Official Author Website 
Order The Killing Floor Blues HERE 
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of The Long Way Down 
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of The White Gold Score 
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of Redemption Song 
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of The Living End 
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of A Plain-Dealing Villain
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of Winter's Reach 
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of The Instruments Of Control 
Read Fantasy Book Critic's Interview with Craig Schaefer

AUTHOR INFORMATION: Craig Schaefer was born in Chicago and wanted to be a writer since a very young age. His writing was inspired by Elmore Leonard, Richard Stark, Clive Barker & H. P. Lovecraft. After reaching his 40th birthday he decided to give in to his passion and since then has released twelve novels in the last three years. He currently lives in Joliet, Illinois and loves visiting museums and libraries for inspiration.

OFFICIAL BOOK BLURB: Nobody has ever escaped from the Iceberg. It's a privately-owned prison deep in the Mojave Desert, staffed by brutal guards and surrounded by desolate wasteland. Inside the walls, gangs and predators are constant threats; outside the walls, there's nothing but a sniper's bullet or a slow death in the desert heat.

Framed for murder and snared in a deadly curse, Daniel Faust lands behind bars with a target on his back. Worse, with Faust out of the picture, the Chicago mob is making its bid for control of Las Vegas. If he can't engineer his escape in time to stop them, none of his friends are safe. Then there's the matter of the warden's dark secret, the one that's filling up the prison morgue with body bags.

Faust has been caged, buried, cut off from his allies and his magic. His enemies think they've won. They're about to learn, the hard way, that this is one sorcerer who always has a trick up his sleeve. Nobody has ever escaped from the Iceberg. But the Iceberg has never had a prisoner like Daniel Faust.

FORMAT/INFO: The Killing Floor Blues is 326 pages long divided over forty-eight chapters with a prologue, an epilogue and an afterword. Narration is in the first-person, via Daniel Faust solely and similar third-person narratives for the prologue and epilogue. This is the fifth volume of The Daniel Faust series.

July 30, 2015 marked the North American paperback and e-book publication of The Killing Floor Blues and it was self-published by the author. Cover art and design is by James T. Egan of Bookfly Design.

CLASSIFICATION: Featuring a cast of anti-heroes and with a magician con-man as the protagonist, the Daniel Faust series is Richard Stark's Parker crossed with The Dresden Files and set in Las Vegas.

OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: The Killing Floor Blues was my favorite book of 2016 and possibly the best book in the Daniel Faust series (of the six I've read so far). This book while being such an awesome read, cannot be read as a standalone unfortunately. There will be mild spoilers as I cannot discus much of its blurb without mentioning certain events from A Plain Dealing Villain. On a side note, I believe the events of The Killing Floor Blues are set a little before the events showcased in Harmony Black (book 1 of the Harmony Black series).

The prologue affords us another look at the Smile and his lackey Ms. Fleiss, most readers will recognize Fleiss from the events of the previous book wherein she hired Daniel Faust to steal an artifact in Chicago. The Smile & Fleiss talk about their efforts and this is the first inkling we get of the grand plan that the author has only hinted at so far. In our world, Daniel wakes up disoriented and finds himself on way to the Eisenberg correctional facility (also called Iceberg) in the Mojave desert. Confused as to why he's on way to prison without having a trial, Daniel finds out that he's already been tried and found guilty. Thoroughly befuddled by this rapid turn, Faust soon learns that a grand sinister plan is underway and he's been targeted for reasons unknown.

While in prison, he has to figure out the way of life in prison and also keep himself from being a target of a drug gang that has a branch in Las Vegas (as retribution for his alleged murder of one of their own). There's also bikers from a club to whom he owes money and lastly he will have to contend the inhumane conditions & odious guards in the private prison. Faust learns soon that things are truly f***ed for him as he finds out more about the strange on-goings in prison, the way of life inside as well as he tries to figure out how he landed in prison. The author then gives us a breakneck storyline that's full of action, plot twists and some superb revelations that had me fall in love with this book.

Going on to the positives, this book is one hell of an amalgamation of urban fantasy and a crime thriller. Think Prison Break mixed with a tad bit of Spartacus as well as Taken and you will get an inkling of what a crazy mix of a story this is. The story opens on a somber note but then quickly explodes as we get a fascinating look at private prisons and especially what a scenario might entail when a magician like Daniel Faust is thrown into the mix. The author isn't writing a polemic here so folks who want a detailed look at prisons and all the socio-economic factors that go into the prison populace won't find it here. What the readers will find is a story that will keep you excited, make you cringe and of course try to outguess the author. This is a perfect thriller if you ask me and one of the main reasons why this book was my top choice last year.

