The Raven

Author: Make Nappa

Series: Coffey and Hill #2

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: September 13, 2016

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

Trudi Coffey and Samuel Hill are back with another case even more peculiar than their last! Who is The Raven and what is Nevermore?

The Raven, a deception specialist as he likes to call himself, has made his home in Atlanta and works the streets wowing crowds with his tricks. If he happens to pick a pocket or two along the way to help him make ends meet, that is something he is willing to live with.  That is, until he winds up with the wallet of a city councilman.  He doesn’t find the large sum of money he is hoping for; instead he finds photos of the councilman and his “personal assistants” in compromising positions.  The Raven intends to blackmail him for his biggest score yet, unfortunately the councilman’s ties with the Ukrainian Mafia get in his way and he is quickly in over his head as he learns of a life-threatening plot code-named, “Nevermore.”  All this inadvertently puts him in the path of Trudi Coffey whom he instantly falls for.  Trudi and her ex-husband Samuel work together to sort out the clues to this new puzzle and try to figure out their feelings for each other.  Together, they work to rescue The Raven and save the lives of countless others about to be affected by Nevermore.

Mike Nappa has found a unique blend of mystery and intrigue with the Coffey and Hill series. With this second book in the series, I wasn’t sure if it would pick up where Annabel Lee left off or not.  A few characters from the first are mentioned but for the most part this is all about the next case for Coffey and Hill, Nevermore and The Raven.  Nappa has crafted a way for you to find sympathy for the so-called bad guy as well as the other characters.  It took me very little time to get into this story and once I was in was no putting it down.  There were twists throughout and a nice ending that kept things rolling and open for the next in the series.  Several of the characters were what kept the story going.  One such character is Mama Bliss who is the kind of character that is a force to be reckoned with.  It was a satisfying ending with how everything played out, one I was happy with.  I encourage mystery lovers to seek out Mike Nappa and the Coffey and Hill series, they won’t be disappointed!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Baker Publishing Group in exchange for an honest and thorough review. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.