Madman’s Monster wastes no time throwing the reader into the fray. The second book in The Hidden Amongst Us series, it picks up several years later and in a totally different world. Fans of the first book will recognize the hero and the breakneck pace at which the action moves with just enough detail to make it visceral. This is a fast read that keeps the reader guessing with twists that no one could have seen coming.
What opens like a horror movie–mad scientist, Frankenstein and all–comes back to a place much closer to reality very quickly. And that is where we run back into Steve Jacobs, (hero of Book 1: Blood Harvest) light years away from his past as an officer with the LAPD. He is now fully a part of the underground vampire population and practicing as a P.I. in Las Vegas with his long time love and partner Lei, who matches him beat for beat mentally, emotionally and even physically. The action kicks off (literally) right away as the head of the Russian clan comes for a very unwelcome visit.
He is not just stopping by. The mysterious Mr. Lagos has a job for the Americans that delves deep into Russian history (a living Romanov heir) and the primitive vampire tribes who inhabit Siberia. Initially cynical and not easily persuaded to take the leap across the world into dangerous territory physically and politically, Mr. Lagos shows Jacobs one photo that changes everything. Suddenly Steve and Lei are given the chance to settle an epic score as well as protect their kind. The assignment comes with all kinds of grave risk and on their first day out, they end up recruiting a high ranking officer in the Marines who also has a personal stake in finding the person they are now chasing all the way to the jungles of Thailand.
Though there are casualties, most of their goals are ultimately met. When the dust clears, many questions are answered but nothing is settled. Then with one last shocking betrayal, it all goes sideways and lives are left in the balance. A new ancient duo emerges and sets out to finish this rivalry once and for all. The next volume in this series is set up perfectly and cannot come fast enough after this wild ride ends unsettled.
Reviewed by Kat Toland for IndieReader