Beneath a Rising Moon (Ripple Creek, Book 1) [Mass Market Paperback]

Keri Arthur (Author)

Book Description

Release date: July 31, 2012

Keri Arthur, the New York Times bestselling author of the Riley Jenson Guardian series, takes readers to the werewolf reservation of Ripple Creek—where moon fever runs high and a savage murderer runs rampant.
 
There’s no turning back for Neva Grant. To find a killer, she must seduce the boldest male in the Sinclair pack. Her twin sister lies in a hospital bed, fighting for her life, the fourth and only surviving victim of a vicious attacker. The werewolf rangers suspect the Sinclair pack, and the only way Neva can infiltrate their close-knit ranks is to unleash the wildness within and offer herself to Duncan Sinclair.
 
Duncan’s appetite for women is legendary on the reservation. But when this new woman stirs his hunger, he finds his desire for her goes deeper than anything he’s ever felt before. When he realizes that she’s playing a game and he’s taken the bait, he is determined to push her to the breaking point. As Duncan and Neva engage in a dangerous dance, they must somehow find a way to join forces—before a cornered killer bites back.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'Keri Arthur's imagination and energy infuse everything she writes with zest' Charlaine Harris 'Smart, sexy and well conceived ... thoroughly enjoyable' Kim Harrison 'Keri Arthur is one of the best supernatural romance writers in the world' Harriet Klausner --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

About the Author

Keri Arthur, author of the New York Times bestselling Riley Jenson Guardian series, has now written more than twenty-five books. She’s received several nominations in the Best Contemporary Paranormal category of the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Awards and recently won RT’s Career Achievement Award for urban fantasy. She lives with her daughter in Melbourne, Australia.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Dell (July 31, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440246490
• ISBN-13: 978-0440246497
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 1 x 6.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (37 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #349,322 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Keri Arthur has been nominated in the Best Contemporary Paranormal category of the Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Awards, and recently won RT's Career Achievement Award for Urban Fantasy. She lives with her daughter in Melbourne, Australia.

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#92 in Books > Romance > Fantasy & Futuristic

#92 in Books > Romance > Fantasy & Futuristic

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 30 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Book Review October 30, 2005

By Lyn

Format:Paperback

Neva Grant, a werewolf of the golden fur pack would never, on a normal occasion, be caught seen at the Sinclair's mansion participating in the moon dance. That is because her pack is known for their almost strict lifestyles, with a heavy emphasis on correct morals. Neva's pack looks down on the silver-haired Sinclairs, who are notorious for their drinking, taking more than one mate, and of course hosting the moon dance where everyone completely throws away their inhibitions.

However, Neva has a reason for being at the Sinclair's mansion this night: there is a killer on the loose, who has already killed three women and left Neva's twin Savannah in the hospital. At every scene of attack, the killer has left silver hairs, which makes the rangers believe that it is one of the Sinclairs doing the killing. The only person Neva and her sister know for sure is not the killer is Duncan Sinclair, a son of the leader of Ripple Creek's Sinclairs. Neva will do anything for her sister, so she attempts to seduce Duncan in order to gain access into the Sinclair mansion. On the night of the moon dance, she links herself to Duncan for the remainder of the moon phase.

In Arthur's world of werewolves, each is subject to the call of the moon, which heats the werewolves blood and fills them with the need to mate. The moon also has a hold over the females, who, once they agree to be a male's mate for the moon phase, can be forced by the male and the moon's power to honor this agreement. When Duncan realizes her reason for becoming his mate, he decides to push and push at her until she goes running back to (as he believes) the person who hired her to snoop around. He embarasses her in front of her parents, who are very old-fashioned, and leaves them not on speaking terms.

Despite this, Duncan and Neva find themselves fallin in love, even though Neva is terrified to admit it, and she has good reason: Duncan has a reputation of getting drunk, never staying with one mate for more than a week, and getting thrown in jail. Will Duncan convince Neva that she is his soul mate? More importantly, will Neva have the courage to look beyond Duncan's reputation and acknowledge her love for him before the moon phase is up and he leaves her life, possibly forever?

Amidst all this is the mystery of who is committing the murders, although this becomes pretty obvious about halfway through the book. What kept me guessing was why they were doing this, and how.

While I very much enjoyed this book, my one little complaint is that, for being a book about werewolves, I didn't think that Arthur went into enough detail on her idea of a werewolf. For example, she didn't describe the change from human to wolf and back again; did it hurt? Did their clothes rip off their backs when they changed? When they changed from wolf back to human, were they naked?

I did like that the golden-haired pack had strong telepathic and empathic abilities and could use that as a weapon; for example, they could fling their emotions of fear and anger back into the minds of another werewolf, and severely injure them.

This book was definitely worth my time and money, and I couldn't put it down. I suggest you pick up a copy for yourself.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Howling at the moon takes on a new meaning March 30, 2004

By Darkcat_ak

Format:Paperback

For Neva changing into a wolf is who she is. She is also a woman bent on trying to track down the wolf that tried to kill her twin sister. And to do so, she bonds for the duration of the moon dance with Duncan Sinclair; the long absent son of the family that throws the moon dances where her sister was attacked. However, Neva quickly looses control of the situation as Duncan is trying to solve the same mystery, because in addition to Neva's sister's attack, several women were killed.

Wow - so I've never read a werewolf novel like this. I think I've always had the misconception that werewolves were humans that turned during the three days surrounding a full moon and where discontent with the existence because they turned into mindless killers. (TV I guess...) Keri Arthur has woven together a very sensual love story with a well-written mystery.

In a Colorado that has accepted the paranormal, the moon dance will have you rethinking the term casual sex. While Neva and Duncan have a mystery that threatens more than the women attending the nightly dance, the focus of the book is trusting your heart, rather than just what you know as fact. Duncan was a playboy in every way. Can he reform or more to the point, has he reformed so that he could be happy with only one mate? Neva represents tradition where although she believes in a life mate, fears breaking the mold set by her parents.

This is a fabulous story that will accelerate your heartbeat both from the characters radiating sensuality and the mystery surrounding Duncan's family. I was worried that the book would be too scary for me (I'm a wimp). I was amazed that while it is a mystery, I wasn't traumatized as a reader so this was awesome! BENEATH A RISING MOON is a werewolf novel you won't want to miss! I hope Ms Arthur writes the story of Neva's sister, Savannah.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding Werewolf tale February 23, 2004

By Moe811

Format:Paperback

Keri Arthur once again creates a believable alternate reality in which the paranormal exist among us. In this first of the Ripple Creek novels, Neva Grant, a golden werewolf with psychic powers, investigates the assault of her twin sister Savannah. Savannah is a ranger on the werewolf reservation and was attacked by a silver werewolf while investigating a series of murders. Neva infiltrates the stronghold of the silver werewolves and becomes involves with one of them to further her investigation. It quickly becomes apparent that both she and Duncan are in danger from the murderer.

Ms. Arthur has created a werewolf society similar to, but very different from out own. The characters of Neva and Duncan are very well drawn and the romance elements very good. The mystery is interesting. I can't wait for the sequel.