Touch the Dark by Karen Chance

Imagine going out to lunch and then coming back, sitting at your computer, and discovering an obituary article splashed across your monitor. Imagine if it was your obituary stating that later that night you would be killed.

The Story

Cassandra “Cassie” Palmer is a clairvoyant: she can see events that will occur in the future. Unfortunately, she can’t control when these visions appear to her. On top of that, her visions have been combined with out-of-body episodes that transport her back to the 16th century.

If that wasn’t bad enough, she’s managed to piss off one of the most vengeful local vampires in Vegas. As a matter of fact he’s put a price on her head. The vampire in question, Tony, is dead set (no pun intended) on seeing her head on a platter.

So she’s not entirely surprised to see her own obituary on her monitor. Scared, but not surprised. Time to start running. Since Tony is likely to send several vampire hit men after her Cassie has a little time to spare before the sun goes down. She decides to make one stop before leaving town; she decides to warn her roommate and buddy Tomas who currently works at a local goth bar.

Almost as soon as she pulls Tomas aside in the bar’s storage room the vampire assassins launch their attack. Cassie’s clairvoyant powers are pretty strong but they provide no protection against murderous vampires. So she’s pleasantly surprised when the ward symbol tattooed on her back goes into combat mode and kills one of the 5 hit men sent by Tony. Even more surprising is Tomas’ ability to kill the remaining vampires. How could a mere mortal kill master level vampires that have superhuman strength and speed?

Therein lies one of several mysteries in the book.

Karen Chance has written a contemporary fantasy story that mixes suspense, adventure, and a little romance. The usual fantasy creatures are here of course, e.g., witches, vampires, and fae, but the story also contains some “were” characters. No, not werewolves, think “rats.” Yes, there are wererats in the book.

Although Touch the Dark contains a couple of scenes that depict the darker side of paranormal fantasy, the story has several humorous moments. In particular, Cassie’s sidekick, a wise-cracking ghost with a gambling habit, is hilarious and helps balance the storylines.

Karen Chance provides numerous surprises in this book that will keep you guessing. I recommend adding Touch the Dark to your fantasy book list. Check out the lowest prices on new and used copies of Touch the Dark. You can also read my review of the 1st book in this series Claimed By Shadow.