Dark Hunt by Naomi Clark (Urban Wolf #2)
F/F Urban Fantasy
October 16, 2011
Queered Fiction Press

Reviewed by Mandi

Couple Ayla and Shannon have gone to Paris for a week of relaxation and sight seeing, or so they think. As Shannon has come to figure out, wherever her werewolf lover goes, trouble seems to follow. Paris has been plagued with a string of deaths recently that people have named, “Le Monstre,” or The Monster. It is no longer safe to walk around Paris after dark, as people are getting their throats ripped out. Due to the viciousness of the attacks, people assume it is a wolf (werewolves are out to the public). But Ayla is not so sure, as a very sweet, sickly smell is left behind at the crime scenes and soon she will have a very close encounter with Le Monstre.

Dark Hunt is the third book in Naomi Clark’s Urban Wolf series. This is the only female/female series I follow consistently. Told in Ayla’s point of view, this series not only gives us a new mystery each book but a look into a relationship between a wolf and a human. Ayla and Shannon love each other but they also have many flaws. They definitely don’t have a perfect relationship and I like that. Ayla struggles with her intense need to be with pack and to help wolves wherever she may be, and Shannon struggles with her place as a human in Ayla’s world. They definitely have their surly moments in this one, I actually would have liked to see them a little more warm to each other, but I do appreciate their relationship will grow throughout the series.

The villain in this one is pretty nasty but two things came to mind as I read. First, I think it would have made a little more sense to witness more police involvement with the investigation. This “thing” seemed to be killing every other night, and we kind of miss out on what the police were doing to stop him. Even when Ayla is questioned or giving a statement, it was very brief. Shannon and Ayla also make a decision at one point to call in anonymously to the police with a huge amount of information, because they didn’t want to face the police. I just think with a murderer of this caliber, they should have done everything they could have to hand over information.

Second, I was a tiny bit disappointed at the end and how things were not completely resolved. It felt a little unfinished – although I assume this will continue to the next book. So I while I liked this one, it is not as strong as the previous book in the series.

Rating: C+

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