Books: Devil's Bargain / Devil's Due (S, R, SF)
Rachel Caine's Devil's Bargain is the first in a Bombshell series called Red Letter Days.
Jazz Callender is an ex-cop trying to prove the innocence of her ex-partner, who was framed for murder. One night in a bar, she meets a lawyer with a crazy leather outfit and an interesting proposition: an unknown benefactor offers to establish a private investigation partnership with Jazz and a woman she doesn't know IF the women will make the benefactor's requests, which will arrive in a red envelope, their top priority at any time.
Jazz is a tough woman. She has a strong physicality and enjoys the roughhousing her work occasionally requires. Despite the fact that she is essentially a loner, we get to see Jazz interact with all kinds of people and see how off-balance she has felt since losing her job as a cop. The woman she interviews as her partner is sophisticated where Jazz is tomboyish, yet they make a good match as partners and friends. The strong supporting cast of Jazz's friends and enemies feel like real people, not just props in Jazz's story.
The romance develops slowly and naturally, which really fits Jazz's character; she is not a woman who seeks out relationship, so she is uncertain and confused by a relationship with a man that extends beyond the physical.
The novel is fast-paced and intriguing. Like Jazz, we want to know who created the partnership and what the red letters are all about. The answers are complex and more than a little confusing; the author does a good job of keeping us at the same level of awareness as Jazz, which really works in this story. There is a slightly paranormal element, but it doesn't overwhelm the story and I think people who don't like paranormals would still really enjoy this book.
Great characters, lots of action, and a genuinely fun story. Grade: A
Devil's Due is the story of Jazz's tough-as-nails partner, Lucia. As Jazz and Lucia become increasingly distrustful of the whole Red Letter setup, they become the targets of multiple psychic organizations as well as rogue cops and an abusive husband with an unknown agenda. This story masterfully builds suspense, raising questions and then offering answers that we, as well as the characters, aren't sure we trust. The supporting cast remains interesting and the conclusion wraps up all necessary loose ends. The romance was a little harder to accept since Lucia's love interest is an ex-con whose innocence remains somewhat in question, and he is Very Angry for most of the novel; even righteous anger is a little offsetting for this reader, and I'm not sure I could have seen past it enough to fall in love with the guy. Overall, though, this is a tight and interesting read. Grade: A-
Jazz Callender is an ex-cop trying to prove the innocence of her ex-partner, who was framed for murder. One night in a bar, she meets a lawyer with a crazy leather outfit and an interesting proposition: an unknown benefactor offers to establish a private investigation partnership with Jazz and a woman she doesn't know IF the women will make the benefactor's requests, which will arrive in a red envelope, their top priority at any time.
Jazz is a tough woman. She has a strong physicality and enjoys the roughhousing her work occasionally requires. Despite the fact that she is essentially a loner, we get to see Jazz interact with all kinds of people and see how off-balance she has felt since losing her job as a cop. The woman she interviews as her partner is sophisticated where Jazz is tomboyish, yet they make a good match as partners and friends. The strong supporting cast of Jazz's friends and enemies feel like real people, not just props in Jazz's story.
The romance develops slowly and naturally, which really fits Jazz's character; she is not a woman who seeks out relationship, so she is uncertain and confused by a relationship with a man that extends beyond the physical.
The novel is fast-paced and intriguing. Like Jazz, we want to know who created the partnership and what the red letters are all about. The answers are complex and more than a little confusing; the author does a good job of keeping us at the same level of awareness as Jazz, which really works in this story. There is a slightly paranormal element, but it doesn't overwhelm the story and I think people who don't like paranormals would still really enjoy this book.
Great characters, lots of action, and a genuinely fun story. Grade: A
Devil's Due is the story of Jazz's tough-as-nails partner, Lucia. As Jazz and Lucia become increasingly distrustful of the whole Red Letter setup, they become the targets of multiple psychic organizations as well as rogue cops and an abusive husband with an unknown agenda. This story masterfully builds suspense, raising questions and then offering answers that we, as well as the characters, aren't sure we trust. The supporting cast remains interesting and the conclusion wraps up all necessary loose ends. The romance was a little harder to accept since Lucia's love interest is an ex-con whose innocence remains somewhat in question, and he is Very Angry for most of the novel; even righteous anger is a little offsetting for this reader, and I'm not sure I could have seen past it enough to fall in love with the guy. Overall, though, this is a tight and interesting read. Grade: A-
posted by JJ at 3:25 AM
