Deadly Curiosities

A native of Eastern Tennessee I would often spend summers in North Carolina, either shopping just over the state line with my mother and grandmother or spending weeks at a time at the beach for family vacations. I have always loved the cities and the stories of my old stomping grounds so when I picked up Deadly Curiosities and discovered just what it had in store I was tickled. The story is set in a fictional version of Charleston. Mrs. Martin captures the city wonderfully, bringing up memories my time there but adding her own twist with Cassidy, Sorren, and Teag. Cassidy owns and runs a shop called Trifles and Folly, buying and selling antiques and historic items. Teag works as her assistant and Sorren is their silent not-so-human partner. The trio do more than buying and selling, also working through the shop to identify and control dangerous artifacts that harbor the supernatural.

I adored the setting, like I said above. It was unique, and really made it a fun experience. For most urban fantasies you see big cities filled with strangers and strangers are what your character’s deal with. Yet this Charleston is filled with friends and families that our characters know. It was a bit surreal getting used to it at first, every time Cassidy walked the dog she ran into someone she knew. However once I reminded myself that this character is part of a large and probably fairly close knit community it began to make sense and the pieces fell into place. The town is upset by a serial killer stalking the streets, and Cassidy is faced with the possibility that something is juicing up the items she sells and handles on a day to day basis. Items that normally give off nothing more than faint vibe, or resonance as she calls it, become full on haunted. No spoilers guys, but I really enjoyed the plot and how the story turned out. Along with the great setting the magic is fascinating. There are magics we’ve all heard of, such as Cassidy’s ability to read objects she touched, but then there were ones I was unfamiliar with such as Weaver magic and the system created for it. Can we also talk about the Voudon (Voodoo) in the novel? I have such a love for that particular character, Lucinda, you wouldn’t believe. I really wanted more about that side of the world, I’m hoping we see more about the Voudon or local magic in future books.

My one complaint (which actually could also be taken as a compliment so there’s that) was that for all the story building I was left wanting to know more, with questions. The information we had filled the book, yet as I finished it I had questions. I want to know about Sorren, how did he become what he is and I want to know more about the Alliance. I want to know about Cassidy’s uncle and Lucinda, oh god did I love Lucinda. I would read entire books about some of the side characters we met, I enjoyed them so much. Chuck, Lucinda, Moran… I would eat them up. Doing some research, Mrs. Martin has a series of short stories out set in the DC world, you can bet I’ll be picking them up this weekend and hopefully will include them in another micro-reviews post I’m working on for my recent short story reads.

Overall, I clearly enjoyed it! My copy was an unedited manuscript provided by Netgalley, so there were some editorial issues. I had to get used to the giant size 20 font on each page that denoted the actual page break and the spaces that should have been a full break, but it was a fun read regardless. I’ve already pre-ordered my copy, and it releases on my birthday so we’ll consider this my birthday present to myself! I would recommend this for any urban or paranormal fantasy fan. It brings in new and old elements and introduces an exciting new world and rich cast. I honestly cannot wait to see more of Cassidy and the team, and this volume isn’t even out yet!

The first book in a new urban fantasy series that at first glance seems to remind me of the premise of Friday the 13th: The Series. The book is based in Charleston, SC and the city does very much feel fleshed out and a part of the story. Cassidy owns an antique store that has been in her family for generations. The store has a silent partner that is a vampire that hunts down dangerous artifacts. Cassidy can tell the history of an object by touch alone and her employee/friend Teag has an interesting power that he can gather information magically. The three of then work for a loosely affiliated group of supernaturals and humans with magical powers that try to keep evil objects out of the hands of people and supernaturals that want to use them for their own ends. Good world building and the huge plus for me is there is no romance building the background between the characters. I'll be looking for more books in this series.

Don't read this late at night. Spooky with an ominous menace, I enjoyed this paranormal novel.

I received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my open and honest opinion. This in no way has influenced my opinion of the book.

***may contain spoilers***

This book by Martin is the first in a new series that centers around Cassidy, the owner of an antique shop called Trifles and Folly. At least, that is what she does on the surface. Her true purpose is much less mundane. She, along with her "silent partner" Sorren -- an ancient vampire -- and her employee and friend Teag, work for a group called the Alliance.

