Stacia Kane - Unholy Magic

For Chess Putnam, finding herself near-fatally poisoned by a con psychic and then stopping a murderous ghost is just another day on the job. As an agent of the Church of Real Truth, Chess must expose those looking to profit from the world’s unpleasant little poltergeist problem—humans filing false claims of hauntings—all while staving off any undead who really are looking for a kill. But Chess has been extra busy these days, coping with a new “celebrity” assignment while trying on her own time to help some desperate prostitutes.

Someone’s taking out the hookers of Downside in the most gruesome way, and Chess is sure the rumors that it’s the work of a ghost are way off base. But proving herself right means walking in the path of a maniac, not to mention standing between the two men in her life just as they—along with their ruthless employers—are moving closer to a catastrophic showdown. Someone is dealing in murder, sex, and the supernatural, and once again Chess finds herself right in the crossfire.

Comment: This book (#2 in the author's Downside series) leaves a mark. It makes you think. A Lot.

I don't know how thr author can deal with everything she puts on the page. I had a hard time digesting what I was reading, I can't imagine what it must be like to write and process and analyse and whatever an author has to do to make the story good for publication.

Chess is finally caught in her double affections. Then she suffers more because she realises she wanted something and now it's too late.

What amazes me the most in this series is Chess's feelings. The ones she shows off to the other characters and the ones only the reader sees. She's far from perfect. I hate it that she had such an awful past, that sehe thinks she deserved that and that she has to drug herself to live through its memories.

But I can't help getting to know what is happening either, so...

Professionally she usually has a balanced way of seeing things, even when she's in trouble. She still has a moral conduct in her, despite all the mistakes and wrongness. I think it'll be interesting to see her development.

Unholy Magic is a difficult, emotive book. But iyt's totally worth it.