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No Good Deed (Kelly & Umber #1)

by Bill Blais (Goodreads Author)

3.52 of 5 stars 3.52 · rating details · 25 ratings · 13 reviews

Kelly McGinnis has spent her adult life trying to do the right thing, but as a newly down-sized mother of twins and the wife of a man living with Multiple Sclerosis, she also knows that trying isn't always enough.

While interrupting a scene of police brutality, Kelly unwittingly releases a real, live demon. After she manages to kill the creature through gut instinct and bli...more

Kindle Edition, Kindle 1.0 edition, 350 pages

Published March 9th 2012 by Bill Blais

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Jul 19, 2012 Autum Bredmose rated it 2 of 5 stars

What I liked about this book:
I really liked that the book had good pacing. It moves along very well. I like Kelly's go getter attitude. She doesn’t take crap from anyone at her job. She says what she is thinking and is a better character for it.

What I didn't like about this book:

Her family:

All the interactions between Kelly and her family seem completely fake. Everyone is all cheery and happy go-lucky all the time. It's like no family I have ever met. Her kids are angels, her husband is in a goo...more

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Jul 15, 2012 Laurie Jenkins rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: action, aliens, demons, fantasy, fiction, kindle, nor, read-in-2012, science-fiction, urban-fantasy

Accidentally witnessing something she never should have seen, Kelly is approached a few days later and offered a dangerous job along and enough money to help her family through their current financial problems. However, as she begins training and learns more about the monsters she has been hired to kill, Kelly must try to make sense of conflicting information.

A very fast, entertaining read, this book was a page-turner for me. Kelly is funny, smart and tenacious. The relationship she has with her...more

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Jun 06, 2012 Fangs for the Fantasy rated it 1 of 5 stars

Kelly McGinnis was the typical suburban mother of two with a husband with Muscular Sclerosis. On the same day that she was laid off from her job as an administrative assistant, Kelly discovered the existence of demons when interrupts what she initially believes is a case of police abuse. It turns out the man who had claimed to be an officer was actually a member of a hyper secret demon hunting group. When Denis, the leader of the group offers her a job, she is doubtful at first but with mounting...more Kelly McGinnis was the typical suburban mother of two with a husband with Muscular Sclerosis. On the same day that she was laid off from her job as an administrative assistant, Kelly discovered the existence of demons when interrupts what she initially believes is a case of police abuse. It turns out the man who had claimed to be an officer was actually a member of a hyper secret demon hunting group. When Denis, the leader of the group offers her a job, she is doubtful at first but with mounting medical bills and uncertainty in the job market, Kelly decides to give demon hunting a try.

The discovery of demons it turns out is only the beginning of Kelly's revelations. To even begin to conceptualize how the world is ordered, she must begin to consider outside of her previous narrow Euro-centric point of view. What if the hell of Dantes Inferno exists along with several other versions? What does one do with absolute evidence of evil but no proof of divine good? If there is no evidence of a divine good then who do we define what is bad. Kelly is forced from her modernist way of thinking to consider that perhaps the world really is both/and rather than either/or.

Having a husband with a disability makes medical coverage and absolute necessity for the McGinnis family and so when she is told that the group which she has joined is doing harm rather than good and that demons are not necessarily evil but acting out their nature, Kelly must weigh the needs of her family against doing the moral good.

There are a lot of large questions explored in No Good Deeds but if you have already taken a first year humanities course then you have covered all of this already. Though Kelly was new to the concepts and questions raised, much of the time, the conflict was presented in such dry prose, I wondered whether or I was reading a boring college text or a fantasy novel for entertainment. The moments with her family were meant to add a lighter side to the story but they were so cloyingly sweet that it was impossible to see their interactions as normal. Everyone in Kelly's life seems to live to support her. Her sister is practically at her beck and call for her babysitting requirements and this is justified by Jen repeatedly saying that she has no life. Kelly's interaction with Shawn, her husband, is just as ridiculous in its perfection. A supportive partner is one thing but anyone in a relationship for any length of time is aware that there are moments of irritation and even small inside jokes between partners. None of this occurred in the book and instead we were treated to night after night on the bus cuddling over ice cream, while Kelly angsted about lying to Shawn about her new job.

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May 16, 2012 Naiya rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

An urban fantasy with soul.

