Fair Game (Alpha & Omega Book 3)

A serial killer who has evaded capture for decades has now turned an eye to werewolves and Fae. In Boston there has been a slew of murders; women and children abducted, raped and tortured before being killed. The suspected killer continues to run circles around the FBI, but when a number of werewolves fall victim the Marrok steps in and sends his best to aid the authorities. Normally Charles Cornick would be the last person to help the FBI in their investigations. The werewolf `boogeyman', Charles is less than hospitable at the best of times ... but he has grown worse in recent months, with the ghosts of vengeful werewolves haunting him. Charles is not the best man to finesse this job with the FBI, but his wife is. Anna Cornick, a precious Omega werewolf, knows a thing or two about being a victim. It is her intention to make sure she and Charles aid the FBI in catching this deranged killer, and ensure no more people (werewolf, Fae and human alike) are never again made to be victims of a madman. `Fair Game' is the third book in Patricia Brigg's `Alpha & Omega' urban fantasy series, a spin-off of her original `Mercedes Thompson' series. `Fair Game' is one of the most anticipated paranormal novels of 2012, but I can safely assume that fans of Patricia Briggs have been counting down to the book's release for quite a few years. Fans have not read a Charles & Anna book since the 2009 instalment, `Hunting Ground'. A new contract for Briggs negotiated that she would have alternate release years between `Alpha & Omega' and `Mercedes Thompson' - so while 2011 gave us `River Marked', we will have to wait until 2013 for a new Mercy instalment. Alternatively, we won't be revisiting Charles & Anna again until 2014 (if at all?). That makes `Fair Game' about as precious as hen's teeth, and places a high level of expectation on a novel that has been so long in coming, and will be a while in returning ... so it's lucky then that Briggs delivers, ten-fold! Readers pick up the story when times for North American werewolves are tough. Since being `outed' to the public, the wolves have had to partake of some serious PR campaigns, to convince humans (and more importantly; law-makers and the media) that they are not the monsters of comic books and horror films. To this end a tough love initiative has been enforced by Bran Cornick, Marrok of the wolves. Any misbehaving wolves that step out of line are not given three strikes or warnings - instead they are dealt with harshly and swiftly, and the deathblow comes from Bran's son and executioner, Charles Cornick. Charles has always been the North American werewolf law enforcement - but this public awareness and PR campaign has seen his job increase exponentially. He no longer has his mate, Anna, accompany him on interstate missions that see him enter pack territories and kill misbehaving werewolves (whose actions could lead to explosive news stories on the violence of the species). As a result of an increased kill-load and strict `show no mercy' hard line approach, Charles's mind is slowly buckling under the pressure. He sees ghosts when he looks in the mirror and has turned away from Anna's comfort, silencing their mate bond for fearing of infecting her with his darkness. When the Boston killing spree (which includes the murder of innocent werewolves) is bought to Bran's attention, he sends Charles along with Anna on her advice - to give Charles a chance to be the `good guy', and remind him who the bad guys really are. When `Fair Game' begins, a few months have passed since the events of `Hunting Ground'. In that second book Anna was only just starting to come into her own, to stand up for herself, learn to fight and move on from the horrors of her past. When `Fair Game' begins Anna is a whole new person, and Charles is the emotionally weaker of the two. The altered dynamics are instantly recognized, and alarming for their switch. From the moment we met him in Mercy's first book, `Moon Called', Charles has been the stoic warrior. He has always done what needs to be done, his father's right-hand-man. Charles is executioner to Bran's judge and jury. So to read his altered mind-set in `Fair Game' is disarming, and illustrates just how far the fracture goes. He has locked down his mate bond with Anna, he doesn't sing anymore and is seriously thinking that his time as a sane werewolf is at an end. And, really, his love for Anna is all that is keeping Charles afloat in his dark days... he sees it as a selfish love, knowing that his soul is deteriorating, but he holds on to Anna because she is the only peace he has ever known, and he loves her too much to let her go. Anna, meanwhile, has transformed into a fierce and feisty young woman. She does not bend before Bran's stubbornness, and while Charles's dark outlook has been sending other people scurrying, Anna meets his despair with unwavering loyalty and the steadfast belief in her ability to help him. Anna is such a wonderful character - and with `Fair Game' Briggs is illustrating her character arc and transformation. From Anna's beaten and terrified introduction in `On the Prowl', to this sweet and tough mate in `Fair Game'. I have always thought that Anna and her character path was sort of running in the opposite direction to Mercedes. Anna started out beaten and downtrodden, and over the course of her series she is learning to rebuild and not be fearful... Mercedes, meanwhile, was bought up a coyote amongst wolves and learned to hold her own against bigger predators. For a long time, Mercedes was a little cocky ... until the events of `Iron Kissed' saw her confidence shattered and her soul wounded. It's only now, with Anna in `Fair Game' and Mercedes in `River Marked', that both women are feeling whole again; ready to face down the demons of their past and rebuild. I'm interested to know what happens next - when the internal conflicts are (mostly) overcome, what will be the next hurdle that these characters have to overcome... And, on that note, there is a hint, in `Fair Game', of a possible direction that Anna & Charles's story could go in the near future... Anna is thinking about the werewolf cause, now that her kind is out in the open, and what benefits werewolves will reap from being in the public domain. No werewolf female can reproduce - the change is too harsh on the foetus and remaining wolf for nine months is too risky on one's psyche. So what about adoption rights for werewolves? Surrogacy? These are all very interesting topics that Briggs is bringing up, and I do hope that even though it's a passing thought in `Fair Game', that it's a hint of things to come... I will warn that a lot of `Fair Game' is police procedural. Charles and Anna are involved in an FBI investigation, so a lot of `Fair Game' is concentrated on catching the killer, looking for clues. Each Briggs book is a `whodunit' in some sense, but `Fair Game' more than most feels crime-heavy, with Charles's emotional state the real focus of the book. That being said, `Alpha & Omega' is very much a romance, and there is plenty of Charles & Anna sweetness in `Fair Game', reminding me why these two are one of my all-time favourite couples in urban fantasy! The end of `Fair Game' is a game-changer for the series... which will also impact the `Mercedes Thompson' world. I refuse to give anything away because the shocking finale is too draw-droppingly good to spoil. The end also has me salivating for the next Mercy book (hurry up 2013!) and crossing my fingers for at least one more Charles & Anna book (2014? Pretty please?). Patricia Briggs is one of the best urban fantasy writers around at the moment. Both her `Mercedes Thompson' and `Alpha & Omega' series are sublimely sensational spins on the old werewolf folklore, and `Fair Game' is a highly anticipated instalment in a much-missed spin-off series. Charles & Anna's relationship is as complex and epically romantic as always, and the character transformations in this novel are incredible and unsettling. There is upheaval in Briggs's werewolf world, and I can't wait to read what happens next.

I have never read a book of Patty's I didn't like - and I've read them all! Despite the heavy competition she faces in the urban fantasy/paranormal romance genres, her Mercy and Alpha & Omega series truly stand out. Her personable and flowing writing style weaves the stories of werewolves, fae, vampires, various Native American mythologies, and the humans who live - mostly unknowing - among them into the fabric of a world much like our own. Patty does this so seamlessly that I not only believe every word but get so drawn in, I only briefly resurface for urgent bathroom breaks and hunger pains until the story ends. If you haven't read any of the previous books in the A&O series you should stop reading this review and start with the novella, Alpha and Omega, or the novel, Cry Wolf. But be warned, you may want to cancel any appointments for the rest of the day because you won't want to stop once you've started. Like the previous books in her A&O series, Patty (via Bran) sends Anna and Charles to a new location. Having never been to Boston, I couldn't say how accurately she painted it but it seemed real enough to me. But if you think Fair Game will be like Hunting Ground on the East coast, you can put your fears to rest. There have been some big changes since we last saw Anna and Charles (And, oh boy, they will not be last in this book!), mainly, the werewolves have come out to the public like the fae did before them. If you've been reading Patty's parallel Mercy Thompson series (you really should), you've already seen how this has effected the Tri-City wolves. Now we get to see how this decision changes how the Marrok operates, namely in how he metes out discipline. With the wolves now under public scrutiny, the standards of control must be more strictly and harshly enforced. We know that Charles (the enforcer for the North American packs) is not a natural killer despite that scary, cold exterior and the executions are worse for him than ever. Now that Anna seems more recovered from her trauma in the years since the last novel, we get to see Charles go to pieces instead - a nice change. The story keeps you in suspense as Anna and Charles help the FBI track down a serial killer who has been in operation on the East coast for decades. I won't give anything away but I will say it was interesting to see them working through official channels for once. And since Patty always pays close attention to dominance plays, I think you can imagine how fun it is to watch Charles go head-to-head with government officials while Anna tries desperately to keep as few people from getting maimed as possible. Patty also brings up a few very concerning political developments for the werewolf community that I'm sure we'll see in the next Mercy novel. Their world is a-changing and I can't wait to see what happens next! I also want to give Patty major props for the prologue. Not only does it artfully introduce a major character and explain some of her motivations but it establishes the background for the fae community. My favorite line: "Leslie learned two valuable things about the fae that day. They were powerful and charming - and they ate children and puppies." The fae in Patty's books have been both heroes and villains but they have always been consistently scary and alien. I liked that she established this as part of the story rather than having to make Charles explain it to a police officer or something. Kudos! Now that I've given my glowing review I'm gonna just mention a few critiques (no hatin' - I really do love this book). Spoiler alert! 1) Patty has always created strong female characters - strong enough that she's not afraid to put them through some terrible stuff and show us how traumatized and damaged they are as a result. Mercy is still haunted from the events of Iron Kissed and Anna, as we know, went through far more for far longer by the time we meet her in Alpha & Omega. Patty has carefully developed Anna's character so the reader can believe her transformation from a terrified abuse victim to a much more confident and empowered woman/werewolf ("I'm one of the monsters, damn it!"). So maybe I'm not the only one who was a little disappointed that Anna gets kidnapped again. Patty said that she was nervous about telling Charles' story because he's so powerful and it's difficult to create problems big enough to put him in peril (especially when the ripples of those problems reach Mercy's stories). I agree and I'm a bit worried that Charles could start to look a lot like Superman, always having to rescue his Lois Lane. Anna's kidnapping in Hunting Ground made sense because the plot had a crazy villain who thought she was his soul mate. And she gets her own back by being the one to save Charles in the end. But in Fair Game she just gets snatched when Charles isn't there to keep her safe (and who didn't see that coming, really?) and while she does her best, she's stuck in a cage so there's not really much she can do. I think this is the first time Anna hasn't killed one of the main villains - maybe Patty was trying to change things up. Or maybe since Charles is the one with the most emotional baggage in FG he needs to be the sole hero. His need to do whatever it takes to rescue Anna helps him put his ghosts to rest so maybe that's all there is to it. But, man, it still bothers me a bit. 2) I've always been impressed with how Patty handles sex in her novels. Her stories are romantic but aren't erotica so while she's not portraying her characters as celibate, she doesn't just create set pieces for long, involved sex scenes - magical rules aren't invented just to force characters to into carnal acts and situations aren't created to launch a huge orgy. Her characters have never just stopped what they're doing, forgotten the potential danger they're in, and started humping in the bushes. Until Fair Game, that is. Did anyone else wonder why Patty dropped the plot for a not-quite-gratuitous sex scene in the woods? Sure, their relationship is on the rocks with Charles' ghost problem messing with their mating bond and, yes, it would seem contrived if it happened when they were alone with nothing important to do in the privacy of their bedroom... But the scene still felt random and jarring. I found myself coming out of the story (not a normal thing in Patty's books) and wondering where the rest of the search party, the villains, or the *raped, tortured, and soon-to-be-executed victim they were looking for* were. Remember them? And when they're done there's a little embarrassment and awkwardness and the plot resumes. Again, the reason I'm disappointed with these things is because Patty has been so consistently amazing in the past. She sets the standard and if she occasionally dips below it, well, her books are still the best (in my opinion) in the genre.

