So many things I like about this book. I already had this Author, and the fact that is a husband-wife team is simply fantastic and it makes me a little jealous. I could never do that with Marco, we’d bite each other’s head within 10 minutes. The other thing I like about it is that the Heroine shifts into a fox. Now, that’s a cool animal. Smart and quick. Easy to win the day when you’re a lion or a bear, right? She must be cleverer. I love the idea.
The story is The Devil to Pay by Jackie May (Shayne Davies, #1) out yesterday in the Adult, Urban Fantasy genre.
Synopsis:
When it comes to talented new recruits at the Federal Underworld Agency, Nora Jacobs is only half the story…
The Devil to Pay is the first book in Jackie May’s companion series to Nora Jacobs, set in the same urban fantasy Detroit, sharing several supporting characters (hello, Nick Gorgeous), but with a new main character, Shayne Davies. This series can be enjoyed on its own, but readers of the Nora Jacobs books will be more familiar with the world and its characters.
As a fox shifter, Shayne Davies gets no respect in an underworld run by the fearsome and powerful—werewolves and vampires, sorcerers, demons, and mythical faerie creatures. Even at home, Shayne is still treated like the brat of the pack. Her mom constantly nags; her intended (but unwanted) mate ensures plenty of awkward silences, and Shayne is even expected to act submissive to the pack’s future alpha…a six year old.
Yeah. Time for Plan B.
All Shayne wants is to prove that she’s got what it takes to run with the big dogs, which is why she is constantly hounding Nick Gorgeous to make her an agent at the “Double D”, the Detroit Division of the FUA. That’s an easy “No” for Gorgeous, who keeps a strict “No Shayne Davies” policy. Well, never say never. When mysterious underworld criminals steal a load of bomb materials, the FUA picks up a messy case nobody wants to touch. It’s bad enough that a demon horde is involved, but now the annoying FBI has sent out an agent to babysit the investigation. To make matters worse, the notoriously uncooperative master vampire Henry Stadther has control over what may be the only key to breaking the case: a handsome human detective.
The whole thing’s a hopeless disaster.
So guess what, Shayne? You’re hired!
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41123059-the-devil-to-pay
Purchase: Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GCHR6H7/
I had Author Jackie here with me talking about this new Series. Here’s what she told me.
How is the Shayne Davies series related to the Nora Jacobs series?
The Shayne Davies series is a companion to the Nora Jacobs series, meaning it happens in the same setting of Detroit, at the same time, and features many of the same supporting characters—Nick Gorgeous plays a prominent role in both series, as does FUA Director Madison West, and vampire master Henry Stadther. The purpose of having a companion series is to help fill out the “bigger picture” of the Detroit Division of the Federal Underworld Agency. While Nora’s and Shayne’s plots aren’t directly related, they do have repercussions which spill over into each other’s stories. I won’t say any more on that—because spoilers!—but careful attention to background details will offer readers some clues about how the two series eventually become more connected.
Both series are coming out concurrently. Is there a recommended order for reading them? Can each series be read separately?
Yes, each series can be read separately, as each is written as if it were stand-alone. However, there is definitely a recommended order of reading, since the books are being released in the order of events as they happen chronologically. If readers want to follow the stories chronologically (and also to avoid spoilers that are revealed between the series), the best order will be:
- Don’t Rush Me (Nora Jacobs 1)
- Don’t Cheat Me (Nora Jacobs 2)
- The Devil to Pay (Shayne Davies 1)
- Nora Jacobs 3
- Shayne Davies 2
- Nora Jacobs 4
- Shayne Davies 3
- Shayne Davies 4
Is the Shayne Davies series a reverse harem romance like Nora Jacobs?
No. The Shayne Davies series is an urban fantasy action/mystery, with traditional romance elements.
There is cross-over with certain supporting characters, but will Nora or Shayne themselves appear in each other’s books?
Yes and no. How’s that? Lol. To be more specific, Shayne does not appear in the Nora Jacobs series, for reasons. And while Nora Jacobs does appear in the Shayne Davies series, it is more of a cameo than a supporting role. Having said that, I totally get that part of the fun of a cross-over series—for readers—is to wonder when/if the main characters will ever meet, and how they’ll respond to each other, so…yeah. But the fun for authorsis to dangle that possibility for as long as possible—muahahahaha. No, just kidding—the serious straight answer is yes and no.
Will somebody please slap Henry Stadther in the face already? And/or kick him in the nuts? And/or stake him in the heart?
Oh, Shayne would like nothing more, trust me. But one doesn’t simply walk up to a master vampire and kick his nuts. The best Shayne can do, being a lowly fox shifter, is give him a good sarcastic quip. And then run away.
AUTHOR BIO:Author links:
https://jackiemayauthor.com/
https://www.facebook.com/JackieMayAuthor/
https://twitter.com/jackiemayauthor
GIVEAWAY
- A signed set of the two Nora Jacobs books (Don’t Rush Me and Don’t Cheat Me)
