Shadows in the Starlight

Changeling Detective #2

by Elaine Cunningham

A ten year veteran of the Providence Rhode Island vice squad Gwen "GiGi" Gellman began her life as a foundling and is used to being on her own. So when she finds herself unemployed and on the outs after a standard bust goes bad resulting in a bloodbath, she welcomes the occasion to break from routine. She scrapes together enough capital to start her own PI business specializing in "family problems." But, in doing so she never guessed that she would uncover her own mysterious and mystical past.

When GiGi becomes involved in the case of a missing wife and child, she initially dismisses the matter as good sense on the wife's part--she knows the husband to be less than stellar in his role. But, as her investigation progresses GiGi discovers a pattern of lies and deceptions, some of which expose hidden ties to her own mystifying existence.

Otherworldly powers try to intercede, and soon GiGi finds not only her own life threatened, but those of her friends and family as well.

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Paranormal, Fiction, Mystery, Detective, Fae

288 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.


Elaine Cunningham is an American fantasy author.

Reviews

[Marko Jevtić · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely an improvement on the previous entry in the series. The author took already strong characters and dialogs to the next level, focusing on what's good about the previous book. However, even though she focused on the fantasy a bit more in the sequel, it's still no more than an allegory. The rushed ending, even though a bit prolonged here in comparison to the Shadows in the Darkness, is still strongly felt once you reached it.

Aside from that, this book does not introduce any interesting characters, and one new fantasy element was weakly explored and IMHO not resolved in a satisfactory way - but that's just a feeling and does not necessarily reduce the quality of the work itself.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very unusual mystery featuring a private investigator,Gwen, who just happens to be a changeling. As she endeavors to solve a missing persons case Gwen discovers a lot about her own history and her powers. However when “other worldly” powers interfere, Gwen finds herself and her friends in danger from others of her kind. This book is a mix of science fiction and mystery and is enjoyable from both perspectives.

[Dev · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. If I give it a 4 I’d want to read it again and be sad all over again that there aren’t more books. This book wasn’t anything really exciting plot-wise, and I could do with a few fewer crime bosses, but the characters are fun. I want more of Gwen and Sister Tamar.

[Barbara ★ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book but the ambiguousness of the tale left me wondering who actually did what. There's a lot of finger pointing but nothing definitively stated. The tale is confusing enough without the author leaving it up to the reader's interpretation. I like Ian Forest but there is definitely something shady about his character and what the heck is Jason up to. I also like Gwen but she needs to get her head in the game and figure out what's up with her heritage. All the little hints are fine and dandy but they don't actually go anywhere. I guess we'll never find out now. I'm disappointed to find out that the author (for reasons not her own) has left this series dangling. What a shame as it really did have potential.

[Nomad Scry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Scattered thoughts: I didn't realize this was a second book and while I normally prefer to jump in cold, I was a bit overwhelmed with the number of characters and story threads going on.

There is a sex scene that doesn't fit the tone of the book and really feels like a stopgap measure to make the book fit in more with the Urban Fantasy genre.

I think that the main problem with this book, and the reason that I found it in the bin at an "Odd Lot" store, is the cover. The cover is wretched. If I had not already read this author, I would never have picked up the book. The cover screams cheap and confused, which is surprising considering that the publisher is Tor.

[Topher · Rating 4 out of 5]

A different take on elves. I thought the books (this is the 2nd) were enjoyable and very readable, but apparently the publisher didn't see reason to keep going with the series. The author's website mentions trying to put together some longish short stories to wrap up the loose threads, which would certainly be nice. I think this may have just become the first series I _should_ remove from my spreadsheet (since it is technically finished), but, I'll leave it in for now in the hopes of noticing when those short stories are published (in paper or electronically).

[Cat Russell (Addicted2Heroines) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was great! Everyone was so wickedly deceitful. You never knew who was going to kill who.... and there was a lot of killin' going on. Gwen is a smartass with a "don't fuck with me" attitude that I love. There is no romance in this book. Gwen sleeps with a few friends when she feels the need to, but otherwise her love life is non-existent. Normally that would turn me off from a book, but there was so much going on that I didn't mind her lacking a relationship. I am disappointed that Cunningham didn't continue this series.

[Mari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Took me a while to actually finish this once I started, probably because I knew that if it ended with a cliffhanger I would probably never get relief, being that the series is suspended indefinitely.

The book is cool, due to the fact that it is set in my birthplace and current residence of Providence, RI (woot woot!). I did enjoy the story and progression better with this installment. The true colors of all the players are peeping out. Too bad we might never get a conclusion to the story.

I'd say give the book a try.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gigi is now a PI. Her friend asks her to help the friends ex husband find his missing wife. The trouble is the ex had physically abused her friend and Gigi isn't certain that the wife didn't vanish to avoid the same treatment and this is further complicated by her finding evidence that the missing wife is an elf. Meanwhile, someone starts a series of increasingly deadly attacks on Gigi.

[Tasula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second in series about elves in our world, and a woman who finds out she was a changeling (an elf left in place of a human baby). She is also an ex-cop, disgraced because of a corrupt police official, now working as a private investigator. Her elf "friends" and human allies of the elves seem to be two-faced and continually scheming, using her as a pawn.

[Karin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Much like the first book, I feel like this book is just a continuation of the series and cannot really stand on its own. It isn't bad, just has the feeling of being another installment in a mini-series.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want more Gwen. :) I enjoyed the first two books in this series, but feel let down by the sudden ending of the series. (Not the author's fault.) I hope she will self-publish the 3rd book because I really want to find out how things turn out.

[Henrik · Rating 4 out of 5]

(The Net acted up, so my longer review disappeared before it was saved... ARGH... I'll try and write something again another day, okay?)

[Barb in Maryland · Rating 3 out of 5]

The second in Cunningham's dark urban fantasy series about a PI,Gwen Gellman, who isn't as human as she thought.
Now, will Cunningham ever get her pen in gear and finish the series??

[Jacqueline · Rating 2 out of 5]

Extra 1/2 star.

[Nina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like this series. It is set in Providence and the supernatural element is there but not over the top.

[Timothy]

Not as good as it's made out to be.

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great when is the next book out

[Danel · Rating 3 out of 5]

pretty decent urban fantasy and a believable take on the elite arrogance of immortal elves in exile

[Tracey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started reading this book after I finished the first in the series. This book was again enjoyable but I did start to get annoyed with how little the author developed Gwen's new elfish background and how the Elder Folk were involved. Seemed to be too much left to guess at for the sake of finger pointing the wrong persons. I had hoped to read more of IanForest in this book but even though his character and actions were developed more he was overshadowed with all the other characters mentioned. Even Gwen's character it felt like it was all about the cases she had going and did not delve too much into her emotional makeup and there were often convenient interruptions with her phone ringing and her casual romantic involvements with just about every man she meets is starting to grate. Hopefully this will settle more in the next book. After the build up from page one, again the main plot was resolved too quick and simply. I don't expect it to drag on but I was still at a loss with who did what at end.