Author: Elizabeth Noble
Publisher: DSP Publications
Length: 190 Pages
Category: Mystery/Suspense, Paranormal
At a Glance: Elizabeth Noble’s writing style is easy and natural, pleasant and not overdone. Humor and technical details also reveal that the author has a skillful way of breathing life into her characters, making them full and vibrant.
Reviewed By: Taz
Blurb: The members of the Vampire Guard—Jonas Forge, spy and soldier turned cop; computer hacker extraordinaire Blair Turner; Declan, thief, con man, and ex-pirate; and medical examiner and werewolf Dr. Lucas Coate—face a dangerous and elusive enemy.
And this time, it’s personal.
Over the course of three hundred years, a man has touched each of their lives in ways they are only just realizing. When a hunt for a psychotic killer in the present resurrects memories and clues from the past, they discover how they have been affected and are bound by the existence of a ruthless vampire criminal. Now, while preventing a heist at a high-tech art show and thwarting several large-scale explosions, the team must employ their unique blend of science and supernatural abilities to put an end to the machinations of the man toying with their lives.
This time, he won’t slip through their fingers.
This time, it’s more than a case. It’s a hunt, and Forge, Blair, Declan, and Lucas won’t stop until they’ve captured their quarry.
Review: Quarry is the second in The Vampire Guard series and stood perfectly on its own. There were enough references and anchors to the histories of the characters and their organization that I didn’t feel like I was tossed into the middle of a story already underway. The other thing that stood out for me was the story had little to no romance. All the relationships were in place, but there were no behind-closed-doors erotic moments where we got to see that side of the characters’ relationships.
While all the characters seemed to play a central role, at least the four main protagonists that comprise Team Jack Rabbit, the relationship between Jonas and Blaire seemed central to me. In particular, this book had a feel of belonging to Blaire. It was he who learned secrets about his past. He who shifted from the safety of tech surveillance to front line action. And he who seemed to garner the greatest amount of resolution in terms of becoming whole and being able to move toward a bright and happy future. Not that the other characters didn’t also have satisfying endings, but Blaire’s was the most pronounced for me, which I enjoyed.
What this book does is present a good old fashioned mystery-thriller. Team Jack Rabbit is commissioned to deal with a rogue and very old vampire who seems to have taken on a God complex, determining he can do whatever to whomever he wishes, whenever he desires. His age gives him strength and speed, so much so that there is doubt as to whether the team can overcome this dangerous threat. Add to the mix that he’s had a personal hand in turning at least two of the main protagonists and killed another one’s father, and we have a villain of great proportion.
The storyline itself moved at a rapid pace, but there was enough story that it took me all of Memorial Day weekend to get through. Of course, part of that was plans getting in the way of reading, but also, there was a lot to this story. Having so many characters and each one having multiple aliases made keeping track of who was doing what confusing at times. Add to that the time jumps from one chapter to another (and sometimes within chapters), and I had to stop and process every once in a while before moving on. But once the main confrontation forms and unfolds, the storyline tightens, following a more sequential plotline.
Elizabeth Noble’s writing style iss easy and natural, pleasant and not overdone. Humor and technical details also reveal that the author has a skillful way of breathing life into her characters, making them full and vibrant.
All in all, I enjoyed this book and have put book one, Code Name Jack Rabbit, on my to-be-read list.
You can buy Quarry here:
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