The Alliance has been around for centuries, and they do many things. However, one of the most important things they do is to rid the world of powerful and dangerous paranormal artifacts. Cassidy, a powerful psychometric -- someone who "reads" an item's energy and history -- uses her antique shop to help the Alliance with their endeavor. When people bring items into her shop, she holds them and sees the history that happened around those objects. If something in the object's history gives off warning signals that Cassidy thinks might make the item dangerous and/or susceptible to hauntings, possessions, etc., she buys the item and presents it to Sorren to take to the Alliance, where they dispose of it safely. (At least that is what they are SUPPOSEDLY DOING... since this is the beginning of a series, I'm wondering if eventually Cassidy will find out that the Alliance's motives aren't as pure as they claim them to be... but that is simply my speculation and neither here nor there concerning this book. :-p)

The fun in THIS book really begins when a lady brings in a pair of antique opera glasses to sell to Cassidy. Shortly after, Cassidy receives a phone call from a buyer saying that items she purchased from Cassidy's shop are causing a lot of ghostly-type problems. Cassidy and Teag realize that several items which should not have been causing negative effects are, in fact, creating all kinds of havoc. They decide to investigate the phenomena, and this investigation leads to all kinds of craziness, including voudon practitioners, dark sorcerers who should have been dead centuries before, a nasty demon, and a man who surrounds himself with hundreds of clocks everywhere he goes... And this is just a taste of what a reader finds in the pages of Martin's new book.

The storyline is interesting and unique. The characters are very likeable. The setting is lovely and perfect. The writing style is solid. And the action is well-paced, after the first thirty or so pages, which are a bit slow.

The only complaint I have with this novel is that at times it is a bit repetitive. For instance, one line might mention something about the blood-caked clothes she's wearing, and the next line will say the same thing, only with differently arranged words.

I wish I had marked an actual specific example of what I was talking about, but I didn't, so I can't provide an example, but I will give my own made up example to illustrate my point.

*Note: This is NOT a line from the actual book. Just something I made up to, again, illustrate the point.*

"She stepped into the room and shivered as the feeling of something watching her from the darkness crept over her. It seemed as though there was something she couldn't see in the darkness, but it could see her, and it was watching her. The thought made her shiver as it crept down her spine."

This didn't happen VERY often in the book, but it did happen enough times that I mentally made a note of it, and it irritated me. I'm a smart girl. You only have to tell me once, and I usually get the picture. Ha.

But overall, I really did enjoy the book, and I look forward to reading the next one when it comes out.

I would like to thank NetGalley & Solaris for granting me a copy of this e-ARC to read in exchange for an honest review. Though I received this e-book for free that in no way impacts my review. I give this book 4.5 stars, but as most places only accept whole numbers I'm rounding it up to 5 stars.

Cassidy Kincaide owns Trifles & Folly, an antique/curio store and high-end pawn shop in Charleston, South Carolina that is more than what it seems. Dangerous magical and supernatural items sometimes find their way into mortal hands or onto the market, and Cassidy is part of a shadowy Alliance of mortals and mages whose job it is to take those deadly curiosities out of circulation.

Welcome to Trifles & Folly, an antique and curio shop with a dark secret. Proprietor Cassidy Kincaide continues a family tradition begun in 1670—acquiring and neutralizing dangerous supernatural items. It’s the perfect job for Cassidy, whose psychic gift lets her touch an object and know its history. Together with her business partner Sorren, a 500 year-old vampire and former jewel thief, Cassidy makes it her business to get infernal objects off the market. When mundane antiques suddenly become magically malicious, it’s time for Cassidy and Sorren to get rid of these Deadly Curiosities before the bodies start piling up.

A truly exciting read, Ms. Martin has created one of the best urban fantasies I've had the pleasure of exploring recently. Her characters are all robust, with many layers and facets, giving them the feel of real people. And her world-building is top notch, rich and replete with realistic settings and scenes that place you directly in the story. This is easily one of the more thrilling urban fantasies I have read in the past year or more. Certainly to the point where I am anxious to get my hands on more of her stories, particularly any that continue on with the core cast from this book.

Cassidy is a psychometric, meaning she can tell the history of an item just by touching it. And in a place like Charleston, South Carolina, that pretty much guarantees lots of real interesting experiences for Cassidy. And many of them are sadly, highly unpleasant histories. This is a city renowned for slavery, pirates, smuggling, and lots of things that go bump in the night. Things that Cassidy has learned are real, and you don't want to face them unprepared. Cassidy is the kind of girl that takes a licking and keeps on ticking. She's got the heart of a lion, and her non-corporeal protectors are great choices on Ms. Martin's part. They are warm and fuzzy, one in the literal sense, but anyone threatens their girl Cassidy will be facing some serious defenses.

