Review: The Good, the Bad, and the Undead

Reviewed by Jen
 

A price put on your head?  Child’s play –and sooo last season for bounty hunter & witch Rachel Morgan.  In fact, Rachel has recovered quite nicely in the wake of leaving her old employer and surviving the hit the bosses put on her. She is happily dating Nick, a human who dabbles in magic. She is still living her with the partners in her business: Jenks the pixy and Ivy the vampire. And she is running independent jobs.

Things seem pretty great.  Until she gets pulled into a case involving a witch murderer. Of course, there are ties to the mysterious and dirty councilman Trent Kalamack.  Rachel still holds a grudge against him since he held her captive and nearly killed her in the city’s rat fights. (It’s a long story –and really, you should read Dead Witch Walking first anyway.)  So she starts investigating along with the human authorities. Ivy hates the idea of Rachel putting herself in danger and takes the news very poorly.  There is still something very uncomfortable and sexual going on between the women. And it’s made even more volatile in the wake of that demon/vampire attack Rachel survived in the last book.

Once again, Harrison’s complex world of the Hollows is fascinating and captivating. Even more interesting to follow are all the relationship threads Rachel is weaving.  Of course, with Ivy, as mentioned above… With Nick, who is clearly more than just an average guy. He seems to really care for Rachel. But he’s got some shady things going on… With Trent.  We finally find out what he is. But we still don’t know WHO he is.  There is an undefinable pull between him and Rachel, and a history we’re just learning about too.  We also have several other side characters who become more and more vital to the series with every book: Jenks, Kisten, Edden, Glenn, Piscary, and the glorious demon Al (who makes me laugh more than he should.)

Each book in the series draws me in a bit more, with love, betrayal, loyalty, honor, and danger.  And of course, Rachel, herself.  I love her as a heroine because she is good, but not perfect. She is impetuous and often short-sighted, but almost always motivated by friendship or honor.  4 stars.

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The Good, the Bad, and the Undead

by Kim Harrison

Release Date: January 25, 2005

Publisher: Harper Torch