I tend to like Mercy Thompson more than Alpha & Omega. There is an ease to Mercy and falling into her rhythms. Conversely, I find Charles & Anna to have a quiet pain and struggle that is uncomfortable to dive into. But once I dive, I find revelations and life-altering decisions. It has grown me and I am no longer certain which is my favorite. 🥰 Read further for veiled spoilers... | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | What a heart-breaking, and yet gloriously satisfying end to the book. I guessed at the serial-killer right away, but the path to find them unfolded in unexpected ways and brought additional surprises along the way. And the mirrored heart-break that Charles and Anna had to suffer through truly made me lose hope for them for a bit. But Briggs gives us our HEA with enough foreboding to know the "big bads" aren't done with the world yet and trouble is already afoot again. The graceful approach of Fae horses and the arrival of a Grey Lord bring a somber excitement to the future, though that could be the classical music I listened to while reading the end. 🤷♀️ With a world so afraid of the unknown and unwilling to understand they have been safe for hundreds of years... I surely expect all hell to break loose. Briggs' stories are always fun to read and I look forward to the next books! This one was certainly satisfying.

This was, in my opinion, the darkest novel that Briggs has written to date. It was a difficult read for me because the killers were so brutal. It was like reading Law and Order: SVU - Paranormal Division, or something. I generally like the Alpha and Omega series better than the Mercy Thompson series, though I love them both, but this novel reminded me more of the Mercy series. This is my least favorite of the Alpha and Omega series, for sure, and my third least favorite by Briggs. It was pretty obvious who the bad guy was, and Briggs is usually better at keeping me guessing. I just didn't feel the level of suspense that I'm used to when reading a Briggs novel. To me, this was one of those books that was necessary to move the story forward, and that usually makes for a less than amazing story. However, I still enjoyed the book, and it was still well-written. I just hope the next one is better. Charles and Anna have hit a rift in their marriage, so they weren't as close as they have been in previous novels. This isn't because they don't like each other anymore; it's simply because Charles' guilt at being his father's unquestioning assassin is taking a toll on Charles since he's more about justice than mindless killing. Since the chemistry between them is non-existent for most of this novel, and the majority of the book was set in Boston, this crossed over into the realm of Urban Fantasy rather than Paranormal Romance. The sweet romance of this series is supposed to be what sets it apart from the Mercy series. I'm sure you see the problem with this crossing over. However, there were some extremely interesting developments in the story. One of the newer things I noticed is that Charles and Anna are working with humans to solve a crime. Now that the werewolves have come out, it's important to have good public relations with the humans. I really liked Leslie, and I hope to see more of her in future books. She was a fantastic character. She was strong, intelligent, and open-minded. Also, Charles grew a lot in Fair Game. He developed more than I expected him to, and I can't wait to see what these developments mean for his and Anna's relationship, as well as his relationship his father. Bran changed a little as well, and Anna really stood on her own two feet. She has become much stronger and will not let herself be victimized again. She's healing by leaps and bounds. I liked the developments with the fae, and the ending has ensured that there will be a lot of turbulence in the Mercy/Alpha and Omega world. I'm interested to see how these developments affect Mercy and company in Seattle, as well as how they affect Bran and the Marrok's pack in Montana. These two series just got a lot more complicated, and the next few books for each series are going to be intense. One thing about the ending really bothered me, though, and I just feel like more people should have died. I know that sounds harsh, but once you read the book, you'll probably understand what I mean. Of course, maybe death was too good for the bigots. Yea, I got angry at quite a few people while reading this, haha. The pacing of the book was done pretty well, though it did drag and some places. I felt like some of the parts were a bit uncalled for and just used for padding to make sure the book was long enough, and parts that would have shown Anna and Charles trying to fix their relationship or developments in the serial killer case were skipped over. I think that maybe some of those parts could have also been replaced with parts from Leslie's perspective, since Briggs did 3rd person limited with switching viewpoints. The POV wasn't confusing though, and it added some depth to the story. I'd also like to know why I was able to figure out who the killer was before a centuries old werewolf. Maybe Charles needs to watch more of Anna's detective shows. Because I knew who the killer was, the big reveal wasn't a big reveal, but it was still suspenseful because of how brutal the killer was. Overall, this book was well done, but it just didn't live up to what I am used to when it comes to Briggs' writing. Usually, she'd get an A+ instead of an A-. Still, there was tons of character growth, the plot was intriguing, and the pacing wasn't too terribly off. Even when I'm not as blown away as I should be, Briggs is still better than most of the authors out there today. I'd definitely recommend this book to any adult who enjoys suspenseful werewolf stories, and especially to fans of the Alpha and Omega and Mercy Thompson series. Because of how dark this book was, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone under 18. Check out[...] for more reviews, author interviews, and awesome giveaways!

I love this urban fantasy world Patricia Briggs has created. She has expanded it over two series, her Mercy Thompson series and this one, Alpha & Omega. In this series we explore the complex relationship of Charles and Anna. Charles is the only known born werewolf, and son of the Marrock (Alpha of ALL werewolves of North America, Bran). Anna is an Omega, a wolf that can calm the fiercest of tempers and is also strong enough to look the Marrock in the eye. Of course, her human appearance makes her look like a fragile woman, but don’t be fooled. In Fair Game, book three, Patricia Briggs continues to explore the dynamics between this very alpha, serious and quiet wolf Charles and his stubborn wife. Charles is the Marrok’s punisher for lack of a better word. Recently, werewolves outted themselves to the public and it is all about keeping a positive spin with the public. Patricia Briggs writes her werewolves to be very carnal in nature. While they can assimilate with the general public, they have a very violent edge and it doesn’t take much for them to eat someone. Trying to keep the peace, Bran sends Charles out to kill those wolves who have stepped over their boundaries. Which means Charles is killing many and it is starting to weigh him down. I love how Briggs presents it to the readers as well. You flip-flop by wondering if Bran is using his son to do all his dirty work, or if he really has no one else to send out. Bran can’t send out other alphas, fearing they couldn’t handle it and the older wolves already carry around too much and they would go insane. Charles has the ghosts of his previous kills lurking around him. They talk to him, scare him, and he is terrified if he acknowledges them too much, they will take control of him an eventually harm his wife. So he keeps this pain and torment hidden from her. Anna knows something is wrong with Charles and after she begs Bran to help, and he stubbornly says no, she is at a loss for what to do. Brother Wolf, also has a big role in this book. Brother wolf is Charles’s wolf, who has his own personality. There are kind of two people living inside of Charles, Charles and Brother Wolf. They both love Anna, but sometimes they disagree with each other. It is fascinating how Briggs writes it. Bran does come up with a somewhat temporary solution for him. There have been a string of murders in the Boston area involving werewolves. The FBI are desperate to catch this serial killer, and have given into the fact they might need a werewolf to give them some insight. With Adam Hauptmann home helping Mercy recover (awww!) Bran sends Anna and Charles to Boston. When a powerful Fae’s daughter becomes the next victim, Charles and Anna stick around until they can bring justice. Fair Game gives us many great things. First we get a super creepy string of murders that must be solved. We are introduced to some new characters like Leslie with the FBI and Isaac, alpha of the Boston wolves, both who I really enjoyed meeting. I think the plot in this one regarding the murders is one of the more stronger ones I have read in this series and in Briggs’ Mercy books. Besides that drama, we get lots of conflict between Charles and Anna. Charles is so stoic and quiet, and protective over his mate, that he has this huge internal struggle going on. He can’t let go of the ghosts that he has killed, and it is completely wrecking him. Being stubborn, he refuses to let Anna in on what is going on with him, although she knows something is up. They haven’t touched each other for weeks. Anna slowly works her magic but it is a long and serious struggle for Charles. As I said above, I LOVE how Briggs writes her wolves. They are decent humans, but can be so violent at the snap of your fingers. They are killers first. And I love it. Their political maneuverings are so interesting to me as well. And with Bran in the background pulling the strings, I seriously can’t get enough of this world. So well built. The end sets up something big. BIG. I’m so excited to read the next book to see where this all goes. Definitely a series that I think should be read in order. If I had to think of a complaint, it would be that I want more Bran. I’m a Bran hussy and I have no shame in it.

