A lightly dark and downright compulsive read.
Adina is a problem solver by trade, but her methods are less than ordinary. Unless you consider hoarding other peoples’ knickknacks and routinely ditching your physical form to take care of lowlifes to be conventional. Adina Venture is a Deathwalker, a vocation as taxing on her body as it is on her mind. Still, crafting executions to look like unfortunate accidents is practically an art form, one Adina is quite proficient in. So when she is summoned by the Order to own up to a local Reaper’s murder, an act she didn’t actually commit, it is up to Adina to prove her innocence. Unfortunately, the evidence overwhelmingly points to her so the Order has Adina on lockdown, literally tethered to a chaperone. He might be British, but this babysitter isn’t here to offer stern correction with the aid of a magic umbrella and a catchy song. No, Chief Inquisitor Breitling is convinced of Adina’s guilt and is eager to mete out punishment. The magical Lashing is an annoying formality kept in place until the Order completes a formal investigation, which doesn’t leave Adina much time to prove she’s being set up. A loner by nature, she generally avoids her family, shares her personal space only with a temperamental bird, and communicates with the outside world mostly through anonymous phone calls to a radio personality, so forced proximity with an infamous Inquisitor cramps Adina’s style. Breitling might be by the book, but his brusque nature slowly begins to grow on Adina, leaving plenty of opportunities for bonding while she hunts for the truth.
Urban fantasy just got a sassy upgrade from paranormal fiction author, S.G. Tasz. There is so much to love about this cheeky story, not the least of which is the promise of more to come! Audiences will immediately appreciate the skillfully controlled worldbuilding. This is done slowly enough to grasp the organizational complexities of the world, yet briskly enough to develop anticipation about Adina’s personal history and paranormal ability. Rather than rely on popular clichés, the author gives life to engaging, multidimensional characters, furnishes a relatable yet fantastical setting by adding a magical overlay to gritty Las Vegas, and crafts enough suspense into the plot to keep readers fully engaged. The storyline is dynamic, shifting in ways that are unexpected, intriguing, and always fun to follow. And the chemistry between Adina and Breitling is so tantalizing that you’ll relish every awkward, tense, and tender moment they share on her perilous journey toward redemption. The world needs more books like Death by Miss Adventure, a lightly dark and downright compulsive read.
