Rating: 4.25 stars
Buy Links:  Amazon | iBooks | Amazon UK
Length: Novel

There is a new street drug called Kick hitting the city and it is killing psychics. While most people just experience really bad side affects, those with psychic abilities become quickly addicted and most die after only a few uses. No one knows what causes the deadly effects or who is supplying and selling the lethal drug.

When some of the patients are brought into the Clinic, Vic and Jacob are in the perfect place to help work the case. Jacob has been at the Clinic looking into the mysterious Dr. Kamal, a man with ties to Camp Hell and who was also involved in hiring Patrick Barley. Jacob is digging through old files at the clinic hoping to learn more about the man. So when the Kick cases come in, he and Vic take point on the investigation for the FPMP, along with Bob Zigler and Carolyn, who are now partners.

As more people begin to die from Kick, the team is racing against time to find out who is supplying it. There is clearly something supernatural involved, but figuring out who is behind it is incredibly difficult, especially with Clinic management not eager to work with them. Even as Vic’s skills grow, he struggles with how to keep control and to use his abilities without draining himself to the point of danger. With a killer on the loose, it will take all Vic and Jacob have to solve the case and escape with their lives.

Bitter Pill is the 11th book in Jordan Castillo Price’s wonderful Psy Cops series. This is one of my all time favorite series, one I have been enjoying since my earliest days reading LGBTQ romance, and getting a new installment is always a treat. While each book has a discrete mystery, the overall plot builds across the series, and you are going to want to have read earlier books to best enjoy this one.

This latest installment gives us an engaging mystery that really keep me intrigued. Kick is a devastating drug and figuring out what it does, who is creating and selling it, and what the paranormal element is makes for a great investigation. I loved that we get Carolyn and Zig back into the mix with Jacob and Vic, and it was fun seeing the former partners reconnecting and working the case together. The story has some nice twists and gives us a chance to see both Vic and Jacob digging deeper into their abilities. The case also ends up connecting nicely to some big picture issues and we get a whopper of a close to the story that sets things up really nicely for the next book.

Vic and Jacob are one of my favorite romance couples and I was so happy see them get more page time together here than in the last book. They are sort of an odd couple, but they work together so perfectly. Each man is caring and supportive of the other, and they are sexy and romantic together. I appreciate how Jacob is coming into his own with his abilities and there is more balance here with him and Vic; while this series is still largely Vic’s journey, Jacob’s role continues to grow. I am always impressed how Castillo Price can continue to show these guys develop as characters over the course of such a long series.

I’ll also note there is a small side plot here involving the ghost prostitute, Jackie, who has been a staple of the series. We learn more about Jackie and what is keeping her tied to the human realm. It is a touching story and a nice chance to feature her character, as well as to see Vic and Jacob further hone their abilities.

So Bitter Pill was another great installment in this fabulous series. For series regulars, you aren’t going to want to miss this book. And for new readers, I can highly recommend this series.