Author: Laura Bickle
Publisher: Pocket
Publication Date: 2010
Pages: 368
Format: Paperback
Genre: Paranormal/ Urban Fantasy
Source: Xmas Gift
Anya Kalinczyk is the rarest type of psychic medium, a Lantern, who holds down a day job as an arson investigator with the Detroit Fire Department—while working 24/7 to exterminate malicious spirits haunting a city plagued by unemployment and despair. Along with her inseparable salamander familiar, Sparky, Anya has seen, and even survived, all manner of fiery hell—but her newest case sparks suspicions of a bizarre phenomenon that no one but her eccentric team of ghost hunters might believe: spontaneous human combustion.
After fire consumes the home of elderly Jasper Bernard, Anya is stunned to discover his remains—or, more precisely, a lack of them; even the fiercest fires leave some trace of their victims—and she is sure this was no naturally occurring blaze. Soon she’s unearthed a connection to a celebrity psychic who preys on Detroit’s poor, promising miracles for money. But Hope Solomon wants more—she’s collecting spirits, and in a frantic race against time, Anya will face down an evil adversary who threatens her fragile relationship with her lover, her beloved Sparky’s freshly hatched newts, and the wandering souls of the entire city. (Goodreads Synopsis)
This second book in the series was just as good as the first. Again, a gripping story, delightful and believable characters and plenty of action moving things along at a good pace.
I love Anya's interactions with Sparky in this story and the new characters were fun and well-rounded, adding to the back-story already established in book one.
You could read this book without reading book one, but you'll get more from it if you read it in order as there are some references to the previous storyline.
I can highly recommend this to urban fantasy/paranormal fans and I do hope there may be more tales of Anya and Sparky in the future.
I really loved this series, too! I kind of hope there'll be a third. -_-
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