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

Keri Arthur (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 2003

On the werewolf reservation of Ripple Creek, a killer is on the loose. Three women are dead, their bodies mutilated and faces slashed. A fourth, Neva Grant’s twin, lies in the hospital, fighting for her life.Psychically linked, Neva shared the horror of her twin attack and makes a silent vow by her sister’s hospital bed. She’ll hunt down the killer, if Savannah finds the strength to live.The Rangers believe the killer is a member of the Sinclair pack, but Neva knows the Sinclairs will never talk to an outsider. To begin the hunt, she first has to seduce a Sinclair---and then she has to keep him interested long enough to find the killer. The only Sinclair not under suspicion is a wolf with a hard drinking, hard loving reputation. But has she got what it takes to attract a man with such experience? Neva doesn’t know, but for her sister’s sake, she has to try.Duncan Sinclair has been called back home to find a killer, and he wants nothing more than to complete his task and get out of the town for which he has no love. Then he’s approached by a wolf who obviously has more than seduction on her mind, and he finds himself ensnared in a growing web of desire and deceit.As the murders continue and the killer’s shadow draws ever closer, Duncan and Neva find themselves having to trust each other in order to survive. But can they trust the emotions flaring between them? Or will the lies of the present, the deeds of the past, and a killer’s bloody intentions tear them apart?

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 an alternate 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. --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 248 pages
• Publisher: ImaJinn Books (June 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1893896382
• ISBN-13: 978-1893896383
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #912,424 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Book Review, October 30, 2005

By 

Lyn (Virginia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beneath a Rising Moon (Ripple Creek, Book 1) (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.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Howling at the moon takes on a new meaning, March 31, 2004

By 

Darkcat_ak "darkcat_ak" (Alaska) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beneath a Rising Moon (Ripple Creek, Book 1) (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.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

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

By 

Moe811 (New York USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beneath a Rising Moon (Ripple Creek, Book 1) (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.