5/5 Stars – Urban Paranormal Fantasy Fun
I haven’t read a paranormal Fantasy for a while and I was intrigued enough by the synopsis and the reviews for Sleight of Hand to give it a go. I confess my last binge into this genre was Jim Butcher’s The Dresden Files which I absolutely loved, particularly the first 8 or so volumes and so Mark Henwick had a lot to live up to and I am pleased to say he did, pretty much.
No spoilers, but our protagonist is Amber Farrell a paranormal P.I. in Denver. She was bitten by a vampire but has not turned, yet, which creates a nice ticking timebomb throughout the story. Will she turn? If she does what does becoming a vampire mean? She is desperate not to lose who she is but at the same time, she’s got bills to pay and being half-vamp has its advantages.
I really enjoyed the story, our heroine is suitably badass and had the cliched ticks to start with, ex-special forces, a loner and a back story that teases and tantalises some of which is revealed throughout her adventures. This aspect of the book was very well done. I liked the reveals and the growing nods to her ex-military pals. It was well done. This though is all foundational and solid as it is it is the case she is on that is the main rider of this book.
Having just finished a tricky case that did not end particularly well for her client, Amber looks to be on her downs. A lack of money leaves her struggling to meet her obligations until a wealthy businesswoman walks through her doors and offers her a job she can’t refuse, not least because she can’t afford to turn it away.
The case involves a missing chef and a motorcycle gang-turned-drug cartel looking to ruin her client’s business and reputation but why and to what end? And of course, hidden behind it all is a plethora of supernatural perils; werewolves, warring vampire factions and magic. Somewhere in this new world, Amber has to not only survive but find her place in it.
It is well-written and edited. The story flows at a relentless and action-packed pace that kept me fully engaged. I think this may be my next paranormal fantasy binge! As an aside, I like that the editor Lauren Sweet gets a mention alongside the author’s name. It is a nice touch and good to see.
If you like paranormal urban fantasy books (Vampires, werewolves and all things magical set in a modern world) or you are intrigued and want to try something in this genre then I can highly recommend this book to you.
A D Green 