The Taken: Celestial Blues: Book One [Paperback]

Vicki Pettersson (Author)

Book Description

Release date: June 12, 2012 | Series: Celestial Blues (Book 1)

“Exceptional. Mystery, crime scene drama, and more than enough romance to keep the heart pumping blend seamlessly into an enthralling read that kept me glued to the pages.”
—Kim Harrison

“A delectably dark paranormal thriller. I’ve always been a fan of Pettersson’s work, but she knocks it out of the park with this one.”
—Kelley Armstrong

Vicki Pettersson, author of the New York Times bestselling Signs of the Zodiac urban fantasy novels, breaks out with The Taken. The first book in her sexy, supernatural noir mystery series, Celestial Blues, The Taken features a former p.i.-turned-fallen angel and a beautiful, tough Las Vegas reporter—the most unorthodox pair of avengers since Jeaniene Frost’s Cat and Bones—joining forces to confront a terror that threatens to wreak murderous havoc in both the mortal and the immortal worlds. A dark and delicious mix of noir mystery, urban fantasy, and paranormal romance, The Taken is a must-read treat for the insatiable fans of Nalini Singh’s angel books, and for the many, many readers who have made Kelley Armstrong, Charlaine Harris, Kim Harrison, and Laurell K. Hamilton fantasy superstars.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

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Amazon Exclusive: Kim Harrison Reviews The Taken

Kim Harrison is the author of The Hollows series.

Kit is her own woman, her confidence and belief in justice driving her to dig where she doesn't belong. Getting her best friend murdered while investigating Las Vegas's men of power swiftly unearths a city-wide conspiracy that preys on the vulnerable and innocent, one propagated by an ugly circle of zealous adherence to traditions and enforced by selective blindness and lethal corrections.

Drawn into bringing the horrific abuse to light, Kit puts her own life into the equation. But she's supposed to be dead already, according to Grif, a jaded angel whose job it was to get Kit's friend to the Everlast. Grif's own scars made by failing to protect his wife from a savage murder he was blamed for keep him tied to his Everlast job, unable to move on, unable to look back.

Shaken by Kit's dual strong and fragile nature, Grif begins breaking rules, setting up larger and larger waves through the Everlast as he finds every moment he spends with Kit brings him closer to the truth he has been avoiding the past seventy years--and he slowly realizes that even an angel can learn to love again.

Boldly exploring topics skirting today's headlines, Pettersson deftly brings together a cast of unique yet recognizable characters within her hometown of Las Vegas. Fast paced and having logical surprises, The Taken is an exceptional look into a vision of what happens when the hereafter merges with the here-and-now, the mechanics of the world building as unique and satisfying as the tale itself as the genres of mystery, crime scene drama, and more than enough romance to keep the heart pumping blend seamlessly into an enthralling read that kept me glued to the pages until the final, satisfying end. I can't wait for the sequel. --Kim Harrison

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Review

“Pettersson hits every note in the familiar duet of a ‘reticent, complicated, darkly sexy man’ and a luscious, plucky ‘girl reporter’.... The resulting irresistibly good yarn proves that there’s still plenty of room for brilliant innovation in urban fantasy.” (Publishers Weekly (starred review) )

“A sure bet for urban-fantasy readers of all types, but especially fans of Carrie Vaughn, Jim Butcher, and P. N. Elrod.” (Booklist )

“Intriguing mix of paranormal, romance and mystery with just enough suspense!” (Suspense magazine )

“Pettersson’s amazing new series is off to a rocking start with this compelling read.” (RT Book Reviews (top pick) )

“Exceptional. Mystery, crime scene drama, and more than enough romance to keep the heart pumping blend seemlessly into an enthralling read that kept me glued to the pages. I can’t wait for the sequel.” (Kim Harrison )

“A stylish, atmospheric mash-up of rockabilly and angelic affairs quickly reveals itself to be so much more: THE TAKEN proves that Pettersson is not afraid to explore the darkest corners of the human heart – and that her gift for redemption is unsurpassed.” (Sophie Littlefield )

“A delectably dark paranormal thriller. I’ve always been a fan of Pettersson’s work, but she knocks it out of the park with this one.” (Kelley Armstrong )

