28 Dec 2011 2 Comments

Hunted by the Others by Jess Haines

Hunted by the Others by Jess Haines
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Zebra; Original edition (May 4, 2010)

They are the Others–the vampires, mages, and werewolves once thought to exist only in our imaginations. Now they’re stepping out of the shadows, and nothing in our world will ever be the same again.

In A Town Like This, Being A P.I. Can Be Murder

Shiarra Waynest’s detective work was dangerous enough when her client base was strictly mortal. But ailing finances have forced her to accept a lucrative case that could save her firm–if it doesn’t kill her first.

Shiarra has signed on to work for a high-level mage to recover an ancient artifact owned by one of New York’s most powerful vampires.As soon as Shiarra meets sexy, mesmerizing vamp Alec Royce, she knows her assignment is even more complicated than she thought.

With a clandestine anti-Other group trying to recruit her, and magi being eliminated, Shiarra needs back-up and enlists her ex-boyfriend–a werewolf whose non-furry form is disarmingly appealing–and a nerdy mage with surprising talents.

But it may not be enough. In a city where the undead roam, magic rules, and even the Others aren’t always what they seem, Shiarra has just become the secret weapon in a battle between good and evil–whether she likes it or not.

Imagine your life just as it is. Now imagine finding out the teacher who teaches your children is a werewolf, the guy working in the office (or whatever) next to yours is a mage (magician/wizard), and the night security guard at your apartment complex is a vampire.

This is the world Shiarra lives in; a world where the supernatural Others have stepped out of the shadows.

Shiarra is a normal woman working to carve out a living as a private investigator. She accepts that the Others exist, but that doesn’t mean she has to accept them…and she makes it a rule to avoid any involvement, personal or professional, with these supernatural creatures.

Unfortunately for her, some rules are meant to be broken and because of financial problems, she soon finds herself working for a coven of mages known as The Circle, who want her to retrieve an artifact of power from Alec Royce, a powerful and influential vampire.

It soon becomes apparent that there are many layers to this assignment, and Shiarra learns there are more dangerous things than Royce that have taken an interest in her. It’s more than a normal girl can handle on her own.

Luckily, she’s not alone. With her P.I. partner, Sara, a werewolf ex-boyfriend, and a nerdy Dungeons and Dragons-loving mage, Shiarra just might manage to make it to the end of the case without being killed…or worse.

Hunted by the Others by Jess Haines is a must-read for fans of urban fiction because it delivers everything you expect from this genre.

Shiarra is a likable hero, and a very real character in world turned upside-down by the Others revealing themselves. Being grounded firmly in the ‘normal’ world, she is someone the reader can relate to, so it’s easy to live the adventure through her eyes.

Jess does a great job of providing the background of this alternate world in bits and pieces, so you learn how things work within the story but never get bored because of some long explanatory monologue.

The supporting characters (Sara, Chaz, and Arnold) are entertaining and balanced nicely with the main character, Shiarra, so there’s always something going on and the story moves at a brisk pace.

There is some violence depicted (what do you expect with vampires and werewolves?) but Jess never loses herself in gory details, and the hints of romance never over-ride the story.

Hot vampires, stake-toting women, and hidden agendas are waiting for you behind the cover of Hunted by the Others.

Other books in the series include:

Taken by the Others (January 1, 2011) (review)
Deceived by the Others (July 1, 2011)
Stalking the Others (July 3, 2012)

by Marty in Adult, Reviews Tags: Hunted by the Others, Jess Haines, Zebra Publishing