Kelly McGinnis is happily married to a man she adores and a devoted mother of two active eight-year-olds. But her family's future is uncertain--not only has she just lost her job, but Kelly is also struggling to deal with the reality of her husband's declining health, and, of course, the inevitable medical bills.

Then, one day, an accidental brush with the paranormal leads to Kelly standing over a body of one very dead demon hunter and an equally dead demon. Then she re...more

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Jul 31, 2012 Cheryl rated it 4 of 5 stars

Let’s start at the end and go to the beginning. Yes, that’s what this book does and it’s intriguing. It captured my interest right away and throughout the whole story.

An ordinary family with an extraordinary mother — she fights monsters! If you’re a bored mommy, or generally any woman who feels like you’re missing some excitement in your life, follow the adventures of Kelly.

Kelly is a recently laid-off housewife with two young school-age twins and a husband disabled by multiple sclerosis. Like m...more

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Apr 20, 2012 OpenBookSociety.com rated it 4 of 5 stars

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Annabell Cadiz

Recently, I have been stuck in a slew of books that have not lived up to the potential promised by the intriguing and crafted blurbs attached to them. Thankfully, there have been a few times I have been freed from the utter boredom so many of these books have caused but not by many. Enter No Good Deed, which truth be told I jumped into reading with reluctance and not expecting much. I mean a mother fighting demons, not exactly a concept we’re (as in u...more Brought to you by OBS reviewer Annabell Cadiz

Recently, I have been stuck in a slew of books that have not lived up to the potential promised by the intriguing and crafted blurbs attached to them. Thankfully, there have been a few times I have been freed from the utter boredom so many of these books have caused but not by many. Enter No Good Deed, which truth be told I jumped into reading with reluctance and not expecting much. I mean a mother fighting demons, not exactly a concept we’re (as in us readers) are used to seeing playing the starring role in a supernatural fantasy. I quickly discovered my all too judgmental attitude was way more wrong than it bargained for! No Good Deed completely surprised me in the best way.

Kelly is a wife and a mother, and until recently, she was a gainfully employed wife and mother. Enter an alleyway with a buffed up man holding onto a fragile old man while holding a gun to his head and Kelly’s oh-so-normal-world flips over into the utterly bizarre. Turns out the guy with the gun was a trained assassin and the old man, well, let’s just say he isn’t as fragile as he looks. Kelly barely manages to escape the entire confrontation with her life and limbs still intact but that one little encounter brings in Denis Larocque, a well put together Frenchman who leads a team of demon hunters. Throw in a pouch of ten thousand dollars and a job offer and it seems Kelly’s oh-so-normal world just went straight to hell—literally.

Kelly has become one of my new favorite heroines! She isn’t the anorexic-perfect features-can-kick-butt-without-any-real-training type of heroine. No, Kelly is a size fourteen with sarcastic mouth and tougher than steel attitude. She’s got the fierceness of a mother and the strength of a woman who has endured a lot but hasn’t been beaten down by it. Kelly isn’t one to complain, she sees a problem and she finds a way to solve it, come hell or high water. That’s one of the things I really liked about her. She makes her decisions based on heart and gut instinct. She will do anything to protect her family and provide for them (anything that isn’t illegal that is). Kelly isn’t living a life to impress anyone, she just wants to make sure her family is provided for and safe. She doesn’t worry so much about the approval of others as she does about doing what is right.

Denis Larocque is sophisticated, honest, and oozes both money and power. He is kind when he needs to be and protective of his team. He’s still a bit mysterious though since not much of his backstory was shown in the book so I’m looking forward to learning more about his character as the series progresses. Suni is a member of Larocque’s team and has both the skills and attitude to prove if you mess with her you won’t live long enough to regret it. For the most part I did like Suni’s character and I could understand the chip on her shoulder she carried, but at times I really wanted her to drop the ‘tude and move pass the anger.

