Author: Melissa F. Olson
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Published on: July 25, 2017 by 47North
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Published on: July 25, 2017 by 47North
If there is one city that Scarlett Bernard hates, it’s Las Vegas. But when the cardinal vampire of Los Angeles convinces her to go investigate a new vampire-themed stage show, Scarlett quickly finds herself shoulder-deep in sequins, slot machines, and Old World intrigue.
The show’s creators are vampire celebrities Arthur and Lucy Holmwood, who once inspired characters from the original Dracula. Now, however, they have no qualms about announcing their true status to the human world, endangering the secrecy of the Old World and Scarlett’s mission to keep it hidden.
But before she can begin untangling the Holmwoods’ motives, Scarlett also discovers that their new production has attracted more than just fans: Las Vegas’s many vampires are suddenly disappearing, and rumors are flying that actual vampire hunters may have followed Arthur and Lucy to town.
Now, without her allies, her bargest, or her frequent partner Jesse Cruz, Scarlett must navigate a new underworld of secrets and murders in a city where nothing is ever as it seems. And the stakes have never been higher.
By now, Scarlett Bernard should need no introduction. Blood Gamble is book five in her series, and eight overall in the Old World Chronology. In this book, Scarlett finds herself trying to solve a problem unlike any she’s ever faced before. The timing isn’t great, as Scarlett broke up with her werewolf boyfriend Eli at the end of Midnight Curse. They both realized they had changed so much over the years. Scarlett and Eli were no longer right for each other. The two still remain good friends. And at least, Scarlett has her old roommate Molly (a vampire) back in her life.
The past four books in Scarlett’s series all took place in Los Angeles. Now, the new case brings with it a change of scenery. Dashiell, the cardinal vampire of LA, is the one who tasks Scarlett with looking into an issue. There’s a vampire-related show, Demeter, being performed in Las Vegas. Dashiell wants to make sure it doesn’t expose the Old World. Scarlett is reluctant to go at first, as she really doesn’t like Las Vegas. With a little…encouragement from Dashiell, Scarlett has no choice but to relent. She’ll just be a scout anyway. The case doesn’t appear like it’ll be as big as Scarlett’s previous ones.
Boy, was Scarlett (and I) so wrong. Scarlett arrives in Las Vegas with some acquaintances (as a cover). They all go watch Demeter. The two main stars, both vampires, turn out to be celebrities in the Old World. What Scarlett witnesses leaves her flabbergasted. She informs Dashiell of what she saw and asks what to do next. Scarlett isn’t sure she’s the right person to handle the situation. Unexpectedly, a local vampire shows up with a proposition for Scarlett. Not to mention that a Las Vegas witch is onto Scarlett and wants to know what she’s up to.
The witch and vampire give Scarlett a lot of information about what’s going on. The situation is much bigger than anticipated. Scarlett feels in over her head, with no Shadow (her bargest) or Jesse Cruz (her detective friend) to help. She also doesn't realize how well-known she’s become within the Old World. Scarlett doesn’t think highly of herself or her abilities. The ability to nullify magic may seem tame, but it’s proved really powerful already. Despite that, Scarlett feels like little compared to the likes of Allison Luther. This is one of her biggest struggles in Blood Gamble. Scarlett will have to learn to have better confidence in herself.
What Scarlett never expected is to see a familiar face. It is Jameson, a null she met years ago while she was looking for information about their kind. The strange thing is that Jameson is supposed to work for the cardinal vampire of New York. What Jameson is doing in Las Vegas is not clear. Even worse, he could be on the wrong side. Scarlett doesn’t want to clash with him, of course. They do form an uneasy camaraderie, which seems to be heading a certain way. But even Jameson may not be able to protect Scarlett from what’s coming. The antagonist’s plot is ingenious, though. It’s lucky that Scarlett has become a seasoned investigator. I strongly recommend this new entry in the Old World series.
My rating: ★★★★ 1/2
4.5 stars - A fantastic page-turner!
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