Reviewed: Night Broken (Book)

Night Broken

Written by Patricia Briggs

Published by Orbit Books        

Price: £14.99 (Hardcover edition)

Out Now

Coyote shape-shifter Mercy (Thompson) Hauptman and her husband Adam have an unexpected guest; Adam’s ex-wife Christy. A man with whom Christy was involved is trying to hunt her down and cause her harm. He is possibly superhuman and has been killing people to get to her. While Adam will not turn away his daughter’s mother, Mercy has her plate full already as the Alpha werewolf’s mate without having to compete for attention from her husband. Some of the pack are still loyal to Adam’s human ex-wife. Mercy finds herself struggling not only with the manipulative Christy, but with maintaining her status in the pack, and retrieving an item for a fae.

Patricia Briggs offers another enthralling installment of the Mercy Thompson series in Night Broken. She manages to subtly develop and change her characters smoothly with each installment. Mercy is slowly making her mark within the pack, but still fights for her rightful place within it. The fact that she still works as an auto mechanic reminds the reader of her humble beginnings, but the character’s personal growth and her strength and perseverance within the wolf pack shows momentum with each new installment. We all know that it can be difficult to fit in with a new crowd; Mercy’s efforts with those who surround her are inspiring.

The contrast between Mercy’s home strife with the annoyance of Christy and a powerful foe in the form of a supernatural being shows how precarious and emotionally difficult the life of the series hero can be. Other familiar characters are featured in the novel. Briggs also allows minor characters to progress in subplots that braid in with the fibers of the story wonderfully. While I wish that Mercy’s pack would fully accept her, I understand that the storyline must move the way it does. Part of what makes the author’s novels so compelling is her understanding of human nature, both the positive and negative sides.

Night Broken is one of her best novels to date in my opinion.