Christopher Rice’s Blood Echo (Book 2 in the Burning Girl Series) is a fun and fast-paced affair that spends some time establishing the new status quo in the wake of the events of the first book. Thankfully, Christopher Rice never hesitates to upset the status quo. Things gets thrown into a series of upheavals that result in a brief mystery, dramatic revelations, and a shattering climax that threatens to ruin everything our protagonist Charley holds dear. I greatly enjoyed this book (read it in two sittings); however, I also had some of the same issues I had with the previous installment in the series.

First, what I enjoyed most about the series. Once again, the cast of characters are fun, morally grey individuals with unique set of beliefs and desires that fuel their actions. On top of that, this installment is far better paced than the first installment with enough action and intensity in the plot to warrant its moniker as “A Burning Girl Thriller.” Next, what I didn’t enjoy. My main point here is that I’ve read Christopher Rice’s other novels-I know he has the ability to stretch out a mystery and give it time to grow and gain urgency. There’s none of that here (just like with Bone Music). The mysteries are resolved quickly, leaving the reader with chapter after chapter of overly involved internal monologues by the characters in the central portion of the novel as they decide what to do and fill each other in until the climax hits.

Overall, I think Blood Echo is an improvement on its predecessor and does a great job of crafting a fun and engaging story populated with interesting characters. The main downside is if you’re looking for intrigue and mystery, the Burning Girl series does not provide-everything is resolved quickly and cleanly. That being said, Blood Echo is a fun, quick read-great for the beach or a long bus ride!