Review: Fair Game

Fair Game
Patricia Briggs
Urban Fantasy
Alpha & Omega/Book 3
Ace/March 6, 2012

They say opposites attract. And in the case of werewolves Anna Latham and Charles Cornick, they mate. The son-and enforcer-of the leader of the North American werewolves, Charles is a dominant alpha. While Anna, an omega, has the rare ability to calm others of her kind.
 

Now that the werewolves have revealed themselves to humans, they can't afford any bad publicity. Infractions that could have been overlooked in the past must now be punished, and the strain of doing his father's dirty work is taking a toll on Charles.
 

Nevertheless, Charles and Anna are sent to Boston, when the FBI requests the pack's help on a local serial killer case. They quickly realize that not only the last two victims were werewolves-all of them were. Someone is targeting their kind. And now Anna and Charles have put themselves right in the killer's sights...

It feels like ages since the last Alpha & Omega book.  Which is close to the truth.  The previous book, Hunting Ground was released in August 2009.  No wonder if feels like ages.  But the wait was worth it!  Ms. Briggs has written a compelling novel with Charles and Anna taking the lead in a intrinsic search for a killer.  Of course we also get another gorgeous cover from the very talented Dan Dos Santos.  Love his work! 

Anna knows Charles can't take much more of his role as the Marrok's assassin, she's losing him and is afraid of what might happen if Charles breaks.  When the FBI requests the packs help, Bran sends Anna and Charles to find the one responsible for killing werewolves.  It's still grisly work but at least Anna and Charles are together which gives Anna the chance to pull Charles back from the edge.

Charles has a reputation as a stone-cold killer.  And he is to a certain degree but there is so much more to this born werewolf.  We get to see the other sides of Charles as Anna brings out not only his deep need to protect but his humorous side, his tender side and his playful side.  He's still very much the alpha wolf, still fighting to maintain control and not go over to the dark side. The more I see of Anna and Charles, the more I like them as both a couple and as individuals.  It's important to note that Briggs shows all aspects of these characters.  She shows not only their strengths and weaknesses as a couple but also as individuals.

The trip to Boston and the subsequent investigation in the murders is revealing in how the werewolves, the Fae and the FBI are entering new territory in working together.  I found all the characters interesting and well developed for secondary characters.   I liked seeing Charles and Anna interact with this variety of mundane and supernatural characters.  If it were up to Charles he would prefer to stay at home with his mate but that's a thing of the past since the wolves revealed themselves to the public.  Now Charles is not only Bran's enforcer, he must also be a bit of a diplomat.  This is just another side of Charles we get to see and Anna is there to help him along.  I find it interesting how Anna, I don't want to say manipulates Charles into doing what she wants, for his benefit.  He knows it but he still goes along with her because he also knows her intent is in his best interest.

The world that Patricia Briggs has created is never stagnant.  She brings out the best and the worst in these characters.  It's an interactive world with all the players contributing to the story.  There are no fillers here, no waste of words.   Fair Game is an exceptional addition the the Alpha and Omega series.  With a powerful ending, I can't wait to see how it all plays out.

Rating:  A

Alpha & Omega Series ~

Alpha & Omega novella in On the Prowl anthology
Cry Wolf
Hunting Ground
Fair Game