Magic Bites

by Ilona Andrews

Ace, 260 pp. $6.99

Magic Bites is a Stand Alone that could potentially become a series.

Atlanta would be a nice place to live except for the magic. When the magic is up and running, technology doesn’t work, monsters appear, rogue mages casts spells, and paranormal problems abound. They are still there when technology returns.

Kate Daniels is a mercenary who makes a living cleaning up magical problems. When her guardian is murdered, she dives into a power struggle between two strong factions of Atlanta’s Magical circles.

The Masters of the Dead, necromancers, who can control vampires, and the Pack, a paramilitary clan of shapechangers, blame each other for a series of bizarre killings. The death of Kate’s guardian may well be part of the mystery. Kate is out of her league, but then she does her best work under pressure.

A new writer of urban fantasy has arrived. Lots of action and humor with a bit of the Dresden Files sneaking in. You can’t help liking Kate, and I’d love to see them both in the same city at the same time. That could be fun. However Kate doesn’t need Dresden on hand for a book Dresden fans will have to have, and read, and re-read. Plastic out. Can’t wait for the next one. - Pam Allan