Boundary Crossed by Melissa F. Olson

Urban Fantasy

From Goodreads:

After her twin sister’s brutal murder, former US Army Sergeant Allison “Lex” Luther vowed to protect her niece, Charlie. So when two vampires try to kidnap the baby, it quickly turns into a fight to the death—Lex’s death, that is.

She wakes up to two shocking discoveries: she has miraculously survived the fight, and baby Charlie is a “null,” gifted with the ability to weaken supernatural forces...and a target for creatures who want to control that power. Determined to guarantee her niece’s safety, Lex makes a deal with the local vampires. She sets out with the mysterious—and undead—“fixer” Quinn to track down whoever’s responsible for the kidnapping, sharpening her newfound magic skills along the way. But the closer she gets to the truth, the more dangerous her powers become.

Boundary Crossed is a dark, thrilling journey into a world where the line between living and dead isn’t nearly as solid as it appears.

I read Melisa Olson’s Dead Spots several years ago and really enjoyed it.  47North offered me a free copy of Boundary Crossed at World Con this year and I quickly accepted. 

Boundary Crossed is a spin off from the Scarlett Bernard series but it does stand on its own.  There are a few characters that are in both series but for the most part the are just mentioned as part of the story line.

Allison “Lex” Luther is something of a lost soul.  She is just passing time until her niece is kidnapped.  That event starts the world building in the novel.  As Lex learns about a secret world that is all around her we do too.  The world is revealed through actions and through the introduction of new characters.  Olson does a great job of moving the plot, discovering the back-story and developing the characters while holding the readers attention.

Lex was my favorite character.   She starts out very lost.  As the story progresses she becomes stronger and stronger.  She loves her family and does what is needed to keep them safe.  I am looking forward to seeing what happened to Lex and the other characters in the next book.

47North published Boundary Crossed by Melissa F. Olson in 2015.