Rachel Morgan, witch-born demon investigator, is back in a new book in the Hollows series (The Witch with No Name, 2014, et seq.). Supernatural creatures live in harmony with humans in this alternate time line. But something is causing residents, human and Inderlander, to wake with irrational anger and attack their loved ones. Having woke on the verge of anger on several occasions, Rachel takes it upon herself to track down the creature behind these attacks, teaming up with her eclectic group of friends, including witches, demons, elves, vampires, pixies, gargoyles, and humans, to discover the perpetrator and the target of these attacks. In the midst of the crisis, while repairing her office (an old church) after a previous incident, she encounters a teenage elf and a demon, both of whom could either help or hinder the current investigation. Each time Rachel drifts off to sleep, she is one step closer to senselessly attacking her friends, making this a race between her and the creature that will keep series fans up all night.

The enjoyable 15th installment to Harrison's the Hollows series picks up shortly after the events of 2014's The Witch with No Name as witch-born demon Rachel Mariana Morgan again confronts supernatural threats to her beloved Cincinnati. An unknown and terrifying creature is stalking both Rachel and her former enemy, elven Trent Kalamack, in their dreams, while in the waking world, Hodin, a mysterious new demon in town, offers Rachel an opportunity to fine-tune her magical abilities. Afraid to sleep, Rachel places her trust in Hodin to help her find a way to defeat a nightmarish foe she can't even touch. Harrison makes a skillful return to her urban fantasy world, recapturing her signature blend of magical mayhem and soap operatics, though the dwindling presence of Rachel's vampire partner, Ivy, suggests a shift in focus as the series evolves. Narrative momentum is disrupted by several lengthy scenes of Rachel exploring her magic with Hodin through elaborately described rituals and slogging metaphysical discussion, but the expansion of magic's possibilities in this universe could spell good things to come. Despite a detailed introductory preface, new readers will likely be lost in the sea of returning faces, but existing fans will be pleased by this promising continuation of the series. Agent: Jennifer Jackson, Donald Maass Literary Agency. (June)

Still recovering from the battle with the elven goddess that destroyed a good portion of their church home, Rachel Morgan must confront the fact that her business with pixy Jenks and living vampire Ivy Tamwood is pretty much defunct. While her relationship with Trent Kalamack is still solid, Rachel knows that his place in elven society, his status and wealth, would be better served by taking herself out of the picture, especially as Trent's former fiancée Ellasbeth seems to want to move right back into it. When a series of deaths from domestic disputes hit Cincinnati, Rachel is pulled into an investigation that will lead to nightmares, both living and literal, as Rachel must rely on her instincts, powers, and friends to stave off groups that want power at the cost of the Hallows. VERDICT Hallows fans rejoice! Harrison (A Perfect Blood) neatly segues readers back into her world of coexisting humans and Inderlanders, with many of the beloved characters and all of the fast quips and high-stakes magical action of her previous books.--Kristi Chadwick, Massachusetts Lib. Syst., Northampton