This is probably my favorite so far in the series. It doesn't have some of the confusing conversational hiccups that seemed to plague the first books. In those I felt slightly off kilter in many conversations, like someone edited out something important. I had to re-read several conversations trying to figure out what just happened and sometimes just gave up. However, I did give this 4 stars for some other inconsistent writing which tends to plague this series in general. There are some descriptions in this one that don't always make sense in a minor way. Example: A character is in the form of a stag but at one point that character covers his face with his hands. Last time I looked stags don't have hands. Other storyline plots are confusing and don't seem consistent. A certain magic will cause a character to do "this" but later that magic doesn't seem to have an affect or even seem important -- so why bring it into the story line? Much of the magic introduced seems a bit of a red herring. I can't really tell sometimes what it was for or why it was described other than to fill pages. And I still am not sure about the "GIFT" card and it's use that starts off the story. It seems pivotal because of it's placement but I couldn't completely tell what it really did in the end. It kind of seemed like it fizzed out. Was it the magic on the card that helped or that Charles had talked to his father and Isaac about what was bothering him? (When you read this book you will understand this reference.) Stuff like that tended to jolt me out of the book because I needed to go back and re-read to see what I had missed. Much of the time I couldn't find what I had missed. It just wasn't there. This tends to be a trend in Brigg's writing. Not enough to put me off reading but just enough to annoy slightly. I can be a sloppy reader, skimming areas to get to the heart of the matter, so I don't always see these types of inconsistencies but here they crop more than I like. Enough so I can catch them. Also, public sex is never necessary. So here is what I like: Here in Fair Game, Charles and Anna have matured in their relationship. They have, in many ways become more confident in each other. In this book Charles is struggling with his role in the werewolf world, as enforcer. This story picks up a few years after the last book. The werewolves are out and all the political issues that are a part of that swirl around in the plot. In many ways it was a good move to jump ahead. It gave some depth to the story that would have maybe been boring if we had to follow along as they figure things out in their relationship. In many way, Anna is the strong one here in this book. The years have given her confidence in herself and in her relationship and her role as Omega. However, throughout this whole series Anna's Omega status seems a little bit of a red herring. I like the idea but it seems to be played up as important when I get the feeling that it kind of isn't as important as Briggs keeps telling us it is. Show, don't tell. When it really counts Anna doesn't seem to use her supposedly awesome power to help herself. If is so awesome it seem it should do something when the chips are down. But all that said, Charles' struggles have made her his champion rather than the reverse. She really does have power but it is the power of a woman in love defending her man and fighting for a relationship. Most others have gone over this story and so I won't beat it to death here. Read some other reviews to get a larger picture. However, a word of warning to those looking for a easy paranormal read: This is not it. This is a dark world Charles and Anna inhabit and they are dealing with dark powers and evil men. I had to take breaks from reading and read something lighter. And I like Bones, have read Patricia Cornwell and other dark murder mysteries. Maybe I am getting old, but the visuals here in this book were disturbing and heartbreaking. It deals with true evil. I felt a little haunted by it. So read with caution.

Have you ever been torn between racing through a book to find out what happens and wanting to read a book slowly to savor every moment? That was where I was when I began this story. It is the third book in the Alpha and Omega series. I was already invested in these characters before I opened the book. I want to race through it to find out what was going to happen. But I also wanted to savor the relationship between Charles and Anna. Outwardly they seem so different. Charles is a dominant alpha werewolf who everyone is afraid of, and rightly so. He has been his father's enforcer for many, many years. If a werewolf causes trouble, Charles is the one Bran sends to take care of the problem. And Anna is an Omega wolf. She was forcibly changed, tortured, and abused before Charles rescued her. She saw herself as weak. But Charles has an sensitive side and Anna has plenty of strength and stubbornness. Because of the political change that outed the werewolves Charles has been very busy cleaning up mistakes before they went public. But, being the werewolf executioner, is starting to do bad things to him. He is withdrawing from his mate and being haunted by the ghosts of the werewolves he has been forced to kill. Anna doesn't know what to do to help him. He wants to protect her from what he feels he is becoming and she wants to protect him from breaking. She finally convinces Bran that he has to do something before Charles breaks. The Marrok has a plan... Charles and Anna are sent to Boston to work with the FBI to solve the case of a serial killer who has been active for years and who has just added three werewolves to his victims. Anna is to be the point person with Charles as her guard. They have two purposes - to aid the FBI and to get some good publicity for werewolves. Anna, looking rather soft and gentle, is a good wolf to send. Being an omega disposes both wolves and humans to like her and want to help her. The case quickly escalates when the human daughter of one of the fae is captured as the next victim. Alistair Beauclaire is one of the old and powerful fae. The fae and the werewolves don't really trust each other but can work together because of this common goal. The FBI, Homeland Security, and a new agency CNTRP (Combined Nonhuman and Transhuman Relations Provisors) get involved in the case. Though it seems like the werewolves are the reason for CNTRP's involvement more than the serial killers. For the human side is FBI Agent Leslie Fisher who had an encounter with the fae when she was a child that makes up the prologue of this story. There was an interesting and varied cast of characters in this story. I liked both the police procedural aspect of the story and the emotional aspect of the story as Charles tries to battle his demons and Anna battles for him. I recommend this story to all lovers of urban fantasy, romance and werewolves. I can't wait to read it again and savor every situation. Do read Cry Wolf and Hunting Ground too to learn more about these fascinating characters.

"People as old and powerful as he should never be given someone to love. For Anna he would destroy the world." ~ Fair Game by Patricia Briggs This has easily become one of my favorite series, period. The relationship that Patricia Briggs builds, between all the characters, but especially between Charles and Anna, is stunning. Fair Game starts right on the heels of the end of River Marked, so the time-lines are finally matching up. The werewolves have come out the public, and with that the rules for werewolves have become much more strict. With more and more wolves needing to be pulled into line, Charles is busier than ever, and it's starting to wear on him. Anna's worried about him, and takes it to Bran - who doesn't know what to do. After Adam comes up with a possible solution, Anna and Charles are headed to Boston to help the FBI. As I said above, Charles and Anna's relationship is the true draw of this series for me. The fact that their relationship requires work on both their parts makes it very real. It's been a few years since Charles and Anna met, in Chicago and had an instant connection. Ever since then they've had to work at their relationship and with each other. Sometimes fighting for their relationship, others fighting against the protective instincts of their mate. The love, trust, and respect that underlies all of this is what draws me in and makes me invested in this couple. Charles spends a good amount of time trying to protect Anna from the things that are affecting him in Fair Game. And she rails against that, knowing that she can help if only he'll let her. It's an interesting dynamic to watch - Charles, the dominant, can't really help the need to protect. Anna, an Omega who loves her mate above all, can not stop the driving need to help. They butt heads a few times; there are consequences for their actions - something that I've always loved in this world - and in the end they come out stronger. I never doubt that they'll make it work, because they truthfully never doubt they will. The mystery plot that drives the book is interesting, and different. We're out in the world, seeing the wolves interact with federal agencies, trying to stop a serial killer for them - instead of the secretive world of the supernatural community. After seeing how many people had been attacked by this killer, so many of them children, I was anxious to see Charles and Anna bring him to justice. I was able to figure out who the mystery bad-guy was before the end, but it didn't detract from the story at all. The major event at the end though, Blew.My.Mind. I did not see it coming, and can not wait to see the wider implications throughout the world. Immediately after finishing the book I had to go back and re-read this part again because I was sure I'd mis-read it originally. Surely something will turn up in

Yes, I enjoyed this book as I do all of Patricia Brigg's books. After centuries of Bran always being there for his sons and his sons always depending on their dad, just where does that leave the spouses? Bran doesn't have a relationship with his wife Leah. Everyone that reads this series knows why. .. So. . he doesn't have that emotional pull to his wife he focuses on his sons and interfers in their lives. Charles has Anna and she is becoming more confident in her abilities and is no longer a victim. She stands up to Bran, fighting for her husband, yet he won't listen, isn't supportive. We all know what that can do to an Omega and it doesn't help that she is the one giving in the relationship while her husband Charles is physically gone or emotionally empty. For six months! ?? And when the situation was finally resolved it was through a phone conversation with his dad and an alpha? Not Anna? I didn't think the resolve between Anna and Charles was strong and I didn't see them as happy in their relationship. Glad the case was solved, yes but not stronger in their relationship. And what's with the dad walking into their house while they sleep and stand over their bed? That's just creepy. Just because they're both finally in bed together doesn't mean everything is on track. I honestly wonder if Charles and Anna can hold onto their relationship so I'm already looking forward to how their situation pans out. I loved the way the Mercy Thompson and Charles and Anna's worlds combine in this story. Just enough of a timeline to hope the two series merge a bit. I also loved the interaction with the Fae and can't wait to see how their new laws will impact this world, how it will play out in the series. While I'm not into solving mysteries the situation gave us more insight into Charles and his job and how the public relates to the wolves and fae. Another reviewer wrote about this and I agree: Brother Wolf's public sex was a bit much. They're with a witch neither trusts. Their small search group also included a few wolves, a Fae, and of course Anna and Charles, yet they're off on the grass having a quickie, forgetting everything but that Anna can't leave him. And she accepts this. I know wolves have no shame, the shift leaves them naked, and they are very open in their sex lives . .. But they're about to fight a monster and had already waited and waited for their party to gather and depart. Everyone was anxious to get moving, got to find the girl fast, and here Charles has to show his dominance and 'convince' Anna not to leave him in the most basic way (sex). And from what I understood from the story, this was their first romp in six months. Talk about crumbs! Frankly, if she decides to leave Charles I would applaud. Charles needs a rude awakening and a move away from his dad wouldn't hurt. Boston would be an ideal place to relocate.

