Love Bites

In this snarky, sexy series opener, St. Aubin (The Summer of Perfect Mistakes) weaves a supernatural suspense tale with the messy beginnings of a love triangle. Desperate for work and at emotional rock bottom following a difficult divorce, Hannalore “Hanna” Harvey parlays her master’s degree in art history into a role as art gallery owner Mark Abernathy’s personal assistant, only to swiftly discover the job is nothing like she expected. Her mysterious, mercurial, and alluring employer proves unpredictable and possibly even dangerous, though Hanna is initially too busy bringing order to his chaotic world to worry. Then one of Abernathy’s many lady friends is murdered and the ruggedly attractive Det. James Morrison takes an interest in both Abernathy and Hanna. Increasingly disturbed by her boss’s enigmatic behavior, not to mention the corpses that continue to pop up in his wake, Hanna must decide whom to trust, especially as she comes to suspect that Abernathy may not even be human. Though she’s torn between Abernathy and Morrison, Hanna remains able to hold her own—and fiercely devoted to her three cats—in the face of increasingly dangerous circumstances. The humor is wacky and the cast is quirky, but the mystery feels grounded. Though a cliffhanger ending frustrates, it’s sure to leave readers eager for more. This is a promising start. (Sept.)