Angel Killer by Andrew Mayne

Hi, readers! Today I'm a stop on the TLC book tour for Andrew Mayne's Angel Killer.

A criminal who calls himself Warlock has hacked the FBI leaving behind a coded message that takes cryptanalysts seven days to decipher. The message leads authorities to a graveyard in Michigan and a disturbing discovery: the body of a girl who appears to have died clawing her way out of a grave. As if that weren't startling enough, the body appears to be that of a girl who was murdered some time ago. And yet she seems to have died just hours before being discovered. 

Jessica Blackwood, a forensic accountant, has no crime scene or homicide experience, but her background as a magician lands her a spot on the team investigating the crime. Her particular talent and training in illusion and misdirection could be exactly what they need to unravel the mystery of Warlock. But will it be enough or will Warlock prove to be smarter than the best the FBI has to offer?

This is a cool concept for a series and series lead! I don't think I've ever come across a magician investigator. Yes, in paranormal mysteries there've been wizards and witches, but I'm pretty sure that Andrew Mayne's Jessica Blackwood is a first. It's certainly the first I've seen, anyway!

I was a tad apprehensive with Angel Killer. With a twist like this I was afraid that the character and her background might overshadow the overall plot but that actually wasn't the case at all. Mayne struck a great balance between the "magic" theme, Jessica's background (which is nicely woven into the story), and the mystery.

And the mystery! Holy moly! I dare anyone to pick up this book and not be immediately sucked in. A body posed as though it's climbing out of a grave. And that's Warlock just getting started. Angel Killer is a dark one, but you know how much I like those!

To see more stops on the tour be sure to check out the official TLC tour page here.

For more on Andrew Mayne you can visit his website here. You can also like him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter.