Beneath the Skin

This book was really good. It finished up a few story lines quite well. I would highly recommend the "Darkwing " series to people who like vampire type stories. They are really interesting.

Heartbroken over her troubles with her former lover Darius della Chiesa, Daphne Urban is looking forward to the promised time off from her role as a spy. Unfortunately, an assassin has been hired to kill Joe Daniel, a potential presidential candidate, and Team Darkwing has been called in. The investigation takes a dark turn and all that Daphne believes about herself as a vampire will be challenged. Will Daphne and the rest of her team of vampires be able to locate and stop the assassin? And will Daphne ever get her love life in order? Savannah Russe really hits her stride with this third book in the Darkwing Chronicles! BENEATH THE SKIN can easily be read as a stand alone although some of Daphne's history may not have the same impact without reading the prior books. In particular, the scenes concerning her past love for Lord Byron may seem somewhat out of place without knowing the back history. BENEATH THE SKIN is darker than the two previous books, and fits more the urban fantasy than the paranormal romance genre. Daphne struggles with her vampiric nature, and some of the scenes are quite graphic. In addition, Daphne is definitely not monogamous in BENEATH THE SKIN and there are some undertones that amount to a form of drugged rape that may be offensive to some readers. Savannah Russe doesn't make these scenes superfluous as they are inherent to the core of Daphne's struggle, but readers should be aware that these issues are a part of BENEATH THE SKIN. Daphne is starting to grow up. No longer the fashionista only concerned with herself, she is starting to form a true bond with her fellow Darkwing teammates. I like the hints we are given about the history of vampires and am hoping that Savannah Russe continues the series more along the urban fantasy lines. BENEATH THE SKIN is definitely my favorite in the series and ensures that I will keep reading to see what else Savannah Russe has in store for us! COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES

I loved this book, as I did the other two in the series. I think one reason I enjoy Daphne so much is that she has been around a long time and she still hasn't worked out all the kinks in her life. She occasionally knows she is screwing up, but does it anyway. I wished there was more Darius in this book, but perhaps that will be remedied the next go around. I find this series and all of Ms. Russe's characters interesting and entertaining and look forward to the next book.

Right on target with a plot right from today's headlines, Beneath the Skin delivers a suspenseful tale of the attempted assassination of a green/antiwar black presidential candidate. The writing is smart, fast, often funny, and gripping. Daphne gets to fulfill our fantasies in both fighting the bad guys and hot sex. She's a modern superheroine...brave, conflicted, and full of surprises. Savannah Russe is getting better and better...and the stories are top notch.

Vampiress Daphne Urban has tasted love twice in her centuries old lifetime. The first time she suffered an overbite and killed Byron; the second time is more recent as she is attracted to vampire Darius della Chiesa, but that is over too though he still lives. To get over the end of her relationship with Darius, Daphne figures her "day" job as a government agent will help her move on as she must save America as part of team Darkwing as the Feds know she and her compatriots are a blood thirsty group. The team's current assignment is to prevent super assassin Gage from killing popular presidential candidate Congressman Joe Daniel, a decorated war hero opposing the war. Making the assignment difficult is a new member of the team Tallmadge who prefers the traditional vampire likings to that of the tastes of the mortal realm unlike the fashion plate Daphne. Also causing her to lose concentration are Darius and a human hunk. However, as Daphne digs into the whereabouts of the professional killer, she gauges that he has to be inhuman to accomplish the feats he has done. The third Daphne urban fantasy (see The Darkwing Chronicles: PAST REDEMPTION and BEYOND THE PALE) is a wonderful espionage thriller that makes vampires seem genuine in a modern text (think social security and birth certificates). The story line is action-packed as Daphne relates her escapades in the first person with the three males in her life disengaging her from her assignment. Fans will appreciate this cat and mouse caper with a sharp bite as Daphne and her teammates struggle to prevent a seemingly invincible opponent from another kill. Harriet Klausner