The Isis Collar

There’s no rest for the weary as half-vampire mage Celia Graves falls headlong into another crisis in Adams’s fourth Blood Singer urban fantasy (after 2011’s Demon Song). After Celia is hurt by a magical bomb planted in a school, she’s left with injuries that won’t heal and inexplicable memory issues, symptoms of what turns out to be a zombie plague striking all across the country. Even as she teams up with the FBI to catch the bombers and find a cure for the plague, Celia must cope with the return of her negligent, alcoholic mother; the restless ghost of her sister; her missing mage boyfriend; and her increasing vampiric bloodlust. As always, Adams strikes a nice balance between romance and action, continuing to flesh out Celia’s world in strange new ways. Unfortunately, the otherwise solid plot is marred by last-minute pacing issues and an ending that blatantly sets things up for continuation. Agent: Merrilee Heifetz, Writers House. (Mar.)