The Hollows Series, Book 1, Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I give it 5 stars!

This story follows Rachel Morgan a witch and a runner (cop, basically) that arrests Inderlanders (supernaturals) for doing something illegal. She works for the illustrious I.S. (Inderland Security) that monitors the goings-on in The Hollows, the supernatural ghetto of Cincinnati. The Federal Inderland Bureau is the agency that works on the human side of Cincinnati, and they are constantly competing for the best image.

Runners have contracts lasting, on average, about 30 years. If a runner quits, there is typically a death threat out on them. Rachel decides to quit after months of being given bottom-of-the-barrel assignments, knowing she might just get away without the death threat because her boss hates her.

Her former partner at the I.S., Ivy, is a living vampire. This is where the lore of traditional vampire stories differ. Living vampires are those that have been infected with the virus, but they aren't yet undead. They can be outside during the day, they crave blood, and they do have vampire strength and speed (just not quite as much as an undead vampire). Ivy is the star runner at the I.S. and when Rachel tells her that she's going to quit, Ivy jumps on the wagon too, wanting to join her.

Rachel's sidekick, a hilariously talented pixy, named Jenks, is about four inches tall and has wings, just like fairies do. But don't tell him he's a fairy! Pixies and Fairies have a long history of wars and troubles. Fairies are usually the preferred sidekicks of runners, but Rachel was handed this mouthy pixy after a "frog incident" we never really discover the details about. He wants to quit the I.S. too, and work with both Ivy and Rachel, under the condition that he, his wife Matalina and his plethora of children were able to live with them. Because pixies have such short life-spans in the I.S. they aren't put under an obligation of a contract, because most pixies die within a few short years of working. Jenks wouldn't have to worry about a price over his head.

Rachel tells her boss that she's quitting and he rips up her contract in front of her, telling her to get out, and that he was glad she was quitting, no death threats involved. Then Ivy went in and dropped the bomb with enough money to buy off her contract so they wouldn't come after her. She stormed out, and left an angry ex-boss to contend with Rachel, still packing up her belongings. The death threat was on against Rachel using the money Ivy just gave him, because she was taking the best runner they had.

Rachel has to fight for her life and try to find a way for the I.S. to back off on the death threat. It seemed as though one thing after another happened, but it was a great ride nonetheless. I can't wait to read the rest of the series.

Jenks was a supporting character, but definitely my favorite of them all. He was funny, witty, quick, and very good at his job. I'm really looking forward to seeing more of him. My favorite line of Rachels' regarding the deliciously good looks of Jenks, "Color me Thumbelina and I'll be a happy girl."

I'm thinking this is yet another series, one that's going to be gracing my shelves, and not being rented over and over again from the library. And I highly recommend anyone enjoying paranormal, urban fantasy or what-have-you to read this series!

The problem, of course, is that there is a waiting list for book 2, so I'm moving temporarily on to Once Dead, Twice Shy, a Young Adult novel by Kim Harrison, to tide me over.