{2013 TBR Pile Challenge} Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison

ISBN #: 978-0060572969

Page Count: 432

Copyright: April 27, 2004

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Book Summary:

(Taken from back cover)

All the creatures of the night gather in "the Hollows" of Cincinnati, to hide, to prowl, to party ... and to feed.

Vampires rule the darkness in a predator-eat-predator world rife with dangers beyond imagining - and it's Rachel Morgan's job to keep that world civilized.

A bounty hunter and witch with serious sex appeal and an attitude, she'll bring 'em back alive, dead ... or undead.

Mandy's Review:

The earth is populated with witches, weres, vampires, pixies, fairies and other otherworldly creatures. Once hidden, they now live out in the open among the humans. Two organizations vie for top-dog position and are always at war with each other: the Inderland Security (I.S.), ran by the otherworldly creatures, and the Federal Inderland Bureau (FIB), ran by humans. Rachel Morgan is a "runner" for the I.S. Whenever an otherworldly creature does something wrong and is in hiding, she chases them down, finds them, tags them, and takes them off to jail. Lately, though, her assignments have been more and more humiliating. Rachel believes it's the I.S.'s way of getting her to quit her job, which means if she leaves there won't be a contract out on her for her death ... or will there?

Ivy, a non-practicing living vamp, leaves the I.S. with Rachel. Though a little wary to live with a vamp, Rachel has no other options. Her apartment has been tagged by her ex-boss's runners and all of her stuff has to be de-spelled. Ivy has found them a home in a church, of all places, and can give Rachel the protection she needs until they figure a way to pay off Rachel's contract.

Over the course of the novel Rachel takes risks in getting the information she needs to help pay off her contract. Some of her risks pay off and others almost kill her. Rachel also unknowingly puts herself in danger with Ivy. After their one major incident, Ivy decides to let Rachel in on some vamp secrets so that Rachel doesn't make the same mistakes again. Although Rachel doesn't entirely trust Ivy to not vamp out on her, she is thankful for Ivy's protection.

My favorite character, though, has to be Jenks. Jenks is a pixie and Rachel's backup. He rides around on Rachel's earring, is able to unlock any door, put security cameras on a 15-minute loop, smell people and determine what they are (whether human or creature), and use his pixie dust as a weapon or a help depending on the situation. Jenks is smart, but sarcastic. Helpful, but annoying.

Overall, I really enjoyed my first foray into Kim Harrison's imagined world. I'd be curious to read the other books in The Hollows series and see how things turn out for Rachel ... especially with her demon mark she acquired.

If you haven't read any of Kim Harrison's novels and you enjoy paranormal-type stories, then you would enjoy Dead Witch Walking.