A Devil in the Details: A Jesse James Dawson Novel (Jesse Dawson) [Mass Market Paperback]

K. A. Stewart (Author)

Book Description

Release date: July 6, 2010 | Series: Jesse Dawson (Book 1)

View our feature on K.A. Stewarts’s A Devil in the Details.

When it comes to demons, always read the find print.

Jesse James Dawson was an ordinary guy (well, an ordinary guy with a black belt in karate) until one day he learned his brother had made a bargain with a demon, Jesse discovered there was only one way to save his brother: put up his own soul as collateral, and fight the demon to the death.

Jesse lived to free his brother-and became part of a loose organization of Champions who put their own souls on the line to help those who get in over their heads with demons. But now experienced Champions are losing battles at a much higher rate than usual. Someone has changed the game. And if Jesse can't figure out the new rules, his next battle may be his last...

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. This crackling series launch hits the trifecta of strong story, characters, and prose. Jesse James Dawson is a retail clerk, a samurai, a redneck brawler, a good husband and father, and a Champion: a demon slayer who fights to free repentant souls from hastily entered contracts. What he isn't is good with magic, though his wife, Mira, can back him up with some spell casting. While attempting to retrieve the soul of a World Series– winning pitcher, Jesse is distracted by two other Champions disappearing, a stalker trying to run him off the road, and an annoying pest of a demon determined to claim him. Stewart's wisecracking hero is smart and thoroughly 3-D. The tight terse style honors but doesn't copy Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden books, and urban fantasy fans looking for something new will happily devour Stewart's debut.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"A DEVIL IN THE DETAILS has a clever conceit, with a surprisingly strong moral centre. Lots of fun, deftly witty, and one of the most appealing central characters of recent years." --New York Times bestselling author Simon R. Green

"Equal parts heroic, dark and funny...a welcome addition to the urban fantasy genre, pickup truck included." --Anton Strout, author of DEAD MATTER

"If you want your life saved you call the cops. If you want your soul saved, you call Jesse James Dawson...Humor, action, and a one-way trip straight to Hell, this book delivers it all." --National Bestselling Author Rob Thurman

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Roc; First Edition edition (July 6, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451463439
• ISBN-13: 978-0451463432
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 0.9 x 6.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #700,608 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

K.A. Stewart has a BA in English with an emphasis in Literature from William Jewell College. She lives in Missouri with her husband, daughter, one cat, and one small furry demon that thinks it's a cat.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read! July 17, 2010

By Karen F.

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Jesse James Dawson is a husband and a father and a bit of a geek -- oh and he's a modern day Samurai who slays demons. Can I say I loved this book?! I thought the characters & story were well thought out. It's told from Jesse's POV & starts out letting you get to know him and his motivations. It quickly builds speed until you're racing along with him as he works to save the day without compromising his beliefs or getting himself killed in the process. There's plenty of action, as well as moments that cracked me up. I loved the pop culture references. (Hello? Anime soundtrack? Too funny.) This is definitely a book worth reading & I'm hoping I'll be reading more about Jesse in the future.

If you're a fan of Rob Thurman's Cal Leandros series or Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden, you'll enjoy this.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome new Urban Fantasy novel! July 31, 2010

By Cynseer Booklover

Format:Mass Market Paperback

There are so many urban fantasy novels glutting the market now days....and while being a huge fan...I was beginning to think they were becoming incestuous...like so many plots were nearly the same...then I pick up A Devil In The Details...and just found myself unable to set it down....it is filled with sly humor...some nasty demon characters trying to do our hero in...a plot that is original and vastly entertaining...and guess what...all of this great book with nary a single sexually explicit scene....now..don't get me wrong...I love a well done sensual scene as well as the next woman...but sometimes I just grow weary of them...I want the story to grab me...the characters to matter...the reason that good must overcome evil to mean something. And this book delivers!! K. A. Stewart is one of my newest favorite authors...and I will definitely be salivating for the next book in what I hope is a long series. There were moments where I grinned at the hero's snarkiness...other moments where I felt empathy for his plight to protect his loved ones and stand for honor. Definitely one of the better urban fantasy tales on the market today. Highly recommended to those who want something new and special.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Exciting debut! September 29, 2010

By M. Wanchoo VINE™ VOICE

Format:Mass Market Paperback

"A Devil in the Details" is Kari Stewart's debut but it really doesn't feel so. The novel begins with Jesse battling off a crab demon for the soul of perhaps the country's numero uno citizen. Jesse manages to save his skin and win the battle as well, but not without some significant injuries to himself. Thus with such an action packed beginning the reader is welcomed into the world of Jesse James Dawson. He's your average person but with a difference: he's the guy you might have to turn to when you strike up a Faustian bargain and aren't ready to live up to your end of the bargain. That's where he and his ilk come in as they try to fight off the specific demon that comes to claim the soul as per the bargain struck before. Life isn't exactly a bed of roses for Jesse but he manages to get by with the help of his wife Mira and his daughter Annabelle. Also there's a broad informal network of champions [Warriors akin to Jesse] who communicate with each other and help to keep track of what's happening on the astral side.

The story begins when a famous baseball pitcher approaches Jesse detailing his problem. What differentiates this case is a referral from one of Jesse's past clients and the fact that Jesse believes in the client's repentance. Jesse's odyssey begins here as the reader gets a window into the mundane aspect of his life. He works at a clothing store and also helps his wife out at her store whenever possible. Amidst all of this he also tries to stay away from temptation as a demon named Axel has formed quite a "Frenemy" relationship with him. Almost every other day he comes by and tries to trick Jesse into signing over his soul - due to his Champion status, he's become quite a catch for any demon to reel in.

When Jesse accepts this case he doesn't realize where it will lead to. Adding to the confusion is the disappearance of Mexico's champion Miguel. On conferring with the overseer amongst the Champions, a Russian man named Ivan Zelenko, it dawns upon both of them that there might be other missing champions which could potentially signal a whole new level of trouble. Ivan is also trying to find out more about this spate of disappearances. Jesse also has to deal with his Mom's birthday present which he cannot forget to buy under any circumstances and there is his scheduled fight with the demon as well. All of the action occurs within the span of a few days.

So the main story begins and we will see Jesse fight demons, find out the mystery of Miguel's absence, and possibly not forget his mother's birthday gift. There's a lot more to this than the aforementioned events, namely Jesse's laconic & dry wit which gives us an honest view of his life and his thoughts. Kari Stewart needs to commended for writing such a terrific debut involving such a character. She has established a wonderful voice in Jesse James Dawson who is funny, evocative and human at the same time.

He's the stereotypical hero model but he's presented in such a way that you empathize with his life, life which isn't easy due to his routine demon battles which have left him with more scars than he would like. And he's frequently getting dropped by Insurance companies which I thought was a wonderful way to highlight the inadequacies in our current medical system. The only drawback to "A Devil in the Details" is the predictability that has set within this genre and it is in evidence here too. You easily see what will happen in the end, but the author has made the journey as pleasant a read as possible and this very quality makes this book one of the excellent UF debuts of 2010.

In the world of Urban Fantasy thrillers, currently "The Dresden files" by Jim Butcher is the standard against which series are measured & Kari Stewart can rest easy as her novel can stand quite well against her idol. With such an enticing setup and with the promise of more mayhem to follow, courtesy Axel's revelation in the end, Kari Stewart has made sure that readers bookmark her debut series as one to be followed in the future too.

Overall Rating = 4 & 1/2 stars!