Bone Crossed-Patricia Briggs

Bone Crossed
Patricia Briggs
Ace, Feb 2009, $24.95
ISBN: 9780441016761

In the Washington States Tri-Cities, auto mechanic Mercedes Thompson still heals physically from the brutal assault in which she killed her attacker. Mentally the Were-coyote Walker knows her soul remains battered and raped (see IRON KISSED). Still she the courageous Mercy carries on with a brave front as she prepares to marry alpha werewolf Adam Hauptman.

Her college roommate Amber reads about her in the newspaper and thinks back over a decade to when they were drunk and Mercy told her about meeting a ghost. She wrote it off then, but since the werewolves have come out of the woods into the open and Mercy is engaged to one, she reconsidered that tale. She comes from Spokane to ask Mercy to help her rid her house of a nasty ghost. Amber further explains her husband thinks she is crazy. Mercy knows this is a good time to leave town as irate vampire queen Marsilia wants to drain her blood after torturing her vampire friend Stefan for killing a monster. Mercy agrees to accompany Amber back to Spokane while Adam negotiates a settlement of sorts with Marsilia before a species war ignites. Mercy soon realizes Adam has the easier job.

Though a February release, the fourth Mercedes Thompson thriller (see BLOOD BOUND and MOON CALLED) will be on the short list of best urban fantasy for 2009 as the action never slows down for a paragraph. The deep look into the Briggs state of Washington is terrific as vampire customs and werewolf politics enhance a strong tale. In spite of her still healing Mercy remains a tough as ever as she sets out to prove she is a genuine ghostbuster.

Harriet Klausner