Dark Debt by Chloe Neill Series: Chicagoland Vampires #11
Published by NAL Trade on March 3, 2015
Genres: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 368
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I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
A vampire never gets old. But neither do his enemies. When a figure from Ethan's dark past makes a splashy debut in Chicago, Merit and her Master don't know whether he's friend or foe. But they'll have to figure out soon, because trouble is brewing in the Windy City.
At an exclusive society soiree attended by the upper echelons of the human and supernatural worlds, Merit and Ethan barely stop the assassination of a guest. When the target turns out to be a shady businessman with a criminal edge, Merit suspects a human vendetta. But the assassins have fangs....
The connections to Chicago's Houses go deeper than Merit knows, and even one wrong move could be her last....
Hints have been dropped that this bad guy is going to appear, and now he is here. His presence and powers leave everyone, especially Merit in shock and terror. Maybe she’s more vulnerable than she thinks. This causes conflict with Merit and as usual with this power couple, causes strain and they pull back from each other. Each trying to figure out a way to deal with their feelings about this new guest of the city. It’s a political game they are playing, but affects Ethan & Merit’s relationship personally nonetheless. Something always sticks its nose between these two.
I was totally surprised at the end. I was focused on this foe and like the team, trying to figure out what his next move was and decipher the games he was playing. The mystery ended up being a real surprise and I was as shocked at the ending as the players themselves. I love when things turn out so unpredictable. The mystery and goals of the bad guy really being the unpredictable part, as the relationship stuff mainly gets recycled.
There also seems to be some side conflict between Merit and Jonah which will test Merit’s loyalty to the Red Guard. Or at least they doubt her ability to do her job. Can any other problems arise during this crisis?
I love the side characters of this series. Jeff, Catcher, Mallory and the Cadogan House guards are always there to lighten the mood. There is also something going on with Catcher and Mallory that Merit believes needs solving. One more thing on the to-do list.
We usually get a happy ending where bad guy gets caught and everything is all well again. But Dark Debt gives us a really happy ending and I was in tears of joy and happiness.
This book will be a must read for those following the series as we see some new uncertainty in Merit’s powers and we’ll need to keep an eye on that. I know we will probably get a few more books out of this series with the promise of conflict in the American House Coalition, but it is going to be hard to come up with new adventures as things seem to be quieting down in Chicago. We have a relationship that has to move on at some point, but after that, I’m wondering where we will go from here. I’m curious to see what else Chloe can give us to keep the action alive.
Overall, Dark Debt was engrossing and exciting. There were some great surprises and some good action. I like kick-ass Merit and am so anxious to see how much stronger she becomes.
About Chloe Neill
Chloe Neill was born and raised in the South, but now makes her home in the Midwest—just close enough to Cadogan House and St. Sophia's to keep an eye on things. When not transcribing Merit’s and Lily’s adventures, she bakes, works, and scours the Internet for good recipes and great graphic design. Chloe also maintains her sanity by spending time with her boys—her husband (also her favorite landscape photographer) and their dogs, Baxter and Scout. (Both she and the photographer understand the dogs are in charge.)
About Chloe Neill
Chloe Neill was born and raised in the South, but now makes her home in the Midwest—just close enough to Cadogan House and St. Sophia’s to keep an eye on things. When not transcribing Merit’s and Lily’s adventures, she bakes, works, and scours the Internet for good recipes and great graphic design. Chloe also maintains her sanity by spending time with her boys—her husband (also her favorite landscape photographer) and their dogs, Baxter and Scout. (Both she and the photographer understand the dogs are in charge.)
