Flight from Mayhem: A Fly By Night Novel (Fly by Night, #2)

by Yasmine Galenorn

New York Times bestselling author Yasmine Galenorn presents the second Fly by Night novel, set in the realm of the Otherworld.
 
I'm Shimmer, a blue dragon shifter. Thanks to a mistake, I was exiled from the Dragon Reaches and sentenced to work for gorgeous, exasperating Alex Radcliffe, a vampire who owns the Fly by Night Magical Investigations Agency. Every time I turn around, somebody's trying to kill us. But you know what they say: All's fair in love and bounty hunting...
 
A serial killer is stalking the elderly Fae of Seattle, draining their bank accounts before brutally murdering them. When Chase Johnson asks for our help, Alex and I discover that the sociopath is also a shifter—able to change shape to match his victim's deepest desires. Our friend and colleague Bette volunteers to act as bait, but the plan goes dangerously awry. Now, unless we find her first, she's about to face her worst nightmare.

• ISBN10: 0425272168
• ISBN13: 9780425272169
• Publish Date: 2 August 2016
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Penguin Putnam Inc
• Imprint: Berkley Publishing Corporation,U.S.
• Format: Paperback (US Mass Market)
• Pages: 336
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780425272169

Reviews

[Beth C.]

Creatures–dragons, vampires, werewolves, and more–exist among us, and it’s well-known to most humans…though not always liked. Shimmer is one of those creatures–a dragon orphan exiled to the realm of humans for a crime she committed against another dragon. She works for a vampire (whose ex is a succubus), her closest friend is a djinn, and she lives across the street from a ghost. Not your average, run-of-the-mill grouping here. When a serial killer strikes, preying on Elder Fae and stealing their wealth, Shimmer and those she works with must try to find the killer. In the meantime, she must also deal with the ghost across the street, the jealous succubus, a stalker, a Salamander on the loose, AND her own feelings for her boss. It’s going to be a busy week.

If the description sounded like the book was a lot–it was. Several storylines taking place all at once just made the book feel cluttered, and not in a good way. Rather than feeling fast-paced and breathless, it just felt…busy. What didn’t help was the writing, at least for me. Being the second book in the series, I get that the author needed to cover some bases for a new reader (like me). But it felt forced, and so much of the information was repeated several times. It was almost like I do with my children–remind them several times to PACK THEIR HOMEWORK because I know that if I stop talking long enough to take a breath–they will *forget the homework*. The problem here, of course, is that readers are generally far better at remembering things than the average child on their way to school, and they don’t tend to like being told the same thing over and over. In the same way, there were several times during the book where things just felt…convenient. For example, again without spoilers, how the situation with the Salamander plays out.

The storyline itself had potential, though a few strings that should have been tied up were left hanging (no spoilers). I think that had I felt less like I was being led around by my nose BECAUSE DON’T FORGET THINGS, and had there not been so much going on, it definitely would have had potential. I love the idea of a dragon, in human form, living among us, having been banished from her own kind. But things just never felt tight and cohesive and non-bludgeony, so…I found myself sadly disappointed.

[EBookObsessed]

This story wasted time on romance issues which took away time from an actual story and then left the romance issues hanging unresolved after taking away from the plot. Best I can give this story is a great big “MEH!”

The Fly by Night Detective Agency is a Private Investigation firm for paranormals to deal with paranormal issues. Release a Salamander from the fire realm while practicing your portals without your teacher’s permission? Call Fly by Night.

Fly by Night gets a call from Detective Chase Johnson of the FH-CSI. Chase is cross-over character from her Otherworld Series. Chase has a paranormal serial killer on the loose and not enough resources at the FH-CSI to investigate. There is someone killing elderly fae and stealing all their money. The problem is that bank cameras are showing the fae withdrawing their own funds. How could this be since forensics is indicating that they were dead at the time they were supposedly at the bank?

Why did it take a conference between the Fly by Night investigators in the next scene for someone to go? Isn’t a doppelganger able to shift into anything and wouldn’t they be able to imitate the victim? That thought went through my head as soon as Chase said they showed up at the banks when they were already dead. Hey. Duh! Is there a supe who can mimic people? Chase especially should have that kind of basic knowledge of what is out there especially since people tell the cops all the time “wasn’t me.”

