Jenna Black, Secrets in the Shadows

Secrets in the Shadows

Jenna Black

Tor, May 2007, $6.99

ISBN: 076535716X

As a Guardian vampire, Jules Gerard does not kill humans who he protects from rogues of his species. Whenever he finds a rogue he kills it. However, Jules obsesses over one vampire, his former best friend Ian Squires, who not only betrayed him, he turned him. When he learns where Ian is, Jules plans to go after him; his superior Eli tells him not to go, but for the first time he ignores an order heading to Baltimore to kill Ian.

The Guardians hire human private investigator Hannah Moore to protect Jules. Though the vampire anticipates Ian waiting for him, he is clueless when it comes to the other participants as Eli has played a role that he prefers remain hidden from Jules. However, as the former friends prepare for their cat and mouse encounter, Hannah realizes someone else is manipulating the two vampires; now to get the obsessed Jules to understand that the price of his fixation may be her life.

The second Guardians of the Night saga (see WATCHERS IN THE NIGHT) is a superb, paranormal, romantic suspense that grips readers from the moment Jules learns that Ian lives and goes after him. The storyline is action-packed with rogue and guardian vampires and one female human sleuth making the Black universe seem genuine. Although it is Eli's secrets that propel the thriller, Hannah tries to keep her "client" from harming himself even it feels like trucks roll over her and Jules knows he willingly would die permanently to keep his Hannah safe. Vampire romance fans will cherish biting into this fun tale.

Harriet Klausner