Infected: Undertow by Andrea Speed

Title: Undertow

Series: Infected 07

Author: Andrea Speed

Genre: Werecat, Suspense

Length: Super Novel (344pgs)

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (14^th June 2013)

Heat Level: Low

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 4 ½ Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: In a world where a werecat virus has changed society, Roan McKichan, a born infected and ex-cop, works as a private detective trying to solve crimes involving other infecteds.

Now Roan is locked in a coma as the struggle between his human and werecat sides reaches a new extreme. All Dylan can do is sit, wait, and think.

Meanwhile, Roan’s assistant, Holden, wants to shed his old street life and his relationship with Scott, but he can’t seem to do either. Holden doesn’t want a relationship with Scott but finds himself drawn to him all the same, even if he can never fully reveal his past.

With Roan out of commission, Holden looks into the murder of an old friend. At the same time, Fiona takes on a case about underground death matches between infecteds —one with connections to the Church of the Divine Transformation.

Finally Roan wakes only to discover that his shifts have new consequences. His lion’s strength is growing, and he can’t hide from it any longer….

Purchase Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3913

Review: This story is part of a series and must be read in order. While Roan is still locked in a coma with Dylan worrying beside his bedside, Holden tries to make sense of his relationship with Scott and fails miserably. Holden takes a case involving the murder of an old friend and Fiona digs into some unsavory happenings at the Church of the Divine Transformation. When Roan wakes he realizes he and his lion are more closely entwined than he realized. Trying to get back into the swing of things, Roan helps Holden with his investigation and takes over from Fiona with Holden’s help. But, it just leads Roan to wonder just how much of a danger he really could be.

This story continues from where Lesser Evils ended, with Roan in a coma that no one knows if he will recover from. Holden is confused by his non-relationship with Scott. He doesn’t know what the two of them have together and he doesn’t know if he likes it either. On another note, Holden dives into investigating an old friend’s murder and is quite happy with his escort business. Dylan is left adrift with everything that emerges about Roan, but knows he has to stick by the man he loves. Even when said man drives him insane. Roan and his lion become better acquainted as his Infected status develops further.

Damn. How the hell does Roan even get out of bed in the morning with all the crap that comes his way? Roan has his hands full with his investigations and keeping a tight rein on his lion. Dylan has his hands full dealing with Roan and Holden is much more involved with the investigations. Holden has more of a starring role in this story and the assistant investigator/escort gets a headache trying to figure out what he is doing with Scott. Dylan is still on the fringes when it comes to what is happening between Roan and his lion, but Roan opens up more to him. And Roan is beginning to worry about his control of the lion, which sends him into a tailspin.

This story is as harsh and brutal as the ones before it. Roan’s lion is beginning to get a foothold and it shows. The investigations are as interesting as always, especially when it comes to the church. Roan’s development is scary, startling and worrying, but you can’t help love the man for his take no prisoners’ attitude. There’s a wealth of emotions running through this book from anger and frustration to senseless loss and helplessness, and you know that there is nothing anyone can do about it. I have absolutely loved this series from the very beginning. It’s a brutal shifter story that doesn’t pull its punches. It is laid out in all its glory; from horrific shifts to the bigotry and hatred from others and it never apologizes for the bloodshed.

I have to recommend this if you love brutal shifters, unapologetic actions, great investigations that could turn bloody at any moment, fantastic characters, deep love, confused relationships and an ending that leaves you wondering where it’s going next.