Detective Rita Moldovia and her colleagues are tracking a serial killer, one who drains bodies of blood. When examining the most recent corpse of a young woman, Rita uses her amulet, a crystal imbued with the power to show the face of the last person the victim saw. The result is confusing when Rita sees the face of one of the officers in her unit, who was most certainly not the killer. Fearing that her amulet, a Romany heirloom, has stopped working, Rita plans to mention this to her mother.

Later that day, while attending the briefing regarding the case, Rita and her precinct are surprised to discover an FBI agent, Matt Boulet from the Priority Crimes Unit, will be heading up the investigation, but with each of them as full team members. Rita and Matt feel an immediate attraction, and Rita gets the distinct feeling that the information Matt has been ordered to withhold will prove even more odd than she can guess.

This entertaining novella provides the added bonus of a glimpse into the customs and beliefs of Romany culture. The author hits the right notes in all aspects of the story: distinct characters, intriguing world-building, fast-paced action, true suspense, and just the right dose of humor. This fun beginning to the Born to Romany Blood series should appeal to paranormal romance and urban fantasy readers. This reviewer looks forward to book two.

~ Bitten by Books for AReCafe ( )