by Chloe Neill
First published 2011
Merit stands at the windows of Cadogan House, watching angry protesters wave signs outside. The newly turned vampire faces hostility from humans who fear all supernaturals after shapeshifters revealed themselves to the world. Inside the House, tension crackles between Merit and her Master, the green-eyed Ethan Sullivan. Chicago's mayor summons them both to a secret meeting with grim news. Three women have vanished after a savage vampire attack. His ultimatum cuts through the air like a blade: control your House or face the consequences. Merit must solve these crimes, but allies and enemies blur together in the supernatural underworld. She reaches out to a mysterious contact from an underground vampire faction, someone who might possess crucial information about the attacks. Her investigation pulls her deep into Chicago's hidden supernatural society, where vampires seem determined to prove every human fear justified. Merit discovers that surviving as a vampire means accepting blood on her hands.
Genres: mystery, fantasy, contemporary, action, paranormal, urban-fantasy
Vibes: dark, emotional, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family, urban-fantasy
Setting: Cadogan House, Chicago
Period: Contemporary
ebook · Gollancz (Orion Publishing Group)
Content warnings: violence