Blood Deal by Brad Magnarella

How can one man find so much trouble? It’s not even when he’s looking for it?  Professor Croft gets pounded, spelled, glamoured, beat on and even has the blood sucked from his own body – with his permission! Talk about a glutton for punishment.

Title: Blood Deal
Author: Brad Magnarella
Series: Professor Croft #2
Publish Date: October 17, 2016
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Narrator: James Patrick Cronin
Source: Purchased through Audible.com

Publisher’s Description: Everson Croft here, professor of mythology and … nervous as sin.

Tonight’s the night I tell Caroline the truth: about my feelings, my magic, everything.

So why am I surprised when Detective Vega calls me to a new case? An elusive creature is chewing up residents in a housing project run by rival gangs. One more mangled body and the place will explode into warfare.

Problem is, someone’s protecting the killer. All signs point to the vampire Arnaud—who’s just upped the stakes. If I don’t send Detective Vega down a trail of bad leads, he’ll snatch her child. But is Arnaud trying to derail the investigation or twist it to his own ends, ones that could reshape the city?

Worse, Caroline has disappeared, and I’m under suspicion. No one believes I last saw her with Angelus, a mysterious hunk and full-blooded faerie. Dangerous no matter how you slice it.

Two cases: one personal, one professional, and both going to hell in a hurry.

Time to wizard up.

Nervous Nellie’s nervousness necessitates knowledge of the novel. In other words…spoilers.  *BEWARE*

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Nervous Nellie says…

This is an urban fantasy, no sex, lots of violence that comes in various forms and though the ending is good, I believe it will be a very dangerous step for our beloved professor to take.  ALSO, I want to warn those nervous readers like me, Everson’s relationship with Vega is very rocky.  I have all the faith in the world that Author Magnarella will make everything right again.  If he doesn’t then….well…us readers will just have to set him straight. 😉

I will admit that I was drawn to the fact that Everson Croft reminds me of Indiana Jones and Harry Dresden wrapped all up in one.  I mean, really? Who could refuse that face? Check out the cover – it’s fantastic.  Anyway, Everson thinks his life is quiet for the moment and wham! he is pulled into not one, but two separate investigations.

**SPOILERS AHEAD**  I want to say that Everson was trying to be a good guy and Vega took his actions way to the extreme end of the reactionary spectrum.  I learned that Vega’s nickname or maybe even real first name is “Ricky”.  I learned she grew up in a neighborhood that was not known for it’s white picket fences and block parties.  I also learned that she is one tough broad.  She takes a gut shot and she powers her way through it enough to tell Everson how to stitch her up.  Incredible.  I also learned that if she trashes this relationship with Everson, she is making a huge mistake.  It feels like he’s the only one that will back her up and help solve the murders that no one else can touch.  Also, I think Caroline is very selfish to put Everson in the difficult spots that she is putting him in.  She could have at least checked in with him to tell him – “Hey, I know I left the party before you got back, but I wanted to touch base with you.”  That would be the considerate thing to do.  Anyway, it is what it is and that’s why it makes for a good story.  Oh, and one last thing.  Everson should have took the ring option instead of the information about his mother.  He just should have.***END OF SPOILERS***

This series is great to read but even better to listen to.  The narrator does a very good job and he fits my image of the voice for Everson Croft.  Grab the book or the audio – you won’t be sorry.  Oh, and for those of you up to book #3, like me, Mr. Magnarella assures me that the audio will be out by the first week in April and book #4 will release in print and audio closely to the same time together.

Our reviews in this series…

• Demon Moon #1

Other recommendations…

…you might try  Yancy Lazarus series by James A. Hunter, Cisco Suarez/Black Magic Outlaw series by Domino Finn or Immortal Vegas series by Jenn Stark.