Going to the characterization, with the story having a sole narrative voice, it all depends on the character and Daniel Faust doesn't disappoint. With this being the fifth book in the series, the author has had plenty of time to perfect the character and his voice. Faust is a fascinating rascal of a character who doesn't shy away from the occasional violence but uses his brains, skills and talent to get what he wants. This story has him utilizing all three to survive in an environment which reminds him when he was helpless as a child. He swore never to have to experience those feelings but due to the actions of certain people, he finds himself a liar. The narrative never gets too bogged down with the character feeling dismayed as Faust is a fighter and he's already thinking on an escape plan.

The beauty of the plot twists is that while it might seem that this book is about a prison break, it's not that entirely. The story takes a lot of turns and in hands of another author might have been a simple story focussing on a singular plot thread. Craig Schaefer refuses to take the simple route as has been evidenced by his writing career so far. He combines at least three different plots into this storyline and makes them all coherent and flow smoothly. I loved how this book while sticking to the prison escape tropes, yet managed to make the story interesting by adding in newer twists. The author also explores the idea of magic existing but doesn't give the character a simple-get-out-of-jail trick/card. While there is one scene that simply exists to set up something about the character and for future story set-up, I doubt readers will find fault with it and like me, most will enjoy its creepy, oozy factor (I'm using oozy for a very particular reason and you will understand when you read it).

The story just zooms with all of its twists and then ends on a fascinating climax and then we find that there's more to the book. There's a coda plot twist that might upset a few readers but I enjoyed it as it was another way to upend reader expectations. Overall this story was one where I enjoyed it from cover to cover. Going on to the drawbacks, this was one book where I honestly found none. After finishing my primary read I've re-read a few more times and the excitement held up each time. For me that's a sign of an excellent read.

CONCLUSION: The Killing Floor Blues is a book that mixes various genre plots and leaves the readers bemused. For me this book was one of the best fictional reads that I've ever read in a long time. I would recommend most readers on this series just so they can enjoy this volume as much as I did. Do not miss this book and this series, as by the time it will be finished this will be considered a classic one.

Official Author Website
Order A Plain-Dealing Villain HERE
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of The Long Way Down
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of The White Gold Score
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of Redemption Song
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of The Living End
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of Winter's Reach
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of The Instruments Of Control
Read Fantasy Book Critic's Interview with Craig Schaefer

AUTHOR INFORMATION: Craig Schaefer was born in Chicago and wanted to be a writer since a very young age. His writing was inspired by Elmore Leonard, Richard Stark, Clive Barker & H. P. Lovecraft. After reaching his 40th birthday he decided to give in to his passion and since then has released twelve novels in the last three years. He currently lives in Joliet, Illinois and loves visiting museums and libraries for inspiration.

OFFICIAL BOOK BLURB: It's hard to make a dishonest buck in Sin City, especially when a rogue FBI agent is gunning for your head. Flat broke and one step ahead of the law, Daniel Faust flees Vegas and lands in Chicago, where a risky heist promises to fill his pockets with cash.

There are the risks you can account for, and then there are the risks you never see coming, the ones that leave you blindsided and fighting to survive. Daniel is a stranger in a strange land, out of his element and surrounded by corrupt sorcerers, demons, and worse. Still, with a friend's soul hanging in the balance -- not to mention a pile of stolen cash -- giving up isn't an option.

Before he's done, Daniel will descend into the depths of Chicago's occult netherworld, competing in an underground poker tournament where the winner takes all...and with the infernal Court of Night-Blooming Flowers running the show, "winner takes all" has an entirely new meaning. The Flowers haven't forgotten Daniel's past insults, and if they get their way, he'll never leave the Windy City alive.

FORMAT/INFO: A Plain-Dealing Villain is 316 pages long divided over forty-four chapters with a prologue, an epilogue and an afterword. Narration is in the first-person, via Daniel Faust solely and different third-person narratives for the prologue and epilogue. This is the fourth volume of The Daniel Faust series and is the start of a new arc in the series.

January 20, 2015 marked the North American paperback and e-book publication of A Plain-Dealing Villain and it was self-published by the author. Cover art and design is by James T. Egan of Bookfly Design.

