Why me? Why now? That's what Beaulac, Louisiana, detective Kara Gillian was asking herself when an angelic creature named Rhyzkahl unexpectedly appeared during a routine summoning. Kara was hoping to use her occult skills to catch a serial killer, but never had she conjured anything like this unearthly beautiful and unspeakably powerful being whose very touch set off exquisite new dimensions of pleasure. But can she enlist his aid in helping her stop a killer who's already claimed the lives'and souls'of thirteen people? And should she? The Symbol Man is a nightmare that the city thought had ended three years ago. Now he's back for an encore and leaving every indication on the flesh of his victims that he, too, is well versed in demonic lore.
Kara may be the only cop on Beaulac's small force able to stop the killer, but it is her first homicide case. Yet with Rhyzkahl haunting her dreams, and a handsome yet disapproving FBI agent dogging her waking footsteps, she may be in way over her head...
Comment: One more PNR book from the languishing pile... well, to be fair, this is more UF than PNR, but there are some romance elements hinted at, which was probably what made me interested in it to begin with.
Kara Gillian is a cop and a summoner, meaning she can summon demons to help her in any doubts she might have or any task necessary, and this comes in handy since she is a detective now and is investigating a serial killer who marks his victims with apparent arcane symbols. The problem is that when she attempts a summoning, something goes wrong and the wrong demon shows up. In fact, it's not even a demon, but a demon lord, a being more powerful and unlikely to yield to her control. However, she not only isn't attacked, but is actually seduced instead... at the same time she deals with this, a new FBI agent is added to the investigating team and he seems both approachable and not... can Kara find any way to control both her personal life and the information she learns as the victims pile up?
I can see why this book was appreciated by many readers back then, it's a very good mix of original demon lore/world building and a crime investigation. I will say I was fascinated for the most part and read this with interest as things went on, which is certainly positive. Unlike other similar stories, the plot was captivating and the little things that make this a different type of world were also quite intriguing, making this a story which was not boring.
In fact, things were happening so interestingly that I felt I was turning the pages very easily even though some things about Kara weren't always that amazing. Still, she was an intriguing character and her determination was a good overlap with her vulnerability, so the fact she isn't perfect not too TSTL, made for someone I was rooting for. Perhaps what I wasn't as fond of about her is how some of her actions regarding the occult/summoning abilities interfered with her professional side... I mean, of course I can't judge, but it irritated how these elements didn't get to be better interwoven.
The summoning aspects were interesting enough, although th tone of the story is one that suggests some bad things can happen if the summoning doesn't go well, and I dreaded a little what could happen, especially since this is not one of those worlds where demons are "good guys". They are more along the lines of useful and powerful but despite their abilities and some elements that explain their uniqueness, I cannot say I was impressed. Plus, the demon lord Kara summons creates quite the dilemmas for her, and sometimes this felt unfair and only motif for possible trouble. Waiting for the shoe to drop isn't a good feeling...
The investigation develops well enough and I was happy enough with the progress, even though a couple of scenes clearly were exaggerated for gore content, which I could do without, but for the most part things develop in a linear and expected way. I don't anyone would not guess the crimes are connected to the demon summoning, not the one Kara does obviously, but that the killer also has some knowledge in this field. At first things seem a little confusing but I was convinced enough with the explanations given once things are more or less revealed.
The romance hints remain so, and if the story were to progress in one or two paths, I could see either happening, but one is clearly more positive for Kara on the long haul. However, despite the interesting positive aspects, I don't really feel curious enough about the next books and this is another long series to invest in if one wants. I've satisfied my small curiosity by reading the blurbs of all the following books and several clearly include spoilers, which is sufficient to let me understand a few doubts I had regarding stuff mentioned in this installment.
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