Bravely onto part four of this mob saga which is frankly
getting a little tedious – but what can we say? – we are somewhat OCD about
finishing series’.
Derby Cain Casey, the super-hero-mob-boss protagonist of the
series set in New Orleans, is all guilty about the fact that her partner of
fourteen years, Emma Verde (Mrs. Casey – as they both call her – but the
wedding is yet to happen) was kidnapped, strapped down on a table and would’ve
been raped except that FBI Agent Shelby Phillips got there in time to save
Emma. Cain had reached soon after and Emma was safe, but Cain needs to kill the
perpetrators. (From the things Cain says, her need for vendetta seems to be
more about someone daring to attack Cain’s belonging rather than an attack on a
woman she supposedly loves.) Remi Jatibon and Dallas’ romance grows and Dallas
is finally able to bring her little sister out of hiding. But Dallas’ troubles
aren’t quite over as her past is not completely erased yet. New mob families
make an appearance, fighting amongst themselves and for control of open drug
operations in the city. Since Cain is the one-ring-that-controls-all-rings,
everyone seemingly needs her blessings to be able to do their ‘business’.
As with all books in this series, the pace is breathless and
there is a lot of brutality (rather excessive in this one). As the series is
progressing Cain is becoming less and less likeable. She is all-knowing and
plenty nasty to almost everyone other than Emma and their two kids. The FBI are
portrayed as idiots as always. The real tragedy in this one is the complete annihilation
of the Muriel-Shelby love story. Cain decimates Muriel (as a person) and the
author decimates Shelby’s character (rather unnecessarily). Emma, still
overcompensating for her past betrayal of Cain, is steadily becoming as hard
and unforgiving as Cain. But we have to admit, the sappy and the sexy scenes
between Cain and Emma are hot (despite the cringe-worthy endearments that Cain
uses). There are two new characters in this one for whom our heart bled: one is
a small inconsequential girl (a hooker) in the Remi-Dallas track and the second
is the new wannabe drug lord, Gracelia Luis Ortega, who is painted many shades
of terrible but just seems rather tragic to us.
On the whole, this one is only, we repeat – only – for fans of the series.
⭐⭐