Brought into the Alliance by her friend and mentor Sorren, Cassidy's education comes in fits and starts. Sorren is a 500+ year-old vampire who has been working with a member of Cassidy's family since the opening of Trifles & Folly in 1670. His protective feelings toward Cassidy reminds me a bit of Stefan's feelings for Mercy in Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson series, minus the romantic inclinations Stefan harbors for Mercy, at least that we're aware of thus far!

Teag is Cassidy's assistant manager and close friend. They met through a martial arts class, where he was her instructor. He knows tons of different styles and is definitely a force to be reckoned with, and all that is before you add in his Weaver magic, which he is still learning about. Just like Sorren, Teag is also very protective of Cassidy. He is also every bit as invested in the real reason Trifles & Folly exists as Cassidy and Sorren.

Items they sold (that hadn't give Cassidy any history of the nasty sort) are suddenly becoming increasingly dangerous. It is only luck that a local woman bought a bunch of pieces for her B&B, thus leading her back to the shop, and Cassidy, when things begin to get seriously spooky at her previously quiet B&B. From there Cassidy and company discover that all kinds of formerly 'mundane' pieces have become charged, in the scary way, and all in the past six months. Which unfortunately aligns with the beginning of a series of unsolved murders. The more they learn the worse things look. This is one 'adventure' that could take everything they've got and it still might not be enough to put an end to the danger. But if they don't try the danger will most certainly extend well beyond a few pieces of affected furniture and locations, and could very well destroy all of Charleston and beyond.

Sorren brings more help onboard, and Cassidy trusts her instincts and brings in another person to help, much to the frustration of the rest of the team, though they allow him to stay. But will their small team be enough to deal with what's out there? Will they be able to get justice for the innocents who died simply because they knew too much, or were in the wrong place at the wrong time? Will they even survive the coming battle?

Full of suspense and intrigue, this book keeps you on your toes. It is nearly impossible to set it down once you've begun reading, as the characters and storyline reel you in like a fish on a line (though far more enjoyably). I am very hopeful that there are more books with Cassidy and crew awaiting me, and more Ms. Martin plans to put onto paper for us!

This wasn't what I thought it was gonna be when I started reading it. And by that I mean I thought it was gonna be a paranormal romance with a little action on the side. Boy, was I wrong. There was no romance (not even a hint) and it was full of action from visions to full out street brawls. The history in each object was neat to see instead of just being told about it. Very different. Looking forward to reading more in this series.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

This was my first outing with Gail Z. Martin, and I have to say it was lovely! This urban fantasy felt almost like a cozy mystery to me at times, although of course it has a strong supernatural element. The story takes place in Charleston, South Carolina, and Martin's wonderful descriptions of the city were among my favorite parts of the book. She also adds lots of historical tidbits about Charleston, especially spooky details that pertain to the ghostly residents of the city. Add in well-developed characters and a tension-filled plot, and you have a winning story that has something for everyone.

Cassidy Kincaide runs an antique shop called Trifles and Folly, which has been in her family for generations. But the “shop” part of the business is simply a cover for what Cassidy really does: she uses her gift of psychometry to tell if an old object has bad psychic vibes, which she does by simply touching it. With the help of her assistant Teag and her vampire friend Sorren, Cassidy makes sure these objects never reach the hands of the general public.

But when ordinary objects start acting up in bizarre and frightening ways, Cassidy and her friends must try to figure out what’s going on. With mysterious murders happening to the homeless residents of Charleston, Cassidy knows it’s all connected somehow. And then there are the weird shadows that start following her. Things are getting spookier—and more dangerous by the minute.

The story is told in Cassidy’s first-person voice, and I really enjoyed her character. I was expecting some kind of romantic entanglement, and frankly I was expecting that guy to be Sorren the vampire, but I was pleasantly surprised that Martin decided to leave out the romance. And honestly, I didn’t really miss it. There was so much going on with the plot and the characters, that a romance would have felt tacked-on. Cassidy’s psychic gift was pretty cool, and the fact that she can “see” emotional impressions on old objects made me wonder if anything in my house has any psychic fingerprints, LOL! (But judging by Cassidy's reactions to the worst of the objects, I don’t think I’d want that gift for myself.)

I also loved Teag, who has his own unique gift. He’s a “weaver” and can cast spells by weaving things together, like string or yarn. He also puts his talents to use on the internet and is able to access the Darke Web, a clandestine area where dark magic and secrets collide on the interwebs.