I am writing this review from the perspective of being a fan of Ms Briggs Alpha and Omega, as well as the intertwined Mercy Thompson series. I love the series, and her writing, and I'm sure I'll love more future installments in both. But, as a fan, I had a few serious problems with this novel. SPOILER ALERT! The following review will contain remarks on the plot of the book. I was shocked and disturbed that Briggs had Anna and Charles engaging in a quick tryst, complete with laughter and cuddling, in the middle of trying to rescue Lizzie from torture and rape. Her father, the Gray Lord Beauclaire, had previously warned all involved that anyone who caused a delay of a mere minute would face his wrath. Yet, we are led to believe that he patiently waited, hands folded, while he heard them making love and giggling in the underbrush, knowing his daughter was in the hands of murderous, sadistic rapists who could very well be in the act of harming her, or killing her. Who does that? Yes, it was an interesting and believable plot point that Charles would push Anna away in a mistaken belief he was protecting her from his ghosts, that Anna's fears would take root under the influence of the dark magic on the island, and that Charles would be frantic to snap her out of it and fix the mess he'd caused. But, it is unbelievable to me that in the middle of such a dire task, Anna, a rape victim herself, would have sex while the other searchers just waited. I thought that was a vary callous move, and out of character for both Charles and Anna. He could have very easily calmed her fears and taken a rain check for working on their sex life. Like for after they rescued the raped and crippled Lizzie who was near death. I also felt that Ms Briggs had lost the thread of the mythology she'd woven. On the one hand, the wolves are so tightly bonded to their mates that they would not harm them, even in the middle of a rage. In previous books, Anna was able to safely stay with the injured Charles, and Mercy with Adam. However, we are to believe that the wolves are so unsafe around children that they would murder their own babies when the wolf is dominant. There were also references to the unusual nature of Sam's love for children, since most wolves were considered unsafe around them. But they're safe with their mates, which seems contradictory. There was an anecdote that a female wanted a baby so badly that she stayed in her wolf form so long that her humanity was lost, and she ate the baby she delivered. Except, in the short story about Kara, she was assisted by a wolf in Bran's pack who had stayed in his wolf form so long no one could remember the last time he'd been human. He wasn't a slavering enraged beast. Bran, too, stayed a wolf, literally a slavering, enraged beast, for hundreds of years, as told in several of the previous books. His son Sam walked into his forest and led him out, a man again. So, she's created a paradox. Either giving the wolf free reign makes the human side die or get lost forever somehow, or it doesn't. She's often described the animal instincts of the wolves, and yet also repeatedly stated that they are not animalistic, at all, but rather constantly boiling with rage and a need for blood. I felt more could have been done to develop Beauclaire. He was a Gray Lord, someone so powerful that even Zee would act deferential to one of his station, and yet he acted rather mildly throughout the book, and was one dimensional. He had a few sword fights, and that was about it. My favorite scene involving him was with the horses at the end. She injected a few political cliches into this one, as well. The villains were wealthy Texans who loved to hunt, and were conservatives against the fae and immortals. On the one hand, she does a wonderful job convincing us readers of how extremely dangerous the fae, vampires, and wolves are, and yet several times she's invoked racism at the public's fear of them. Don't thank a fae or you will become their slave, the immortal races hire black witch "cleaners" to dispose of all the bodies, much like the Mob, and vampires keep menageries of human sheep that they slowly kill. Wolves can't be trusted around children because they're so incredibly dangerous, and if you look one in the eye he might kill you. But it's racist for the public to be concerned. Again, she's created a paradox. She sounds judgmental instead of just presenting the complexities of the world she's woven. And, finally, I feel very strongly that Ms Briggs has come to depend on rape rather too extensively as a plot driver. Mercy, Anna, and now Lizzie have all been the victims of rape in her stories. That is beginning to feel like a common theme. Of them all, I felt she dealt with Mercy's assault with the most sensitivity and realism. Now it is beginning to feel that she depends on rape to produce tension within her stories. I was surprised that I was so disappointed in this book, since I'm enthralled (pardon the pun) with the series in general, and feel that her writing is usually quite good. I think that's what bothered me - I knew she is quite capable of delivering better.

A serial killer who has evaded capture for decades has now turned an eye to werewolves and Fae. In Boston there has been a slew of murders; women and children abducted, raped and tortured before being killed. The suspected killer continues to run circles around the FBI, but when a number of werewolves fall victim the Marrok steps in and sends his best to aid the authorities. Normally Charles Cornick would be the last person to help the FBI in their investigations. The werewolf `boogeyman', Charles is less than hospitable at the best of times ... but he has grown worse in recent months, with the ghosts of vengeful werewolves haunting him. Charles is not the best man to finesse this job with the FBI, but his wife is. Anna Cornick, a precious Omega werewolf, knows a thing or two about being a victim. It is her intention to make sure she and Charles aid the FBI in catching this deranged killer, and ensure no more people (werewolf, Fae and human alike) are never again made to be victims of a madman. `Fair Game' is the third book in Patricia Brigg's `Alpha & Omega' urban fantasy series, a spin-off of her original `Mercedes Thompson' series. `Fair Game' is one of the most anticipated paranormal novels of 2012, but I can safely assume that fans of Patricia Briggs have been counting down to the book's release for quite a few years. Fans have not read a Charles & Anna book since the 2009 instalment, `Hunting Ground'. A new contract for Briggs negotiated that she would have alternate release years between `Alpha & Omega' and `Mercedes Thompson' - so while 2011 gave us `River Marked', we will have to wait until 2013 for a new Mercy instalment. Alternatively, we won't be revisiting Charles & Anna again until 2014 (if at all?). That makes `Fair Game' about as precious as hen's teeth, and places a high level of expectation on a novel that has been so long in coming, and will be a while in returning ... so it's lucky then that Briggs delivers, ten-fold! Readers pick up the story when times for North American werewolves are tough. Since being `outed' to the public, the wolves have had to partake of some serious PR campaigns, to convince humans (and more importantly; law-makers and the media) that they are not the monsters of comic books and horror films. To this end a tough love initiative has been enforced by Bran Cornick, Marrok of the wolves. Any misbehaving wolves that step out of line are not given three strikes or warnings - instead they are dealt with harshly and swiftly, and the deathblow comes from Bran's son and executioner, Charles Cornick. Charles has always been the North American werewolf law enforcement - but this public awareness and PR campaign has seen his job increase exponentially. He no longer has his mate, Anna, accompany him on interstate missions that see him enter pack territories and kill misbehaving werewolves (whose actions could lead to explosive news stories on the violence of the species). As a result of an increased kill-load and strict `show no mercy' hard line approach, Charles's mind is slowly buckling under the pressure. He sees ghosts when he looks in the mirror and has turned away from Anna's comfort, silencing their mate bond for fearing of infecting her with his darkness. When the Boston killing spree (which includes the murder of innocent werewolves) is bought to Bran's attention, he sends Charles along with Anna on her advice - to give Charles a chance to be the `good guy', and remind him who the bad guys really are. When `Fair Game' begins, a few months have passed since the events of `Hunting Ground'. In that second book Anna was only just starting to come into her own, to stand up for herself, learn to fight and move on from the horrors of her past. When `Fair Game' begins Anna is a whole new person, and Charles is the emotionally weaker of the two. The altered dynamics are instantly recognized, and alarming for their switch. From the moment we met him in Mercy's first book, `Moon Called', Charles has been the stoic warrior. He has always done what needs to be done, his father's right-hand-man. Charles is executioner to Bran's judge and jury. So to read his altered mind-set in `Fair Game' is disarming, and illustrates just how far the fracture goes. He has locked down his mate bond with Anna, he doesn't sing anymore and is seriously thinking that his time as a sane werewolf is at an end. And, really, his love for Anna is all that is keeping Charles afloat in his dark days... he sees it as a selfish love, knowing that his soul is deteriorating, but he holds on to Anna because she is the only peace he has ever known, and he loves her too much to let her go. Anna, meanwhile, has transformed into a fierce and feisty young woman. She does not bend before Bran's stubbornness, and while Charles's dark outlook has been sending other people scurrying, Anna meets his despair with unwavering loyalty and the steadfast belief in her ability to help him. Anna is such a wonderful character - and with `Fair Game' Briggs is illustrating her character arc and transformation. From Anna's beaten and terrified introduction in `On the Prowl', to this sweet and tough mate in `Fair Game'. I have always thought that Anna and her character path was sort of running in the opposite direction to Mercedes. Anna started out beaten and downtrodden, and over the course of her series she is learning to rebuild and not be fearful... Mercedes, meanwhile, was bought up a coyote amongst wolves and learned to hold her own against bigger predators. For a long time, Mercedes was a little cocky ... until the events of `Iron Kissed' saw her confidence shattered and her soul wounded. It's only now, with Anna in `Fair Game' and Mercedes in `River Marked', that both women are feeling whole again; ready to face down the demons of their past and rebuild. I'm interested to know what happens next - when the internal conflicts are (mostly) overcome, what will be the next hurdle that these characters have to overcome... And, on that note, there is a hint, in `Fair Game', of a possible direction that Anna & Charles's story could go in the near future... Anna is thinking about the werewolf cause, now that her kind is out in the open, and what benefits werewolves will reap from being in the public domain. No werewolf female can reproduce - the change is too harsh on the foetus and remaining wolf for nine months is too risky on one's psyche. So what about adoption rights for werewolves? Surrogacy? These are all very interesting topics that Briggs is bringing up, and I do hope that even though it's a passing thought in `Fair Game', that it's a hint of things to come... I will warn that a lot of `Fair Game' is police procedural. Charles and Anna are involved in an FBI investigation, so a lot of `Fair Game' is concentrated on catching the killer, looking for clues. Each Briggs book is a `whodunit' in some sense, but `Fair Game' more than most feels crime-heavy, with Charles's emotional state the real focus of the book. That being said, `Alpha & Omega' is very much a romance, and there is plenty of Charles & Anna sweetness in `Fair Game', reminding me why these two are one of my all-time favourite couples in urban fantasy! The end of `Fair Game' is a game-changer for the series... which will also impact the `Mercedes Thompson' world. I refuse to give anything away because the shocking finale is too draw-droppingly good to spoil. The end also has me salivating for the next Mercy book (hurry up 2013!) and crossing my fingers for at least one more Charles & Anna book (2014? Pretty please?). Patricia Briggs is one of the best urban fantasy writers around at the moment. Both her `Mercedes Thompson' and `Alpha & Omega' series are sublimely sensational spins on the old werewolf folklore, and `Fair Game' is a highly anticipated instalment in a much-missed spin-off series. Charles & Anna's relationship is as complex and epically romantic as always, and the character transformations in this novel are incredible and unsettling. There is upheaval in Briggs's werewolf world, and I can't wait to read what happens next.