CLASSIFICATION: Featuring a cast of anti-heroes and with a magician con-man as the protagonist, the Daniel Faust series is Richard Stark's Parker crossed with The Dresden Files and set in Las Vegas.

OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: This book is the start of a new arc in the Daniel Faust series as evidenced in the prologue of this book. I believe an informal title could be the "Cheshire Smile trilogy" but I have a feeling that this arc might last more than three books. The story begins with the after events of the downfall of Lauren Carmichael and her psychopath sorceress Meadow Brand. Harmony Black however has had enough of Daniel Faust and his illegal meddling. She makes it her business to obstruct every move of his, making it very hard for Daniel to conduct any of his cons. Forced to survive and pay off a big debt, Faust has to take on a new job away from his regular terrain and takes up an assignment to retrieve (read steal) an artifact in Chicago.

That's the start of this story, however once Daniel arrives in Chicago, he assembles a crew for this job but the process is turning out to be much more Herculean than he thought. The main event is to steal a ceremonial knife however its current owner is someone who's not to be trifled with as Faust finds out to his dismay. He also has to contend with the paranormal crowd in Chicago and we get introduced to another motley bunch as well as to the Chicagoan counterpart to the Tiger's Garden titled The Bast Club. This was an interesting place and after reading its introduction, I was intrigued to know more about it (hint the author explores the club and its owner a little bit deeper in Red Knight Falling which is book 2 in the Harmony Black series).

The plot while starting out as a heist story quickly become much more complex as things go south spectacularly and Daniel has his back to the wall (this seems to be a recurring trend...). I'm being purposefully vague here because of potential plot spoilers and the author really digs into Chicago and gives us a detailed look into it as he has done with Las Vegas so far. We get to see another court of Hell in action and are given an intriguing look into Caitlin-Daniel's relationship. Plus the best part about this book is the poker tournament that is focused upon in the latter half of the book.

I really enjoyed this book and one of the main reasons for my enjoyment was the characterization beginning with Daniel Faust himself. With most urban fantasy series being first-person narratives, it's very crucial for authors to find a distinct voice and keep them fresh. Some good examples which come to my mind are Harry Dresden, Kate Daniels, Frank Trigg, etc. Daniel Faust veritably joins this list and it's all due the author's talent. Faust is a bastard and I don't mean that literally. He's a conman who uses his skills to do things that most of us wouldn't do. He cheats, steals and basically even kills people when he thinks that it will save his life or if that someone deserved it. It would be very easy for such a character to become a villain but it's to the author's credit that he showcases the strengths besides Faust's flaws and makes him hard to pin down. He also has his moral limits and he will not cross them, even his relationship with Caitlin is seriously questionable and I liked how the author introduced some pertinent questions in this volume about it. Which puts his actions at the end of Redemption Song in a whole new light.

The author doesn't just stop with Faust, the character cast in the series has been increased with each volume and all characters that we meet have three-dimensional personas which are very intriguing to read about. Most readers will have their favorites and I'm no exception to it. I would love to know more about Faust's mentors and their backstory, Baron Naavarasi's origin, Harmony Black & a few more. This is another solid plus-point about these books that the characters featured within all have their own agendas and can potentially have their own series (Harmony already has gotten her own). Kudos to the author for developing such a strong character cast as well a world wherein nothing is truly what it seems. And to do it in a urban fantasy series, Craig Schaefer is truly writing an epic which I haven't seen anybody attempt to do in this sub-genre.

The action is this book, is a little bit understated than the previous volumes of the series however the author tips his world-building skills with some fascinating bits of Egyptian mythology. The main villain is also someone who shows a rare depth to him and I hope we get to see more of him. The humor in this book is very much in line with the first two books and I loved the reappearance of two certain lackeys from Redemption Song and their interactions with Faust are hilarious to say the least. The author also gives us a lot more revelations with regards to Faust's past, his family, Caitlin's gastronomical inclinations, and the workings of the infernal courts.

We also get to meet some fascinating Chicagoan characters who I believe add to the depth of the world and whom I would love to see more of (especially Dr. Halima Khoury, & Freddie) . This book does end on a solid climax and that beckons the reader into the next book perfectly. I wouldn't call the ending a cliffhanger but some might feel it's one. Lastly the book also introduces some major aspects of the main series arc that the author is hinting at and from what I can ascertain the author has some truly grand plans in motion. The being introduced in the prologue is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to these plans. This book also is a first of sorts as the main action is set outside of Las Vegas for almost 90% of the book. While The White Gold Score was also set outside of Las Vegas but it was a novella and was written after this book while chronologically being set much before this volume.

