Any Gonz Gonz itibaren Sant'Ellero FI, İtalya itibaren Sant'Ellero FI, İtalya

Accidentally read the second book first, but it didn't matter much. This book starts right off with some good action, and never really lets up. Kate Daniels, the heroine, is refreshingly down to earth. Instead of worrying about her high heeled books or her leather pants, she focuses on getting the job done. And there are certainly some dirty jobs out there. This book involves Celtic gods, alternating flares of magic or technology being operative, and a little girl. I enjoyed the book so much that I even forgave it the sometimes-cheap "must protect cute little girl!!" motivation for plot. I'd definitely define this as urban fantasy as opposed to paranormal romance. There is an inkling of a romantic interest, but Kate is more focused on her own issues of survival and revenge. The magic-vs.-tech piece of the book is well done, and unique, I think, to this book.

A good old manor house murder (except this manor house has become a private clinic for plastic surgery). James takes her time introducing all her characters including Adam Dalgliesh, her main detective, then wraps everything up quickly as if she’d suddenly become bored. As always, she presents a suspect with a considerably twisted psychological point of view—though we don’t get too deeply into seeing the world through Sharon’s eyes — which is just as well since I’m a tad tired of the workings of the ‘mad’ mind.