Running Hot: An Arcane Society Novel (Arcane Society Novels)

When Grace Renquist is sent on assignment for Jones & Jones, it's supposed to be a simple in and out mission. Go to Maui, identify a suspect by his aura, and go home. Even so, Luther Malone, Waikiki bartender and J&J agent, is sent along as a bodyguard, just in case. Suddenly Maui is teeming with high-level Nightshade operatives, not to mention two different contract killers, in a plot that leads all the way to the Governing Council of the Arcane Society.

I just loved this book! Grace is such a different type of heroine, and she and Luther have both been damaged in different ways. They come together fast (and hot), but the sense of emotional connection is there from the beginning. It's clear they're perfect for each other and that Luther has no intention of letting her go now that he's found her. I found myself sniffling a bit as Grace realized she'd found a home with Luther and his band of fellow survivors -- and when we finally learn the truth about Arizona Snow (from Eclipse Bay).

This one's a thrill-ride. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough.

First, I have been a Jayne Ann Krentz fan for years, all the way back to the Stephanie James pen-name. Many of the early books are "keepers." However, Ms. Krentz has taken the Arcane Society series about as far as it can go. The characters and plotting have become weaker with each new book. She does give both protagonists emotional baggage, but nothing that supposedly great sex can't cure the first time experienced together. I did not feel any emotional connection with either Grace Renquist or Luther Malone. The antagonist, La Sirene, who can kill with her voice, is not developed sufficiently for the reader to understand her motivation--why would she feel such obligation to father and sister she's known only a year, when she is portrayed as totally self-absorbed??? The plot is generic. The whole "secret society, conspiracy theory" genre has been overdone in the past few years.

I do get the feeling that a sequel or two is being set up--Fallon Jones and the surviving sister (who turns on her father and sister's legacy to identify Nightshade members of the Arcane Society) may get their own book(s). They might be an interesting pairing. Unless the sequel brings back strong, well-delineated characters with realistic problems and solutions, it's time to wind up the series.

Krentz has woven an intricate plot around two battered and bruised Arcane Society members. Grace Renquist, a librarian with a past, and Luther Malone, an ex-cop, join forces for a routine assignment from J&J. Routine becomes the opposite as they stumble onto Nightshade. There are many different plot lines, even a mention of a character from the Eclipse Bay series, that come together almost flawlessly for a dramatic ending.

REVIEWER'S OPINION:
I had a tough time deciding between 4 and 5 stars, but somehow I ended up with 4, which fits my definition of "really liked it." The author is using a standard formula, but it works well and is entertaining. There were many lines that had me chuckling. The two main characters are neat. I liked their back stories and their developing interactions. I also enjoyed the author's video clip about the book on her website: krentz-quick dot com.

STORY BRIEF:
This is author's 5th book about the Arcane Society, humans with psychic abilities, called sensitives. Grace and Luther can read other peoples' auras. They each have an additional ability. Grace can see more detail about the person's personal life and past activities than Luther can. Luther has a hypnotizing effect. He can use his powers to calm down the other person, put them to sleep, or make them want to talk or do something. Grace and Luther work for the Jones & Jones agency. The agency wants Grace to go to Maui to look at the aura of someone suspected of killing three women. This is her first field assignment. Her past work for the agency has been as a research librarian. Luther is assigned to act as her bodyguard. While in Maui, they discover several high-level sensitives, who've enhanced their talents with an illegal drug and are criminally dangerous.

DATA:
Story length: 337 pages. Sexual language: mild. Number of sex scenes: 4. Total number of sex scene pages: 11. Setting: current day Caribbean island, Hawaii and southern California. Copyright: 2008. Genre: romantic suspense with a psychic twist.

OTHER BOOKS REVIEWED:
For a list of my reviews of other books by this author, see my 4 star review of "Sizzle and Burn" posted 2/09/08.

BOOKS IN THE ARCANE SOCIETY SERIES:

By Amanda Quick, set in Late-Victorian England:
Not read by me.
Second Sight (Book 1)
The Third Circle (Book 4)
The Perfect Poison (Book 6)

By Jayne Ann Krentz, set in current day U.S.:
I have read all three of these, my ratings and review dates follow.
White Lies (Book 2) 3 stars. 2/09/08.
Sizzle and Burn (Book 3) 4 stars. 2/09/08.
Running Hot (Book 5) 4.5 stars. 1/06/09.

Jayne Ann Krentz can take very little and make a great tale out of it, and that is what she has done with her Arcane Society Novels. I must admit that the paranormal is a favorite read and she is one of the best when it comes to romance. That said, I did enjoy this book better than the last one. Anything written by her is on my must have list. The heat between her couples is electric and yet she handles it in a mature and romantic way.

The heat between Luther Malone and Grace Renquist is wonderful and I can only wish to meet someone and find the response that they have to each other. Both belong to the society and are recruited to check out a man suspected of murdering the daughter of another couple who are members of the society. Both can read auras and both are well above 10 on the Jones index. A scale that measures psychic energy.

Luther is a former cop. He now lives in Hawaii and works as a bartender when not working for Jones and Jones, the agency that oversees the Society. He was shot on his last job and walks with a cane. Not only can he see auras he can manipulate them.

Grace has secrets of her own, she now works as a librarian in the Society researching psychic powers and the people who have them as well as where they inherited them from. She is keeping a low profile because her former employer got involved with Nightshade and tried to murder her. Only her ability saved her from being murdered.

The job is supposed to be a quick peek and run back to headquarters. However, they stumble onto a meeting of the top members of Nightshade, the nemesis of the Society. Wherever Nightshade goes it stirs conflict and infighting. They are quickly caught up in a maelstrom of violence and assorted schemes.

I found it very entertaining and an enjoyable read. The romance is hot and the story involved. In other words a story as only Jayne Krentz can write them. Worth the money and the time, I encourage you to get this one.