Lastly the epilogue has a major revelation that will be further explored in the fifth book The Killing Floor Blues and I can't wait to see how the author plays up these events. This book also had a fascinating poker plot twist and the author does use it judiciously to play up the climax and then lays out his final plot twist. I loved how the ending seem to come from the left field and the epilogue then further pushes the readers into land of the lost. There were a couple of negatives though, I felt that while the Chicago part of the storyline was very exciting but the other parts didn't quite match its tempo. Lastly the whole behind-the-scenes things that are going on can be confusing to many a reader and I wish that the author could have explained a bit more.

CONCLUSION: A Plain-Dealing Villain is a new salvo in a series that has already won me over and this fourth volume just upped ante with its reveal of the grand series plan in the making. The author just keeps making this series more irresistible with each book and this fourth volume is no exception, give it a read and find out why the Daniel Faust series is the best thing being self-published right now.

Official Author Website
Order The Living End HERE
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of The Long Way Down
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of The White Gold Score
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of Redemption Song
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of Winter's Reach
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of The Instruments Of Control
Read Fantasy Book Critic's Interview with Craig Schaefer

AUTHOR INFORMATION: Craig Schaefer was born in Chicago and wanted to be a writer since a very young age. His writing was inspired by Elmore Leonard, Richard Stark, Clive Barker & H. P. Lovecraft. After reaching his 40th birthday he decided to give in to his passion and since then has released twelve novels in the last three years. He currently lives in Joliet, Illinois and loves visiting museums and libraries for inspiration.

OFFICIAL BOOK BLURB: As the FBI closes in on the Las Vegas underworld, Daniel Faust -- grifter, thief, and sorcerer -- isn't the only one feeling the heat. Half-demon racket boss Nicky Agnelli is fighting to hang onto his empire, leaving a trail of dead informants in his wake, while Daniel's ex-girlfriend Jennifer rallies her forces on the street and aims her sights at Nicky's crown.

Meanwhile, homeless people are vanishing by the dozens. Daniel has bigger problems to worry about, but a plea from an old friend sends him on a search for answers. What he finds is a conspiracy twenty years in the making, involving a power-hungry senator, occult experiments, murderous British mercenaries...and Lauren Carmichael, Daniel's nemesis.

From a gunfight in the Arizona badlands to unearthing buried secrets in a New York laboratory, the hunt is on. With Lauren's deadly plan revealed and time running out, Daniel and his crew will stop at nothing to take her down. She's got the law in her pocket and a hired army at her back. He's got black magic, bullets, and the art of the con. It's high noon in Vegas and when the dust settles, only one side will be left standing.

May the best villain win.

FORMAT/INFO: The Living End is 381 pages long divided over forty-five chapters and a prologue and an epilogue. Narration is in the first-person, via Daniel Faust solely and different third-person narratives for the prologue and epilogue. This is the third book in The Daniel Faust series.

August 27, 2014 marked the North American paperback and e-book publication of The Living End and it was self-published by the author. Cover art and design is by James T. Egan of Bookfly Design.

CLASSIFICATION: Featuring a cast of anti-heroes and with a magician con-man as the protagonist, the Daniel Faust series is Richard Stark's Parker crossed with The Dresden Files and set in Las Vegas.

OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: The Living End is the third volume in the Daniel Faust series and brings to a close to the first arc of the series (Lauren Carmichael trilogy). This book like its predecessors has a host of plot threads that are set into play. In reviewing this book, I'll have to discuss some plot points from the previous titles so be warned those who detest even mild spoilers or haven't read the previous titles.

The previous titles have had Faust clash with both Lauren Carmichael and Harmony Black, due to his meddling, they both have felt repercussions in their plans. So they both are trying to get back at him albeit in completely different ways. Lauren has her sights set on her grand plan that Daniel disrupted so bitterly in The Long Way Down. She also has her personal psychopath Meadow Brand who hates Faust for reasons that are cosmetic but are important to her nonetheless. Lauren's new plan that's set into motion, is the culmination of her efforts from the past two decades.

