BRAZEN (Otherworld Stories 13.1) by Kelley Armstrong-a review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date December 15, 2013

Nick Sorrentino knows everyone in the supernatural world considers him the Pack’s playboy, the pretty but not very useful werewolf whose only reputation involves his amorous exploits.

Usually, Nick couldn’t care less what anyone outside the Pack thinks of him. But when it affects his hunt for Malcolm Danvers, a psychotic bogeyman from the Pack’s past, it matters.

Necessity forces Nick to team up with mercenary half-demon Vanessa Callas to run Malcolm to ground in Detroit. Together, they discover Malcolm is more deadly than ever. And he wants to play.

It’s time for Nick to prove he’s not just a lover.

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SPOILER alert

REVIEW: BRAZEN is the latest novella from Kelley Armstrong focusing on the werewolves of The Otherworld series. The storyline premise finds Nick Sorrentino on the hunt for Malcolm Danvers-one of the most powerful and dangerous werewolves known to the pack. Malcolm, once believed to have been killed by a rogue mutt, has returned in all of his former psychotic glory in the hopes of luring out those he believes betrayed him. As the father to the former alpha, Malcolm knows that the New York pack won’t be far behind. But sending Nick is an insult as Malcolm knows that Nick is less than capable of going for the kill.

Malcolm’s brief reappearance in THIRTEEN, the final Women of the Otherworld instalment, was a shock to readers as he was presumed but never proven deceased. BRAZEN will find Nick partnered with a half-demon mercenary whose field agents have gone missing and presumed dead; but Nick is reluctant when the mercenary is a beautiful woman who is a complete distraction on the job.

Many of the New York wolf pack including Reese, Noah, Elena and Clay make a brief appearance but the bulk of the storyline centres on Nick’s hunt for Malcolm. Malcolm leaves a trail of dead bodies in his wake and Nick knows that one wrong move could find himself at the receiving end of one of Malcolm’s deadly attacks.

BRAZEN is a storyline that ends without a resolution. I am a bit disappointed that we seem to be going around in circles as it pertains to Malcolm and his ability to a evade capture with every encounter. Nick was given an opportunity to take down Malcolm but a moment of hesitation finds Malcolm on the run once again. Kelley Armstrong is obviously planning several more short stories and novellas where our favorite wolf pack goes on the hunt for a psychotic killer and in the end, there is only one wolf who should be allowed to take down the man who has destroyed so many lives.

Reviewed by Sandy