Vacant (Mindspace Investigations #4) by Alex Hughes

Science Fiction/Urban Fantasy

From Goodreads:

Nothing ruins a romantic evening like a brawl with lowlifes—especially when one of them later turns up dead and my date, Detective Isabella Cherabino, is the #1 suspect. My history with the Atlanta PD on both sides of the law makes me an unreliable witness, so while Cherabino is suspended, I’m paying my bills by taking an FBI gig.

I’ve been hired to play telepathic bodyguard for Tommy, the ten-year-old son of a superior court judge in Savannah presiding over the murder trial of a mob-connected mogul. After an attempt on the kid’s life, the Feds believe he’s been targeted by the businessman’s “associates.”

Turns out, Tommy’s a nascent telepath, so I’m trying to help him get a handle on his Ability. But it doesn’t take a mind reader to see that there’s something going on with this kid’s parents that’s stressing him out more than a death threat…

I like this series and the interaction between Adam Ward and Isabella Cherabino keeps the series going.  This time though Adam and Isabella are not together for most of the story.  There are two parts to this story.  The main story is about Adam and how he handles a new job away from Atlanta.  The other story is in the backgound .  Cherabino is under fire and Alan cannot be there to help her.

Hughes uses the story to add more detail to the world of Mindspace Investigations.  Vacant is more of a side story.  It adds a lot to the series but most of the action is there to set the stage for the next chapter in the lives of Adam and Cherabino.

While Vacant could stand alone I recommend reading the other novels in the series first.

Roc published Vacant by Alex Hughes in 2014.

Marked (A Mindspace Investigations Novel) by Alex Hughes

Paranormal Mystery

From Goodreads:

FORESEE NO EVIL.

Freelancing for the Atlanta PD isn’t exactly a secure career; my job’s been on the line almost as much as my life. But it’s a paycheck, and it keeps me from falling back into the drug habit. Plus, things are looking up with my sometimes-partner, Cherabino, even if she is still simmering over the telepathic Link I created by accident.

When my ex, Kara, shows up begging for my help, I find myself heading to the last place I ever expected to set foot in again—Guild headquarters—to investigate the death of her uncle. Joining that group was a bad idea the first time. Going back when I’m unwanted is downright dangerous.

Luckily, the Guild needs me more than they’re willing to admit. Kara’s uncle was acting strange before he died—crazy strange. In fact, his madness seems to be slowly spreading through the Guild. And when an army of powerful telepaths loses their marbles, suddenly it’s a game of life or death.

I have been looking forward to Book 3 in the Mindspace Investigation series.  After reading it I came away with mixed feelings.  Before I go further I do want to say that this is not a series you just drop into.  Go back to the beginning and start with book one, Clean.

On the plus side Marked continued with the world building started in the first two books.  There is more background about the Tech Wars and the Guild.  Along with the world building the characters continue to be fleshed out.  Finally Adam and Cherabino start to work on their attraction, just working – nothing resolved.

On the minus side the main premise for Marked just does not make sense.  Why on earth would Adam ever go back to help the Guild.  They used him to test a drug that was very addictive and threw him out instead of helping him when that experiment left him an addicted.  I have never liked the Guild and I really had trouble believing he would every willing walk back into a situation that gave them any power over him. They have not changed - they do not treat him well this time either.

Having said all of that after I got over how stupid I though Adam was the plot was interesting.  Like Adam I would think I knew what was going on only to be fooled again and again.  I do hope the next book leaves the Guild way, way in the background.  I like Adam and did not enjoy seeing him back in the power of the Guild.

Roc published Marked by Alex Hughes in 2014.

Book Beginnings, November 15, 2013

Book Beginnings on Friday is a meme hosted by Gilion at Rose City Reader. Anyone can participate; just share the opening sentence of your current read, making sure that you include the title and author so others know what you're reading.

My Book Beginning this week is from Clean by Alex Hughes.  This is a book I read over a year ago and just looked up on my book shelves.  It is the first in a series really like. The author is going to be a Coastal Magic in February and I hope to go.  I am waiting to hear how long the recovery from surgery on a torn meniscus will be before I sign up.  Here is the beginning.
 
"My first interview of the night was Esperanze Mensalez-Mar, a thirty-something woman dress in a pink-pressed suit I suspected cost more than my last paycheck.  Not that I'd seen the paycheck, but that was the kin of impression she gave off, like she had too much money to copy.  She was here as a suspect in the death of her husband."

Goodreads says this about Clean:

"I used to work for the Telepath’s Guild before they kicked me out for a drug habit that wasn’t entirely my fault. Now I work for the cops, helping Homicide Detective Isabella Cherabino put killers behind bars. My ability to get inside the twisted minds of suspects makes me the best interrogator in the department. But the normals keep me on a short leash. When the Tech Wars ripped the world apart, the Guild stepped up to save it. But they had to get scary to do it—real scary. Now the cops don’t trust the telepaths, the Guild doesn’t trust me, a serial killer is stalking the city—and I’m aching for a fix. But I need to solve this case. Fast. I’ve just had a vision of the future: I’m the next to die."

  

Clean, A Mindspace Investigations Novel by Alex Hughes

Science Fiction/Mystery

Goodreads Summary:

“I used to work for the Telepath’s Guild before they kicked me out for a drug habit that wasn’t entirely my fault. Now I work for the cops, helping Homicide Detective Isabella Cherabino put killers behind bars. My ability to get inside the twisted minds of suspects makes me the best interrogator in the department. But the normals keep me on a short leash. When the Tech Wars ripped the world apart, the Guild stepped up to save it. But they had to get scary to do it—real scary. Now the cops don’t trust the telepaths, the Guild doesn’t trust me, a serial killer is stalking the city—and I’m aching for a fix. But I need to solve this case. Fast. I’ve just had a vision of the future: I’m the next to die.”

Clean has everything to make a good story.  The book has a flawed hero, a by the book cop, and a good plot.  Add the fact that it is Science Fiction and what more could you ask for.

Clean is set sometime in the future.  Tech became the enemy and had to be severely controlled.  The Telepath’s Guild helped win the Tech Wars and are now a major but not really trusted part of society.  The world building is excellent and helps make the story.

The flawed hero is Adam but the story is told in first person and we do not learn his name until the end of the book. He was involved in a drug experiment while in the Telepath’s Guild.  It turned out the drug was addictive and he did not kick the habit after the experiment was over.  Because of his drug habit he was kicked out of the Guild.  He is clean now but has to work every day to overcome his cravings.  He is working with Isabella Cherabino and they have a push pull type of relationship.  That also adds to the tension in the story.

This is Alex Hughes first novel and the first in the Mindspace series.  The series is off to a great start and I am looking forward to the next book, Sharp, due out in April of 2013.

ROC published Clean by Alex Hughes in 2012.