There’s a serial killer in town who mutilates the bodies of his victims in horrible way and he seems to be escalating. Worse, all of these murders seem to be the work of someone with supernatural power and lots of it. Agent Cesar Hawke has been assigned to the case but whoever this bad guy is, he is way ahead of him and Cesar is somewhat lacking in the skills to catch up…or so everyone tells him.

Hotter than Helltown is the third installment in the Preternatural Affairs urban fantasy series by S.M. Reine but the first I’ve read. This did mean that I was lacking some background to the series including world-building and character development so I cannot comment on them other than to say Cesar is very likable. Still, despite this, I enjoyed the book. My lack of knowledge didn’t interfere too much with the tale as it felt, in many ways, like a self-contained stand-alone. It’s a fun fast read with plenty of action and should appeal to fans of Jim Butcher and Simon R, Greene. ( )

Agent Cesar is good at his job despite the fact that he is not a good witch, and generally everyone that works for OPA has unusual gifts and are good at them. Being a kopis to your boss helps Cesar’s short coming.
The best part about Cesar’s adventure on the job is all the trouble he seems to get himself into and the unique way he seems to get out of them.
This is book 2 in the particular series of what is by far some of my favorite books! There is no bad book to read when it comes to SM Reine and all her supernatural gang
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Hotter than Helltown is one of those books I find tough to review. On one hand, I liked it while I read it - there was an interesting plot and it kept moving along fast enough to make you want to turn the pages; the characters didn't get on my nerves, and I didn't mind following them. On the other hand, once I reached the end, closed the book and tried to summarize what I'd just read, I was left with a shrug and a "meh, it's alright, but nothing stellar" assessment.

Yes, the story moves along at a fast pace, and it's fun to follow Cesar along while he tries to investigate the gruesome murders and study for a big magical test that might cost him his life if he fails.

The problem is, the story moves along too fast. It's a relatively short book and a lot of events seemed crammed into the pages. This leaves no space for character development or world exploration. It's a non-stop sprint from page 1 to THE END. I mean, sure, it keeps you entertained while you read it, but once you're finished, it doesn't leave much of an aftertaste.

I liked Cesar's POV, but he is the only character in this book with any kind of background or development. Everybody else around him are just sidekicks with no dept. Oh, stuff is implied or mentioned in passing about them, but never truly explored. I would have loved to know a bit more about his partner or his boss, or even have a glimpse into Bella's story. But all this was left by the wayside as the book raced through the plot. Which made it hard to empathize and care about the characters, at least for me.

The world building element was also rather none-existent. Now, this might be due to the fact that this is book 3 in the series and most of the world building had been done in the previous installments. But it felt at times like I was running with the protagonist through a movie set - normal looking houses on the outside with just cardboard and wooden poles in the back to prop them upright. I think each book in a series needs to add something to the world, but Hotter than Helltown didn't seem to do any of that…

So to summarize, it was a fun and quick read, but it was forgotten just as quickly once it was done. If you just want an easy book to spend your Saturday afternoon with, by all means pick it up.

PS. This review is for the advanced reader copy I received via NetGalley. ( )

This was a fun romp in the paranormal that was not a romance. It was a mystery of the police procedural sort, and very interesting. I read it in one sitting and did not notice the passage of time, at least until it was time for dinner. ( )

There’s a serial killer in town – their victims are horrendously mutilated and increasing in frequency. Worse, all signs point to something supernatural doing the killing – which makes it Cesar’s and Suzy’s job to catch the killer. And Cesar does not do bodies

Almost as intimidating, the boss is in town. She has an ultimatum – because Cesar accessed information he shouldn’t have in a crisis, he needs to become Aspis to Fritz’s Kopis. Shield to his Sword. The fighter’s witch guardian – and there’s a test involved. A complicated test that is rather beyond Cesar’s skill level

And if he fails… well, being fired from the agency may have consequences

I do like how Cesar has grown in this book, including his powers and abilities. This is somewhat odd for me because I can be quite scathing when we have protagonists who constantly level up every book, finding new depths of special powers. But with Cesar it worked because it was very subtle. Also because he’s very much behind the curve of his colleagues. Suzy has awesome power, his boss, Fritz, is a skilled Kopis who can clearly throw down and Isobel has some very specialised magical skills – Cesar often feels like the odd man. In some ways, it works because he’s the one who will think about the mundane before the magical but other times it’s a hindrance because he needs to be reminded of the magical.

It also fits really well with his past and development – Cesar is surrounded by major talents and has grown up around major talents. He has thoroughly absorbed the idea that he’s not very good simply because he’s been surrounded by people who are totally awesome and has internalised his own incapacity because of that. It’s really well done to see not his growing ability, but him being forced to look past his instinctive “I can’t do it” initial response to any challenge.

This fits really well with the ongoing theme of Cesar finding his feet in the new department and having to learn quickly as well as him stepping up to be Fritz’s Apis. Cesar has spent the whole series being thrown into situations well beyond his experience and comfort zone and having to rise to the challenge

I’m looking forward to seeing him and Fritz bounce off each other as well – they really do work together

Beyond the characters, I really love this world. Especially how it is connected with several other of the author’s series in the same world – allowing us to see everything through different lens. So we can see Elise viewing the Union as an imposing threat and demons as not-all-that-worrisome unless they’re higher up in the Descent Series and then here we have Cesar working for and closely with the Union while fearing even the most minor demons as terrifying enemies. The different series have also worked to make a really wide and rich world full of different denizens with different views of them all. This is built on a magic system that is both individual but also has a solid sense of rules and procedures that speaks to deeper world building that I always appreciate

Also, I love the geeky shout outs.

The plot itself has a number of twists and is a pretty decent mystery with some excellently described gruesomeness that really drives home the horror of what is happening. There’s lots of nuance, no easy answers and, ultimately, a perpetrator I can’t reveal for spoilers but one who really does rock the world building and a whole lot of preconceptions. I loved it.

We have a number of awesome female characters – Suzy is skilled, tough, snarky, immense fun, intelligent and both points out and calls out sexism in the workplace. Isobel is powerful psychic, sexual without being shamed for it, is crafty and cunning and has no time for Cesar’s refusal to pursue a relationship because she’s his boss’s ex – her ex doesn’t own her. Even Isobel’s apprentice who I think everyone would cheerfully strangle is still powerful in her own right – and one of the main flaws of one of the female antagonists is that she’s quite simply too good a person.

On the negative, Cesar has some of the biggest Dresden Goggles I’ve seen and Isobel and Suzy have had their super sexiness described repeatedly in often inappropriate times far too often. Stop drooling over co-workers, it’s unprofessional! Suzy and Isobel also Do Not Like each other, capitals intended. Either for no reason (beyond the standard that a strong woman simply cannot like another woman) or because they’re competing for Cesar’s affections.

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