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A review by poisonivy70
Dungeon Games by Lexi Blake
4.0
In this novella set in Ms. Blake’s Masters and Mercenaries ‘verse, Derek Brighton and Karina Mills are thrown together when a serial killer targets submissives from the local BDSM scene in Dallas. Derek and Karina have been dancing around their attraction to each other for quite a while in Ms. Blake’s books. Derek is brought in on the serial killer case because of his BDSM background, and finds out that Karina has been targeted as the killer’s next victim. Derek volunteers to become her Dom and together, they work to draw out the killer, while working out their own issues with each other.
The Good
Derek and Karina have intrigued me for a long time, and I was eager to see when they would get their chance to be front and center. I wasn’t disappointed. Their scenes are fraught with tension but their connection was apparent from the start. The dialogue flowed well, with good humor and showcased the relationships that have been established between all the characters. The smexy times - yeah, Ms. Blake has never had a problem with that, and she certainly comes through with Derek and Karina. There’s a good balance between the sex and the emotional scenes, and it doesn’t overwhelm.
The Just Ok
The “mystery” of who the killer is, really isn’t. But if I want a mystery, I’ll go read Agatha Christie.
I don’t think it functions well as a standalone. I could easily see it becoming confusing for someone unfamiliar with the ‘verse and all its players to follow the action since there are appearances from many former heroes/heroines.
This also affects the believability of the HEA - I’ve read this series from the beginning and I know there’s a history between Derek and Karina but if I wasn’t, the condensed timeline works against this.
The Bottom Line
As a fan of this series, I really enjoyed it and would definitely recommend to those already familiar with this ‘verse. If you’re not, I wouldn’t think this is the place to start.
The Good
Derek and Karina have intrigued me for a long time, and I was eager to see when they would get their chance to be front and center. I wasn’t disappointed. Their scenes are fraught with tension but their connection was apparent from the start. The dialogue flowed well, with good humor and showcased the relationships that have been established between all the characters. The smexy times - yeah, Ms. Blake has never had a problem with that, and she certainly comes through with Derek and Karina. There’s a good balance between the sex and the emotional scenes, and it doesn’t overwhelm.
The Just Ok
The “mystery” of who the killer is, really isn’t. But if I want a mystery, I’ll go read Agatha Christie.
I don’t think it functions well as a standalone. I could easily see it becoming confusing for someone unfamiliar with the ‘verse and all its players to follow the action since there are appearances from many former heroes/heroines.
This also affects the believability of the HEA - I’ve read this series from the beginning and I know there’s a history between Derek and Karina but if I wasn’t, the condensed timeline works against this.
The Bottom Line
As a fan of this series, I really enjoyed it and would definitely recommend to those already familiar with this ‘verse. If you’re not, I wouldn’t think this is the place to start.