Sofia is another member of the team and one who still as much of a mystery as Denis, if not more. She’s Denis’s second in command and could kill you with a look. Rachel is quiet, intelligent, and more than a bit odd. She helps on the magical side of things and always seemed to be out of it (in a funny-sort-of-creepy-kind-of-way). Marianne is the bubbly member who oozes positivity and charm. I liked her. She was cute and sweet. Paul is the other member who handles the magical side of things, a nerd through and through with a charm all his own and very wise. Gerard is huge, Hulk-like strong, and kind. He doesn’t say much but he’s way smarter than people give him credit for. Then last but not least, there’s Mario. He’s young, well-trained, and playful. He’s the technology wiz and the combat expert. Did I mention he’s also too good looking for his own good? *wink*

There are also a slew of secondary characters. Kelly’s kids, husband, little sister, brothers and mother also make appearances. I liked the fact that Kelly’s family came in and out of the story often, showing how hard it is for Kelly to balance a normal family life with a totally insane job. Her bond with her family is unyielding and the heart of what drives the story. The action scenes were some of the best parts of the book, especially toward the end when Umber comes in. Umber is an Incubus with some very tempting and very dangerous powers. One touch from him and you’ll be transported into your most desired fantasies, but there’s a catch, your soul goes up for sell the moment you let him touch you. Umber didn’t come in toward close to the end so he didn’t get a lot of scenes but definitely a character you will not forget.

There are only a few problems I had with the book. Most are slight little problems except for one. The biggest problem of the book was the overwhelming details of Kelly’s everyday life. There were many scenes that could have been left out and the book still would have worked because the scenes dragged out the pacing of the story. I understood the need to see Kelly’s world with her family and didn’t mind it the beginning and for the first half of the novel, but then I needed it to stop being thrown in as much as it was. There’s also a lot of telling instead of showing within Kelly’s narration throughout the book which also dragged out the pacing. Kelly explained too much every little detail of what she was doing or thinking and I tired of it. There’s also a good amount of repetition. Not so much that you get beyond annoyed with it but enough that it starts to be noticeable (or maybe that’s just me??) and frustrating.

Overall, No Good Deed was a nice little surprise of a read. I jumped right in and enjoyed the ride. Kelly proves that being ordinary is the best kind of hero and I am certainly looking forward to seeing more of Umber!

Bravo to author Bill Blais!

He has earned himself a new stalker . . . I mean fan *wink*

Rating: 4/5stars (less)

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May 20, 2012 Jen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 4-lll-reviews, ebooks-i-own, x-read-in-2012, pnr

What can I say? Kelly is awesome!! She is so me!! I think we can all relate to Kelly in one way or another.. she's an over weight, middle aged soccer mom of twin 8 year olds..I have one 8 year old and he's enough (plus my other kids?? HA!) And her husband is sick with MS - that's one scary disease. and I' know from watching a friend that it takes a lot to control the pain. Her husband is awesome.

But when Kelly loses her job because the company isn't doing well, she was expecting it.. it sucks,...more What can I say? Kelly is awesome!! She is so me!! I think we can all relate to Kelly in one way or another.. she's an over weight, middle aged soccer mom of twin 8 year olds..I have one 8 year old and he's enough (plus my other kids?? HA!) And her husband is sick with MS - that's one scary disease. and I' know from watching a friend that it takes a lot to control the pain. Her husband is awesome.

But when Kelly loses her job because the company isn't doing well, she was expecting it.. it sucks, but she knew it was coming.
WHen the book starts off, she's at the park talking to her sister Jen, her biggest supporter and she knows Kelly is hurting. but Kelly is strong willed in so many ways. She just has to go out and find a new job... even though jobs are scarce right now, and finding a job with benefits to pay for her husbands medical, not to mention the twins? Always needing something, getting hurt or sick... yeah, it sucks... but there has to be a way.. right??

Well when they left the park Kelly headed back to pick up her daughter's hat that she left. On her way, she decided to cut through the alley in order to save time.. but when she got to the Alley, she had noticed a big biker guy, pushing a shot gun to the head of a small older man.. there was no way she could walk away from that.

When she approached the men, the biker guy flashed something out of his wallet and told her it was police business, and to move along. But the older man was yelling for help. saying he wasn't a cop... who does she believe?
When the biker guy drags the old man over to her to get to to go away, she sprays him with pepper spray. and the guy drops his hold on the old man, but instead of running, the old man charges after the biker, and... eats his hand off?? No way.... as Kelly starts to back up, the old guy changes .. all of a sudden, she's not looking at the head of an old man anymore... as he advances on her, she freaks out and empties the pepper spray on him, and he freaks out.....

