Werewolf For Hire!

Nic Brown's pair of Werewolf For Hire novels are a real joy for genre fans. They treat the werewolf sub-genre seriously placing the characters in the context of 1970's and 80's style men's adventure tales. Luckily, Brown is a gifted enough writer that he is capable of doing so in a credible, intelligent way that makes his work more than just exciting page-turners. They are smartly plotted and fast paced reads well worth checking out.

I had enjoyed the first of these books but I have to admit the second one is a bit better. After an effective monster fighting opening sequence that puts the titular werewolf Michael Warren in a depressed state of mind he is called to England on a personal case. Michael's detective partners Tabitha and Sam are summoned across the pond on a case that strikes at their extended family. This allows this second tale to expand the supernatural world of the books to include more magic and a pair of warring European lycanthrope groups that may or may not help our heroes.

Brown's stories are told in an exciting and clear fashion with a solid ear for characters and dialog. As a modern pulp author he understands the needs of adventure fiction but is able to make things interesting beyond just relating the basics of the tale. The world he creates in these two books is a complex and intriguing one that I wish he would return to soon. It's easy to sense that there are many great mysteries to be solved by the werewolf for hire and his partners in detection.

Guess these short stories will have to hold me over!