“The Scent of Shadows is a bold concept, skillfully developed. The ugly grit and intoxicating glitter of Vicki Pettersson’s world of Las Vegas is the perfect mirror for her character, Joanna Archer, whose hard past flows into her unimaginably chancy future.” (Kim Harrison on The Scent of Shadows )

“From the one-damn-thing-after-another school of unputdownable books, The Scent of Shadows rockets into the air and explodes like fireworks, with nonstop bursts of action and imagination.” (Diana Gabaldon on The Scent of Shadows )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Harper Voyager; Original edition (June 12, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062064649
• ISBN-13: 978-0062064646
• Product Dimensions: 5.3 x 1 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (110 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #632,102 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Vicki Pettersson is the New York Times bestselling author of the completed six-book 'Signs of the Zodiac' series, which features reluctant superhero, Joanna Archer, and are set in her hometown of Las Vegas.

Her latest novel is THE LOST, the second of three paranormal mysteries which pair a P.I/angel from the 50's with a modern-day rockabilly reporter. Together, they fight crime.

Though she'll always consider Sin City her home, she now divides her time between Vegas and Dallas, where she's learning to like good Tex-Mex (easy) and the Dallas Cowboys (easier than you'd think).

For more information on Vicki's books, please visit: http://vickipettersson.com/

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 50 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars LITERAL ADDICTION's Review of The Taken June 12, 2012

By LITERAL ADDICTION

Format:Paperback

I received an ARC of this book from the Publisher in preparation for an Event that LITERAL ADDICTION was doing with Vicki in mid-June 2012. I'm a fan of Ms. Pettersson's, and seeing that this was the first in a new series I was seriously intrigued. Not to mention that the blurb was original and that peaked my interests even more.

In preparation of the read I did a little research and saw that the pre-release reader reviews were quite low rated. While I didn't let that impact my decision to start the book or my thoughts, it was always in the back of my mind. After finishing, I have to say that I'm very shocked at the low reviews. I REALLY enjoyed it!

It was a heart pumping mystery with intense action, old fashioned romance, and just enough of the preternatural to keep it in my 'usually preferred' genre, and while it's a long book, I read it in 3 sittings.

I adore Grif. Maybe because I've always been an absolute sucker for the dicks & gumshoes of the past - the Humphrey Bogarts and Dick Tracys of the world. Those smart, sexy, intense, standoffish, sleuthy men who could solve a crime by finding a book of matches. Those that while maybe not classically handsome could still make your heart swoon with just their smarts, a cock-eyed fedora and a trenchcoat. *sigh* Grif is all that and a bag of chips! LOL. He's uber sexy, tortured, haunted, smart (and smart-a**), plus... he's an angel (literally).

Kit is an amazing heroine as well. She takes on the world with a smile, all the while staying true to herself despite what others think. She's also strong, smart, and compassionate and an incredible investigative journalist (a profession I thoroughly enjoy in my fiction).

Together, these two are the ultimate pair, yet their relationship is tragically flawed and utterly doomed from the start. It made you cheer them on and wish for the best even more, and made my heart swell anytime anything did go their way breaking through Grif's ice and bringing one of those wide smiles to Kit's face.

I loved the book and I'm really looking forward to the sequel!

I have to say that while I enjoyed the action, mystery and romance, my favorite part of the book was the underlying message - that life is meant to be lived, enjoyed one day at a time to its fullest, and that death shouldn't be feared, because dying means you were once truly alive.

LITERAL ADDICTION gives The Taken 4 Skulls and would recommend it to all Urban Fantasy and Mystery lovers, especially those with a penchant for vintage PI and Detective work.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars 3.5 stars - Interesting premise, but uneven delivery and a dark mystery made it a mixed read July 12, 2012

By melindeeloo TOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:Kindle Edition

THE TAKEN, the Celestial Blues series starter, was a mixed read for me. The first chapter was a 'grabber', but I found the next few chapters to be uneven and I kept wavering as to whether I even had the patience to continue on, because I liked the parts with leading man Grif Shaw - a 'busted' (not fallen) angel and former 50's PI - but I had a hard time connecting with leading lady Kit Craig - a newspaper reporter who embraces the 50's nostalgia driven Rockabilly lifestyle and has an attitude that brought to mind Pollyana - so, Kit's chapters would loose me and Grif's would reel me back in.

