Necropolis is a city that is, in many ways, like any other.  Necropolis has its upscale neighborhoods, its slums and everything in between.  What it doesn’t have is humans.  The citizens of Necropolis are ‘Other’.  Unlike the tales of old, vampires, werewolves, witches and the other citizens, work and play just like humans…they just live and play a bit differently.

They had thought they caught their murderer, but the new murder scene they walked onto had too many similarities to believe that any longer.  The evidence had pointed to Mel Howard, he was caught, and killed, just before he could finish off his victim.  It appears he had a partner, and that partner is finishing what he and Mel had started.  Their murderer has chosen a new hunting ground, San Antonio, and it's going to take all the help the Otherworld Crime Unit can get to find out who and what they're dealing with.

Someone powerful has been interfering with the OCU/SAPD investigation into Samantha Kipfer’s murder.  They’ve focused on Caine and through the media, as well as political venues, has had him taken off the case.  Caine has put Jace in charge, and he’s not happy about it.  Jace is one of the best evidence collectors that OCS has, but leadership isn’t something he wants or feels he’s ready for; Caine disagrees.

When Jace feels something powerful on the crime scene, he tries to pinpoint where that power is coming from.  Tala Channing has been assigned to be their police escort while they are in San Antonio, and Jace isn’t sure he can work with her.  There is something about her that bothers him, something not quite right and it doesn’t help that he’s having a problem controlling himself, both physically and emotionally.  But that’s because he’s in a human city when it is so close to the full moon…isn’t it?

Tala knew her assignment was going to be tough since she was transferred from another department.  It didn’t help that the unflattering rumors about the reason for that transfer followed her around like a bad smell…add that to the fact that she was a woman, and tough turns out to be an understatement.  Jace Jerico is something that will make this assignment go from tough to damned near impossible.  Everything in her wants him.  His voice, his body…his eyes draw her like nothing she’s ever come across, but he’s ‘Other’ and not for her.  Best to try to get this case solved as quickly as possible so she can get him away from her.

Someone important is pulling strings.  Getting the team kicked out of San Antonio is going to make solving who is behind the murders more than difficult, now it is going to be closer to impossible.  Will the connections they made with the San Antonio police department be enough for them to work together from two different cities?  Jace is hard pressed to believe that...but one could only hope.

When I read Blood Secrets, the first book in the Valorian Chronicles, I fell in love with this world and Dark Lies just drew me in deeper.  Vivi Anna has the ability to draw me into her worlds so quickly and totally that I have no idea what’s going on around me (just ask my kids) and real life just fades away into the background.

The characters in the Valorian Chronicles are multi-faceted and explored so thoroughly that they feel very real, very ‘human’.  Dark Lies took me from the crime scene, to the lab, and into the lives and homes of this very talented Otherworld Crime Unit, as well as into those that their lives touched effortlessly and realistically.  I can do nothing other than totally, Joyfully Recommend Dark Lies.  If you love action and emotionally packed stories, I recommend you pick up both installments of the Valorian Chronicles. You won’t be disappointed…just be prepared to lose your connection to real life for a few hours.