Review: An Easy Death by Charlaine Harris

Lizbeth Rose might be young for a gunnie, but she knows her stuff. Yet on a routine trip to Mexico, Lizbeth’s skill does not help her save her crew – when they’re attacked by bandits, Lizbeth is the sole survivor, and her clients are kidnapped. Injured, tired, and alone, she tracks down the party and slays the bandits, thereafter safely escorting her charges across the border, as was agreed upon. Yet on her return, and finding herself now a crew of one, Lizbeth needs to keep her ears open for work. As fate would have it, however, an opportunity finds her. Two Russian wizards enlist her services to track down a missing man who may have the power to save the Tsar’s life.

Despite her dislike for wizarding kind, Lizbeth’s curiosity gets the better of her, and she agrees to help the pair. Soon, she has reason to rethink her decision, as it seems that their every turn brings the trio face to face with assassins, danger and death. However, Lizbeth prides herself on her dedication, and decides to see the adventure through, come what may, even if it means having her secrets uncovered and her own life repeatedly threatened.

Charlaine Harris is a literary diving champion. No slow introductions and messy background hold her back; she commences in the middle of action, setting the tone for the book from the first page. This results in compulsive page turning through an action-packed and highly enjoyable narrative. 

Combined with an imaginative and detailed merging of two separate worlds – gun-slinging Western America and magic-filled Russia, this makes An Easy Death a refreshing and unique story that’s exciting, addictive and thoroughly enjoyable. Harris is clearly a master storyteller with a flair for the tastefully unusual. I eagerly anticipate the next installment of Gunnie Rose’s adventures; bring it on.

An Easy Death by Charlaine Harris is published by Piatkus, an imprint of Little, Brown Book Group, and is available in South Africa from Jonathan Ball Publishers.