Come Hell or High water (Hellcat #5) by Sharon Hannaford

[Jax14]

Having thoroughly enjoyed the first four books in the series, I was eagerly anticipating the next instalment and was lucky enough to receive an advance copy.
Book 4's culmination of the epic battle to capture the Dark Magus and bring the Gemini twins to justice was not quite to the plan Gabi had envisaged. With the magus Irene dead and the Maleficus now in an unforeseen position, many decisions need to be rethought and executed.
Book 5 reaches back to respond to unanswered questions but in true style opens the way for many more. The SMV can no longer sustain its ever vigilant presence in the city, and at every turn Gabi and Julius seem to be watched from the shadows. Something dark and sinister is out there. Always watching them. With Santiago dispatched in a furtive manner, will the inevitable backlash condemn the clan's future? Why is Benedict not forthcoming with his real agenda-could a Princeps' summons have something to do with it? And when a friend of Gabi's is kidnapped by humans; no less, will the hidden paranormal layer of the city be exposed to the world?
Familiar characters weave their way through the story while some new faces want in on the action. Can new friendships be forged where only mistrust lived earlier? I must commend the author on another instalment written in an easy flowing style, where the characters and the plot tie in seamlessly without the readers having to work at connecting stories and people in their minds. Character development is done at a steady pace without too much information being dumped on the reader to sift through in one go. The plot keeps a good tempo with sufficient emphasis placed on the sub stories so as not to send them to the periphery. A great new chapter in an already enjoyable series-every time you think the story should be coming to a conclusion, more avenues open which leave you with baited breath for the next one. Highly recommended.