Mercy Thompson, car mechanic and shapeshifter, faces a threat unlike any other in this thrilling entry in the #1 New York Times bestselling series.
I am Mercedes Athena Thompson Hauptman.
My only “superpowers” are that I turn into a thirty-five pound coyote and fix Volkswagens. But I have friends in odd places and a pack of werewolves at my back. It looks like I'm going to need them.
Centuries ago, the fae dwelt in Underhill—until she locked her doors against them. They left behind their great castles and troves of magical artifacts. They abandoned their prisoners and their pets. Without the fae to mind them, those creatures who remained behind roamed freely through Underhill wreaking havoc. Only the deadliest survived.
Now one of those prisoners has escaped. It can look like anyone, any creature it chooses. But if it bites you, it controls you. It lives for chaos and destruction. It can make you do anything—even kill the person you love the most. Now it is here, in the Tri-Cities. In my territory.
Another really great Mercy Thompson read!! I'm always a bit amazed at the way Patricia Briggs manages to grab little pieces from previous books and tie them together. It makes it so you feel like you really need to pay attention (even though she always explains adequately for those - me! - that missed the reference or forgot it). This was no exception.
Underhill takes center stage in a way "she" hasn't ever before (is she the right pronoun? I'm not sure, maybe they... hmm). One of Underhill's creatures has escaped and is causing all kinds of havoc. I enjoyed not just the way Mercy works to defeat it, but the mystery behind who/what the creature is. I did not see the answer coming at all.
There's also some leftover consequences from the witches - not a huge shocker right? - but the way they are impacting Adam and Mercy's relationship was a surprise for me. It was a little heartbreaking to see, honestly. But that's another piece that I love, how real their relationship is. It's not a fairy tale. Shit happens and it impacts them. Like any other married couple - minus the ability to become werewolf and coyote - they have to be vulnerable and work through it to protect their marriage.
And have I mentioned that I love Ben? His role is always a bit understated in my opinion, and yet it's also always impactful.
All in all a great read and I look forward to the next one for next month's read-a-long.
