Call of Vultures

October 1, 2020
Emotional and physical relationships formed in prison linger for Killian Delaney, who served nine years for assault after beating a man nearly to death. On parole, she works for the Initiative, a secret network of "gray-work" specialists (read vigilantes). When her ex-cellmate, Raven Madera, asks for her help and offers a job, Killian finds it hard to refuse. Raven's girlfriend, Hollywood actress Ilyana Woodward, wants to have her two daughters rescued from the cult-like commune Incarnyx and whatever material the charismatic commune leaders have on the family destroyed. Killian soon finds herself in a more threatening situation than she imagined: not only are the rumors of a cartel connection at the commune true, with boss Rafael Vargas having a score to settle with Killian, but an FBI raid of the place is imminent. What follows is a fight-to-the-death between Killian and Rosario, Vargas' illegitimate daughter and favorite child. Compelling if graphically violent reading, with Killian (in her second outing, after Seven Crows, 2019) emerging as a strong lead character with impressive physical attributes and her own moral code.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)

October 12, 2020
In Kessler’s overheated sequel to 2019’s Seven Crows, ex-con Killian Delaney is happy with her new job with the Initiative, “a secretive network of gray-work specialists,” who ensure bad guys get punished for their crimes. After Killian delivers a pimp to four mothers of his victims for vigilante justice, the Initiative tasks her with rescuing Hollywood celebrity Ilyana Woodward’s two daughters, Dylan and Lyria, from the New York compound of Incarnyx, a cult masquerading as a self-help group. Killian goes undercover inside the compound, where she learns that the truth is not as Ilyana made it out to be and that both a drug cartel and the FBI have operatives within Incarnyx. Killian’s mission is further complicated by Dylan’s refusal to leave the cult—and Lyria won’t go without her sister. Meanwhile, Killian must take care to keep her parole officer in the dark about her work for the Initiative. An exhilarating pace helps compensate for a predictable plot, stereotypical characters, and a surfeit of graphic violence. Fans of two-fisted women bent on avenging wrongs will find lots to like. Agent: Deidre Knight, the Knight Agency.