Retro Review: Derik's Bane

This review of Derik's Bane by MaryJanice Davidson was first published at The Romance Reader in 2005.  Back then I rated it 2-Hearts (D grade) with a MPAA sensuality rating of R.

+++++

Derik Gardner is a werewolf with a problem – turns out he’s Alpha. Derik’s pack already has an Alpha, his best friend, and two Alphas in one pack is not a good thing. So not wanting to usurp his best friend’s rule, he’s pretty much decided to hit the road. Then a mission comes along that hastens his departure.

Dr. Sara Gunn happens to be the reincarnation of Morgan Le Fay, King Arthur’s dreaded half-sister. Another werewolf tells Derik that Sara (who doesn’t realize that she’s Morgan) will destroy the world if he doesn’t “take care of her.” So Derik hops in a convertible and hits the road for sunny California.

Sara is not having a good day. Her car bites the dust, some robed weirdoes show up at her hospital and try to kill her, and now there’s a werewolf standing in her kitchen who half-heartedly tries to strangle her. Derik naturally cannot kill Sara – not only is she cute, but she’s just too ditzy to be an evil sorceress. So the two decide to hit the road to change her fate and save the world from the robed weirdoes.

Derik’s Bane is book 3 in Davidson’s Wyndham Werewolf series – the first two stories being entries in Secrets anthologies from Red Sage Publishing. While previous characters do make appearances, Davidson doesn’t clutter up this tale with too much back-story. Newcomers will have no problem keeping up.

Unfortunately, enjoyment of Derik’s Bane hinges solely on how well the reader likes quirky. This book is so full of quirky that by the halfway point I had spots dancing before my eyes. Sara, Derik and every other character speak constant wisecrack. In fact, there are so many one-liners, pop culture references, and foul-mouthed asides that it is safe to say there isn’t one meaningful conversation in this entire book. It’s okay and a little fun for the first 100 pages, but by page 300 it strains the seams of credulity.

Somewhere in the middle of all the smart-ass dialogue, the romance gets lost – as in there just plain isn’t one to speak of. Oh sure, Sara and Derik end up together but their courtship leaves a lot to be desired. In fact, one gets the feeling that besides the great sex they have (and really, there’s only one scene where the sex is “great,” the other two instances are rather pathetic) what they really like is the adventure they are on.

Ultimately, this is a very silly book. Silly can be good when it’s done right, and for the first 100 or so pages it’s done right here. But somewhere around the time that Derik tries to kill Sara and she hurls insults and a jar of Noxema his way it started to quickly lose charm. Who defends themselves against an attacker by throwing DVD cases, Noxema and an empty box of chocolates them? Why not grab a butcher knife from the kitchen or run down your residential street screaming at the top of your lungs? But that’s neither here nor there.

Davidson certainly has a very distinctive voice, one that will divide readers. Either you’ll love this book or strongly dislike it – there’s not a whole lot of room for middle ground here. Readers looking for fluff or enjoy silly for silly’s sake will find a lot to like here. It’s not that this book isn’t humorous, there is just absolutely nothing serious tossed in to add dimension and diversity.

+++++

Wendy Looks Back: This would be the point in my romance reading life where I discovered that a little wacky goes a long way for me.

Retro Review:Wicked Women Whodunit

This review of Wicked Women Whodunit by MaryJanice Davidson, Amy Garvey, Jennifer Apodaca & Nancy J. Cohen was first published at The Romance Reader in 2005.  I rated it 4-Hearts (B range) with a MPAA content rating of "NC-17."

+++++

Like many readers, I enjoy anthologies because it’s a great way to sample several authors without investing a ton of time and money. Like many readers, I also dislike anthologies because they can be wildly uneven. For every good story, there tends to be one or two duds in the batch. Not the case with Brava’s first foray into mystery fiction! Every story is a solid read featuring eccentric characters, amusing hijinks, murder and mayhem, with a little hot sex tossed in for good measure.

Hot author of the moment, MaryJanice Davidson gets things rolling with “Ten Little Idiots.” Nurse and aspiring writer, Caro Swenson, was supposed to be at the mansion on an island off the coast of Maine enjoying her vacation. Instead, another guest comes out of her room, brandishing a bloody candlestick, claiming she killed someone in the dining room. The question is, who’s dead? It’s up to Caro and the other guests to get to the bottom of things.

Davidson’s wacky and zany writing style can be a little hard to swallow in a full-length novel, but in a shorter format it makes for a fun and fast read. Caro is a likable heroine, and the characters around her, including the hunky handyman, make for several amusing exchanges. “Ten Little Idiots” is Agatha Christie on acid; talk about a good trip!

Newcomer Amy Garvey’s “Single White Dead Guy” is the sole reason this collection garnered an NC-17 sensuality reading. Not only is the story a lot of fun, it boasts some smoking hot sex scenes.  Lanie Burke is suffering from a case of bad karma; so she decides to borrow a friend’s cabin in upstate New York for the weekend and get away from it all. However, thanks to a blinding blizzard, she finds herself in a local bar asking directions. There she meets hunky construction contractor Will DeMaio. One thing leads to another, and soon these two are burning up the sheets. Too bad a dead body shows up the morning after and ruins the afterglow.

Garvey writes clean and crisp, and the plot blazes along at a fast pace. Lanie is a likable gal, and Will is suitably hunky. Garvey has a full-length mystery due out this Spring 2005, and I’m anxious to see if she can repeat the magic at a longer page count.

Mystery author, Jennifer Apodaca races in next with “Fast Boys.” Tess Collins has a huge crush on bad boy NASCAR driver, Ark Underwood. She’s at the races for the weekend with her current beau, only to realize the tabloid journalist is using her to get the dirt on Ark. When a dead body turns up in Ark’s hotel room, Tess feels responsible and decides to do a little undercover work of her own.

Tess is sweet girl who’s been looking for love in all the wrong places. She’s also had a crush on Ark since he rescued her from an ocean riptide when she was a child. Her crush maybe a little unhealthy in a grown woman, and as a therapist she realizes that. But then she and Ark are thrown together, and she soon learns the real thing is a whole lot better than the fantasy.

Another mystery author, Nancy J. Cohen, rounds out the collection with “Three Men and a Body.” Heather Payne has agreed to compete in a reality show, grand prize being a bed-and-breakfast in Winter Park, Florida. However, no sooner are she and her contestants in residence than a dead body turns up and mysterious accidents are happening. Will Heather and hunky carpenter, Rex Gerard, be able to get to the bottom of things before the final curtain lands on them?

With the reality show backdrop, there are plenty of suspects and backstabbing to go around. Rex is a charming Alpha flirt, and Heather is a genuinely nice person who wants everyone to succeed – even if she wants the grand prize for herself.

All of these stories are quick and fun, making the mysteries very light. Brain-bending mysteries are a daunting task when faced with a short page count, and all the authors make the wise decision to include a healthy dollop of humor to keep the reader engaged and turning the pages. “Wicked” Women Whodunit certainly isn’t high art, but it’s a quick breezy read and a great collection to unwind with. Brava’s debut turn at mystery fiction will certainly make readers curious for more.

+++++

Wendy Looks Back: I remember this being a Chocolate Chip Cookie Read.  That is to say, it was fun, I enjoyed it while I was reading it, but it didn't change my life.  There was a brief moment in time when Brava was experimenting with what I would call "sexy, fun romantic suspense" and this anthology may have been the launch for that particular concept (can't recall for certain now).  Total brain candy, what I would classify as a "beach read."

(I like my beach reads two ways - either totally fluffy or lots of gruesome dead bodies).