For fans of Ilona Andrews and Patricia Briggs

Who is this Faith Hunter? Why have I not heard of her? Skinwalker is the prelude to its latest paranormal Fantasy series and can be used without problems with the books by the likes of Ilona Andrews or Patricia Briggs compete. In some respects I think it is even better!

Chasing Crazy Vampire is a dangerous business. But Jane Yellow Rock is fully prepared. From their secret weapon, their abilities as Skinwalker, but few know.
To date Jane had nothing to do with "normal" vampires. That's why it goes with a certain degree of curiosity and caution to New Orleans. The city is hit by an incredibly powerful vampire crazy and the resident vampires are concerned about the cope of public reactions. As the madman begins to kill vampires, it is clear that the problems are far greater than expected.

As Skinwalker in July 09 appeared, I did not get it in favor of other books. After all, there is a lack of time and budget to read every paranormal Fantasy titles and Skinwalker seemed not interesting enough to me to me. What a mistake! From the first sentence to me grabbed the story and not let go of me. I wish more books were so well written and exciting.
The protagonist and her "voice" make up a large part of the appeal. As Kate (Andrews) and Mercy (Briggs) is Jane Yellow Rock competent young woman with heart and mind - to underline the mind please double. Too many paranormal fantasy heroines lack inner strength and healthy common sense. Janes gab is not greater than their skill. Both in occupational and private life knows Jane what she does and what she wants. If they assess a situation wrong or makes a mistake, then never or because it just fits of stupidity of the author into the concept. Violence is not a foreign word for Jane, in Skinwalker come a few thrilling action and fight scenes, but it is a well thought out. Sometimes it also shows a softer side, especially for the children of her best friend Molly. Jane does not look for excuses, if you like a man, but does not need to bolster their self-esteem. Even without promiscuity or steady partner is passionate part of her nature (the dance scene contains more smoldering erotic than some sex scene).
The most fascinating aspect of their personality is their non-humanity, which expresses itself in many ways. Thanks to her Cherokee ancestry Jane is a Skinwalker and can, etc. with the help of animal bones, hides take the form of an animal. You do not know why (much of her past are in the dark), but in addition she shares her body with a second nature - Beast. In human form dominates Janes awareness, in animal form the Berglöwin. No matter in what form they are in, they can communicate with each other, but live together is fraught with tension. Even in human form, affects Beast Janes behavior (pronounced sense of smell, dominance and mating behavior, etc.).
This aspect of her personality is also reflected in the narrative voice and that could cause problems for some readers. The story is told in the first person. It uses the author Jane a voice and a Beast-voice. Both are unusually concise. From the very first sentence I had a clear idea of ​​Jane's character and later I could only recognize Beasts of voice and expression as influenced Jane's consciousness. It's amazing what this does and Hunter for me these distinctive voices are the highlight of the book.
But Skinwalker offers more than just an excellent main character.
The search for the killer turns out unusual enough to even someone who is so oversaturated as I liked. In fact, the plot is so exciting and complicated that I could not put down the book. Until the end I had no idea who the murderer was.
Other Paranormal Fantasy Settings tend to blur into each other - a city is like the other. Not so in Skinwalker. Although I've never been to New Orleans, I could well imagine, because the author fulfilled the setting with so much life the city. From the mansions of the Vampire, on the music and dance vibrant bars and streets, dark alleyways, stuffy and marshes drained lands constitutes New Orleans a perfect backdrop for this story.

Besides Skinwalker there is a short story in the anthology Strange Brew. There I stumbled for the first time on Jane Yellow Rock and I knew immediately that I must have the book necessarily. Blood Cross: A Novel Jane Yellow Rock, the second part of the series, also already is on my wish list.