I have never read a book of Patty's I didn't like - and I've read them all! Despite the heavy competition she faces in the urban fantasy/paranormal romance genres, her Mercy and Alpha & Omega series truly stand out. Her personable and flowing writing style weaves the stories of werewolves, fae, vampires, various Native American mythologies, and the humans who live - mostly unknowing - among them into the fabric of a world much like our own. Patty does this so seamlessly that I not only believe every word but get so drawn in, I only briefly resurface for urgent bathroom breaks and hunger pains until the story ends. If you haven't read any of the previous books in the A&O series you should stop reading this review and start with the novella, Alpha and Omega, or the novel, Cry Wolf. But be warned, you may want to cancel any appointments for the rest of the day because you won't want to stop once you've started. Like the previous books in her A&O series, Patty (via Bran) sends Anna and Charles to a new location. Having never been to Boston, I couldn't say how accurately she painted it but it seemed real enough to me. But if you think Fair Game will be like Hunting Ground on the East coast, you can put your fears to rest. There have been some big changes since we last saw Anna and Charles (And, oh boy, they will not be last in this book!), mainly, the werewolves have come out to the public like the fae did before them. If you've been reading Patty's parallel Mercy Thompson series (you really should), you've already seen how this has effected the Tri-City wolves. Now we get to see how this decision changes how the Marrok operates, namely in how he metes out discipline. With the wolves now under public scrutiny, the standards of control must be more strictly and harshly enforced. We know that Charles (the enforcer for the North American packs) is not a natural killer despite that scary, cold exterior and the executions are worse for him than ever. Now that Anna seems more recovered from her trauma in the years since the last novel, we get to see Charles go to pieces instead - a nice change. The story keeps you in suspense as Anna and Charles help the FBI track down a serial killer who has been in operation on the East coast for decades. I won't give anything away but I will say it was interesting to see them working through official channels for once. And since Patty always pays close attention to dominance plays, I think you can imagine how fun it is to watch Charles go head-to-head with government officials while Anna tries desperately to keep as few people from getting maimed as possible. Patty also brings up a few very concerning political developments for the werewolf community that I'm sure we'll see in the next Mercy novel. Their world is a-changing and I can't wait to see what happens next! I also want to give Patty major props for the prologue. Not only does it artfully introduce a major character and explain some of her motivations but it establishes the background for the fae community. My favorite line: "Leslie learned two valuable things about the fae that day. They were powerful and charming - and they ate children and puppies." The fae in Patty's books have been both heroes and villains but they have always been consistently scary and alien. I liked that she established this as part of the story rather than having to make Charles explain it to a police officer or something. Kudos! Now that I've given my glowing review I'm gonna just mention a few critiques (no hatin' - I really do love this book). Spoiler alert! 1) Patty has always created strong female characters - strong enough that she's not afraid to put them through some terrible stuff and show us how traumatized and damaged they are as a result. Mercy is still haunted from the events of Iron Kissed and Anna, as we know, went through far more for far longer by the time we meet her in Alpha & Omega. Patty has carefully developed Anna's character so the reader can believe her transformation from a terrified abuse victim to a much more confident and empowered woman/werewolf ("I'm one of the monsters, damn it!"). So maybe I'm not the only one who was a little disappointed that Anna gets kidnapped again. Patty said that she was nervous about telling Charles' story because he's so powerful and it's difficult to create problems big enough to put him in peril (especially when the ripples of those problems reach Mercy's stories). I agree and I'm a bit worried that Charles could start to look a lot like Superman, always having to rescue his Lois Lane. Anna's kidnapping in Hunting Ground made sense because the plot had a crazy villain who thought she was his soul mate. And she gets her own back by being the one to save Charles in the end. But in Fair Game she just gets snatched when Charles isn't there to keep her safe (and who didn't see that coming, really?) and while she does her best, she's stuck in a cage so there's not really much she can do. I think this is the first time Anna hasn't killed one of the main villains - maybe Patty was trying to change things up. Or maybe since Charles is the one with the most emotional baggage in FG he needs to be the sole hero. His need to do whatever it takes to rescue Anna helps him put his ghosts to rest so maybe that's all there is to it. But, man, it still bothers me a bit. 2) I've always been impressed with how Patty handles sex in her novels. Her stories are romantic but aren't erotica so while she's not portraying her characters as celibate, she doesn't just create set pieces for long, involved sex scenes - magical rules aren't invented just to force characters to into carnal acts and situations aren't created to launch a huge orgy. Her characters have never just stopped what they're doing, forgotten the potential danger they're in, and started humping in the bushes. Until Fair Game, that is. Did anyone else wonder why Patty dropped the plot for a not-quite-gratuitous sex scene in the woods? Sure, their relationship is on the rocks with Charles' ghost problem messing with their mating bond and, yes, it would seem contrived if it happened when they were alone with nothing important to do in the privacy of their bedroom... But the scene still felt random and jarring. I found myself coming out of the story (not a normal thing in Patty's books) and wondering where the rest of the search party, the villains, or the *raped, tortured, and soon-to-be-executed victim they were looking for* were. Remember them? And when they're done there's a little embarrassment and awkwardness and the plot resumes. Again, the reason I'm disappointed with these things is because Patty has been so consistently amazing in the past. She sets the standard and if she occasionally dips below it, well, her books are still the best (in my opinion) in the genre.

I tend to like Mercy Thompson more than Alpha & Omega. There is an ease to Mercy and falling into her rhythms. Conversely, I find Charles & Anna to have a quiet pain and struggle that is uncomfortable to dive into. But once I dive, I find revelations and life-altering decisions. It has grown me and I am no longer certain which is my favorite. 🥰 Read further for veiled spoilers... | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | What a heart-breaking, and yet gloriously satisfying end to the book. I guessed at the serial-killer right away, but the path to find them unfolded in unexpected ways and brought additional surprises along the way. And the mirrored heart-break that Charles and Anna had to suffer through truly made me lose hope for them for a bit. But Briggs gives us our HEA with enough foreboding to know the "big bads" aren't done with the world yet and trouble is already afoot again. The graceful approach of Fae horses and the arrival of a Grey Lord bring a somber excitement to the future, though that could be the classical music I listened to while reading the end. 🤷♀️ With a world so afraid of the unknown and unwilling to understand they have been safe for hundreds of years... I surely expect all hell to break loose. Briggs' stories are always fun to read and I look forward to the next books! This one was certainly satisfying.