Harmony on the other hand is a law-abiding officer who is simply doing her job and is the Ahab to Faust's Moby. She might not be as vehement as Ahab was but she's dedicated to putting behind bars, folks who operate on the other side of the law. Daniel is set in her sights because of the events in Redemption Song due to which an honest man's life was upended and ruined. She begrudges his cavalier attitude and wants an end to his nefarious activities. Due to the actions of both these ladies, the law is coming down hard on the gangs in Las Vegas and it has Nicky Angelli in its sights because of his position as the Cosa Nostra head. This sets off a survival mechanism in many players' minds and foremost is Jennifer whose drug enterprise has been taking some serious hits due to all the legal issues.

All of these plot threads are set into motion and there's a lot more happening which will bring to a close the first arc in this highly absorbing series. I very much enjoyed this book as it's action packed (even much more than Redemption Song) and it builds up on the events from the last two books, bringing to a successful conclusion all of the stories that have been set up. In this aspect, Craig Schaefer really shows off his storytelling & plotting skills as the readers get the big payoff that has been in the making from the first book. I like it when authors really plot things well and it seems that Craig Schaefer really has all of his ducks in a row. There's also minor things introduced in the book which I believe will fuel the next arc. This is highly indicated in the epilogue which has been the case in all the books so far.

It was fun to read Daniel fight against both Harmony and Lauren, though they both are on different ends of the moral spectrum. Harmony Black is such a terrific character and even though she's an antagonist to Faust (from a plot perspective), you have to admire her tenacity and moral strength. I'm glad she's got her own spinoff series as I can't wait to read about the world & Faust from her POV. Daniel Faust as always is the solo narrator and he's back to his amoral self. This book though is a bit better now that his relationship with Caitlin is strengthened. He also wants to bring to an end to Lauren Carmichael for her murderous actions but to truly end her, he needs to find out her history and her source of powers. All of this is very fascinatingly revealed in this volume and I hope the author further explores some of the concepts, worlds & history that he introduces within.

This book is one of the most action-packed ones of the series. The climax deals with some pretty major sequences and also has some tinges of horror to it. I loved how the author really dug into the main antagonist's past as well as show some fascinating world-building bits. After reading the next couple of books, I realize how crucial these bits are and how much they go into the overall picture. Another plus point of this series is the gorgeous cover art and this book has one that specifically ties into one crucial plot point and adds to the creepiness factor. As far as any drawbacks, I didn't find any besides major ones.  This book draws on a lot of threads from the past two books and while giving them a resounding climax, it also makes sure that the epilogue lays the groundwork for the forthcoming sequels.

CONCLUSION: All in all this book is a superb read and brings to a throughly solid conclusion to the Lauren Carmichael arc of the Daniel Faust series and it just highlights how well plotted and written this series is (so far). In this regards, it fares much better than the Dresden Files if you directly compare the first 3 books. This series is shaping up to a fascinating read and each book just seems to up the ante. Craig Schaefer is rapidly becoming my favorite author and so far he hasn't disappointed me in the least. The Living End has a fantastic conclusion and is a book that will resonate with its readers for its dark storyline, action-packed plot & a morally loose protagonist who will do his best to accomplish what he thinks is right.

Official Author Website
Order Redemption Song HERE
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of The Long Way Down
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of The White Gold Score
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of Winter's Reach
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of The Instruments Of Control
Read Fantasy Book Critic's Interview with Craig Schaefer

AUTHOR INFORMATION: Craig Schaefer was born in Chicago and wanted to be a writer since a very young age. His writing was inspired by Elmore Leonard, Richard Stark, Clive Barker & H. P. Lovecraft. After reaching his 40th birthday he decided to give in to his passion and since then has released twelve novels in the last three years. He currently lives in Joliet, Illinois and loves visiting museums and libraries for inspiration.

OFFICIAL BOOK BLURB: Daniel Faust, Las Vegas sorcerer and career criminal, has never pulled the trigger on an innocent man. When the infernal Prince Sitri challenges him to do just that, though, he can't walk away. His lover, Caitlin, is Sitri's right hand...and if Daniel refuses the job, he'll never see her again.

While Daniel works to unravel Sitri's twisted game, putting his principles and his life on the line, Caitlin has problems of her own. A pack of renegade halfbloods are in town, armed to the teeth and aiming to go to war with hell itself. Their leader is a bad memory from Caitlin's past, one she thought dead and buried centuries ago, and he's got revenge on his mind.

