JEANIENE FROST
Synopsis: Having narrowly averted an (under)World War, Cat Crawfield wants nothing more than a little downtime with her vampire husband, Bones. Unfortunately, her gift from New Orleans's voodoo queen just keeps on giving – leading to a personal favor that sends them into battle once again, this time against a villainous spirit.
Centuries ago, Heinrich Kramer was a witch hunter. Now, every All Hallows Eve, he takes physical form to torture innocent women before burning them alive. This year, however, a determined Cat and Bones must risk all to send him back to the other side of eternity – forever. But one wrong step and they'll be digging their own graves.
First line: “Donald Bartholomew Williams, get your ass back here now!”
Stats for my copy: Mass market paperback, published by Avon Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2011; received from a BookCrossing member.
***THIS REVIEW CONTAINS WHAT MAY BE CONSIDERED SPOILERS FOR PREVIOUS BOOKS IN THE SERIES***
My thoughts: This entry in the series picks up right where the previous book left off, with Cat and Bones still in the graveyard, having just defeated Apollyon. Cat has just discovered that her Uncle Don, who died in the previous book, is now a ghost and has been covertly watching her. Hence, her yelling out at him in the first line of the prologue (as she did in the last line of the previous book).
I was glad to see Don is still around! Unfortunately, while Tate has been promoted into Don's old position at the compound, the government has sent in an “operations consultant”, Madigan, who is a grade A prick, as Cat soon finds out. In fact, he tightens ship and adds so much additional security that Cat is not allowed to visit her mother or the members of her old team, which prompts Justina to quit and settle in with her daughter and the son-in-law she detests.
Previously, the Ghoul Queen of New Orleans had forced Cat to drink her blood, giving Cat her power to call ghosts to her side. Now Elisabeth has shown up. Fabian has a crush on Elisabeth, but most of the ghostly world give her the cold shoulder, because she has spent all of her ghostly years with one mission – to kill another ghost. Kramer, a zealot witch hunter who turns to flesh every Halloween and tortures and kills three women. Not actual witches, but Kramer believes all women are evil and should be burned at the stake.
This book was a departure from previous entries in the series as Cat and Bones didn't have many dealings with other vampires, besides Spade and Ian. The focus is on finding Kramer and finding a way to destroy him permanently, before he has a chance to kill again.
Along with Elisabeth, we have another new character, Tyler, a medium who Spade recommends. Tyler provides a lot of comic relief. He's not a fighter, he ogles Bones and then finds Spade even more delish, he loves his dog, Dexter, and even though he's often scared witless he is determined to help Bones and Cat in their quest.
I really enjoyed this entry, and I'm very sad that there isn't another one after this one. Although Cat and Bones certainly deserve some downtime so they can just enjoy being together without some villain to fight.
I think this is my second favorite series ever (after the Outlander series, by Diana Gabaldon). I'm going to miss Cat, and especially Bones, who I have a huge crush on. Sigh.
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