This was, in my opinion, the darkest novel that Briggs has written to date. It was a difficult read for me because the killers were so brutal. It was like reading Law and Order: SVU - Paranormal Division, or something. I generally like the Alpha and Omega series better than the Mercy Thompson series, though I love them both, but this novel reminded me more of the Mercy series. This is my least favorite of the Alpha and Omega series, for sure, and my third least favorite by Briggs. It was pretty obvious who the bad guy was, and Briggs is usually better at keeping me guessing. I just didn't feel the level of suspense that I'm used to when reading a Briggs novel. To me, this was one of those books that was necessary to move the story forward, and that usually makes for a less than amazing story. However, I still enjoyed the book, and it was still well-written. I just hope the next one is better. Charles and Anna have hit a rift in their marriage, so they weren't as close as they have been in previous novels. This isn't because they don't like each other anymore; it's simply because Charles' guilt at being his father's unquestioning assassin is taking a toll on Charles since he's more about justice than mindless killing. Since the chemistry between them is non-existent for most of this novel, and the majority of the book was set in Boston, this crossed over into the realm of Urban Fantasy rather than Paranormal Romance. The sweet romance of this series is supposed to be what sets it apart from the Mercy series. I'm sure you see the problem with this crossing over. However, there were some extremely interesting developments in the story. One of the newer things I noticed is that Charles and Anna are working with humans to solve a crime. Now that the werewolves have come out, it's important to have good public relations with the humans. I really liked Leslie, and I hope to see more of her in future books. She was a fantastic character. She was strong, intelligent, and open-minded. Also, Charles grew a lot in Fair Game. He developed more than I expected him to, and I can't wait to see what these developments mean for his and Anna's relationship, as well as his relationship his father. Bran changed a little as well, and Anna really stood on her own two feet. She has become much stronger and will not let herself be victimized again. She's healing by leaps and bounds. I liked the developments with the fae, and the ending has ensured that there will be a lot of turbulence in the Mercy/Alpha and Omega world. I'm interested to see how these developments affect Mercy and company in Seattle, as well as how they affect Bran and the Marrok's pack in Montana. These two series just got a lot more complicated, and the next few books for each series are going to be intense. One thing about the ending really bothered me, though, and I just feel like more people should have died. I know that sounds harsh, but once you read the book, you'll probably understand what I mean. Of course, maybe death was too good for the bigots. Yea, I got angry at quite a few people while reading this, haha. The pacing of the book was done pretty well, though it did drag and some places. I felt like some of the parts were a bit uncalled for and just used for padding to make sure the book was long enough, and parts that would have shown Anna and Charles trying to fix their relationship or developments in the serial killer case were skipped over. I think that maybe some of those parts could have also been replaced with parts from Leslie's perspective, since Briggs did 3rd person limited with switching viewpoints. The POV wasn't confusing though, and it added some depth to the story. I'd also like to know why I was able to figure out who the killer was before a centuries old werewolf. Maybe Charles needs to watch more of Anna's detective shows. Because I knew who the killer was, the big reveal wasn't a big reveal, but it was still suspenseful because of how brutal the killer was. Overall, this book was well done, but it just didn't live up to what I am used to when it comes to Briggs' writing. Usually, she'd get an A+ instead of an A-. Still, there was tons of character growth, the plot was intriguing, and the pacing wasn't too terribly off. Even when I'm not as blown away as I should be, Briggs is still better than most of the authors out there today. I'd definitely recommend this book to any adult who enjoys suspenseful werewolf stories, and especially to fans of the Alpha and Omega and Mercy Thompson series. Because of how dark this book was, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone under 18. Check out[...] for more reviews, author interviews, and awesome giveaways!

I love this urban fantasy world Patricia Briggs has created. She has expanded it over two series, her Mercy Thompson series and this one, Alpha & Omega. In this series we explore the complex relationship of Charles and Anna. Charles is the only known born werewolf, and son of the Marrock (Alpha of ALL werewolves of North America, Bran). Anna is an Omega, a wolf that can calm the fiercest of tempers and is also strong enough to look the Marrock in the eye. Of course, her human appearance makes her look like a fragile woman, but don’t be fooled. In Fair Game, book three, Patricia Briggs continues to explore the dynamics between this very alpha, serious and quiet wolf Charles and his stubborn wife. Charles is the Marrok’s punisher for lack of a better word. Recently, werewolves outted themselves to the public and it is all about keeping a positive spin with the public. Patricia Briggs writes her werewolves to be very carnal in nature. While they can assimilate with the general public, they have a very violent edge and it doesn’t take much for them to eat someone. Trying to keep the peace, Bran sends Charles out to kill those wolves who have stepped over their boundaries. Which means Charles is killing many and it is starting to weigh him down. I love how Briggs presents it to the readers as well. You flip-flop by wondering if Bran is using his son to do all his dirty work, or if he really has no one else to send out. Bran can’t send out other alphas, fearing they couldn’t handle it and the older wolves already carry around too much and they would go insane. Charles has the ghosts of his previous kills lurking around him. They talk to him, scare him, and he is terrified if he acknowledges them too much, they will take control of him an eventually harm his wife. So he keeps this pain and torment hidden from her. Anna knows something is wrong with Charles and after she begs Bran to help, and he stubbornly says no, she is at a loss for what to do. Brother Wolf, also has a big role in this book. Brother wolf is Charles’s wolf, who has his own personality. There are kind of two people living inside of Charles, Charles and Brother Wolf. They both love Anna, but sometimes they disagree with each other. It is fascinating how Briggs writes it. Bran does come up with a somewhat temporary solution for him. There have been a string of murders in the Boston area involving werewolves. The FBI are desperate to catch this serial killer, and have given into the fact they might need a werewolf to give them some insight. With Adam Hauptmann home helping Mercy recover (awww!) Bran sends Anna and Charles to Boston. When a powerful Fae’s daughter becomes the next victim, Charles and Anna stick around until they can bring justice. Fair Game gives us many great things. First we get a super creepy string of murders that must be solved. We are introduced to some new characters like Leslie with the FBI and Isaac, alpha of the Boston wolves, both who I really enjoyed meeting. I think the plot in this one regarding the murders is one of the more stronger ones I have read in this series and in Briggs’ Mercy books. Besides that drama, we get lots of conflict between Charles and Anna. Charles is so stoic and quiet, and protective over his mate, that he has this huge internal struggle going on. He can’t let go of the ghosts that he has killed, and it is completely wrecking him. Being stubborn, he refuses to let Anna in on what is going on with him, although she knows something is up. They haven’t touched each other for weeks. Anna slowly works her magic but it is a long and serious struggle for Charles. As I said above, I LOVE how Briggs writes her wolves. They are decent humans, but can be so violent at the snap of your fingers. They are killers first. And I love it. Their political maneuverings are so interesting to me as well. And with Bran in the background pulling the strings, I seriously can’t get enough of this world. So well built. The end sets up something big. BIG. I’m so excited to read the next book to see where this all goes. Definitely a series that I think should be read in order. If I had to think of a complaint, it would be that I want more Bran. I’m a Bran hussy and I have no shame in it.

This is probably my favorite so far in the series. It doesn't have some of the confusing conversational hiccups that seemed to plague the first books. In those I felt slightly off kilter in many conversations, like someone edited out something important. I had to re-read several conversations trying to figure out what just happened and sometimes just gave up. However, I did give this 4 stars for some other inconsistent writing which tends to plague this series in general. There are some descriptions in this one that don't always make sense in a minor way. Example: A character is in the form of a stag but at one point that character covers his face with his hands. Last time I looked stags don't have hands. Other storyline plots are confusing and don't seem consistent. A certain magic will cause a character to do "this" but later that magic doesn't seem to have an affect or even seem important -- so why bring it into the story line? Much of the magic introduced seems a bit of a red herring. I can't really tell sometimes what it was for or why it was described other than to fill pages. And I still am not sure about the "GIFT" card and it's use that starts off the story. It seems pivotal because of it's placement but I couldn't completely tell what it really did in the end. It kind of seemed like it fizzed out. Was it the magic on the card that helped or that Charles had talked to his father and Isaac about what was bothering him? (When you read this book you will understand this reference.) Stuff like that tended to jolt me out of the book because I needed to go back and re-read to see what I had missed. Much of the time I couldn't find what I had missed. It just wasn't there. This tends to be a trend in Brigg's writing. Not enough to put me off reading but just enough to annoy slightly. I can be a sloppy reader, skimming areas to get to the heart of the matter, so I don't always see these types of inconsistencies but here they crop more than I like. Enough so I can catch them. Also, public sex is never necessary. So here is what I like: Here in Fair Game, Charles and Anna have matured in their relationship. They have, in many ways become more confident in each other. In this book Charles is struggling with his role in the werewolf world, as enforcer. This story picks up a few years after the last book. The werewolves are out and all the political issues that are a part of that swirl around in the plot. In many ways it was a good move to jump ahead. It gave some depth to the story that would have maybe been boring if we had to follow along as they figure things out in their relationship. In many way, Anna is the strong one here in this book. The years have given her confidence in herself and in her relationship and her role as Omega. However, throughout this whole series Anna's Omega status seems a little bit of a red herring. I like the idea but it seems to be played up as important when I get the feeling that it kind of isn't as important as Briggs keeps telling us it is. Show, don't tell. When it really counts Anna doesn't seem to use her supposedly awesome power to help herself. If is so awesome it seem it should do something when the chips are down. But all that said, Charles' struggles have made her his champion rather than the reverse. She really does have power but it is the power of a woman in love defending her man and fighting for a relationship. Most others have gone over this story and so I won't beat it to death here. Read some other reviews to get a larger picture. However, a word of warning to those looking for a easy paranormal read: This is not it. This is a dark world Charles and Anna inhabit and they are dealing with dark powers and evil men. I had to take breaks from reading and read something lighter. And I like Bones, have read Patricia Cornwell and other dark murder mysteries. Maybe I am getting old, but the visuals here in this book were disturbing and heartbreaking. It deals with true evil. I felt a little haunted by it. So read with caution.

