Reviewed by Becca
TITLE: The Poison Within
SERIES: Inspector Skaer #1
AUTHOR: Kasia Bacon
PUBLISHER: Self-Published
LENGTH: 40 pages
RELEASE DATE: March 18, 2017
BLURB:
Black clouds of xenophobia gather over Radvadur, the western province of the Empire. The political climate is strained and fragile. A surge of Nymph refugees has stirred widespread hostility towards non-humans. When the investigation of a gruesome triple murder linked to the refugee camp ensues, it takes Inspector Käyru Skaer and his lover, Count Ellydhar Finn-Jánn, along an unusual path, at the end of which a precious gift awaits.
Käyru and Elly are worlds apart in social standing, but they have found common ground in the bedroom—up against the wall and the stable doors, too. The arrangement between them ought to have been temporary and of no consequence. As their circumstances change, will they find the courage to risk their hearts?
REVIEW:
Having read the blurb and being intrigued by the cover and the title I had high hopes for this book, but was disappointed. It being a short story, I wasn’t expecting the details of a novel but I still expected something more. From my interpretation of the blurb, I was expecting wars and action and just… more. However, it was more of a love story with a little action, if you could even call it that.
Käyru and Elly are lovers in a time when social class is important. Käyru, being an inspector, is holding on to his time with Count Elly with both hands, praying Elly won’t get tired of him and their class disparity, and leave. After an evening spent together, they are interrupted in the morning with news of a triple murder. Käyru naturally checks it out, but is taken off the case as it has to do with the imperial guard. But a clue no one else sees leads him to who the murderer is, and why they did it. It also leads to some unusual circumstances.
This is basically the gist of the whole book. I won’t give the few details away but you don’t get much more than that, and I am thoroughly disappointed. I want to know what happens to the murderer. I want to know more about the wars. The good part about the book was the relationship between Käyru and Elly. It was very passionate. As they are from different classes, they don’t often get much time together. When they do it is sometimes sweet and loving, or very passionate and up against a wall, lol. Käyru is this big strapping man who is tall and wide, but is thoughtful and gentle when it comes to caring for Elly. Those two characters are what made this book readable. Other than that, there wasn’t much there.
It didn’t make me want to read the rest of the series. Maybe some of you will get more out of it than I did, but I will not be picking it back up.
RATING: 
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