good
Hell & High Water by Charlie CochetMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I've heard nothing but good things about this one and I had to read it because an SF version of shifters plus a mystery, some of my very favorite things. Loved it. Dex Daley is a whole lot of fun, sort of the guy I'd love to sit down with a beer and listen to his 80s music.
Dex has been having a tough time when the novel opens. He turned in his homicide detective partner in for killing a Therian youth and naturally the rest of the force has turned against him. Back in the Viet Nam era the Therians were spawned, they are shifters and naturally face a lot of prejudice. Dex doesn't share them having a Therian brother, Cael who is on the THIRDS, a law enforcement group that is made up of Therians and humans trying to bridge that gap.
Dex finds himself being beaten up by former coworkers, dumped by his boyfriend who can't handle the spotlight and basically forced out of his job. However the consolation is a promotion to the Thirds and a chance to work with his adoptive father and brother. The downside is he'll be the partner to the team leader, Sloane who has spent the last year running off all potential partners. Sloane has lost his partner in every sense of the word, Gabe, and is not ready for a replacement.
And Dex is no exception. Sloane rides him hard, backed by his best friend on the team, the lion shifter, Ash who definitely got off on the wrong foot with Dex. Dex quickly finds himself in a deadly case where people are being murdered by a Therian and there are no clues.
Dex does his best to break through Sloane's shell but on the other hand there is Isaac, a former coworker and Gabe's brother, telling Dex Sloane has dark dangerous secrets. That doesn't really stop Dex. He slowly works his way past Sloane's defenses and into his heart (and into the hearts of the team).
All of the characters in this are really good, not just Dex and Sloane. The mystery is good too. Really had a lot of fun with this and am looking forward to more.