Have you ever been torn between racing through a book to find out what happens and wanting to read a book slowly to savor every moment? That was where I was when I began this story. It is the third book in the Alpha and Omega series. I was already invested in these characters before I opened the book. I want to race through it to find out what was going to happen. But I also wanted to savor the relationship between Charles and Anna. Outwardly they seem so different. Charles is a dominant alpha werewolf who everyone is afraid of, and rightly so. He has been his father's enforcer for many, many years. If a werewolf causes trouble, Charles is the one Bran sends to take care of the problem. And Anna is an Omega wolf. She was forcibly changed, tortured, and abused before Charles rescued her. She saw herself as weak. But Charles has an sensitive side and Anna has plenty of strength and stubbornness. Because of the political change that outed the werewolves Charles has been very busy cleaning up mistakes before they went public. But, being the werewolf executioner, is starting to do bad things to him. He is withdrawing from his mate and being haunted by the ghosts of the werewolves he has been forced to kill. Anna doesn't know what to do to help him. He wants to protect her from what he feels he is becoming and she wants to protect him from breaking. She finally convinces Bran that he has to do something before Charles breaks. The Marrok has a plan... Charles and Anna are sent to Boston to work with the FBI to solve the case of a serial killer who has been active for years and who has just added three werewolves to his victims. Anna is to be the point person with Charles as her guard. They have two purposes - to aid the FBI and to get some good publicity for werewolves. Anna, looking rather soft and gentle, is a good wolf to send. Being an omega disposes both wolves and humans to like her and want to help her. The case quickly escalates when the human daughter of one of the fae is captured as the next victim. Alistair Beauclaire is one of the old and powerful fae. The fae and the werewolves don't really trust each other but can work together because of this common goal. The FBI, Homeland Security, and a new agency CNTRP (Combined Nonhuman and Transhuman Relations Provisors) get involved in the case. Though it seems like the werewolves are the reason for CNTRP's involvement more than the serial killers. For the human side is FBI Agent Leslie Fisher who had an encounter with the fae when she was a child that makes up the prologue of this story. There was an interesting and varied cast of characters in this story. I liked both the police procedural aspect of the story and the emotional aspect of the story as Charles tries to battle his demons and Anna battles for him. I recommend this story to all lovers of urban fantasy, romance and werewolves. I can't wait to read it again and savor every situation. Do read Cry Wolf and Hunting Ground too to learn more about these fascinating characters.

"People as old and powerful as he should never be given someone to love. For Anna he would destroy the world." ~ Fair Game by Patricia Briggs This has easily become one of my favorite series, period. The relationship that Patricia Briggs builds, between all the characters, but especially between Charles and Anna, is stunning. Fair Game starts right on the heels of the end of River Marked, so the time-lines are finally matching up. The werewolves have come out the public, and with that the rules for werewolves have become much more strict. With more and more wolves needing to be pulled into line, Charles is busier than ever, and it's starting to wear on him. Anna's worried about him, and takes it to Bran - who doesn't know what to do. After Adam comes up with a possible solution, Anna and Charles are headed to Boston to help the FBI. As I said above, Charles and Anna's relationship is the true draw of this series for me. The fact that their relationship requires work on both their parts makes it very real. It's been a few years since Charles and Anna met, in Chicago and had an instant connection. Ever since then they've had to work at their relationship and with each other. Sometimes fighting for their relationship, others fighting against the protective instincts of their mate. The love, trust, and respect that underlies all of this is what draws me in and makes me invested in this couple. Charles spends a good amount of time trying to protect Anna from the things that are affecting him in Fair Game. And she rails against that, knowing that she can help if only he'll let her. It's an interesting dynamic to watch - Charles, the dominant, can't really help the need to protect. Anna, an Omega who loves her mate above all, can not stop the driving need to help. They butt heads a few times; there are consequences for their actions - something that I've always loved in this world - and in the end they come out stronger. I never doubt that they'll make it work, because they truthfully never doubt they will. The mystery plot that drives the book is interesting, and different. We're out in the world, seeing the wolves interact with federal agencies, trying to stop a serial killer for them - instead of the secretive world of the supernatural community. After seeing how many people had been attacked by this killer, so many of them children, I was anxious to see Charles and Anna bring him to justice. I was able to figure out who the mystery bad-guy was before the end, but it didn't detract from the story at all. The major event at the end though, Blew.My.Mind. I did not see it coming, and can not wait to see the wider implications throughout the world. Immediately after finishing the book I had to go back and re-read this part again because I was sure I'd mis-read it originally. Surely something will turn up in

Yes, I enjoyed this book as I do all of Patricia Brigg's books. After centuries of Bran always being there for his sons and his sons always depending on their dad, just where does that leave the spouses? Bran doesn't have a relationship with his wife Leah. Everyone that reads this series knows why. .. So. . he doesn't have that emotional pull to his wife he focuses on his sons and interfers in their lives. Charles has Anna and she is becoming more confident in her abilities and is no longer a victim. She stands up to Bran, fighting for her husband, yet he won't listen, isn't supportive. We all know what that can do to an Omega and it doesn't help that she is the one giving in the relationship while her husband Charles is physically gone or emotionally empty. For six months! ?? And when the situation was finally resolved it was through a phone conversation with his dad and an alpha? Not Anna? I didn't think the resolve between Anna and Charles was strong and I didn't see them as happy in their relationship. Glad the case was solved, yes but not stronger in their relationship. And what's with the dad walking into their house while they sleep and stand over their bed? That's just creepy. Just because they're both finally in bed together doesn't mean everything is on track. I honestly wonder if Charles and Anna can hold onto their relationship so I'm already looking forward to how their situation pans out. I loved the way the Mercy Thompson and Charles and Anna's worlds combine in this story. Just enough of a timeline to hope the two series merge a bit. I also loved the interaction with the Fae and can't wait to see how their new laws will impact this world, how it will play out in the series. While I'm not into solving mysteries the situation gave us more insight into Charles and his job and how the public relates to the wolves and fae. Another reviewer wrote about this and I agree: Brother Wolf's public sex was a bit much. They're with a witch neither trusts. Their small search group also included a few wolves, a Fae, and of course Anna and Charles, yet they're off on the grass having a quickie, forgetting everything but that Anna can't leave him. And she accepts this. I know wolves have no shame, the shift leaves them naked, and they are very open in their sex lives . .. But they're about to fight a monster and had already waited and waited for their party to gather and depart. Everyone was anxious to get moving, got to find the girl fast, and here Charles has to show his dominance and 'convince' Anna not to leave him in the most basic way (sex). And from what I understood from the story, this was their first romp in six months. Talk about crumbs! Frankly, if she decides to leave Charles I would applaud. Charles needs a rude awakening and a move away from his dad wouldn't hurt. Boston would be an ideal place to relocate.

I am writing this review from the perspective of being a fan of Ms Briggs Alpha and Omega, as well as the intertwined Mercy Thompson series. I love the series, and her writing, and I'm sure I'll love more future installments in both. But, as a fan, I had a few serious problems with this novel. SPOILER ALERT! The following review will contain remarks on the plot of the book. I was shocked and disturbed that Briggs had Anna and Charles engaging in a quick tryst, complete with laughter and cuddling, in the middle of trying to rescue Lizzie from torture and rape. Her father, the Gray Lord Beauclaire, had previously warned all involved that anyone who caused a delay of a mere minute would face his wrath. Yet, we are led to believe that he patiently waited, hands folded, while he heard them making love and giggling in the underbrush, knowing his daughter was in the hands of murderous, sadistic rapists who could very well be in the act of harming her, or killing her. Who does that? Yes, it was an interesting and believable plot point that Charles would push Anna away in a mistaken belief he was protecting her from his ghosts, that Anna's fears would take root under the influence of the dark magic on the island, and that Charles would be frantic to snap her out of it and fix the mess he'd caused. But, it is unbelievable to me that in the middle of such a dire task, Anna, a rape victim herself, would have sex while the other searchers just waited. I thought that was a vary callous move, and out of character for both Charles and Anna. He could have very easily calmed her fears and taken a rain check for working on their sex life. Like for after they rescued the raped and crippled Lizzie who was near death. I also felt that Ms Briggs had lost the thread of the mythology she'd woven. On the one hand, the wolves are so tightly bonded to their mates that they would not harm them, even in the middle of a rage. In previous books, Anna was able to safely stay with the injured Charles, and Mercy with Adam. However, we are to believe that the wolves are so unsafe around children that they would murder their own babies when the wolf is dominant. There were also references to the unusual nature of Sam's love for children, since most wolves were considered unsafe around them. But they're safe with their mates, which seems contradictory. There was an anecdote that a female wanted a baby so badly that she stayed in her wolf form so long that her humanity was lost, and she ate the baby she delivered. Except, in the short story about Kara, she was assisted by a wolf in Bran's pack who had stayed in his wolf form so long no one could remember the last time he'd been human. He wasn't a slavering enraged beast. Bran, too, stayed a wolf, literally a slavering, enraged beast, for hundreds of years, as told in several of the previous books. His son Sam walked into his forest and led him out, a man again. So, she's created a paradox. Either giving the wolf free reign makes the human side die or get lost forever somehow, or it doesn't. She's often described the animal instincts of the wolves, and yet also repeatedly stated that they are not animalistic, at all, but rather constantly boiling with rage and a need for blood. I felt more could have been done to develop Beauclaire. He was a Gray Lord, someone so powerful that even Zee would act deferential to one of his station, and yet he acted rather mildly throughout the book, and was one dimensional. He had a few sword fights, and that was about it. My favorite scene involving him was with the horses at the end. She injected a few political cliches into this one, as well. The villains were wealthy Texans who loved to hunt, and were conservatives against the fae and immortals. On the one hand, she does a wonderful job convincing us readers of how extremely dangerous the fae, vampires, and wolves are, and yet several times she's invoked racism at the public's fear of them. Don't thank a fae or you will become their slave, the immortal races hire black witch "cleaners" to dispose of all the bodies, much like the Mob, and vampires keep menageries of human sheep that they slowly kill. Wolves can't be trusted around children because they're so incredibly dangerous, and if you look one in the eye he might kill you. But it's racist for the public to be concerned. Again, she's created a paradox. She sounds judgmental instead of just presenting the complexities of the world she's woven. And, finally, I feel very strongly that Ms Briggs has come to depend on rape rather too extensively as a plot driver. Mercy, Anna, and now Lizzie have all been the victims of rape in her stories. That is beginning to feel like a common theme. Of them all, I felt she dealt with Mercy's assault with the most sensitivity and realism. Now it is beginning to feel that she depends on rape to produce tension within her stories. I was surprised that I was so disappointed in this book, since I'm enthralled (pardon the pun) with the series in general, and feel that her writing is usually quite good. I think that's what bothered me - I knew she is quite capable of delivering better.

