Mated werewolves Charles Cornick and Anna Latham must discover what could make an entire community disappear–before it’s too late–in this thrilling entry in the #1 New York Times bestselling Alpha and Omega series.
In the wilds of the Northern California mountains, all the inhabitants of a small town have gone missing. It’s as if the people picked up and left their possessions behind. With a mystery on their hands and no jurisdiction on private property, the FBI dumps the whole problem in the lap of the land owner, Aspen Creek, Inc.–aka the business organization of the Marrok’s pack.
Somehow, the pack of the Wolf Who Rules is connected to a group of vanished people. Werewolves Charles Cornick and Anna Latham are tasked with investigating, and soon find that a deserted town is the least of the challenges they face.
Death sings in the forest, and when it calls, Charles and Anna must answer. Something has awakened in the heart of the California mountains, something old and dangerous–and it has met werewolves before.
I find there is little Patricia Briggs writes that I do not find compelling and engaging. But this book, in particular, grabbed me from the very beginning and would not let go. The story introduces itself with the disappearance of the town by one of the individual’s daughters. It then loops back to Bran’s pack and more importantly, why a pack in Oregon owns a piece of land in California. And fascinatingly enough, the answer ties back to Bran’s mate, Leah.
I think for me, it is the questions that Patricia Briggs raises and the way she answers them in the story that makes her books so intriguing. Her action and pacing are perfect to keep you on the edge of your seat, trying to puzzle out the answers to the mysteries in the book and oh, are there mysteries plenty in this book. As Anna and Charles attempt to find out what happened to the town, other mysteries awaken and as readers we are plunged headlong into a story that kept me guessing until the very end who and what the pack find themselves involved with.
Beyond the plot, which is fantastic and since it involves mysteries, I cannot give more away, the relationships in the story are also especially important. The relationship between Charles and Anna, and the relationship between Bran and Leah. And in one of the more intriguing developments, we finally learn why Bran has stayed mated with Leah, despite their lack of commonality or even apparent passion. I love the way that Patricia Briggs develops the relationship between Charles and Anna. It is one of equals, of respect and love, and clearly coming from an author that understands a loving, committed relationship, one in which there are ups and downs but most importantly, one in which the relationship is strong and caring. As an example of pairings, I love this couple so much in how their relationship remains caring and strong, even as they are sent on missions for the pack.
Between the mysteries, and the development of the characters, this book was exquisitely written. The descriptions and action keep you engaged, the plot keeps you guessing and I love the way music is such a woven element of the story due to Anna’s background. Especially in this story, music plays a huge role in both how the characters figure out the mystery and how they fight the antagonist. If you like urban fantasy with loving characters, intrigue and passion, I strongly recommend Patricia Briggs series. While it is helpful to have read the previous novels, you can even enjoy this book without that prior knowledge.
