cover image Shadow’s Blade

Shadow’s Blade

David B. Coe. Baen, $26 (320p) ISBN 978-1-4767-8125-9

Coe’s gripping third Case Files of Justis Fearsson urban fantasy (after His Father’s Eyes) keeps the action moving and showcases Fearsson’s professional progress and emotional growth. A magical war is heating up in modern-day Phoenix, Ariz., with PI Fearsson once again caught in the middle. He’s been asked to save a fellow magic-controlling weremyste and her children, who are wanted by dark forces—and the police. With his freedom, life, and romantic relationship on the line, Fearsson must harness his powers as never before in another strong combination of detection and spell-slinging. His dabbling in blood magic, considered evil, fits nicely in this gray world, and the addition of a vampire that consumes magic is a great touch. Coe balances wit and drama, gives his female characters plenty of agency, and even throws in a bit of The Maltese Falcon via a powerful object everyone desires. This noir-tinged urban fantasy with real-feeling magic and multiple moral quandaries is highly recommended. (May)