But I have to say my favorite character was someone who showed up way late in the story, but added so much despite his late arrival. Chuck Pettis is an older guy who is convinced that if the hundreds of ticking clocks in his house wind down, he’ll die. So he goes to great lengths to keep the clocks wound, and he even has a warehouse full of back-up clocks to replace the ones that die. (And this warehouse is very important to the story, which is how Cassidy and company meet Chuck.) Chuck was full of life and humor, and I wish that he’d made an appearance much earlier, because I would have liked to get to know him better. Plus his story line had a very Twilight Zone feel to it.

Sorren, the 600-year-old vampire who is Cassidy’s partner and protector, was a bit of a puzzle to me. Strangely, he doesn’t really show up until about a third of the way through the story, and then he’s suddenly there without much explanation. His character fascinated me, however, and I wanted to know more about his previous life as a thief. I would love a Sorren short story or prequel to read!

The cozy feeling of the story eventually turns dark and dangerous as the group faces shadow monsters, a man named Moran who is trying to locate a deadly artifact that was supposedly lost in a shipwreck, and even a demon. There is a slow build up to the suspenseful parts, and by the time you reach the end, the tension is nearly unbearable.

I noticed a few places that could have used more editing, in particular the fact that Sorren’s teeth are described as “long eye teeth” over and over again. I also felt there were times when the characters did too much explaining in their dialog, and what should have felt natural began to feel stilted and awkward.

But small quibbles aside, I had so much fun reading Deadly Curiosities. There were some very special emotional moments with Cassidy, especially when she uses her dead Grandmother’s wooden kitchen spoon to ward off evil, and her dearly departed dog’s collar as a protective talisman. The ghost dog, named Bo, also shows up to help out the gang, and the story would not have been the same without him.

If you love southern charm, historical details and a ghostly tale, this book should go on your reading list. Big thanks to the publisher for supplying a review copy. The above quote was taken from an uncorrected proof and may differ in the final version.

Cassidy owns an antique store and has a special power that allows her to know the history of an item when she touches it. Cass, Teag, and Sorren work together for the Alliance to get supernatural and dangerous items before they can harm others.

I loved that this story takes place in Charleston. It is so rich with character and history and the author uses so much of it within the story. I wanted to go to all the museums, browse in the shops, take the tours, and sleep at the bed and breakfasts. I wanted to be in that space with the people in her book.

I want more Sorren. I want to know more about him. How did he come to be? Maybe a book in the future would tell more about that.

This is one of those books you just can't put down until you're finished reading.

I give Deadly Curiosities 4 hearts!

**I received this book for NetGalley/Solaris in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.**

*Genre* Urban Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5-4

*My Thoughts*

I am a true fan of Urban Fantasy series that are filled with action, danger, adventure, kick ass action, awesome world building, and characters that can hold their own without falling into the Mary Sue category we all loathe. So, I eagerly requested Deadly Curiosities via NetGalley hoping to see if there was any hope for the genre itself.

Cassidy Kincaide is the protagonist and POV for Deadly Curiosities. She runs Trifles & Folly, a real estate auction and antiques store in the heart of historical Charleston, South Carolina. Cassidy is carrying on the family tradition that started in 1670. Along with her Assistant Manager Teag, and her silent partner, the nearly 600 year old vampire Sorren, they collect supernatural items called Spookies that contain dark malevolence that often times find their way into innocent hands.

Cassidy also has psychometric abilities which allow her to gleam strong emotions, memories, and images from the antiques that come into her store. Although psychometry has been used in previous series, I liked the uniqueness of her abilities to not only gleam the history from an object, but she can use powerful artifacts to fight against the evil that rears their ugly heads, and tries to take over Charleston for their master.

Cassidy, Teag, Sorren, along with voodoo practitioner Lucinda, work for a shadowy organization called the Alliance. The Alliance is a group of powerful magic users and immortals who stand against the darkness and ensure that their nemesis The Family, doesn't get their hands on dark artifacts that can cause tremendous problems as we see in Deadly Curiosities.

I loved that Gail uses Charleston as her setting for this story. Even though she, like every other author out there, takes artistic allowances with the characters, and the setting itself, you can't help but appreciate Charleston's history which is very long, and filled with historical events, and lots, and lots of ghosts. She does a good job of putting you in the setting and the people who are true southerners in that they do know each other, and they do help each other out in times of need.

I especially liked the fact that the action is right there in front of you. While there are some lags and lulls, it is expected when you are trying to track down the villains, and put together a team to end the threat to the citizens of Charleston. I liked that the ending didn't feel rushed to me, or that the characters like Cassidy didn't shy away or run from trouble. There was a pretty decent final battle, and all things are not black and white, or even happy when its all said and done.

