I received this book for free from the library in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Source: the library
Devil's Due
by
Rachel Caine
romantic suspense in Paperback edition that was published by Silhouette on January 10, 2006 and has 297 pages.
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Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Undone, Unknown, Ghost Town, Rachel Caine, Bite Club, Dark and Stormy Knights, Devil's Bargain, Last Breath, Unseen, Hex Appeal, Unbroken, Black Dawn, Working Stiff, Two Weeks' Notice, Bitter Blood, Kiss of Death, Fall of Night, Daylighters, Kicking It, Prince of Shadows, Ink and Bone, Paper and Fire, Ash and Quill, Killman Creek, Honor Among Thieves, Smoke and Iron, Honor Bound, Honor Lost
Second in the Red Letter Days suspense series involving psychics manipulating the future and using the private investigating firm of Callender and Garza to affect the changes in Kansas City.
My Take
This is just plain scary. Two rival corporations playing power games using leads “seen” by their pet psychics. The original plan was to tweak what the psychics saw to ensure a favorable outcome. Instead, what their original psychic came to realize was that tweaking simply made things worse. Personally, I’m with Lucia and Jazz — it’s just plain wrong to destroy peoples’ lives to suit your whims.
In Devil’s Due, there is a constant yo-yoing of distrust between Borden and Jazz; Jazz, Garza, and McCarthy; and, especially with Ivanovich and Simms. It’s almost too much to try and figure out at any given moment who is on whose side. Then there’s the end that really throws everything off.
The Story
Ben’s getting out of jail and Lucia is making him over — Ben calls it “prison with product”. Unfortunately, none of them get to enjoy it very long when a red envelope dusted with anthrax shows up in the office and Pansy and Lucia must undergo a series of treatments against it. Worse, Lucia gets kidnapped and doesn’t remember any of the days she’s missing.
The action simply speeds up with an abused spouse needing protection who isn’t all she seems, the Eidolon Corporation as well as the Cross Society is contacting the ladies, Manny is freaking out with Pansy’s contamination, James is conflicted between Jazz and GPL, the exposure of an underground lab adds to the confusion, and then Simms shows up. With a plan to take ’em all out.
The Characters
Callender and Garza is…
…a private investigating agency composed of Lucia Garza and Jasmine “Jazz” Callender. They poached Pansy from James Borden, a lawyer with Gabriel, Pike, and Laskins law firm in New York City — she’s seeing Manny these days. Surprisingly — not — GPL is considering opening a branch office in Kansas City since James is spending so much time there. He and Jazz are a couple. Manny Glickman is a former FBI agent who is now an independent specializing in forensic analysis and a huge ration of paranoia. Ben McCarthy was Jazz’s partner until he was framed for several murders and imprisoned. Jazz received the necessary proof to get him out. Now the boy is falling in love with Lucia and temporarily employed by C&G.
Omar is a former lover and now a good friend to Lucia. She knows she can always count on him. Agent Rawlins is with the FBI’s Kansas City office and willing, to a certain extent, to help Lucia. Special Agent Cole is another FBI friend who doesn’t know Lucia very well.
Susannah Davis is desperate to avoid the abuse heaped on her by her husband Leonard. Or is he the abuser?
Max Simms is the initial psychic who founded both the Eidolon Corporation until they framed him for multiple murders. He also founded the Cross Society to counter Eidolon. In this story, he breaks out of jail and engineers death. Gregory Ivanovich is both and either. An enemy and a friend. Now he seems to be working for GPL.
Detective Ken Stewart is a very single-minded cop whose main interest in life is harassing Jazz.
The Cover and Title
The cover is shades of dark purple to red with one of those big red envelopes in the lower right corner lying on the cobbled pavement as Lucia walks away, lightning touching down all around her.
Oh yeah, there are those who do get the Devil’s Due.
