Did anyone notice that a new character has been added as if he'd been there the entire time?
Supposedly, Rachel has been comparing all the men in her life to this Pierce character that we just found out about. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love these series, and so far this is my only complaint.
I give this 3.5 stars, apart from the major setback and a bit of confusion, it's still nice to see Rachel's abilities advancing and new kick-ass spells being done.
Looking forward to the 8th book. (:

Kim Harrison is part of the vanguard of good urban fantasy writers. Despite her covers, the books are not about just sex and shoes. Her characters are young, flawed, and fighting loneliness while dealing with issues of deadly importance. They're good, and I like visiting with her characters in each book to see how they've changed.
That said, this is a weak book in the series. The first problem of the book, finding the main character's boyfriend's killer, is shelved for most of the book while Rachel (the main character) has to deal with a banshee loose and wreaking havoc in the city. Rachel spins from crisis to crisis, few of which really lead anywhere plot-wise. It makes the story move at a quick pace, but it's a lot of sound and fury signifying nothing. I hope Harrison starts avoiding the cheap emotional thrills and gets back to working through a plot instead of distracting the reader with drama.
There's also a new love interest for Rachel in this book. His character originated in a short story that Harrison wrote for an anthology. Guess Harrison never wrote a character that she didn't like or want to see more of. I have nothing against the character, but it felt like one more random thing thrown in there to generate drama.
Even though this is a weak installment, I'll give the series another chance or two. Harrison is starting a new series- the first one is supposed to be out in hardback in June. Maybe more of her energy is going into that new series.

I didn't realize all the setup that happens in this book that lets the rest of the series play out. We switch here from being focused on the consequences of Rachel's actions to her own life to the consequences of her actions on the community at large.

Kim Harrison keeps coming up with new twists, new story lines, new magical creatures and the ride just keeps going!

Oh I just love the fiction. :-)

Six months has passed since Kris' death, and Rachel is focusing on who caused his death, no matter how painful the discovery may be. And along the way, a long lost friend from Rachel's past comes into her past as well in a completely unexpected way.

This is a great addition to the series - fast, and emotionally wrenching.