It is also refreshing to me that Cassidy didn't find herself deep into a romantic situation that took her attention away from the matter at hand. All too often, I roll my eyes at the unnecessary romance thrown into stories for the entertainment purposes. Again, if you want romance, then stay with PNR. If you like kick ass action at every turn, and the unknown whether the characters will all survive or not, then please read Deadly Curiosities and give the finger to publishers who say that UF is dead and gone.

Apparently, publishers are more interested now in Paranormal Romance series, or Urban Fantasy Romance, than UF because that is where THEY believe the female readers are more likely to be. I absolutely call shenanigans, and bullcrap on any publisher who cancels a series without giving them a chance to get going, or at least allow it to end gracefully. There are more than enough readers out there who STILL love UF and we won't go away silently or without a fight.

*Recvd 03/17/2014 via NetGalley* Expected publication: June 24th 2014 by Solaris

Ok this book had one of my favorite elements in being that it was based in my hometown of Charleston, SC. In case you don't know by now I tend to read anything based there because I love being able to try to recognize the places in the story and this book didn't disappoint with it. The author did a great job of creating the perfect atmosphere for her book because what better place to have a book about ghosts, demons and the likes than the historic town of Charleston. Charleston for those that don't know has plenty tales of ghosts and lots of history here. I think the author had a unique concept in having the main character Cassidy Kane be able to read the history of objects with her physic gift. Cassidy was a really cool character and I loved to see her in her element in her awesome antique shop and her partner in crime Teag was really cool also. I think another thing I loved is how the author interwove all the old founding families of the town and how they were actual names that I had heard of. As we got further into the story we learn that Cassidy works for the Alliance and it is something that had been a family tradition. Teh Alliance finds magical objects especially the dangerous ones and makes sure they are destroyed or neutralized so that they can't cause a problem for anyone. I think my favorite thing about this book was the way that Cassidy is able to find out more about an object. It was really cool to see her magic work and she weas more powerful than I think she realized she was. The author really developed her character and the others in the book. We also got to meet Sorren and Lucinda who were a vampire and vodoo priestess in their own rights. The group have to work together once they uncover some serious evil in the town and I loved seeing them all work together and seeing their different abilities interact with each other. Overall this was a really fun read. The author created characters that I loved and made me want to continue to read about. The book was fast paced so I flew through it with ease and was fully invested in it. The writing style was well thought out and I loved how much detail she put into the book and how she really wove an intricate tale of mystery with tons of supernatural elements and creatures mixed in. I loved the setting and would love for there to be a book two as there are many different directions the author can take these characters in. I highly recommend this one to others just for the lush world the author created.

An antique/curio and high-end pawn stop is owned by Cassidy Kincaide. The shop has dangerous items due to their magical and/or supernatural nature. Cassidy continues a family tradition of acquiring these items. She has a psychic gift that when she touches an item, she can tell its history. With Sorren's help ( a vampire), she works hard to find and get these dangerous items off the market. However when the normal antiques suddenly become dangerous, Sorren and Cassidy must get rid of them before there are more problems.

Though the book is large, it won't seem so as you read it. Excellent characters and fantastic creates suspense and thrills as if you were riding a roller coaster!

Great read! Smooth prose, complex characters, and well-paced intrigue. I want more!

Paranormal Mystery/Urban Fantasy

From Goodreads:

Cassidy Kincaide owns Trifles & Folly, an antique/curio store and high-end pawn shop in Charleston, South Carolina that is more than what it seems. Dangerous magical and supernatural items sometimes find their way into mortal hands or onto the market, and Cassidy is part of a shadowy Alliance of mortals and mages whose job it is to take those deadly curiosities out of circulation.

Welcome to Trifles & Folly, an antique and curio shop with a dark secret. Proprietor Cassidy Kincaide continues a family tradition begun in 1670—acquiring and neutralizing dangerous supernatural items. It’s the perfect job for Cassidy, whose psychic gift lets her touch an object and know its history. Together with her business partner Sorren, a 500 year-old vampire and former jewel thief, Cassidy makes it her business to get infernal objects off the market. When mundane antiques suddenly become magically malicious, it’s time for Cassidy and Sorren to get rid of these Deadly Curiosities before the bodies start piling up.

If you read Gail’s post on “The Haunting of Charleston: Setting Deadly Curiosities In The Real World” you already know how much research went into getting the setting just right in Deadly Curiosities. That same attention to detail went into developing the characters and leaving hints about the back-story. It just goes to follow that the plot would be as finely tuned.

