Book Review: Clean Sweep by Ilona Andrews

Clean Sweep
by Ilona Andrews (Andrews)

Clean Sweep is the first book in the Innkeeper Chronicles by Ilona Andrews. This series takes place around a magical inn in Texas that caters to supernatural and alien guests. Dina, the Innkeeper with a capital ‘I’, grew up in a family of Innkeepers, so she knows all about her duty to keep unusual guests safe–including from each other–and how to use the amazing powers she possesses on inn grounds.

Things are slow at the moment, with Dinah’s only guest being a galactic tyrant enjoying her peaceful retirement. (Or at least peaceful since the assassins gave up on trying to breach the inn’s defenses.) But when neighborhood dogs start showing up torn to bits on suburban lawns, Dinah struggles with her need to keep a low profile and not go around playing neighborhood detective. Maybe she can get her new, recently-out-of-the-military, not-bad-looking-at-all neighbor to do something about it. After all, Dinah can tell he has dangerous secrets of his own.

This is a fun urban fantasy and science fiction series that is published chapter-by-chapter on the authors’ website before being printed up as each book. “Ilona Andrews” is the pen name of a husband and wife team known for writing action-thriller romances with plenty of heat and magic. Clean Sweep is a great starting point for new readers. The second Innkeeper Chronicles book Sweep in Peace does feature character appearances from one their recently completed series which starts with the book On the Edge, so it’s not a bad idea to start with that series as another option.

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try the Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher, beginning with Cold Front, the Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series by Laurell K. Hamilton, beginning with Guilty Pleasures, the Southern Vampire Mysteries series by Charlaine Harris, beginning with Dead Until Dark, or the Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs, beginning with Moon Called.]

[ official Innkeeper Chronicles page on the official Ilona Andrews web site ]

Recommended by Garren H.
Bennett Martin Public Library

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