An Easy Death

Charlaine Harris

Saga Press

October 2, 2018

Blurb: The beloved #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Sookie Stackhouse series, the inspiration for HBO’s True Blood, and the Midnight Crossroad trilogy adapted for NBC’s Midnight, Texas, has written a taut new thriller—the first in the Gunnie Rose series—centered on a young gunslinging mercenary, Lizbeth Rose. 

Set in a fractured United States, in the southwestern country now known as Texoma. A world where magic is acknowledged but mistrusted, especially by a young gunslinger named Lizbeth Rose. Battered by a run across the border to Mexico Lizbeth Rose takes a job offer from a pair of Russian wizards to be their local guide and gunnie. For the wizards, Gunnie Rose has already acquired a fearsome reputation and they’re at a desperate crossroad, even if they won’t admit it. They’re searching through the small border towns near Mexico, trying to locate a low-level magic practitioner, Oleg Karkarov. The wizards believe Oleg is a direct descendant of Grigori Rasputin, and that Oleg’s blood can save the young tsar’s life.

As the trio journey through an altered America, shattered into several countries by the assassination of Franklin Roosevelt and the Great Depression, they’re set on by enemies. It’s clear that a powerful force does not want them to succeed in their mission. Lizbeth Rose is a gunnie who has never failed a client, but her oath will test all of her skills and resolve to get them all out alive.

SASCHA DARLINGTON’S REVIEW

Once upon a time I read everything that Charlaine Harris wrote until I was all caught up and twiddling waiting for her new books. As you do,  I started reading other books and never returned to read the Harris novels I missed. So I’ve missed the Midnight, Texas series, but I am just in time for An Easy Death, the first entry in the Gunnie Rose series.

Before beginning An Easy Death, I read a mediocre book, which probably all the more whetted my appetite for good storytelling, and Harris didn’t let me down.

In the first chapter, Harris throws the reader, as well as heroine Lizbeth Rose, a gunslinger also known as a gunnie, into the action. From that point on it was difficult to put the novel down.

The world of An Easy Death is one in which Franklin Roosevelt has been assassinated, and the United States fell into the Great Depression from which it never recovered.  At this point, other countries moved in to divide up what was left. It’s a world fraught with danger; a world in which there is a need for people like Lizbeth Rose. This world feels very post-apocalyptic.

And what would a Charlaine Harris world be like without a little paranormal thrown in? Lizbeth is hired by a pair of very powerful Russian wizards to locate a man whose blood could conceivably save the tsar.

An Easy Death is  a gripping page-turner in which Lizbeth, only 19, tries to do the job she was hired to do, keep her own secrets, and determine who can and cannot be trusted. With other witches thrown in the mix, trouble erupts at every turn.

I am excited about this new series and can’t wait to read more Gunnie Rose adventures. I recommend this for Charlaine Harris fans, readers of dystopian fiction who like a little supernatural thrown in, and readers who like strong kickass heroines.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

An Easy Death goes on sale October 2. Preorder from Amazon:

An Easy Death

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