As if that isn't bad enough, the fallout from Daniel's last job descends in the form of an FBI task force, aimed at putting him and everyone he cares about behind bars. The feds have a magician of their own, one who knows all of Daniel's dirty little secrets. Throw in a mythical road map to hell and the ghost of a 15th-century serial killer, and the stage is set for a deadly collision.

Sitri's games are never what they seem. Everything is connected. If Daniel and Caitlin can't solve the puzzle in time, the consequences will tear them apart forever.

FORMAT/INFO: Redemption Song is 380 pages long divided over forty-four chapters and a prologue and an epilogue. Narration is in the first-person, via Daniel Faust solely and third-person narratives for the prologue and epilogue. This is the second book in The Daniel Faust series.

June 13, 2014 marked the North American paperback and e-book publication of Redemption Song and it was self-published by the author. Cover art and design is by James T. Egan of Bookfly Design.

CLASSIFICATION: Featuring a cast of anti-heroes and with a magician con-man as the protagonist, the Daniel Faust series is Richard Stark's Parker crossed with The Dresden Files and set in Las Vegas.

ANALYSIS: Redemption Song is the sequel to The Long Way Down and the second volume in the Daniel Faust series. It's set close to a month after the events of the first book and about a week or so after the events of The White Gold Score. The book can be read by as a standalone but keep in mind, it references quite a few events from its predecessor and builds up on a couple of plot threads so it won't be ideal to read it before The Long Way Down. In this review, there will be mild spoilers for some minor aspects of the characters cast so fair warning for those who want an absolutely unspoiled read.

The plot of this book builds up from the events of the last book, as Daniel Faust and Jennifer are suckered into a trap. The retribution comes in form of the FBI namely Harmony Black, an FBI agent who also is on the same paranormal threshold as Faust. Forced to defend his ways and his tracks, Faust gets further waylaid when Prince Sitri, Caitlin's boss and lord of the Court of Jade Tears mandates Faust to finish a task or never be able to meet Caitlin EVER again. Trapped between the FBI and Hell (literately), he also has to contend with a cambion (half-human, half-demon hybrids) crisis as a renegade group has come to town to do the impossible.

These are the troika of plot points that power the story, sure there's a lot more going on and much that I'm being vague about as it's essential to prevent spoilers. This book is a solid improvement on The Long Way Down as not only does the reader know a bit more than the first time around, but the author really gets to develop the world, gives the backstory about  many of the characters, their history, & much more without it becoming like an infodump. I loved how the author keeps the tension high-strung throughout and every time Faust feels that he's one-upped his circumstances, there's one more wrinkle to keep him on the back foot. There's a lot more backstabbing and double betrayals in this one and all of it seem very organic.

This is what I loved about this story, it's a thriller while being an urban fantasy and the author does his best to introduce some humour from time to time. He also introduces some minor characters who are very intriguing and one such person is Baron Naavarasi who is delightful (to read about) with her intrigue and deadliness. I look to learn more about her and her machinations. There's also a nice plot twist with regards to French history and even though it focusses on a genuinely detestable individual, I liked how the author picked up an obscure character who added so much to the story. The book's pace is such that the reader will be constantly on tenterhooks to see what happens with Sitri, Harmony Black and the main cambion plot.

The character cast is very wonderfully expanded and all of this is done without losing any sheen on Faust. In this aspect, Craig Schaefer manages to comfortably rub shoulders with Jim Butcher. However the one crucial difference between them is that Craig's world is resplendently mired in grey & shades of black with some splashes of white. This is very much shown vividly towards the end of the book (when our main protagonist does something incredibly stupid or smart, I'll let you decide).

I loved this aspect of the storyline as it very much mirrors the real world and the author also gives us (the readers) some background about the nature of magic, the world, Hell and its courts, Cambions (what are they, why are they the way they are, etc). There's a lot of worldbuilding very wonderfully encapsulated between dialogue snippets and plot revelations. The author also shows the growing relationship between Caitlin & Daniel and it seems to glide smoothly from The White Gold Score. I liked how the author switches gender tropes and makes Caitlin the one with all the power cards. Daniel though is not without powers of his own and it's his mental fortitude that makes stand out as a character and a player to be reckoned with.

CONCLUSION: All of the above factors made this book a solid read for me and also cemented this series in my mind. I have to say this book just stops short of being a 5-star book because of some plot threads being left open to be finished in the next book. I don't think this will be a major disappointment for most folks but it might rankle some. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book and after finishing immediately jumped onto the next as was the author's plan all along.