Review: The Grendel Affair by Lisa Shearin

The Grendel Affair

Author:Lisa Shearin

Release Date: December 31, 2013

Publisher: Ace

SPI Files Book #1

ISBN:  0425266915

ISBN13: 9780425266915

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Review Copy Source: Publisher

We’re Supernatural Protection & Investigations, known as SPI. Things that go bump in the night, the monsters you thought didn’t exist? We battle them and keep you safe. But some supernatural baddies are just too big to contain, even for us…

When I moved to New York to become a world famous journalist, I never imagined that snagging a job at a seedy tabloid would change my career path from trashy reporter to undercover agent. I’m Makenna Fraser, a Seer for SPI. I can see through any disguise, shield, or spell that a paranormal pest can come up with. I track down creatures and my partner, Ian Byrne, takes them out—usually saving my skin in the process.

Our cases are generally pretty routine, but a sickle-wielding serial killer has been prowling the city’s subway tunnels. And the murderer’s not human. The fiend in question, a descendant of Grendel—yes, that Grendel—shares his ancestor’s hatred of parties, revelry, and drunkards. And with New Year’s Eve in Times Square only two days away, we need to bag him quickly. Because if we don’t find him—and the organization behind him—by midnight, our secret’s out and everyone’s time is up.

I will start this review by admitting that I don't love the cover, but don't let that stop you from picking up THE GRENDEL AFFAIR! Book 1 in Shearin's new SPI Files series was full of action and humor.

The main character Makenna moved to NY to follow her dreams to become a journalist. She is now an undercover agent with the SPI. As a rare seer she is usually in the background and protected. She doesn't get the defense training the others at the agency get but that slowly starts to change as the story progresses. Her partner Ian is her muscle and starts off kind of boring but turns out to be pretty interesting and protective of Mac. I wanted them to get together from the beginning of the book. They made a good team and I wanted more for them. This isn't a romance novel but I still have romance hopes for the future though.

There is a great deal of action. Mac finds herself in sticky situations pretty often. Besides the non stop action there is a ton of humor as well. I found myself laughing quite a bit throughout THE GRENDEL AFFAIR. Makenna is pretty accident prone and I loved how her coworkers decorated each others desks. I even told my boss at work we should start doing that.

There are many different characters that make up the world of this series. Dragons, werewolves, elfs, vampires, doppelgangers and many more. Everywhere you looked someone new was introduced but it was done in a way that it wasn't overwhelming.

Any fan of Lisa's past works will enjoy the writing style and flow of THE GRENDEL AFFAIR. It was a great start to her new series and I can't wait to see what Mac and the others do next.

I gave it 4/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.