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The night was quiet.
Almost too quiet.
There is a distinct sense of dread and foreboding combined with a touch of knowing and self-referential humor that is palpable in these first lines of FULL MOON RISING by Keri Arthur.
Indeed, the sentiment may strike readers as familiar, cliché even, but FULL MOON RISING is hardly a conventional thriller. Indeed, when the protagonist Riley bemoans the "Hollywood images" of paranormal creatures of the night --- the myths and half-truths propagated by popular stories of the supernatural --- those essentially familiar first two lines become imbued with the humor and self-awareness of a writer who knows what is expected of the genre she is working in and who is determined to undermine the obvious and defy the predictable.
For Riley is by no means your typical femme fatal; instead, this sultry and wryly funny redhead is a rare crossbreed of Vampire and Werewolf. And her uncommon embodiment of the abilities of two such fierce and powerful supernatural beings is both a blessing and a curse as she battles unseen enemies and formidable foes who are targeting her --- and seem to want something from her --- because of her special abilities.
To complicate matters further, Riley's troubles begin in conjunction with the waxing of the moon --- a time when she and her fellow werewolves are unable to resist the call of the moon and the urge to mate that comes with it. Vivacious Riley usually welcomes the turning of the moon and the powerful urges it brings, but now those urges prove dangerous as she cannot resist the invitations of her less-than-trustworthy werewolf lover Talon, nor can she deny her desire for Quinn, a vampire with a long past and murky motives. As Riley's world is turned upside down --- beginning with the kidnapping of her brother --- and she no longer knows who to trust, Quinn seems at times to be both a threat and a loving protector. But one thing is certain: Riley's desire for him is stronger than any she has ever experienced before.
Keri Arthur treats the potentially chilling and unsettling themes of creatures of the night with a decidedly light touch. The danger Riley faces is real and deadly, and readers will turn each page with nail-baiting anticipation. But they also will find themselves chuckling at Riley's droll observations and dryly witty turns of phrase. She may be a rare and sought-after member of the paranormal race, but she also is a young woman with a powerful sexuality and a temper to match. Indeed, Riley's unabashed acknowledgment of the power of her lust is refreshing; her embodiment of werewolf traits renders her sexuality more a physical than an emotional need, thus freeing her to indulge her desire brazenly and without apology.
Furthermore, Arthur has a marvelous imagination and sharp attention to details. Her conception of a night club specifically catering to werewolves in heat and her descriptions of the events that take place within its exclusive walls are titillating, amusing and original. Much like Riley's unabashed sexuality, there is something bordering on political in her portrayal of a place where sexual pleasure knows no stigma and there is no shame associated with passionate indulgence among all creeds of night creatures.
The novel itself is a rather brazen and unapologetically indulgent treat of a read. It's easy to see why Keri Arthur is a much-lauded romantic thriller writer in her native Australia, and she should have no problem striking the fancy of American readers who hunger for harrowing and salacious tales of lust, intrigue and the paranormal. Furthermore, the ending of her American debut is just short of a tease, and is bound to whet the appetites of readers and even make them howl for more.
--- Reviewed by Jennifer Krieger
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