The Raven by Mike Nappa, Coffey & Hill #2 (review)

As a follow up to Annabel Lee (read my review here), the second Coffey & Hill novel delivered everything I was looking for.  A riveting new mystery with action, suspense, and interesting characters.

Along with a well plotted storyline chock full of back-room dealing, mob thugs, and crooked politicians, we are treated to a first person narration by the street magician and petty crook who calls himself The Raven.  While I was feeling uncertain about the beginning of this novel, it is love at first sight for The Raven when Trudi Coffey rescues him from a dangerous situation, and that is what (for me) makes this particular story so much fun.

Reviewing this novel is a bit difficult, because a lot of what I want to tell you would be giving away plot points or are better experienced within the story.  In addition to this, I would mostly be restating much of my review of the first Coffey & Hill novel.  Which, while making this less of a review, points to a consistency in the series.  Consistently good storytelling that leaves the reader wishing that the next book would hurry up.

For those who enjoyed Annabel Lee, Eulalie is back in all her Trudi-assisting glory, and if, like me, you wanted to see more of the relationship between Trudi and her ex-husband, Samuel Hill, then this will be a bit of wish fulfillment.  Samuel is working for the local PD and has what seemed to be a bigger presence this time around.  I’m so looking forward to the further development of their troubled relationship.

Highly recommended for those who enjoy Mystery or Suspense with faith & Poe elements (and even for those who don’t – this series may surprise you, though some of the scenes with the mob thugs are a bit gruesome).

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From the Publisher:

As part of his street performance, a deception specialist who goes by the name The Raven picks his audience’s pockets while they watch. It’s harmless fun–until he decides to keep the wallet of a prominent politician, hoping for a few extra bucks. When he finds compromising photos of the councilman and his “personal assistants,” The Raven hatches a plan to blackmail the man. However, he quickly finds himself in over his head with the Ukrainian Mafia and mired in a life-threatening plot code-named “Nevermore.”

Private investigators Trudi Coffey and Samuel Hill must scramble to sort out the clues to rescue The Raven from a wild card bent on revenge.

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The Raven (Coffey & Hill, #2) by Mike Nappa | Revell, Sept 2016 | paperback, 432 pages

I voluntarily received a finished copy of this book for review from the publisher’s Revell Reads blogger program.  All opinions expressed are my own.