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A review by kaje_harper
The Merchant of Death by Lisa Henry, J.A. Rock
5.0
Okay, that's quite a mix of shelves that one went on. Let me also add - cliffhangers are EVIL, although these are plot-related cliffies, not will-he-live-or-die, so not quite as awful. And I'll forgive Lisa Henry and JA Rock, because a lot of things happen in this book, the story moves forward, and they promised the next one soon. Right?! So we have mercurial, damaged, care-nothing Henry, and intense, career-focused serious Mac, off on another adventure of both crime and the heart...*Spoilers for the first book ahead.*
This is the second book in the saga of Mac the cop (I have a little trouble writing that) and Henry Page the con man turned reluctant witness. It picks up nicely from where the cliffhanger ending of the last one left us. Henry ditched Mac when they were almost getting together (did I say evil?) because his sister always has and always will come first in his life. Between love, shared history, and guilt, he is totally invested in keeping her happy and safe. It turns out that the high-end care home he placed her in has had some changes, and she's scared. Before he can be sure she's safe there, Henry has to investigate.
Mac is being dumped on by life right now. It's not just his tangled emotions for an untrustworthy con-man who keeps ditching him. Someone has been reporting him for unethical conduct and he is being professionally investigated. His name is tied to a questionable death, and he's accused of using excessive violence against civilians. Mac's precious career is on the line, so of course, this is when Henry decides to pull another harebrained scheme...
I enjoyed this one even more than the first. There is humor and an action plot, but there is also more feeling, more depth, and more heat with a little kink. The plot's a bit slapstick, but not beyond what I can enjoy. And the pain of the backstory lingers like a cold mist under the lighthearted surface, promising more to come. I can't wait, (Literally, dear authors...) for the next installment.
This is the second book in the saga of Mac the cop (I have a little trouble writing that) and Henry Page the con man turned reluctant witness. It picks up nicely from where the cliffhanger ending of the last one left us. Henry ditched Mac when they were almost getting together (did I say evil?) because his sister always has and always will come first in his life. Between love, shared history, and guilt, he is totally invested in keeping her happy and safe. It turns out that the high-end care home he placed her in has had some changes, and she's scared. Before he can be sure she's safe there, Henry has to investigate.
Mac is being dumped on by life right now. It's not just his tangled emotions for an untrustworthy con-man who keeps ditching him. Someone has been reporting him for unethical conduct and he is being professionally investigated. His name is tied to a questionable death, and he's accused of using excessive violence against civilians. Mac's precious career is on the line, so of course, this is when Henry decides to pull another harebrained scheme...
I enjoyed this one even more than the first. There is humor and an action plot, but there is also more feeling, more depth, and more heat with a little kink. The plot's a bit slapstick, but not beyond what I can enjoy. And the pain of the backstory lingers like a cold mist under the lighthearted surface, promising more to come. I can't wait, (Literally, dear authors...) for the next installment.