One of the things I like most about Briggs' books is that she's willing to take risks & attempts to go against cliches. Her main character's personality is remarkably similar to other heroines out there, yet at the same time Briggs tries to make her a separate entity from so many angst-ridden gutsy heroines. She's put Mercy in a job that is atypical for the usual fantasy heroine. Most heroine jobs involve death, blood, or some sort of glamorous position- Mercy is a mechanic in her own garage that she barely keeps afloat. (Another thing Briggs does differently- Mercy is broke & is usually always just above water, unlike other heroines out there.) Then there's the subject matter. While rape isn't unheard of in the UF genre, Briggs is one of the few authors out there who chooses not to let it define her heroine- and tries to portray it realistically. I applaud her for that. 
 This entry in the Mercy series has our heroine still reeling from her brutal rape in the previous book. Not only that, but she must also deal with the "celebrity" that has come about from it- tapes of her attack have surfaced in the media. Since Mercy is known for dating Adam, the head of the local werewolf group & the public face of lycanthropy, it's given top priority in the news. When an old college friend shows up on her doorstep begging for help with a ghost problem because she saw the news reports, Mercy isn't initially inclined to help. It's only when the local vampire leader begins to make threats towards not only Mercy but also those she holds dear, that Mercy decides to face down the ghost. Unfortunately very little is every what it appears when it comes to things concerning Mercy, & this "small" ghost problem ends up being anything but easy. ' 
 Like I said above, I really appreciate how Briggs attempts to make her heroine realistic & not the typical UF girl. That is the one thing that she manages to accomplish perfectly in this book for the most part. My only true complaint is that the book sort of felt like it was two different stories & the connection between the two felt a little forced & too overly complicated. It's not that it was hard to understand, it just felt like at times Briggs was trying a little too hard. Either plot element (the ghost or Marsilla) could have made a fine book in its own right & I just wish that one or the other had taken precedence over the other. 
 Still, this is one of the better books that has come out lately in the Mercy series. The previous book (Ironkissed) was good, but this really makes me hunger for the next book in the series!