PLAY DEAD - John Levitt
Dog Days , Book 4
ACE
ISBN: 978-0-441-01964-9
February 2011
Paranormal Suspense

San Francisco, California - Present Day

Jazz musician and former paranormal enforcer Mason is a bit tapped for ready cash lately, and rent and other bills are coming due. When he receives a job offer from a black magic practitioner, he's intrigued enough for a meeting. Black practitioners generally have bad reputations, but Mason has worked with 'normal' practitioners who left a lot to be desired and, as such, he doesn't have much of a bias when it comes to business. With his trusty magical companion Lou in tow, Mason listens to Jessica Alexander's pitch.

While tracking down a thief seems simple enough, there is something about the situation and Jessica that doesn't jive. Spidey-senses tingling, Mason consults his friend and sometimes boss Victor for his opinion. What he finds is a political war brewing between practitioners who want to reveal their presence to humans and those who like the status quo. On top of that, a powerful artifact is missing and, in the wrong hands, could spell disaster.

New and troubling details keep popping up as Mason tries to track down a thief in PLAY DEAD. With the adorable Lou at Mason's side, trying to keep him out of trouble, Mason doesn't step too far out on a limb, but the branches are pretty shaky. If this is your first book in the series, it might take you a bit to grasp all of the characters, but the story is engaging anyway. The mystery builds slowly, drawing the reader in as they wait to see what awaits Mason around the next corner. The bad guy(s) always seem to be one step ahead, but can Mason catch up before it's too late? Pick up PLAY DEAD and see.

Kathy