Deadly Curiosities is a paranormal mystery/urban fantasy and that is its only focus. (Unlike many paranormals today there is no romance.) I found that really refreshing. Deadly Curiosities is full of tension, danger and unusual magical properties as well as a 500 year old vampire. There is a lot of interaction between the characters as they work to find the cause of all of the malicious magic coming from objects that were not magical before and that keeps the story moving. The nature of the magic means that some of the scenes were very gruesome. In spite of that the book stayed an enjoyable read.

You could tell the characters had a history. They each had their place on the team and knew they could rely on each other. Some of that history is implied leaving only hints about some of the back-story. Since this is book one in a new series there is still a lot left to learn about Trifles & Folly, the antique/curio store at the heart of Deadly Curiosities, and about the three main characters, Cassidy, Sorren, and Teag. There is also a lot more to learn about the very interesting side characters that add depth to the story. Deadly Curiosities has just the right blend of paranormal and mystery and a great start to a new series.

Solaris published DeadlyCuriosities by Gail Z. Martin in 2014.

I received an ARC of Deadly Curiosities from Netgalley.

This is the second novel I’ve read by Gail Z. Martin and I have to say, her books have a way of wrapping around the reader like a well-loved, comfortable sweater. Prior to Deadly Curiosities, I’ve read the first book of her Ascendant Kingdoms series Ice Forged, and as traditional fantasies go, it wasn’t groundbreaking but still offered enough new with the old to give me that nice, warm fuzzy feeling. Similarly, I felt good about being in familiar urban fantasy territory with her new book Deadly Curiosities, at the same time delighting in some of the things that made it unique.

The book stars Cassidy Kincaide, owner of an upscale antique/curio store called Trifles & Folly in the heart of Charleston, South Carolina. Being able to touch an object and know its history is a special psychic gift that runs in her family – an ability that comes in handy in her line of work. It’s the perfect front for Cassidy and the Alliance’s real work: to seek out supernatural and possibly dangerous items and weed them out of the general public before they can harm anyone. However, when reports that a number of mundane antiques are suddenly turning into “Spookies”, it’s up to Cassidy and her coworkers to find out what dark force is changing all these previously harmless things into haunted objects.

Without a doubt, the highlight of this book for me was the setting. No joke, I wanted to drop everything right there and then and move to Charleston. I have read urban fantasies set in a number of different places, from big cities to sleepy towns, and very few have made me feel a pull this intense. Martin captured the atmosphere perfectly, combining the fictional paranormal elements with the rich history and culture of the city, as well as the hospitality and charm of its people. I wanted to shop the antique shops, visit the museums, stay at the bed and breakfasts, even do the nighttime ghost tours and the whole shebang. Well, minus the evil demons, of course.

In the past I’ve also noticed that authors who go from writing epic fantasy to urban fantasy often stumble with pacing. There is definitely less of an issue with Deadly Curiosities. However, I did feel that sections in the middle lagged a bit, and several characters central to the strike team at the end were introduced much later than I would have preferred. Still, this was probably my one and only complaint. On the whole, this was a great story and I especially enjoyed the first part of the novel, which hooked right away with the introduction to the central premise. I also love the smooth, natural and modern voices of Cassidy and the crew. Gail Z. Martin is a natural at writing urban fantasy; you would think she’s been doing this right from the start.

One interesting thing to note though, is that unlike every other urban fantasy series out there, there is a conspicuous lack of a romantic side plot for our protagonist. Whether this is a good thing or a bad thing is up to the individual reader. Those who like a bit of romance with their UF might be disappointed, while others who are neutral or don’t mind something different might find it refreshing. Personally, I don’t think you can force a love story; it either works or it doesn’t. I would rather read an urban fantasy sans romance than one with a romance awkwardly shoehorned in just for the sake of having one, so I say good for Martin! (But for a second, I did get worried – I thought perhaps Cassidy would end up falling for Sorren, her silent business partner at Trifles & Folly. He’s also a 500-year-old vampire. So in this case, I guess you can say I was doubly glad it did not happen. The world has enough vampire romances.)

I am, however, a little tempted to hunt down Gail Z. Martin’s other Deadly Curiosity Adventure stories, from her series that spans over 500 years starring Sorren. That’s what a good book does – make you want more. I do hope she has plans to continue expanding Cassidy’s story as well, because this was a lot of fun. I would return to Charleston and Trifies & Folly in a heartbeat.