Extended review can be found here.

Disclaimer: I tried not to give too much away in terms of spoiler, but I may hint at some parts of the narrative as supporting examples of strengths in this work.

What starts off as avenging a loss from a poker game turns into an unforeseeable adventure. Picus the Vampire, because of his special set of skills, is given a task by his friend Art—to swap a real ring for the fake ring, so that the person imprisoned within the ring can be rescued and restored to his family.

This task takes Picus on a journey that not only tests his capabilities but his emotions as well. I found myself riding the waves of emotion right along with Picus.

There are many strengths to this book.

Dynamic characters: I am a big fan of Picus. He doesn’t fit the negative stereotypical makeup of a vampire (non-remorseful, evil, or savage). Although Picus is known for theft, he conducts himself with a sense of honor. Queen Mab (The Tooth Fairy) is that villain one loves to hate, and the feeling never changed for me throughout the book. I admired her determination and her depths of cruelty.

Comedic banter: There was a wonderful balance of comedic banter while keeping the sense of urgency and action fairly consistent.

Sharp hook: I was drawn in by the hook immediately, and I couldn't wait to find out what happened next.

This book was also very descriptive in terms of locations and characters, but the amount of detailing did not detract from the action or the plot.

From the non-stop action to the visual presentation and wonderful dialogue, I highly recommend Picus the Thief. ( )