There's a lot going on and I wondered how things would tie in together by the end. The reader is privy to more information than the Sheriff and can only hope she puts the pieces together before it's too late.

Bad Axe County isn't somewhere I'd stop - to me, it says keep on driving. But.....I'll be back for the next entry in this series for sure!

I chose to listen to Dead Man Dancing. Much of that is down to the reader.  Samantha Desz read the first book and this follow up. I appreciate the continuity. Desz's voice is perfect for this character. It has a nice gravelly tone, is clear and is easy to understand. Her tone completely matched the mental image I've created for Heidi. She rarely raises her voice which is right for this character. The calm way of speaking belies her determination. It's well paced, never rushed and perfectly modulated. The voices employed for other characters are really good as well, especially the 'baddies'. Hear for yourself - listen to an excerpt of Dead Man Dancing.

Gentle listeners - this one may not be for you - there are a number of trigger situations.

Two Nights - Kathy Reichs

I'm always up for a new read from Kathy Reichs. Her newest book, Two Nights, is a stand alone that introduces us to a great female lead named Sunday Night.

Sunday is ex-military and a former cop turned walking wounded private investigator in South Carolina. She's carrying a lot of baggage from her own past, both psychological and physical. She's smart, tough and tenacious with the attitude to match.

When she's asked to look for a young girl who has been missing for more than a year, she takes the job - there are aspects to the case that strike a personal chord.

Two Nights? Sunny has a brother named August - Gus for short. And he too has a wide and varied skill set. I enjoyed his laid back, smooth style. The two have worked together before and team up again for this latest. The banter between the two is quick and the dialogue is staccato and sharp. This is true of the whole book.

The plot borrows from current news headlines, but Reichs puts an inventive spin on her plotting. She keeps us guessing about Sunnie's past with memories and asides. As the book progresses, more and more is revealed until we discover the truth in the last few chapters. (And she caught me off guard....) Cut between chapters are italicized chapters from a woman being held in captivity that count down from two weeks ago to the present. Time seems to be of the essence in both plot lines.

Yes, Two Nights is a departure from the tone and tenor of the Tempe Brennan novels. It's definitely action oriented and almost read like movie. And yes, some of the plotting is a bit far fetched. But you know - I enjoyed seeing something new and different from an author I follow. I thought Sunday was a great new lead character - and you can never have enough female kick butt leads. I found Two Nights to be an entertaining read. I wonder if there will be another Night novel? If so, this reader would pick it up. Read an excerpt of Two Nights.

You can connect with Kathy Reichs on her website, like her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter.

Walk Away - Sam Hawken

Sam Hawken has just released Walk Away - the second book in his Camaro Espinoza series. I hadn't read the first, but Walk Away can absolutely be read as a stand alone.

Camaro? She's a former combat medic who knows how to fight. She never backs down or walks away. When her sister Annabel asks her for help with an abusive boyfriend, she's on her way across country without a second thought. After all, family is family. But that abusive boyfriend has family too. And he's even worse than his brother.  What starts out as a simple warning off soon turns deadly - for a lot of people.

I loved Camaro! Who doesn't love a kick butt female lead? (Think female Jack Reacher) Hawken slowly reveals bits and pieces of the sisters' past. I wasn't too sure about her sister - she's 'weaker' if you will, and seems to have has a history of making bad choices and needing help to clean up. I really liked two of the supporting cast - bail bondsman Yates and Deputy Marshall Hannon. I hope to see Yates in a future book. But boy oh boy, Marshall Way is a piece of work. He's a loose cannon with a temper. Hawken has written him well - it's impossible not to have a visceral reaction to this man.

Hawken's plot is well conceived and things move along at a quick pace. Great short snappy dialogue to match. And lots of action. Walk Away kinda reads like an action film. And I can absolutely see it as a movie. I look forward to the third installment. Read an excerpt of Walk Away.

You can connect with Sam Hawken on his website or follow him on Twitter.