Book #129 - Fair Game (Alpha & Omega #3)

Fair Game (Alpha & Omega #3), Patricia Briggs
urban fantasy
293 pages
Started 11/21/12
Finished 11/24/12
4 STARS

One of my biggest pet peeves in book series happened in Fair Game. It was a bummer, too, because I do really love Patricia Briggs and her werewolf series.

Charles is having a rough time of it, being Bran's master enforcer of the law. To give him a break, Anna and Charles are sent to Boston on a mission. They are asked to work with the FBI to find a serial killer and dispose of him or her. Anna gladly takes the assignment hoping that, if Charles has the opportunity to do away with an honest to goodness bad guy, that it might bring him back from his demons.

So, back to my irritation. Fair Game picks up a few YEARS after the conclusion of the last book. Anna is a very different person. Over the years she has strengthened and come into her own. And, I totally feel gyped. We spent two books seeing Anna and Charles get to know each other and lean on each other, and all of a sudden, everything is different. We, as readers, missed so much of their lives. It's all summed up in a few paragraphs. Not cool.

Other than that, it's a great story. For once, Charles is the one conflicted and Anna is the glue holding them together. The mystery, as always, was really good, as was the cast of supporting characters. And, the ending was a little ca-razy! I think the impacts of the ending will be felt in the last Mercy Thompson book, due out in the spring of 2013. Makes me even more eager for it to be released.

I hope that this isn't something that I see happening in future A&O books or Mercy books. I like reading about these characters' lives as they happen, not a recap later. Take note, Ms. Briggs.