Beverage: A Salty Frenchman (Tassimo skinny decaf espresso with sugar free French vanilla and salted caramel syrup).

Music: fun. Some Nights

I've had mixed results with Rachel Caine's writing in the past - I like some of her stuff, but some I found dull. I think I got about 8 books into the Morganville Vampire series before I got bored with it. Also, I've been 'reading' Two Weeks Notice since August. I quite liked Working Stiff (the first novel in the Revivalist series), but the follow up is leaving me less than impressed.

Still, when I saw this galley available, I thought the concept was really good so I decided to go for it. It's not straight up fantasy/science fiction like her other titles that I've read. Those elements are quite deeply buried. Instead, this reads more like a classic thriller - you're missing pieces of the puzzle and suspecting everyone of not being what they seem until the big reveal.

This book really worked for me. I read it in about 3.5 hours because it hooked me and kept me hooked. The pacing and the characters were great. Out of everything of Caine's that I've read, this is my favourite. It's not her most original and unique work — that would be the Revivalist series — but it's definitely her most engaging.

And don't be scared away by the Harlequin imprint. Harlequin is publishing some amazing work lately (Rachel Vincent's Soul Screamers and Shifters series, for example) that isn't what you would think of as typical Harlequin fare. This is not a paranormal romance or a romantic suspense novel. Yes, there's a little sexual tension and flirting in there, but probably less than you might find in similar novels from other publishers.

I've already started the sequel — sadly, it looks like this series tapped out at 2 books and a short story — and it's maintaining the energy from the first book really nicely while switching to a different focal point. Look for that review in the next few days.

[Review copy generously provided by Harlequin UK - MIRA]