When the Shadows Fall: A Romantic Thriller

This is the last book in Alaric’s trilogy, though this is mainly Sky’s story. I enjoyed the complexity of this conclusion as well as further introduction to the next generation of “Blackwoods”. Sky, Rune, Asher, and Vanessa bring this story to life in a different way than the adult characters do. In true Elise Noble fashion, bad guys of various calibers get what’s coming and our heroes solve the mystery while righting some wrongs in their own midst. As always, I enjoy Elise’s unique and vivid descriptions such as this visual of Bradley’s hair: “black at the sides with a pale-pink stripe down the middle, like a skunk that took a wrong turn into a candyfloss machine”. Before reading this book, read “The Girl with the Emerald Ring” and “Red after Dark” to get the full effect of superb story telling and solid character development. I am sure we will benefit for many books to come from the groundwork of the new characters introduced in these books. If you have not read any of Elise Noble's books, probably best to just ask for a leave of absence from your job and settle in for the long haul, starting at the beginning.

When Shadows Fall is the third book regarding Alaric a former FBI agent in the Blackwood Security series. There wasn’t much of Elise’s famous humor that I’ve enjoyed many times before. Elise’s characters are always multilayered, well developed and real exploring deep emotions that guide their actions. This has never been as true as in The Girl with the Emerald Ring, Red After Dark, and When Shadows Fall. Instead the raw pain experienced in Sky’s past, as well as newly introduced characters, move the story forward in the quest to find the stolen painting that ruined and ended Alaric’s FBI career. Elise examines the problems and consequences evolved from jealousy and poor communication between to people. As we are reminded and given a glimpse into the extent of Black’s passion and desire for Emmy’s love. A relationship that has grown and withstood many trials. We have been introduced and are taking stock of Sky as she finds her way and develops into her own through the training and guidance provided by Emmy and Rafael. This was a great book!

The third series in the Emerald trilogy "When the shadows fall" is mainly Sky story with the Blackwood crew as Emmy protege. She finds herself in an entirely different world from the one she lived in UK as she is taken under Emmy's wings, though we still see Emmy and Black as well as Alaric and Beth. When the shadows fall is a romantic thriller full of twists and turns, actions, adventure, mishaps and humor as Elise takes us along for the ride visualizing the character's offbeat and snarky thoughts. I can't wait to see more of sky in the future as she channels her inner Emmy.