Every Which Way But Dead by Kim Harrison

Every Which Way But Dead is the third installment of The Hollows series. The first two book reviews are:
Dead Which Walking
The Good The Bad And The Undead

This dark novel is set in Cincinnati in the Hollows where few humans dare to live. Rachel a witch, Ivy a living vampire and Jenks a pixie run Vampiric Charms and bring criminals to justice that the human police can't handle.

In the end of the last book you are left with Rachel making a deal with big Al the demon to get Piscary the big bad mean ass dead vampire in prison so she doesn't get killed. Piscary has a lot of control over her best friend Ivy and she wants to save her as well.

So we start the new book with Al trying to claim his prize and make Rachel his familiar but she had bargained for her soul. Something about her DNA and the ability to keep her soul helps her escape the demon for a time and save his old familiar while she is at it. This new character brings a lot of life to the story Ceri is a 1000 year old elf and she knows everything there is to know about demon magic.

In the first half of the book there is a lot of excitement but there seems to be bits and pieces of a story. I didn't mind because it gave you a lot of background info on some of the new and old characters. You meed a werewolf named David who turns out to be a stand up guy and a very enjoyable addition to the cast of characters. My biggest let down was a few chapters in Jenks and Rachel fight and Jenks takes off for the rest of the book. The stubborn pixie  refuses to accept any apologies at all and won't even speak to Rachel.

David is a were insurance agent and apparently weres are know for running run a great deal of insurance agencies. He needs to know what happened to the fish that Rachel stole in the last book and he stops in just as big Al is trying to drag Rachel into the everafter.

On another note it just so happens that Trent Kalamack's right hand man wants to hire Rachel to escort Trent to an important meeting.He was bitten by a vampire in the last book and can't vouch for how safe he can keep his boss. Rachel reluctantly accepts and things turn ugly. Once the book starts to lead to Trent the book takes off and the story unfolds.

I can't help but mention that Rachel looses the looser Nick in this book. She still seems to have mixed feelings but she lets Kisten take her on a date as long as no blood is involved and some sparks begin to fly. Nick left town early in the book and everyone around Rachel told her he wasn't coming back, It took her awhile to realize it but everything they said would happen did. He was no loss in my book I thought he was a liar. Who knows what will happen with Kisten but it was nice to learn more about him.

I am giving this book 4.5 out of 5 stars. I enjoyed every minute of it but I do realize some people don't like the plot to start half way through the novel. I am sure I would feel the same if the characters were not as interesting. Kim Harrison does an amazing job developing her Hollows crew I am very impressed. Here is the real kicker Rachel is still not my favorite character I have grown to like her a lot but Ivy and Jenks above Rachel in my book.