Aileen has always been certain of a few undeniable facts – black raspberry is the only ice cream flavor that matters, vampires can’t be trusted, and her loyalty, once given, is unquestionable. When a late-night visitor shows up needing her help, she agrees without hesitation.
It’s not long before a pounding at her door reminds her that nothing is ever as straightforward as it seems. Now, with her friend missing, Aileen realizes her simple favor leads to consequences she cannot avoid as she finds herself drawn further into a world she’s done everything to escape.
As loyalties are tested, Aileen will need to decide how far she will go in the name of friendship. Because bodies are dropping, and the trail leads right back to one she holds dear. Will she stand fast in her beliefs, or will she be forced to betray another?
One thing is clear – her choice may lead to her salvation or her doom.

The Aileen Travers series has become a comfort read for me. I admire T. A. White’s ability to tell a story slowly enough to let it be driven by the emotions and changing perceptions of the main character rather than by the specific challenge that drives each book. I like that, in this third book, Aileen Travers is not quite the same person she was in the first book. How could she be after she’s been through so much and learned so much,. Yet, the core of who she is hasn’t changed. She has adapted, even compromised but she’s done it consciously. 

The plot in this book is driven mostly by Aileen’s struggle to prove that Caroline, her best friend since childhood, is not an out-of-control killer who needs to be put down. Her struggle is made more challenging both because Aileen already feels guilty because Caroline was turned into a werewolf only because Aileen put her at risk by dragging her into supernatural business and because all the evidence says that Caroline IS an out-of-control killer who needs to be put down. 

The plot works well. There are lots of twists and surprises and lots of action that puts Aileen at risk. I enjoyed that part of the story. Even so, what I enjoyed most was watching Aileen reassess the vampire world that she’s been resisting joining and confronting what she is and isn’t willing to do to survive. 

The supernatural world that Aileen is a part of comes to life more fully with each book. Travers’ world has many of the usual attributes of Urban Fantasy: politicised vampires who think they’re better than everyone else; werewolves who need to pack to keep their inner wolf under control; magic uses seeking power and Fey who no one seems fully to understand. What makes it different is Travers herself. I love how the vampires’ obsession with hierarchy amuses and frustrates her, how she accepts that she’s normally the weakest supernatural in the room but still pushes the buttons of the powerful people around her to get her way. Most of all, I like that she can see the damage she’s done to herself and others, knows it can’t be undone and keeps moving forward anyway. 

I’m grateful that the unresolved sexual tension trope between Aileen and Liam is used lightly, skillfully, and with humour. 

I’m already looking forward to ‘Dawn’s Envoy‘ the next book in the series. 

A big part of my enjoyment of the series comes from Natasha Sudek’s slightly quirky but deeply appropriate narration. Click on the YouTube link below to hear a sample.