Now Kelly is trying to figure out what she really saw.. it didn't really happen, nothing like that exists.. right?? When she goes back the next day, she sees nothing out of the ordinary, Which convinces her that it really didn't happen... right? But what about her dreams? Her imagination wasn't that good!

So when she gets home, she gets a visitor... Now we meet Denis - the head of the Demon Hunters.. and he is there to talk to Kelly about what she saw.. She got Ivan killed.. the biker guy. and they needed to replace him. So since Kelly survived the attack of the demon, he wants her. there is something about her..

Noticing she's over weight, out of shape and not even sure she believes in this, but between her curiosity , and the $10,000 he offered her for killing the demon, but she refused to take, gets the better of her.. Kelly needs some time, but that only presents a few more problems.. her son breaks his arm, with no insurance, $4,600 for x-rays and a cast, her husband has a dr appointment coming up that he needs to go to, bills need to be paid, and all she could think about was the money she turned down.

Pretending she's working at an Antique shop, with full benefits, and commission, Could she lie to her husband and kids and go off and risk her life by killing these demons?
And lets not forget the other Demon Hunters... Marianne - she's fun and a really happy person, then Paul, Mario and Rachelle, and Gerard are all pretty nice. But then there is Suni and Sophia that live and breathe to make sure Kelly knew they didn't approve of her there...

I have to say Bill Blais has an Awesome imagination! I can't believe the details and depth he went into with these demons - it was like you were right there. He painted the picture so well, I was excited to see what came next.
I defiantly can't wait to get started on Hell Hath No Furry, the second book to Kelly and Umber Series :)
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Aug 04, 2012 Shelley (Bella) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Wow! What a roller coaster ride. No Good Deed starts off with Kelly struggling to keep it together as she loses her job to downsizing and fights to find a way to help support her family and regain her sick husband's health. Despite these struggles, Kelly has a family life most people would envy...loving and supportive husband, sweet, happy and healthy kids--inspite of the occasional daredevil stunt or horseplay--all is well in her world. Except for Shawn's declining health and their now lack of...more Wow! What a roller coaster ride. No Good Deed starts off with Kelly struggling to keep it together as she loses her job to downsizing and fights to find a way to help support her family and regain her sick husband's health. Despite these struggles, Kelly has a family life most people would envy...loving and supportive husband, sweet, happy and healthy kids--inspite of the occasional daredevil stunt or horseplay--all is well in her world. Except for Shawn's declining health and their now lack of a second income and health insurance.
An out of the ordinary and unbelievable circumstance finds her at a antiques shop, where she quickly discovers nothing is as it seems, all things are possibly and damn...the money is good. But it comes with a price and sacrifice. Desperate times call for desperate measures and Kelly is thrust into a world she never considered existed and she finds herself part of team fighting evil. Demons to be exact. But what are they fighting for? Where do these creatures come from? And...who are they really working for? Well, Kelly finds a few of her answers through sweat and tears and a lot of research. Still, she has a questions and concerns about what she's gotten herself...and her family into. She has to keep her real position a secret from everyone, including her husband--which of course brings on its own bag of guilt, yet she can't turn away from the opportunity to do everything she can to help her family and maybe do some good in the world.
But like I said, not all is as it seems. As Kelly gets more confident in her strengths and her position on the team, new circumstances and questions arise, leaving her more confused about her choices, her own actions and what her boss, Mr. Larocque and his team are really all about. The fact that most of this story centers around what hides beyond the guise of an antique dealership...how perfect a front is that...makes for an intriguing and entertaining leap into the unknown.
This story packs action, emotion and a whole mess of terrifying creatures into a whirlwind of a tale. We ride along with Kelly and feel her fear, her confusion and her need to protect those she loves. She has to make decisions we all hope we never have to make, quickly, and then deal with the fallout. And boy is there fallout...and regret and more guilt. But Kelly really has no time for that. She's got more to learn, strength to gain and a world to save.
No Good Deed is full of the horror we love, unexpected characters and twists that even in the end, leaves us wondering where the story will go next...how Kelly and her family will survive...will she continue with her team...and just who is this Umber that she has an unexplained connection to.
Blais gives us a heartfelt and brave look into the frightening world of demons, with a few lessons along the way. Dark, suspenseful and rich with description and knowledge of demonology--this is a tale told like no other. The fact that Kelly and her family are so lovable makes it a joy to follow her onto the darkness. And I'm anxious to continue her journey and find out what lies ahead and what role the mysterious Umber has to play in Kelly's future. If you like horror and suspense, No Good Deed is worth a look...but don't look too hard, what you find might just scare the hell out you...
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May 29, 2012 Lacey rated it 4 of 5 stars

