The Shadow Guard

Whiteside (The Devil She Knows) offers a contemporary sleuthing tale that packs a solid punch of sizzling, magic-fueled eroticism. Astrid Carlsen, an FBI interpreter and a sorceress of the secretive and rules-bound Shadow Guard, hears the distant psychic scream of a woman being murdered by magic and feels compelled to investigate. Her longtime online gaming buddy Jake Hammond is the policeman assigned to the case, and once they meet in person, she realizes he's a kubri, able to recharge her magical energies with sex. They become an investigative team whose sparks in the bedroom create power strong enough to let them find and take on the perpetrators in both the mundane and arcane worlds. The mix of sex, magic, and action flows smoothly for a deliciously enjoyable read. (Apr.)