Hard Spell by Justin Gustainis and Giveaway!

Title:  Hard Spell

Author:  Justin Gustainis

Genre:  Urban Fantasy/Detective

Publisher:  Angry Robot  

Publication Date:  26th July 2011 

ISBN:  978 0 857661142

Stand alone or series:  Series 

Book Received from:  Author/Publisher (Proof Copy)

First Lines:  This is the city - Scranton, Pennsylvania.  It used to be a coal town, back in the days when anthracite was king. 

Synopsis:
Stan Markowski is a Detective Sergeant on the Scranton PD's Supernatural Crimes Investigation Unit.
Like the rest of America, Scranton's got an uneasy 'live and let unlive' relationship with the supernatural. But when a vamp puts the bite on an unwilling victim, or some witch casts the wrong kind of spell, that's when they call Markowski. He carries a badge. Also, a crucifix, some wooden stakes, a big vial of holy water, and a 9mm Beretta loaded with silver bullets.

My Thoughts:
Hard Spell is one of those books that grabs your attention from the beginning.  Once I began reading I knew straight away I was going to like the main character Stan Markowski.

The supernatural beings in Hard Spell are back to the traditional type; Vampires turning into bats etc.  I haven't come across many books that go back to those types.  It's more the glittery type vampires you can fall in love with, than the scary watch-your-back type and it's good to go back to these.

Markowski is definitely a one of a kind character.  He's a no B/S kind of detective whose witty remarks between him and his partner had me constantly reading them out loud to my other half.

The storyline is definitely your hardcore detective type that will keep you guessing until the end.  There were so many twists in this I hadn't seen coming, as well as a few that I did but it was an engaging story that I loved from beginning to end!  I also loved how despite the funny comments throughout, the crime scenes they attend are in your face kind of gruesome and it rung true for the story and the characters.

A definite recommended read for those of you that like your paranormal/detective type stories laced with humour throughout! 

Fave Lines:  There are so many. Okay here's one. ' Unless he did a Dracula and killed everybody aboard.... But that solution presented problems of its own - like who was going to run the boat come sunrise.

Now for the Giveaway!!

I have one finished copy of Hard Spell to give away!  That's right!  

Giveaway Rules

INTERNATIONAL

Closes 11:59pm 30th August 2011

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