Tina's Reading Books

I feel compelled to start my review by talking about the end of the book. During the penultimate chapter of the book, I think I had to rewind three times (I listened on audio) to fully appreciate what happened. Nothing so mundane as a cliffhanger. Not with this series. Briggs always delivers on a great climactic scene (the climactic scene toward the end of Iron Kissed comes immediately to mind). This book, imo, does even better than that. It ends on a note that very cleverly (and literally) changes boundaries is the world of this series. These changes will resonate not just in the Alpha & Omega series, but also in the Mercy Thompson series as well. As a bonus, it was an exciting and a well choreographed piece of writing and scene setting. I am very excited and more intrigued than usual to get back to the next Mercy Thompson book.

The end of the book was just the cherry on the top of an great, great read.

Anna and Charles are dispatched to Boston to help the FBI, local cops and other Fed agencies to track a serial killer. This one is special because this killer has been killing for decades and has managed to take out a werewolf. Not easy. Law enforcement are so determined to get this person and sort of at a dead end that they are willing to work with the wolves if it means learning something new.

The Anna in this book is so far from the timid, abused creature you first meet in the On the Prowl. She is confident, both in her abilities as the Omega of the her pack but also in her relationship with Charles. I loved all things Anna in this one.

It was Charles who was the utter mess. Charles is still struggling with his role as Bran's executioner and it is taking a toll on him. This struggle is incorporated well in the fabric of the story and it is a nice to see the script flipped so to speak with Anna so together and Charles needing her to heal him.

There are also a couple of very interesting walk-on characters who stood out in the narrative. I enjoyed Isaac the Alpha of the Olde Towne Boston pack. He was a little cocky, a little annoying but still really smart and came through like gangbusters when it counted.

Also I enjoyed Leslie the FBI agent who was so competent and together that I hope she makes another appearance in the series.

I listed to this on audio and I have to reserve one whole star for the narrator. Holter Graham was fabulous with the voice performance!