Back From the Undead (The Bloodhound Files 5) by DD. Barant

Happy Halloween!!!

Leaves are flying with the winds and candy are are dropping in your basket or have you already eaten them all? Here it's quite busy, the Chullu special session in the roleplaying is going well so far but the organsiation (that means me) must be ready for everything and we must keep the schedule too so not a lot of free time and a long, long night ahead.
Now that the meal has been served ( rosted rat^^) though i have a few minutes to share with you one author that makes my halloween time even better but as a rules all year long as long as i can read this fabulous series.

So here comes " Back from the Undead" by DD Barant, 5th book in the series The Bloodhound Files.

Happy reading!

Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks

Publication: 2012

ISBN:  0312545061

Genre: urban fantasy
Violence: strong
Language: normal
sex: mild
Public: 18+

Source: bought
 

Short description from goodreads :

 Another work day, another case for the Bloodhound Files. But this time, Jace is truly stumped: How is she, a mere human, supposed to penetrate the dark heart of a child-trafficking ring of pire orphans—one that turns out to be part of a blood-farm operation, in the crime-ridden border city of Vancouver, British Columbia?


Jace is in over her head. But with the help of her former lover, Tanaka—whose family is one of the last samurai clans left in Japan—she stands a chance at seeking justice for the condemned children… Until the Yakuza tries to put an end to Jace’s investigation. Jace risks more than death—this time, it’s the fate of her very soul that’s in danger . . .

My opinion:

          Fabulous! Really so far I haven’t discovered another series that can hook me so fast and that since book 1. Of course I have others series I consider favourites (and a lot) but when it comes to suspense one, investigations one I can often guess the culprit , motives etc  it’s not necessarily bad per say, I do enjoy romantic suspense nevertheless but it takes more to keep me hooked. With DD Barant, yes sometimes details can be predictable, I guess some things but there are so many twists and turn that I keep being surprised and I love that!. It’s a book (and series) where each word is important and you don’t want to miss a line.

 I greatly enjoyed “Back from the Undead” because it’s perfectly in the line of the precedents books but at the same time we get once again another dimension. Jace is investigating the disappearance of pire children in Canada….not only it’s highly risky because in this parallel word Canada isn’t a pleasant place but it’s done on Stoker’s demand…. Yes the same man who tried to kill her, who killed a lot of pires and werewolves and is deviously cunning and manipulative. As you can imagine it won’t be easy even less if you add Yakuza to the mix.

DD Barant managed to keep the investigation so realistic despite all the paranormal elements and created so many twists and turns that I had to finish this book in one read. Trying to guess Stocker motives, even more after meeting Zevon was interesting and so funny. Charlie, the golem, is as always a great partner for Jace and he helps her a lot when, starting to be affected by the special spell making guns unknown, Jace is panicking. Oh let’s not forget his love for good clothes and how he hates when they get destroyed or dirty^^… what was the funnier was to see him completely in symbiosis with his T Rex soul^^   I could really imagine the TRex vs Oni and it was so fitting the ambiance of the book that I couldn’t stop smiling.

Jace is adjusting to the universe a little to well even since she is starting to be affected by the curse too but it was interesting to see how her relationships were evolving. Now with Cassius, she still has doubt but decide to go with the flow. She is still planning to go back home but she is starting to make a life for herself where she is by starting a Dojo (even if her clients have more strength and speed than her^^;;)

Eisfanger, the lab technician and shaman, is also on her team and he does help I was happy to see this thrope and how he still get confused by Jace‘s speech and attitude while Charlie seems to have given up. The alchemy between them is really well done.

The investigation part is just right paced, like I said each detail or element has an importance for this story or later but the fact the divinities and spirits were involved was a great plus. Gashadokuro will make you smile and you won’t look at your meals the same way^^ . Really the tension was so high  I was biting my nails but at the same time the balance with the humour just kept a smile on my face all along the story except for one thing.  I was disappointed to see Tanaka appears so shortly and how it went…we learn he is from a family of samurais and that there is top secret because they were hunted and still are. It explains his personality and how feeling guilty about what he has to do he is trying to regain his honor… yes but after that it just felt wrong. I hope we will discover there were more to it and that he will come back because just this time wasn’t enough and not right, I would have hoped he would at least make her meet the other samurais

So at the end I can only recommend you to try this series if you love urban fantasy, humour, action and investigation you will really love it (still think of it as a mix between criminal minds and ncis les expert). I should have read it on Halloween perhaps but each day I waited would have been one too late it’s really a wonderful book so don’t wait and just get your copy . To recommend!

Score:  4,5/5

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and no compensation was received in exchange for this review

Challenges:

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Brenda's halloween contests

Today is the last day of Brenda's event The Ghoulishly Good Monster Mash Mix up.., the topic: all the different kinds of shifters ( other than werewolves) because diversity is the key of success.

To win a pre order of Avenger's Heat or an ebook enter here before the 3rd November

Remember to check the other contest too while you can still enter ;) Good luck