Book 39, 2018

[chez_jae]

Dead in the Water by Hailey Edwards

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



It was past midnight when I finished reading Dead in the Water by Hailey Edwards. It's the first installment in the author's "Gemini" urban fantasy series, which I believe is a spin-off from another of her series. The protagonist is Camille Ellis, who works for the Earthen Conclave to solve paranormal crimes.

Cam has the unique ability to gauge species and magical ability simply by touching someone. Touch also enables her to partially shift into another creature or to mimic its magic as her own for a short time. Her talent makes her invaluable to the investigation into the serial deaths of several young girls, all of whom were drowned.

When Cam is dispatched to yet another crime scene, she encounters the victim's brother, an angry, grieving warg, who insists on being a part of the investigation. Graeson claims it's his right, as the crime was committed on Pack land. Cam also meets a young mermaid, Harlow, who is assisting the investigation. Determined to avenge his sister, Graeson virtually kidnaps Camille, and takes her to Alabama, where intel has led him to believe the next murder will take place. After another young girl is abducted, Cam will have to put her trust in the wargs and in her own unique nature to save her.

This was a fascinating story. Although it's based on another series, I never felt that I was out of the loop. Narrative is in first person, from Cam's point of view, and the author did a great job of making her real. Other characters were similarly well done, as was the world-building. The action was fast-paced and kept me engaged. My only complaint is that, although there was some resolution, other aspects were left unresolved. However, I enjoyed this book enough that I will certainly be reading more in the series.

Favorite line: "It's hotter than a firecracker lit on both ends out here."

Some minor SPaG issues compel me to give this a 4-star rating, rather than 5:

****