The one thing I can’t stand is when an author repeats information over and over again. We know Shimmer’s background from the last story but you can give us a basic overview of her life as an orphan in the dragon realm, that they have a caste system based on dragon color and which also involves who your family lineage includes. As an orphan, Shimmer would have no family lineage and was an outcast. All those circumstances made her unmateable and a loner. Please assume at this point that I have read the information presented and I am smart enough to retain that information for the total of the 336 pages you have written. I do not need to be reminded over and over again that life was different there. She was a loner, now she had friends. Alex wants to be her boyfriend. Boy, she was always a loner. It would be so different. No one would want her in dragon realm. She’s never had a relationship. GOT IT! I REMEMBERED!

It was the relationship part of the story which bothered me here. I love a good romance so why are you making the romance painful. Although it was probably not a great idea to become sexually involved with Alex Radcliff, vampire and Shimmer’s boss and parole officer while she was booted Earthside, it is Alex who comes off pathetic and needy this entire book. He has a stalker ex-girlfriend who is a succubus and who decided Alex is her possession and wants him back, or at least doesn’t want Shimmer to have him. So she is destructive and dangerous. Alex’s response. I’ll go talk with her. I just need to explain it to her in person. She just doesn’t understand that we’re over. Even Shimmer, who admits to being naive about relations, doesn’t think that it necessary or smart and Alex needs to be a bit firmer. While the succubus makes trouble, Alex is whining “I want to be exclusive” to Shimmer. It’s okay if you don’t. Be honest, but do you? do you? do you? do you? Shimmer eventually gives in and maybe I’m in love, I’m not sure though, but the whole succubus stalker stays up in the air and I guess will be dredged up for the next book.

With a story line of fae serial killers, a hungry fire Salamander on the loose downtown and a haunted house across the street for Shimmer, plus an old friend showing up with a stalker of her own, there should have been real excitement to this story. But everything was settled with a whimper instead of a bang. Everything except for both stalker matters which no one can do anything about. Ghost, salamanders and doppelgangers – 0/Stalkers – 2.

And let’s not forget that werewolf Ralph was asked to marry his sister-in-law because his brother abandoned her and the kids. The brother brought shame to the pack and the only way to make it right is for Ralph to step in. So….werewolves are part-Amish? Who knew.

The romance was awkward and pathetic, the action flatlined, stalkers are left stalking and the incessant droning on of Shimmer’s backstory leaves this story firmly in the “Meh” pile and I am uncertain if I even want to bother with the next installment.

See more at http://ebookobsessed.com

[kimbacaffeinate]

Galenorn continues to flesh out these characters and I found myself quite attached to this unusual crew. Bette the snake-shifter continues to make me laugh; even as she gets herself into trouble. Ralph has some issues with his pack and a friend from the last book needs help. Chai the jinn and Shimmer's roommate continues to aid them. He has some killer abilities and I enjoy the jabs between him and Alex.

Chase Johnson asks Alex and his agency for help when elderly FAE in Seattle start showing up dead and missing body parts. The case was fascinating and introduced us to some unique FAE. This serial killer is downright scary and could be anyone adding a sense of unease to the tale. Poor Bette ends up involved creating some intense scenes as they race to thwart a killer. Other cases are worked simultaneously and featured a young witch who lets a creäture loose in our world, a ghost living across the street from Shimmer and a friend of Shimmer's we met in the previous book who may have a stalker.

If you remember I was not very sweet on Alex in Flight from Death, but he turned things around. He was actually kind of adorkable. Watching their romance develop through Shimmer’s eyes was fun, but I am happy this thread was served as a side dish allowing me to enjoy the investigation.

This series is perfect for fans of mystery wrapped in paranormal aspects. The crew kind of reminds me of Scooby Doo and his gang except we have a dragon, werewolf, jinn, and shifter working to solve mysteries.

Copy provided by publisher. This review was originally posted on Caffeinated Book Reviewer