Death's Mistress Review

Death’s Mistress (Dorina Basarab 2)

-          Karen Chance

Publisher: UK – Penguin

Dorina Basarab is a dhampir - half-human, half-vampire - and the only way she can stay sane is by unleashing her sometimes uncontrollable rage on demons and vampires that deserve killing. After the fortunate demise of her insane uncle Dracula, Dory is back home in Brooklyn, hoping that life will calm down for a while. But then two visitors arrive: her friend Claire, asking for Dory's help in finding a magical Fey relic, and the gorgeous master vampire Louis-Cesare, desperate to find his former mistress, a vampire named Christine. Dory and Louis-Cesare soon discover their problems may be connected: the same master vampire Christine is bound to is also rumored to be in possession of the relic. But they soon realize there's more at stake when Christine's master turns up dead. Someone is killing vampire Senate members, and if Dory and Louis-Cesare can't stop the murderer, they may be next . . .

The second Dory book, a spin-off series set in the same universe as Karen Chance’s Cassie Palmer series, continues to take the half vampire, half human off-spring of Vampire Senator, Mircea into the depths of vampire and fay politics. Dory rarely stops in this fast paced adventure as she rushes around trying to locate the missing fay rune, Louis-Cesare and how to save those closest to her. But it’s not just action – there’s plenty of character development with Dory’s relationships to the men in her life deepening. She learns more about her father and why he keeps his distance as well as drawing closer to Louis-Cesare.

I really enjoyed this book. As with the first Dory book, Midnight’s Daughter (reviewed here), there is a more linear plot than with the Cassie Palmer books which are more like chapters of a longer story. This means that there is a satisfying beginning, middle and end to the book which makes a nice change from many series which have so many ongoing plot points you start to think the author has no idea how to end it. There is action, there is romance, there is a mystery regarding who stole the rune that keeps you guessing pretty much until the last page. The pace just picks you up and carries along and it is a fun. I’m looking forward to more adventures with Dory and Louis-Cesare.

Recommended for fans of Cassie Palmer and Devon Monk. 9 out of 10.

Midnight's Daughter Review

Midnight’s Daughter (Dorina Basarab 1)

- Karen Chance

Puiblisher: UK – Penguin

Dorina Basarab is a dhampir, the daughter of a vampire and a human woman. Subject to uncontrollable rages, most dhampirs are born barking mad and live very short, very violent lives. So for five hundred years, Dory has been fighting to maintain her sanity by unleashing her homicidal tendencies on those demons and vampires who deserve killing. But now Dory’s vampire father has come back into her life. Her uncle Dracula, notorious even among vampires for his cruelty and murderous ways, has escaped from prison, and her father wants Dory to work with the gorgeous vampire dueling champion Louis-Cesare to put him back there. Vampires and dhampirs are mortal enemies, and Dory prefers to work alone. But Dracula is the only thing on earth that truly scares her, and when Dory has to go up against him, she’ll take all the help she can get...

I really enjoyed Karen Chance’s other series in the same world feature Cassandra Palmer so I was a little worried about starting this series in case it didn’t match up. I’m glad to say it did! As a heroine Dory certainly fits into the strong independent woman who kicks ass and has a dark past mould easily but brings something different. She has a history as long as any vampire and certainly doesn’t seem to spend any time weeping and moaning about it. She’s driven and cares about her friends – her search for her friend, Claire, wasn’t anything that was forgotten about despite Dracula’s escape. And her relationship with Benny’s wife was actually quite sweet.

The writing is as dense as the Cassandra Palmer series – not difficult to read but circumstance change so quickly, there’s no speed reading this book – but you wouldn’t want too. This Dory book was more linear than the Cassie books with a beginning, middle and end rather than just a series of events as part of wider story. There are a few cameos and staring roles from the Cassie books but nothing that feels too out of place. Lots of action and a slight hint of romance of Louis-Cesare keeps the pace throughout and I can’t wait to pick up the next book - Death’s Mistress, which luckily for me is sitting on my book case at the moment...

Recommended for fans of Cassie Palmer and Kelley Armstrong’s Otherworld series. 8.5 out of 10.