Review--Stiletto (The Checquy Files, #2)

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Stiletto (The Checquy Files, #2)Stiletto by Daniel O'Malley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"So, yes," Odgers said firmly, "we are going in. We are the troops of the Checquy, we are trained, we have supernatural powers, and we have big fucking guns. This is what we do."

It's mad scientists vs. the supernatural in a fight to the death! Or at least it was for centuries. Now the Checquy (Britain's really, really secret service) is feeling out a detente with The Grafters, the European scientists who scoff at the notion that there were things Man Was Not Meant to Know.

A delegation is sent from the scientists to London, and Odette Liliefeld and her young brother Alessio are as much hostages as diplomats as they feel out the Checquy. Odette's handler/guard, Pawn Felicity Clements will have to overcome her own visceral hatreds and mistrust to keep Odette safe, or kill her if commanded to do so.

Rook Myfanwy Thomas is back, but isn't the protagonist. Once again O'Malley has written dynamic and strong female leads who drive this book forward. There's no way to describe it, really, but it should appeal to fans of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe, Buckaroo Banzai in the Eighth Dimension, and Men in Black. You must read The Rook first to get the full, gonzo experience and appreciate the wordplay and skillful writing. O'Malley's fans have been waiting a long time for this sequel, and it was well worth the wait.

I read this novel with a gleeful smile on my face, and a happy sigh as I closed it at the end. I can't wait for the next Checquy Files adventure!


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