The Raven

Reynard (the Gabriel Trilogy) launches a series with this uneven paranormal contemporary set in a remarkably well-portrayed Florence. Art restorer Raven Wood, who works at the Uffizi Gallery, is attacked on the way home from a party, but a mysterious figure intervenes. At the same moment, valuable Botticelli drawings are stolen from the gallery. The two events are linked by William York, the vampire prince of Florence. He has fallen hard for Raven and attempts to win her heart while fending off vampire hunters, possible traitors in his court, and the police investigation into the art theft, which he committed. The depiction of Raven’s disabling limp is nuanced and thoughtful, and Reynard makes a credible attempt to subvert and critique many of the genre’s clichés (though he falls prey to a few). There’s nothing resembling a plot, the action scenes are muddled and confusing, and the ending is merely a pause before book two. Still, it can’t be overemphasized how well this novel captures the details, locations, and long history of one of the most beautiful cities in the world. (Feb.)