The Good, the Bad, and the Undead (Hollows, #2)

by Kim Harrison

[Quirky Cat]

The Good, The Bad, and The Undead is the second novel in Kim Harrison’s Hollows series, and it is a whirlwind adventure. One that throws countless surprises at Rachel and her newly found partners. It’s no wonder that this series has been one of my favorite Urban Fantasy series for years.
Rachel Morgan is a bounty hunter – but not the type you’re probably used to hearing about. Instead, she tracks down all of the supernatural beings in the area that are wanted (for whatever reason).
So it’s safe to say that she’s seen her fair share of crazy things, and come up against some heavy hitters in her time. But nothing has quite prepared her for what life is about to throw her way. Ley line witches are falling all over the city, and it’s thanks to one merciless killer. It’s going to take the combined effort of I.S. and Rachel (plus her loathed magic) in order to track down this killer before the losses become insurmountable.

I should probably mention that I’ve already read The Hollows series (several times), but I recently noticed that I never actually reviewed them. So in preparation for the next Hollows book (so excited!), I’m going to do a reread and review run. I just finished Dead Witch Walking, but I couldn’t resist jumping right on to the next book in the series. I had forgotten how captivating this series can be!

“You cry, you get angry, then you do something about it.”

The Good, The Bad, and The Undead was another dynamic read from Kim Harrison. Her world is so vivid and alive, it almost feels like the characters are jumping right out of the pages. It was perhaps the best decision I’ve made all year to go back and read the entire series again. It has been a blast and a half, and I’ve still got so much of the series left.
The more I see of this world, the more I fall in love with it. There’s such a complex system of magical beings and humans, supernaturals and law enforcement, it’s impossible not to get wrapped up in it all.
Rachel is a fascinating character, and the perfect lead for this series. But I’ve got to admit that she’s not my favorite character (though I do like her). My favorite character tends to shift from book to book, though Jenks will always hold a special place in my heart.
I feel like The Good, The Bad, and The Undead is where the ball really starts rolling in The Hollows series. That is to say, Rachel is officially dealing with some longer running plots, some of which have consequences that lead far into the series (which is obvious now, since I’ve read the whole series).
This plot was an intense one, obviously. The ante has been upped from the first job, all thanks to a crazy killer on the loose. What made this plot so good was that it forced Rachel to take drastic measures – using magic that she would probably have avoided for the rest of her life otherwise. And that’s only the beginning.
The Good, The Bad, and The Undead was everything I remember it to be, and perhaps a little bit more. It was a fun read, even knowing how it was all going to play out in the end. In fact, I’d argue that knowing added to the tension (since there was some heartache involving certain characters).

For more reviews check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks