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Saturday, November 3, 2012

Review - Demos City Blues by Jonathan Lister




Demos City Blues 
The Demos City Reporters #2
Jonathan Lister
Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Release Date: July 9, 2012
Length: 139 Pages
Urban Fantasy


Blurb:

War is coming to Demos City -- in more ways than one. Leon Gray struggles to balance a new job with helping his daughter Shauna navigate the landmine life of a full werewolf. Further complicating matters, a new Alpha has arrived in Demos, laying claim to the territory as her own -- including Leon. 

Meanwhile, the information David Hastings unearthed may reveal a much darker truth than anyone expected. Demos City's corruption has deep roots, older than the bones of the town itself. Can Gray and Hastings keep the city from tearing itself apart long enough to discover the source? Can it wait until Leon sees Shauna's high school play?

My Review:

Demos City Blues the second book in the Demos City Reports series by Jonathan Lister picks up right where Welcome to Demos ends.  I was somewhat at a disadvantage reading this book due to not knowing that.  At first the multiple plots were a little confusing to me and the pace was somewhat uneven due to this, however, the characters were well developed and likable.  Mr. Lister created a world where werewolves are out and about and reside in a somewhat uncomfortable alliance with humans.  

Leon Gray, a non-pack wolf, has been busy trying to help his daughter Shauna get used to the changes being a werewolf brings to being a teenager.  He's also acting as a bodyguard for newspaper reporter David Hastings, a man who took literally took a shot for him when someone tried to gun him down in the previous book.  On top of all of that Leon is also trying to stay out of trouble with the law, he's had some previous run ins with them, and stay out of the werewolf politics trying to take over Demos City - namely three werewolf packs all trying to claim the city as their own.  Mr. Lister did a good job developing Leon's character; we get to see him as a father, a werewolf protecting his client and his daughter, and a man who's trying to manage his own wolf.  Something that's not always easy when he gets agitated.  We also get to see Leon as just a man who's lost his wife and finds himself attracted to a woman he knows he should avoid at all costs.

Newspaper reporter David Hastings knows the political situation in Demos City is rife with corruption.  The son of a power broker in town, he's willing to turn his back on his privileged upbringing to expose the corruption he sees in both the political structure and the police department.  Taking a private assignment from Alameda Ramirez, a local cop in town, he finds himself suddenly needing a bodyguard and in need of a solid clue in locating what Mr. Ramirez is trying to expose.  Clearly he knows about the existence of werewolves - he just didn't plan on discovering there are more things that go bump in the night hanging out in town.

As both Leon and David try to unravel the mysteries of what is taking place in Demos City, they find themselves in the midst of both a werewolf war and a battle between wizards and some interesting immortal beings.  With help from the secondary characters, mostly Leon's daughter Shauna, Shauna's grandmother and Alameda Ramirez, they might make it through the week alive.  Only if they can stay ahead of all of the double crosses taking place.

Will Leon remain a pack less werewolf or will he be forced to choose sides?  Will he be the one who chooses, or will his actions decide his fate for him?  Will David be able to uncover the secrets Alameda Ramirez needs him to uncover?  You'll have to read Demos City Blues to find out.  I enjoyed it and I think you will too, though I really encourage you to read Welcome To Demos first. 

My Rating:  4 out of 5 Crowns





FTC Disclosure:  I was provided a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.



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