Review: Hot guys, bad guys and a mystery
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 03 8, 2013
4.5 StarsAuthors L.E. Harner and T.A. Webb continue their Altered States series with Book Two Deadly Shades of Gold. We were introduced to their world of things that go bump in the night in Altered States and meet all the key players in the next novel Deep Blues Good Bye. Deadly Shades of Gold takes up where Deep Blues Goodbye left off. NOPD detective Sam Garrett having been attacked by a vampire wakes to see his partner Danny Burkette and local pack Alpha Russ leaning over him and his ex-partner Travis Boudreaux frantically trying to stem the flow of blood from the wound in his neck. To the side he glimpses pack Beta Jet, who he vaguely remembers tearing the head off the female vampire that attacked him. A decision must be made how to save Sam, a decision the men trying to make know Sam is not going to be happy about, no matter what it turns out to be .The decision having been made (no I'm not saying) Sam who was not crazy about the whole supernatural beings living amongst them, but has to live with it. While both Sam and Travis are trying to get used to their new lives, supernatural's have been turning up dead or missing in the crescent city and the cases have been assigned to Danny. As things heat up Danny will call on the help of the local pack, the local master vampire Henri Du Champ and his two friends - Sam and Travis. When Homeland Security decides to enter the fray, things don't turn out well. Get ready for it because here come the Mafia, the law, vamps and wolves with lustful thoughts and action galore.I love this series; it just keeps getting better as it goes. Who can resist a story line where a prisoner burst into flames on the courthouse steps, outing things that go bump in the night are real, a dead cop who sits up in his coffin at his own wake and so many sexy shifters and biters that it makes one's head spin? The authors have formed a writing team that gives the reader such a wonderful mix of action, mystery, steamy sex, humor and friendship. Every one of the characters is so fascinating and well written that you feel like you know them as well as your family. You love to hate the bad guys and love to love the good ones.Each of the main characters has their own distinct personalities and shouldn't play well with others yet they form a nice little team. Russ the alpha is strong and a leader who leads with a firm hand and a soft heart. His beta Jet is just plain droll worthy, a man whose actions speak louder than words. Travis is tall and handsome, smart and sarcastic. Sam is determined to live his life the way he wants to live it and not much of a follower. Danny is a good cop and an even better friend determined to see things done right. All are just yum, yum and dangerously lethal and sparks fly every time they are in the same room. New character, Homeland Security agent Clinton Wayne is introduced and holds his own.This is a fun book, my one niggle is the same as my niggle with the previous one, the dreaded full stop cliff hanger ending. I must add my usual content warning here: there are explicit M/M sex scenes, a ménage scene and some slightly intense violent scenes so reader be warned, this is not a book for the squeamish. It is for the lover of erotica and thrillers, so strap in and enjoy.Member of the Paranormal Romance Guild Dual Review Team