Something Shiny

C.E. Murphy’s Heart of Stone is one of those that I’ve had out of the library on a couple of occasions, but I finally finished it. It’s not that it’s a bad book, I just had some other books pop up on hold I was more enthusiastic about reading.

As the first book in a trilogy, it stands on it’s own reasonably well, but the reader can see the stage being set for longer storyline as well. Basically, a well meaning gargoyle stalks a woman, runs into some legal trouble (good thing the woman is a lawyer), and drags her into the shadowy world of “The Old Races.” Nothing earth-shatteringly unique here, but the characters are decent, and it’s a quick read.

Read on to see what others are saying.

From Publishers Weekly

In Murphy’s exciting series opener, Alban Korund, a winged, shape-shifting gargoyle, is framed as a murderer. He begs legal help from Margrit Knight, a human lawyer who at first thinks he’s your average Central Park stalker. Margrit soon becomes attracted to her stony client and fascinated by the shadowy world of the Old Races, who live secretly among humans. As she struggles to prove Alban’s innocence, Margrit herself battles a dangerous dragonlord, other gargoyles and a powerful vampire, as well as taking on the case of a selkie mother and baby living in a building destined for demolition. Margrit must also decide what to do about her jealous on-again/off-again boyfriend, Tony, a homicide detective who dislikes Alban and thinks he’s guilty. Realist, feminist Margrit makes for a deeply compelling heroine as she struggles to sort out the sudden upheaval in her professional and romantic lives. Murphy (Coyote Dreams) has created a refreshing addition to the urban fantasy landscape. (Nov.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.