Don’t Kill the Messenger
Messenger, Book #1
By Eileen Rendahl
ISBN# 9780425232569
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi
*Beware of possible Spoilers*
Melina Markowitz isn’t all that she appears. She has experienced death and came out the other side, or has come back to this side? She drowned in the family pool when she was three and when she was brought back to life she had some added abilities. She could see, hear, and sense things that nobody else could; paranormal things. In fact, she is a Messenger, someone tasked with delivering things between the different sects of the supernatural, ones that don’t always get along and need someone to run between them to keep fights from breaking out.
But when she agrees to make a delivery for the vampire E.R. doctor she works with at her night job, Alex, she never expects to be attacked by ninjas and have the package lifted from her. It sends her on a mission to find out more about those that attacked her and what they want and puts her right in the middle of a war for Sacramento’s drug trade. It will take every resource Melina has and the help of her friends, if she’s to get out of this alive.
I’ll admit I wasn’t too optimistic about this book after reading the synopsis. It left me a little lost and confused, making me wonder what it was that I just read with all its mentions of ninjas, Chinese vampires, and Taoist Priests. But please don’t let the synopsis deter you from reading this book because the author writes this tale beautifully and in a way that you won’t be confused for even a moment! And, it’s a great start to a new and interesting series!
I absolutely loved the men in this book. We start with Alex. He is a sexy vampire that works as a doctor in the E.R., a place that he can conveniently get his blood needs met. Sexy and smart! And, he’s always handy to flirt with Melina or be there to lend a hand when she needs one. And, he’s always ready with some sarcastic or witty comment! He is too funny not to love.
“Alex snorted as he packed the wound with sticky rice.
“Is that stuff sterile?” Ted asked, staring at Alex.
“They boil it, don’t they?” Alex said, not looking up from what he was doing.
Ted’s frown deepened. “That doesn’t seem like enough.”
“Trust me.” Alex looked up now and smiled a little. His voice altered just a little bit, not enough to be a full command voice, but enough to be way more persuasive than any normal person’s voice. “It’s an old wives’ tale, but it works every time.”
Then, there is surfer boy made cop, Ted. YUM-MY! I adored Ted in this book and was really routing for a HEA (Happily Ever After) between him and Melina. You will have to read to find out if I got my wish though! But I loved this sweet protective guy. Both he and Alex had me cracking up with things they would say, especially when you put the two boys together! Granted, most of Ted’s humor I think was by accident on his part, but it works.
“They were Chinese vampires. They were discovered during renovation work at the Bok Kai Temple in Old Sacramento. One of the priests there told his brother about them. The brother’s whatever the Chinese version of mobbed up is. Alex here thinks he’s using them to distract the Norteños and the Black Dragons long enough to take over the marijuana trade in Sacramento using the stuff they’re making in a bunch of grow houses in Elk Grove.”
Ted stared at me. “And will the Chinese vampires be joined by legions of Korean werewolves who have been cooking meth in trailer parks in Truckee?
“No. The werewolves are refusing to get involved. Trust me, I’ve tried to talk them into helping. They’ll have nothing to do with it.”
I even liked werewolf Paul, even if he wasn’t in the story a lot. What I did see of him, I thoroughly enjoyed and can definitely see that he is going to be a big part of this series!
Heck, even the dirty-minded, well-hung, fertility god, Kokopelli, brought a smile to my face. Again, he didn’t have a big role in this book, but he did add a lot of fun to the story. And, I loved the ‘double-glove’ comment Alex made at the end of the book courtesy of the deity’s presence.
I really liked Melina as well. She was a fun kick-butt heroine that is easy to understand and like. But she isn’t perfect and has room to grow. I’m curious to see her move into the leadership role that I think she is headed for with Sophie.
I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read more of this series! This is a good story for those that are bored with the same ole same ole content in the paranormal genre as I have never read anything like it and it’s definitely a lot of fun! The humor is perfectly blended in with the action and suspense and oh yeah the hot sexy men that are giving me an admired respect for the author, Eileen Rendahl. So what are you waiting for? Go give this book a read, you won’t regret it!
