Lilith Saintcrow, Heaven’s Spite

Heaven's Spite

Lilith Saintcrow

Orbit, Nov 1 2010, $7.99

ISBN: 9780316074179

In Santa Luz, Jill Kismet is unhappy with the recent eerie visitations. Perry the devil arrives with an odd artifact that once belonged to Jill's mentor. Then he gives her Melisande Belisa as a gift; she is the Sorrow who murdered Mikhail.

Meanwhile an unknown adversary apparently attempts to bring across the hellbreed. To prevent this from occurring, she needs the help of the demon and the sorrow though she knows the price each will demand is her soul in a game of avenging chicken.

The fifth Kismet demonological Noir fantasy thriller (see Flesh Circus, Night Shift, Hunter's Prayer, and Redemption Alley) is loaded with action and starring a kick butt heroine who from the opening scene until the final climax is performing her trademark donkey kicking seemingly every character (especially demons). The freshness comes ironically not from the constant gore but from the cerebral musings of Jill considering her options of allying with two enemies who she knows want her soul. With a major cliffhanger, fans of the Kismet saga will appreciate the series, but be a bit disappointed that they will have to wait to see how life, death, and after death in the Saintcrow universe will play out.

Harriet Klausner