Saturday 22 October 2011

When Blood Calls by J. K. Beck

Title: When Blood Calls
Author: J. K. Beck
Series: The Shadow Keepers (book #1)
Next in series: When Pleasure Rules

My rating: 3 Stars

Synopsis: Prosecuting attorney Sara Constantine has just been promoted and will now be prosecuting vampires and other supernatural beings. Unfortunately, the suspect in her first case just happens to be Lucius Dragos, the sexy stranger with whom she shared a night of unbridled passion. Is Luke guilty of killing the retired judge or is he protecting someone he loves? Will Sara live to find out the truth?

Review: Good world building with a compelling premise based on the idea that supernatural beings needing to be policed and prosecuted. Nevertheless, the actual story is predictable and the ending anti-climactic. The ultimate explanation for the murder and the identity of the villain is so obvious it makes me cringe.

Moreover, none of the characters are particularly interesting and the romance is uninspired. Sara constant shifting between her desire for Luke and her need to convict him becomes annoying after a while. Also, her fear of him is irrational given that he has had plenty opportunity to kill her if he so desired.

Luke is not a particularly likeable character. I love a dangerous hero as much as the next person and I don’t have any problems with the moral shades of grey that often permeate paranormal romance (see my review of Blood on Silk) but within Beck’s world it is difficult to escape the fact that Luke is a killer with some questionable motives and past behaviors.

The writing is descriptive but drawn out in places to the extent that I had a hard time finishing the book. I can't see myself continuing with the series.

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