Review: Mixing Norse legend, a murder mystery, mermaids, a prophetic death threat, and delightful undersea descriptions a fun digressio
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 04 2, 2014
Take a trip to the underwater world that informs Ros Baxters Aegira Chronicles, and I will almost guarantee you won’t be disappointed.  Mixing Norse legend, a murder mystery, mermaids, a prophetic death threat, and delightful undersea descriptions a fun digression into a fantasy world begins.Starting a bit slowly, Baxter takes some time to build the world and background that will be integral once the plot starts rolling.  But then we meet Rania in all her glory: she is no shy and retiring mermaid – far the opposite as the town’s Sherriff this is one cool cookie. Even with her nicotine patch addiction, her hip flask or the glock that is never far from her grasp. The daughter of a runaway mermaid, she and her mother are landlocked – living in a town that has little to no water, less crime and few options for romance.Rania’s mother Lunia is wonderfully depicted as well. At sixteen she ran from Aegira to make a better life with more options for herself and her daughter: Passionate and protective, with a huge streak of Mom, she also loves to bake cookies for Rania’s friend and neighbor Doug. Doug has been a friend, and as a former special forces soldier, he’s handy with weapons and has a fascination with Rania, Lunia and the cookies. Now, it would make sense that the two would have hooked up – and well, they did – but he pulled a disappearing act instantly after and left Rania with one more hangup.  Because, a mermaid fortune teller has predicted that she will die by 30 unless she finds the key to save the world.Bit by bit we start to see the intersection of several small mysteries both in Aegira and in Dirtwater, and Rania must puzzle them out.  In between the mysteries, we get to see Lunia and Rania hydroport through their Jacuzzi to Aegira (think “beam me up”) and we have several moments to see and delight in the wonders of the undersea world. All of the mer-creatures are beautiful, lithe, blonde and attractive: and all of the magic happens in this kingdom.  Quite unlike anything I have ever seen described, yet detailed with such precision that the reader’s imagination can easily visualize the beautiful setting.As the story moves along, the pacing is really quick: it all takes place in a week’s time: and while some of the situations are resolved and questions are answered, the major questions are still left without complete solution, leaving the reader anxious for the next in the series.I received an eBook copy from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review at The Jeep Diva. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.