As you probably know by now, I'm a big fan of Carina Press. They have a fantastic variety of titles and authors, which I appreciate because there's something for all of my different moods. I decided to try Hunting the Shadows because I was in the mood for something a little different. Hunting the Shadows is romantic suspense tinged with the paranormal. Everyone at the Centre has some sort of gift, thanks to some genetic engineering and a lifetime of training. They really run the gamut of abilities, from telepathy like Amy, to the ability to manipulate time or change memories. Some of the folks at the Centre are working for the greater good but there are just as many people who have nefarious purposes. It's an interesting world and it was a lot of fun getting to know its inhabitants. Amy and J. C. are great protagonists. J. C. has the strong and stoic thing down pat while Amy is a bit more open with her emotions, despite (or perhaps because of) being isolated for most of her life. I also liked most of J. C.'s teammates, even though we don't get to know them as well as Amy and J. C. My favourites were Mackenzie and Ajay and you'll see why when you pick up Hunting the Shadows!

In terms of plot, the book is well executed. Amy and J. C. hunt for the murderer and make some interesting discoveries along the way. When I found out who the killer was, I had a kind of duh moment but it didn't detract from my enjoyment of the novel. I was interested in knowing how J. C. and Amy would trap the killer and how the killer managed to evade detection for so long. In some ways, the story's evolution and world reminded me of Christine Feehan's Ghostwalkers series or Jayne Castle's novels (which is a compliment to my mind), though there are enough differences that the comparison was fleeting.

Overall, I enjoyed this story. It's a strong debut from a fellow Canadian (go, Canada!) and, from the looks of Alexia Reed's website, there are more Shadow Ops books to come. I look forward to seeing where she takes us next.

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