Wicked Hour by Chloe Neill

In the second pulse-pounding novel in the USA Today bestselling Heirs of Chicagoland series, vampire Elisa Sullivan gets drawn into the shifting sands of Pack politics.

 

Vampires were made, not born—until Elisa Sullivan came along. As the only vampire child in existence, she grew up with a heavy legacy, and tried to flee her past. When circumstances drew her back to Chicago, she stayed to keep it safe. With shifter Connor Keene, the only son of Pack Apex Gabriel Keene, at her side, she faced down a supernatural evil that threatened to destroy Chicago forever.

Now that the dust from the attack has settled, Elisa is surprised when Connor invites her to a usually private Pack event in the North Woods of Minnesota, and by the warm welcome she receives from some of Connor’s family, even though she’s a vampire. But the peaceful trip is soon interrupted. The shifters tell tales of a monster in the woods, and when the celebration is marred by death, Elisa and Connor find themselves in the middle of a struggle for control that forces Elisa to face her true self—fangs and all.

 

Wicked Hour (Heirs of Chicagoland, book two) by Chloe Neill

Start date: August 26, 2021

End date: August 28, 2021

Rating: 4 ½ out of 5 stars

 

This book starts off by answering the question of what happened after the events of the last book. Faithful readers will remember that Elisa Sullivan was left stranded in Chicago by the vampires of Maison Dumas when things got all murder-y at the peace talks. Following that, Elisa was essentially let go from her job with them and got one working for the Ombudsman office in Chicago. Elisa and Connor Keene shared a spicy (and confusing) kiss after saving everyone from the evil fairies, and it seems like they’re stayed in touch while they went about their respective businesses, Elisa in Chicago, and Connor in the Midwest. In the previous book, Lulu Bell was working on a mural at the North American Central Pack headquarters, and when this book opens, it’s the unveiling night.

It’s at this party that Elisa sees Connor again. He’s back from dealing with Pack business and he asks her to come along with him while he puts out another fire. She’s resistant to the idea at first because she understands shapeshifters and vampires don’t see eye-to-eye and that her presence during Pack business could be dicey, but she agrees in the end. Boy, am I glad she did! What follows is a deep dive into the shapeshifter mythology briefly touched on in the Chicagoland Vampires series. It helped make this book series seem independent from that one (and not just because this book mostly takes place in Minnesota!).

The reader gets a good look at Pack hierarchy—and Connor’s place in it as the “prince” of the shapeshifters. He’s favored by some and disliked by others for it. Miranda, a new Pack member, pushes him on his choices, and it’s revealed that she has eyes on becoming Apex of the North American Central Pack as well as having Connor as her mate. So, when Connor shows up with Elisa in tow, Miranda has…problems. How Connor reacts to the problems others have with Elisa is telling.

Neill did a great job exploring the blossoming romantic relationship between Elisa and Connor. Since their trip was mostly solo (except for Alexei, Connor’s best friend, showing up at times), it allowed for a natural study of their personalities coming together. The two were thick as thieves growing up but lost their connection during their college years. There’s obviously chemistry between them as adults, but the story isn’t wasted by spending too much time on their romance.

When they show up in the Pack grounds in Grand Bay, Minnesota, it’s obvious that something is wrong within the Pack. Not only is the place falling apart literally, but there are also clear distinctions between the old and young Pack members, specifically in how they’re treating the recent death of a Pack member. On the night they arrive, a person is attacked by a mythological creature. The older ones disregard the new ones’ accounts of encountering these creatures, further dividing them. After the death of a Pack leader (one of the older members) at the christening of the newest Pack member, Connor decides he needs to stick around to investigate the Pack.

            Connor and Elisa’s investigation takes a lot of twists and turns from the Beast of Owatonna to the Sons of Aeneas. I would wholeheartedly read more investigations involving the two of them because I think their investigation styles complement each other. In fact, I have a sneaking suspicion that the next book in the series is going to involve Elisa realizing her penchant for sleuthing and making it her full-time job. Lulu and Elisa have a brief conversation about Elisa’s ennui in her current job and all her previous jobs that leads me to believe this.

            An interesting plot point is when Elisa changes someone into a vampire. There are parallels to when her father changed her mother and the similar feelings each person must have felt when that occurred twenty-odd years ago. I thought it was a nice nod to readers of the Chicagoland Vampires series.

            Ultimately, I’m looking forward to seeing this series’ progression. Onto book three!