First Thoughts:

This book captivated me from the very beginning; it had a lot of uniqueness and action to it. I loved being able to see the heroine as someone being middle aged and not the skinniest person alive; I’m sick of the near perfect heroines give me a “real” person any day! I loved the passion and will this heroine had; it made the story that much more enjoyable. I just loved how the author was able to take a paranormal situation and add realism to it; definitely unique to these types of...more

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Jul 25, 2012 Tricia Kristufek rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviews

I'm the lady who saved you and I'm coming with you, whether you like it or not.

Kelly was just your average wife and mother of twins, recently downsized from her job and questioning how her family is going to make ends meet - her loving husband has MS and the cost of their medical bills is staggering. When she witnesses what she thinks is a man getting brutalized by a police officer, her luck and instincts lead her to discover a whole different side of the world where demons walk the street and m...more

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Jul 26, 2012 Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars

At first, it was a little hard for me to get into the story, though it may have been because I'm so used to reading YA or MG books. The author did a good job building an emotional connection between Kelly and her family and her struggle to accept her new job, demons and all. The second half of the book moved much quicker for me and kept my attention better, though I felt like I was just getting to know Kelly when something happens to make her rethink things. I know this is the first Kelly &...more

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Jul 26, 2012 Katy rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of urban fantasy, esp w/ realistic women

Shelves: ebook

Book Info: Genre: Urban Fantasy Reading Level: Adult

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book to review on conjunction with a blog tour that is upcoming. I then forgot I had it and, because it looked really good, picked it for myself on Amazon when I noticed it was free. I am happy to provide, as always, an honest review.

Synopsis: Kelly McGinnis has spent her adult life trying to do the right thing, but as a newly down-sized mother of twins and the wife of a man living with Muscular Scle...more

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May 25, 2012 Marie Malyon rated it 5 of 5 stars

Review coming soon... 9/10

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May 03, 2013 Adriana marked it as purchased

Apr 06, 2013 A rated it 3 of 5 stars

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Oct 25, 2012 Sadie Forsythe marked it as to-read

Shelves: kindle-lendable, fantasy, gods-angels-demons

Oct 13, 2012 Mystery_Nut rated it 3 of 5 stars

Oct 11, 2012 Kelsey marked it as to-read

Sep 02, 2012 Rachel rated it 3 of 5 stars

Aug 25, 2012 Cody rated it 2 of 5 stars

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Aug 20, 2012 Tammy ~NovelOpinion marked it as to-read

Aug 19, 2012 Lila Selman rated it 3 of 5 stars

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Shelves: to-buy

Jul 10, 2012 Hilary rated it 4 of 5 stars

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Shelves: free-ebooks, kindle-ebooks

Jul 09, 2012 Elizabeth rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog-tour, nook-epubs, series-i-want

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TeAmNeRd ReViEwS: No Good Deed (Kelly and Umber Series) by Bill Blais	1	2	Jul 24, 2012 09:09am

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About Bill Blais

Bill Blais is a writer, web developer and perennial part-time college instructor. His novels include Witness (winner of the Next Generation Indie Book Award for Fantasy) and the first two books in the Kelly & Umber series(No Good Deed and Hell Hath No Fury).

Bill graduated from Skidmore College before earning an MA in Medieval Studies from University College London. He lives in Maine with his w...more

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“The things I’ve seen," he continues easily, "have shown me that the only constant is change. Too much power in one place is a fool’s errand. Eventually, and inevitably, no matter how good the intentions, or how long the life, power always wins out, and everyone suffers for it. The only true path of rational existence is balance; a constant re-assessment of the burdens of power, if you will.” — 3 people liked it

“I know you think I should be home taking care of my family. That maybe I’d be distracted or I wouldn’t be as committed as the rest of you, but who’s more committed: the person with something to lose, or the people who’ve got nothing left?” — 3 people liked it

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