Jackie Kessler, Hell’s Belles

Hell's Belles

Jackie Kessler

Zebra, Jan 2007, $15.00

ISBN: 0821781022

Jezebel was until recently the best succubus to come out of Hell as she could seduce almost all males out of their souls. However, now she is on the run on earth as the Underworld has put a bounty on her head. Desperately needing help she turns to Caitlin the witch who has a contract with Hell; they cut one of those golden rule deals in which the human will "mortalize" the succubus to enable her to hide amongst the masses in exchange for a future favor.

After the transition and the constant reminder to breath, Jezebel escapes a demon by pretending to be Caitlin before taking the Amtrak to the one place on earth the denizen of the Underground can feel welcome as New York City is a "Hell of a town". Doing what she does best she gets work as an exotic dancer at belle's strip joint, but keeps running into the sexy mysterious Paul Hamilton. While he runs from his past, she falls in love but the demonic horde is closing in on Manhattan in search of the missing succubus who holds the key to prevent Hell going to Heaven in a hand-basket.

The first Hell on Earth tale is a fabulous jocular heated (duh- Hell and Jezebel) romantic fantasy that will have readers finishing it in one 304 page sitting. The storyline is fast-paced, but also makes the various "species" roaming the earth seem real. Still the novel belongs to its beleaguered heroine as she struggles with human appetites and desires while doing what she does best erotic seduction though she wonders how Paul is reversing her natural instincts while the audience will wonder who he is. Fans will appreciate Jackie Kessler's fine tale as The Road To Hell leads through Manhattan.

Harriet Klausner