The third Tess Noncoiré adventure (after 2007's Moon in the Mirror
) follows the fantasy author and rogue demon-hunter to Las Vegas. While appearing as the guest of a regional writers conference, Tess and her imp sidekick, Scrap, are appalled to learn that the beautiful dancers performing in the hit show Faery Moon
are supernatural beings kidnapped from Faery.Local vampire crime boss Lady Lucia offers to help Tess free the faeries and get them home, which seems easy enough, but the presence of another rogue Warrior hints that there's more going on. Meanwhile, Tess's old flame Donovan Estevez shows up, raising the possibility of conflict with her new would-be lover, Gollum aka Guilford Van der Hoyden-Smythe. The dark ending is leavened by the usual insider references to filk, as well as plenty of sword swinging and romantic angst. (June)
