Heart of Stone (The Negotiator Trilogy, Book 1)
by C.E. Murphy
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Book Summary Information
Author: C.E. MurphyEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2007-11-01
ISBN: 0373802927
Number of pages: 438
Publisher: Luna
Book Reviews of Heart of Stone (The Negotiator Trilogy, Book 1)
Book Review: High-quality urban fantasy with a host of colorful characters
Summary: 5 Stars
Plot Summary: Margrit Knight is an idealistic lawyer who by-passed a lucrative career to work at Legal Aid. While running in Central Park late one night, she's freaked out when a tall blond man strikes up a conversation. Later, Margrit learns that he's wanted by the police after a witness saw him standing over a bloody female corpse. Margrit contacts Tony, her sometime lover who is a detective, and helps him track down the mysterious Alban. After some time, Alban convinces Margrit that he's innocent but he can't go to the police because he's a gargoyle who turns to stone at sunrise. Margrit must find the real killer to keep Alban safe, but the pressure mounts as more women are murdered each night.
I think this must be one of those stories that you'll either love or hate, because the reviews seem to be split down the middle. I'm kind of baffled that folks could give this one or two stars, but we're all entitled to our own opinions. For my part, I thought this was one of the best urban fantasies I've read in a long while. It didn't smack me upside the head with its greatness, but rather it slowly drew me in and seduced me with quality storytelling. There are several aspects of this tale that rise above the crowd, and here they are...
This is a simple, elegant paranormal world where five Old Races live in secret among humans. This vision meshes closely with my own views on what immortality, fear of discovery, and small numbers would mean for non-humans. They're smarter than us, they're stronger than us, but above all, they're wary of discovery by us. One-to-one, humans are no match for these creatures, but they know that as a group we could crush their existence. These races have a mutual bond - their fear of humans - and it makes strange bedfellows among the Old Races. I love the variety too. Ms. Murphy introduces us to gargoyles, djinn, dragons, vampires, and selkies.
Very few novels manage to support a wide cast of nuanced characters. Usually two or three are fully-fleshed, and the rest rely on caricatures. I thought C. E. Murphy did a convincing job of bringing everyone to life without resorting to using black and white hats. Several of Margrit's relationships were messy, complicated, and convincing. I look forward to watching Margrit tangle with Tony, Janx, Daisani, Alban, and Grace O'Malley again.
I grew to admire Margrit's stubborn and honorable nature. She's a modern day David who spits in Goliath's eye, but she does it with human cunning. Her profession as a lawyer for Legal Aid is perfect, and once she learns about the supernaturals around her, she decides to advocate for them as well. She's fairly hopeless when it comes to romantic relationships, but her friendships and her career come first, and I can respect that too. (I suppose my only criticism is that Margrit is a woman of color, but the lady on the cover looks white to me. I wish they'd gotten that detail right.)
The plot was fluid and it had a few twists I didn't predict, which always gets my attention. I love being stumped. This series is set up as a trilogy, which is one of my favorite formats. Sometimes I don't have the patience to follow a series past book number seven, ten or fourteen, and I like the idea that there will be a concrete ending in sight. At this point, I can't wait to get my hands on House of Cards (The Negotiator, Book 2) and Hands of Flame (The Negotiator, Book 3).
Summary of Heart of Stone (The Negotiator Trilogy, Book 1)
WHAT SECRETS LIE SHROUDED IN DARKNESS?Okay, so jogging through Central Park after midnight wasn't a bright idea. But Margrit Knight never thought she'd encounter a dark new world filled with magical beings?not to mention a dying woman and a mysterious stranger with blood on his hands. Her logical, lawyer instincts told her it couldn't all be real? but she could hardly deny what she'd seen?and touched.
The mystery man, Alban, was a gargoyle. One of the fabled Old Races who had hidden their existence for centuries. Now he was a murder suspect, and he needed Margrit's help to take the heat off him and find the real killer. And as the dead pile up, it's a race against the sunrise to clear Alban's name and keep them both alive.?
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