Summer

31 March 2010

FROST MOON: Book 1 The Skindancer series - Anthony Francis


Technically (if one should need a technicality and genre label), this could be called a paranormal amateur sleuth mystery since Dakota Frost is a tattoo artist who gets pulled into the mystery. But mostly what this is, in actuality, is a kickass Urban Fantasy! I am soo glad that this is the beginning of a series.
It took me a bit to get comfortable reading it in the beginning, the story felt a little bit rough around the edges. Once I got past page 20 or so, I was right at home with Dakota Frost and her UF world of vampires and were-kin and, best of all, magick filled tattoos. That's what Dakota does, she creates tattoos, most of them magick-filled, in the tattoo palace known as The Rogue Unicorn. She's tattooed her own skin and what I wouldn't give to see the flowers, gems, butterflies and especially the dragon that moves and reacts to stimuli.
Dakota is brought into a police investigation of a serial killer whose targeted victims have magical tattoos. The police and Feds need info as well the need to let her know that she could be a possible target.
She also has been hired to ink a specific magical tattoo on a werewolf who wants more control at the full moon.
Both of these events soon yank her all the way into a murky world of human and the Edgeworld of paranormal creatures in Atlanta, GA. She meets up with police investigators, a 'man in black' Fed who works for the Department of Extraordinary Investigations. Dakota also has to deal with her ex, now the Queen of the Little Five Points Vampires and working for the Vampire Consulate of Little Five Points.
There is also the werewolf who needs her help, and possibly her companionship, to work the tattoo that will perhaps help him control his beast side.
There are so many possibilities of who could be the serial killer, but not irritatingly so. No, it was suspenseful each time a new possibility showed up.
This is a SUPERB Urban Fantasy/paranormal amateur sleuth mystery start of a series!!!

Five 'more soonest please' sparkly diamonds.....

3 comments:

WonderBunny said...

Sounds good... on to the tbr stack it goes.

Imzadi Dragonfly said...

Looks like another book goes on the "Picke me! No me!" list. This looks really good.

Vickie said...

RuthAnn: I think you will like it a lot.

Jenna: *grin*