Hunted by the Others by Jess Haines

Hunted By The Others

Author: Jess Haines

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Rating: * * * 1/2

Review Date: 6/3/10

Paperback: 352 pages

Publisher: Zebra (May 1, 2010)

ISBN-10: 1420111876

FTC Disclosure: Won copy in contest by author

They are the Others -- the vampires, mages, and werewolves once thought to exist only in our imaginations. Now they're stepping out of the shadows, and nothing in our world will ever be the same again...
In A Town Like This, Being A P.I. Can Be Murder
Shiarra Waynest's detective work was dangerous enough when her client base was strictly mortal. But ailing finances have forced her to accept a lucrative case that could save her firm, if it doesn't kill her first. Shiarra has signed on to work for a high-level mage to recover an ancient artifact owned by one of New York's most powerful vampires.
As soon as Shiarra meets sexy, mesmerizing vamp Alec Royce, she knows her assignment is even more complicated than she thought. With a clandestine anti-Other group trying to recruit her, and magi being eliminated, Shiarra needs back-up and enlists her ex-boyfriend -- a werewolf whose non-furry form is disarmingly appealing -- and a nerdy mage with surprising talents. But it may not be enough. In a city where the undead roam, magic rules, and even the Others aren't always what they seem, Shiarra has just become the secret weapon in a battle between good and evil -- whether she likes it or not...

While this debut book in the "Others" series didn't blow me away, I did enjoy it. It was an easy read that I finished in one day.  I liked the secondary characters more than Shiarra, however. She just didn't strike me much as the typical kick-ass heroine type that you expect in an urban fantasy, nor did she seem very smart when it came to PI observations. She didn't click with me near as much as Arnold and Sara did. And we need the backstory on why Shiarra was so afraid of the vamps. There has to be more than they are bloodsuckers, surely. I did enjoy the world that Haines created though and the interaction of the different types of paranormals- vampires, and werewolves and mage, oh, my!
 I expect Alec Royce and Chaz (what a name for a werewolf) to play an even bigger role in the next book and will definitely read "Taken by the Others" due out in 2011.

     Others

1. Hunted By the Others(2010)

2. Taken By The Others(2011)