Monday, August 1, 2011

Blood Spirits-Sherwood Smith

Blood Spirits
Sherwood Smith
Daw, Sep 12 2011, $24.95
ISBN: 9781101547717

A few months ago, Kim Murray left the Eastern European country Dobrenica where she left her broken heart to come home to California in order to begin moving on from her love for the nation’s leader Strattwalter Alec. Her beloved politically married her identical looking second cousin Princess Ruli (see Coronets and Steel).

Ruli’s ghost asks Kim for her help, though confused by her spirit appearing, she returns to Dobrenica though she intends to avoid Alec. With communication to the kingdom hampered by magical elements Kim has to wait until she gets to her second homeland to discover Ruli died in a car accident while Alec walked away with minor bruises. Alec blames himself because he has become an alcoholic since Kim went back to the States. He thinks he was in one of his alky blackouts when the accident occurred though the body of his missing wife has not been found. Ruli’s cousin Tony demands an investigation into the accident. Alec supports the inquiry even if it means he will die by a firing squad. Kim believes her beloved is innocent and intends to prove her assertion. She also seeks the portal from which the vampires are entering the kingdom and killing people.

The second Dobrenica Eastern Europe fantasy is a great thriller in which readers will believe the magical Brigadoon like country exists even with the reality of the paranormal and the malfunctioning of electronic gizmos. Kim and Alec spend little time together but their love is obvious. Filled with action enhanced by some amateur sleuthing and a bit of romance, sub-genre fans will enjoy swashbuckling Californian’s adventures in Dobrenica.

Harriet Klausner

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