Early Review - Sins of the Angels by Linda Poitevin - 4 1/2 Qwills

Sins of the Angels
Author:  Linda Poitevin
Series:  The Grigori Legacy
Format: Mass Market Paperback, 336 pages
Publisher:  Ace (September 27, 2011)
Price:  $7.99
Language: English
Genre:  Urban Fantasy
ISBN:  9780441020911
Review Copy: E-Arc provided by publisher

A detective with a secret lineage. An undercover Hunter with a bullet-proof soul. And a world made to pay for the sins of an angel…

Homicide detective Alexandra Jarvis answers to no one. Especially not to the new partner assigned to her in the middle of a gruesome serial killer case—a partner who is obstructive, irritatingly magnetic, and arrogant as hell.

Aramael is a Power—a hunter of the Fallen Angels. A millennium ago, he sentenced his own brother to eternal exile for crimes against humanity. Now his brother is back and wreaking murderous havoc in the mortal realm. To find him, Aramael must play second to a human police officer who wants nothing to do with him and whose very bloodline threatens both his mission and his soul.

Now, faced with a fallen angel hell-bent on triggering the apocalypse, Alex and Aramael have no choice but to join forces, because only together can they stop the end of days.

My thoughts:

Sins of the Angels is the first book in The Grigori Legacy series and is Linda Poitevin’s a debut. The story takes place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and centers around Alexandra Jarvis, a homicide Detective for the Toronto Police. Horrific serial murders are taking place in Toronto and Alex is on the case. The murders dredge up awful memories for Alex. At the same time Alex is dealing with the murders and trying to tamp down those memories, she’s assigned a new partner – Jacob Trent. He has been sent to help solve the murders and may the only one who can do it.

Jacob is not who he seems, but is an angel named Aramael. When Alex senses this she thinks she is losing a long feared battle with a mental illness like her mother’s. Compounding this is a mutual attraction that neither Alex nor Aramael want to acknowledge. For reasons that become clear as the book progresses, Aramael is predisposed to not like Alex. He’s heaven bent on tracking down the murderer, but being near Alex has upset whatever equilibrium he possesses. When the murderer’s attention turns to Alex, Aramael and Alex are faced with life changing decisions. Alex must come to grips with her unknown heritage and who Aramael really is.

This is a wonderful debut novel. Sins of the Angels features two interwoven narratives - one involving the serial murders and an engrossing story of intrigue in heaven that is related to what is happening in Toronto.

Alex and Aramael are both substantial characters that I care about. I also really enjoy the very strong supporting cast. Both Alex’s and Aramael’s “co-workers” are well drawn though Aramael’s are a lot more mysterious. There is much, much more to be revealed about the heavenly contingent. There are two villains in Sins of the Angels both of whom evoke very strong negative feelings, but for different reasons.

The pacing in Sins of the Angels is excellent. The story pulls you in from the very first page and does not let go until the heart-wrenching ending. There is some graphic violence, but it fits the story well. Sins of the Angels is an Urban Fantasy deeply infused with a richly developed mythology, excellent world building, characters you’ll love, and villains you’ll love to hate. I am eagerly looking forward to the next book in The Grigori Legacy.

I give Sins of the Angels 4 ½ Qwills.