Rating: 4.75 stars
Buy Links: Amazon | All Romance | Amazon UK
Length: Novel
John, Caleb, and Gray are still stuck with desk duty, along with their partner Zahira. Gray is itching to hunt some demons and Caleb and John would love to get back in the field, but their new boss is clearly scared of Gray and doesn’t trust them. Gray wants them to just run and get away from SPECTR, but John and Caleb know that there is no chance they can ever get free of the organization now that they know of Gray’s incredible power.
When a body is found that seems linked to the paranormal, the team is finally called back out into the field. They find a ballerina whose feet are torn to a bloody pulp. The case leads them on the trail of a vila, a demon that kills through dance. And one of Zahira’s friends may be the next victim if they can’t figure out who is behind the murders before it is too late.
What is even worse is that there is something else out there, something that seems to be tracking Gray. Gray doesn’t know what it is, but if it is scaring away the other demons, it can’t be good…
Hurray! The latest installment of Jordan L. Hawk’s fabulous SPECTR series is here and yet again Hawk manages to create an exciting mystery, while continuing to develop the relationship between John, Caleb, and Gray. I may have mentioned that I read the six installments of the first season in about three days. Once I picked it up, I could not stop reading and SPECTR is on the list of my all time favorite series. Dancer of Death is the second story in the second season and picks up where Mocker of Ravens left off with our guys still stuck on desk duty in the aftermath of the first season’s finale where Gray’s full powers became clear.
Here we still see these guys chafing from being sidelined, particularly Gray who really doesn’t understand the politics of the “foolish mortals” and doesn’t get why anyone thinks he is a danger, nor does he understand why they just can’t run away. But soon they are on a new case, and once again Hawk manages to craft something fascinating and exciting, creating a supernatural threat that only our unique team can handle. I continue to love these guys together and just adore the dynamic between the three of them. John still wants to see the good in everything, to be optimistic that things will work out, while Caleb is not so sure, especially as they face continued prejudice from other agents. And Gray’s matter of fact personality and exasperation with the humans around him continue to make me laugh. I also really like the addition of Zahira to their team. She has a sense of wonder and excitement the more jaded men are missing, and I particularly love that Hawk has included an observant Muslim character in the story, something we rarely see in romance novels.
I really can’t say enough about how much I love this series. I think it is one of those stories that you just have to try in order to really understand how good it is. Hawk has created such a fascinating world here with amazing characters and a really wonderful relationship. They mysteries are interesting, the paranormal elements really well done, and the romance is superb. You are going to want to start with the first season in order to fully understand the Gray/Caleb dynamic, as well as to get the overarching plot elements that carry through the series. But trust me, once you start the first one you are not going to want to miss the rest. So another fabulous installment in this wonderful series and a highly recommended story.
