Rating: 3 1/2 stars

A quartet of paranormal private-eye novellas, the majority of these stories left me gnashing my teeth and wondering why the author didn’t just write the bloody novel? Like any quickie, these short fixes were no where near as satisfying a read as the stories would have been had they been blended into full novel forms.

The Warrior by Jim Butcher: Harry Dresden fears for his friend Michael’s life when a rogue religious figure becomes impatient and decides to take God’s work into his own hands. Much like other quickies, this left me wanting … much, much more.

The Difference a Day Makes by Simon Green: Liza Barclay has misplaced her husband … and 24 hours worth of her memories. It’s up to John Taylor (with willing sidekick Dead Boy) to track them down. Fizzle. It's great on the foreplay, but the climax falls flat.

The Third Death of the Little Clay Dog by Kat Richardson: Harper Blaine inherits the task of delivering a statue to a grave of unknown location, from a previously-unknown-to-her benefactor. My all-time favorite of the quartet, this one-read stand has me hooked. I plan to look up other books by this author.

Noah’s Orphans by Thomas Sniegoski: When Noah (of Ark fame) is murdered, Remy Chandler takes on the task of discovering the whys and wherefores and becomes the savior of the remnants of a forgotten race. An acquired taste, this kink of the quartet requires some mental gymnastics. It's definitely not for someone who is only comfortable with ‘mainstream’ reading.

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Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
Pub. Date: January 2009
ISBN-13: 9780451462497