It took pretty much until the 90 page mark and an attempted murder, and for Kit and Grif to finally combine forces, to even things out - and for me to finally get into the flow. But after that, I got wrapped up in the story which involves an investigation into a murder that Kit knows ties into a prostitution ring and involves a list that names many of Vegas' who's whos as clients. However, the actual truth adds an even uglier and disturbing side to murder and prostitution, and while I ended up liking the development in Grif and Kit's relationship and the way that the investigation unfolded kept my interest, the ugliness of that truth left a yucky aftertaste to THE TAKEN.

So that aftertaste, when combined with the slow start, makes it hard to give THE TAKEN a hearty endorsement. Still there was enough promise in what Petterssen crafted in her angelic mythos, in Grif and in the partnership - with its late developing romance - that I will likely check out the next book.

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Angels meet Dick Tracy meet the 21st Century June 20, 2012

By Zeenakwon

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Synopsis: Griffin Shaw, a dead PI turned angel, escorts newly dead people to their afterlife. Katherine "Kit" Craig is a journalist who has a big case and lives a rockabilly lifestyle with a "world is pretty" attitude. Griffin Shaw makes a mistake that brings him back down to the earth in flesh, and his job is to watch Kit Craig die and escort her home. But he can't allow her to die, and both work together to help save her life and uncover why girls are being killed.

But Griffin Shaw has an ulterior motive, too-He wants to find out who killed him and his beautiful wife, Evie, 50 years ago. The problem is, the attraction between Griffin and Kit is them is unstoppable . . .

Review: I was super excited for this book. I loved the Zodiac Series books, and I love rockabilly fashion! Pencil skirts, cupcake dresses, and cherries!

I loved the character's in this book. Each character from Griffin to Charlotte is such an individual. The way Pettersson wrote this book, I can perfectly picture the characters in my mind. Griffin is a hot shot former PI a la "film noire detective". Which fit perfectly with Modern but "stuck in the past" Kit. The language is also so "old school". I love it. The romance that develops between the two characters is just beautiful. Although it was a quick developed romance, the nature and style of the book made it believable. I also enjoyed the parallel drawn between their real pasts, how they dealt with it, and how it had manifested in their current lives.

Which brings me to why I love that the world she created. It was a salute to the past: the world she created was one that although the books were set in modern day, there was a distinct film noire/mobsterish type feel to it. Bad guys and dangerous men with swagger, the damsels were in distress, and the passion just oozed out. This book was primarily a mystery in my mind, we were watching the characters unfold what happened and why.

**SPOILER**

The mystery is kind of backwards--You know who the bad guys were, but not what the crime was. Now that was cool.

**END SPOILER**

Now the cons. One, although I loved the language, sometimes it didn't make sense. Such as, a recently dead guy refers to girls as "betties". Um, no one in our age calls girls betties, at least not someone who is NOT in the rockabilly lifestyle.

The book started off quite slow. I can't blame Pettersson for that, as that is the problem with most first books, and she does, comparatively, a good job at balancing the pace after the first third. I was disappointed that it was very Fantasy "light". Someone told me this book was more mystery than Fantasy, and I agree. Maybe the following books will be more heavy on the Fantasy.

This was a fun and fast paced read (although it took me forever, but that was my own time constraints). There is action, romance, violence, and some angels thrown in. If you like mystery or film noire/rockabilly culture, or just Vicki Pettersson getting her formidable talent on, then this book is absolutely for you! I can't wait till the next book comes out.

Sex: Hot steamy sex scenes, and some sex stuff that makes your stomach turn, including the mention of underage girls. If reading about child abuse (young teen girls nude) bothers you, then there are sections you should avoid, but it doesn't take away from the whole story. I thought it was handled very well-intended to make the reader and the character feel revulsion.
Violence: pretty brutally described . . . again, if you can't stomach violence, maybe this isn't for you.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Quote:
"So. You're a fallen angel." She folded her arms.
"I'm not fallen," he said roughly.
"Then what are you?"
He shrugged. "Busted."

Next Book: The Lost comes out March 13, 2013