Born in Blood (The Sentinels #1) by Alexandra Ivy

Blurb:

Sergeant Duncan O’Conner has seen it all before. A beautiful erotic dancer is found murdered in her home—no suspect, no motive. But there’s one clue: she’s missing her heart. It’s enough to make the hard-bitten Kansas City cop enlist the help of a necro—one of the dead-channeling freaks who live in the domed city of nearby Valhalla. It’s a long shot, but desperate crimes call for desperate measures.

Unlike the other “high-bloods” in Valhalla, Callie Brown considers her abilities a gift, not a curse. But when she reads the dancer’s final thoughts, she senses a powerful presence blocking her vision. This is no ordinary homicide. This is the work of a legendary necromancer who controls souls. A ravenous force that will put Callie’s skills to the test, O’Conner’s career at risk, and both their hearts on the line…literally.

My review:

I am shamefaced to admit that other than an occasional short in an anthology I’ve not read any of Alexandra Ivy’s work.  I must now go catch up. 

In this first book of a new series we are in a world split by High Bloods (aka Freaks) and Norms.  The High Bloods are people with gifts, witches, psychics, seers, diviners, hunters, sentinels and the like.  They’ve been herded into reservations to keep them separate from the norms until of course their gifts come in handy.  When Kansas City cop Duncan O’Conner comes across a dead body that hasn’t a mark on it but the heart is gone he suspects foul play by magic.  He calls for the cute little Diviner to come and see if she can read what happened in the victim’s last moments.  What she finds surprises and frightens them both. 

This is a fast paced well written romantic suspense story with paranormal elements.  The byplay between the characters was real, the romance was sweet and steamy and the secondary characters were a blast.  Already I am looking forward to the next installment.