I have a confession to make...I love Patricia Brigg's novels. I really, really do. But I don't buy them in hardback. And I don't buy them for kindle because the price seems too high for an ebook. So I have to wait an extra year to read the new novels and I feels so behind times when I finally do get to read them. But I watch expectantly for them to show up on Amazon and I pre-order the mass market paperbacks as soon as I can. "Fair Game" was worth the wait. The majority of the novel is about Anna and Charles helping the police hunt down a serial killer who has started killing paranormal creatures. Now full disclosure: I like serial killer novels. I love reading about their crimes and seeing them get their just desserts at the end of a book. So if you add that into my favorite genre of book I am sure to be a happy camper. The Alpha and Omega series has always been secondary to me after the Mercy series. I like the books and I like the characters but I just don't connect with it like I do the Mercy books. But "Fair Game" blew me away. Not only did I think the serial killer plot was well plotted and interesting but I also really enjoyed the relationship between Anna and Charles here. He has been his father's enforcer and the killing is gettting to him. He feels guilty for his killings even though they are just in the world of werewolves. They are to protect his own kind. They are also to protect human welfare. But he is hurting and he is blocking out Anna. Reading Anna's viewpoint of these events really tugged at my heart. Her hurt felt so strong and her relief when Charles laughs and enjoys the little things almost had me tearing up. Outstanding writing as always Mrs Briggs! In addition to these things I loved the story about the Fae. I loved the opening chapter and I loved seeing how that played out in the rest of the novel. And the ending was one of the best I have read lately. It floored me and it left the world open to many possiblities. I read that this will be the last Alpha and Omega novel for awhile (But maybe not forever) and I imagine that this new twist, as it has an impact on the entire world, will probably come into play in future Mercy books. I know that I will be eagerly awaiting the next Mercy novel. The mass market paperback version is already on my wish list for pre-order. Even if its nearly a year away.

I just love anything Patricia Briggs writes. It’s just awesome. This is the third installment in this series (which is a spin off series from the author’s Mercy Thompson series, so start there if you need to start at the beginning). From what I could gather, it picks up about one year after “Hunting Ground” ended. The werewolves are out to the public and need to be on their best behavior. Because of this, Bran is more strict than usual, which means that Charles is sent out often to kill those wolves bringing bad publicity to them. This is taking its toll on Charles and he is pulling away from Anna to protect her from these consequences. Bran sends Anna and Charles to help the FBI with a serial killer case in the hopes of 1. providing some good publicity for the werewolves by helping to catch a bad guy with their superhero powers and 2. giving Charles a break from all the killing. They quickly discover that besides the three recent werewolf killings by this serial killer, that the killer has been murdering and torturing the fae for decades. When a prominent fae, Beauclaire, finds that his daughter has been taken by this killer, he joins the hunt as well. Anna and Charles are having a hard time during this book and at times that is hard to read. I think one of my favorite scenes was on the island that was so full of black magic that it was affecting Anna and she was telling Charles that she wasn’t good enough and she would just leave and Charles had to get in her face and the resulting nookie. I didn’t like Leslie as much as I was supposed to. I didn’t dislike her, but she didn’t do much for the story line (except her card). I really enjoyed meeting Isaac (the Boston Alpha), he was smart and knew how to handle Charles almost as well as Anna. Beauclaire did a sneak attack on me. It wasn’t until the last 10% that I realized that I loved him. The next Mercy Thompson book comes out in 2 weeks and I am pretty sure that you should read this book before Frost Burned is released because the ending is a game changer for the series. Of course, I am sure that the author will explain it to you in Frost Burned, but you should live it for yourself in Fair Game because it was A-W-E-S-O-M-E! Favorite Quote: (there were a couple but I finally ended on this one, it sums up the book well) “Never accept the blame for what evil people do. We are all responsible for our own actions.” –Anna Cornick If you want to read other reviews or get some book ideas, visit my blog: [...]

When a serial rapist/torturer/murderer who has been operating for decades takes out three werewolves, the FBI requests a werewolf to consult with the interdepartmental manhunt. Bran sends Anna with Charles as her back-up. She's the perfect PR for the werewolves with her calm demeanor and young, innocent look. And Bran is hoping to save Charles by giving him something more positive to do. In the year since the werewolves have gone public, he's been sent out to kill three times as many werewolves for infractions that younger werewolves used to get a pass on. But Bran has all werewolves on a tight leash to present a safer image to the general public. The guilt Charles feels over some of the kills has the ghosts of his victims hanging around and they are a threat to his sanity. And as they get stronger could and would hurt Anna. He pushes her away in an attempt to keep her safe. Their marriage is in trouble and with his age and what he's dealing with, Charles is close to losing his grip. The fae become involved when the daughter of a really old and powerful one becomes the latest victim to be taken. The race is on to try to find her. Who would be able to take out and hang on to either a fae or werewolf for a week before killing them? The local werewolf pack also becomes involved as does a black witch to find the missing young woman. Anna has now been with Charles for a couple of years and she's more confident in her abilities to protect and stand up for herself, except when it comes to being pushed away by her husband. She's got a lot of spunk and is no longer afraid to use it, even to stand up to Bran's anger. And Charles is learning to get along with others as he's forced to act less threatening while dealing with everyone involved. We see him opening up a little and becoming somewhat of a team player as the story progresses. There are places that move along somewhat slowly, especially with regards to what Charles is dealing with, although the story on the whole moves along at a good clip and I read it in one day. The setting is in Boston so we get a little bit of geography and history, although thankfully not as much detail as we were given in the last Mercy Thompson book, River Marked. I really hope we get to see the characters from either series working with the FBI again in future stories, especially Special Agent Leslie Fisher; a very smart, level-headed individual who had never met a werewolf before. And finally, the timeline between this series and the Mercy Thompson one is now in sync. This story takes place over a year after Hunting Ground, yet immediately after River Marked. The climatic end to this book adds a new degree of challenges the werewolves and the fae will be facing in both series.

I have been waiting for this book since July 2010. Granted, some have been waiting since August 2009 when Hunting Ground, the book right before this one, was published. But I'm always late to the party. And it was a serious book party for me in July 2010 when I devoured the novella, then Cry Wolf and Hunting Ground and screamed for more! I had read the Alpha & Omega series before Ms. Briggs' Mercedes Thompson series so I had Mercy to hold me over. But this is the series I truly adore! And with each book, it just keeps getting better and better and better... Charles and Anna have come a long way. Gone is the damaged Anna that had even showed up briefly in the last book. Of course her scars are deep but she's much stronger and healthier because of Charles. But now she's come into her own! The book opens with her arguing with Bran. Who would've thought you'd ever see Anna pushing Bran. But that's where our tale begins. Fair Game seemed closer to a true UF novel than past books that leaned more towards PNR. This one is a true serial-killer murder mystery, with Anna and Charles' relationship brilliantly woven in and out. I could just tell Ms. Briggs spent a lot of time on this book, perfecting her plot, timing and overall writing. Every plot point, every nuance, worked brilliantly with each other. Nothing was awkward and at no time did I feel anything drag on. Could I gush anymore? Probably. But I just immensely enjoyed reading this book from start to finish. I looked forward to every moment I was able to pick it back up. It's been a long time since I actually gasped, literally gasped out loud at a moment in a book! I did exactly that during a moment at the end of the book. It's got to be hard to write a moment like that because usually readers can see those coming a mile away. But not in this case. Wow! And I was NOT let down after that moment, either. Remember at the end of the third Lord of the Rings movie, Return of the King, where it seemed like there were five endings and you were sitting there in the theater thinking, "And now it's over.... and now it's over.... okay, now... C'MON!!" This was NOT like that at all!!! I wanted it to keep going! Tell me more, tell me more! Nope, no such luck. I guess at Ms. Briggs' writing rate, we'll have to wait another two years. Hey, at least that's better than G.R.R. Martin ;)

I am thoroughly enjoying this series. No lack of new and interesting characters and more depth added to the old ones. Twists and turns and love!

This book was different from the first two books. This was more of a murder, crime solving mystery, but it was still fun to read. I couldn't put it down as I wanted to find out the end. Was a little sad when I figured out right away who the bad guy was before it was revealed, but over all still a wonderful read.

Bingeworthy series, that keeps you jumping to the next. The story telling, characters, and universe gets better and more involved with each new book.

I love this story, as Charles and Anna get to know each other better and new characters come into play. Adventure, romance, danger all rolled into one terrific storyline!

It's been a long time since the second Alpha & Omega novel came out and I worried that I'd have a hard time getting back into the groove of this series. Unnecessarily, as it turns out - I sank right into her smooth prose, her familiar characters and world. I'm starting to like Anna & Charles as much as Mercy Thompson, maybe more. FAIR GAME is bookended by two major world events: the werewolves' decision to make their existence public and...well...something that I can't spoil. The werewolves are trying hard to present themselves as harmless, law abiding citizens and so the wolves who fall out of line, who make mistakes that leave bodies behind, get a visit from Charles. Charles has been very busy killing wolves who'd get a pass otherwise, and the guilt is tearing him apart. So Bran comes up with a plan. He sends Anna to Boston to help the FBI solve a serial killer case, with Charles along as backup. They hope that giving Charles a chance to play hero and protector will help him banish the ghosts that have been - literally - haunting him. Solving the serial killer case does help Anna and Charles figure out how to stay sane and happy as a couple. It also leads directly to the second major world event. It turns out the serial killer has been targeting supernatural creatures, mostly fae and recently a few werewolves, subjecting his victims to horrible torture and abuse before killing them in a gruesome black magic ritual. Anna & Charles team up with a motley crew of law enforcement officials and a grief-stricken fae, the father of the killer's most recent victim. They have to navigate the politics of inter-agency rivalry and a delicate inter-species alliance while gathering clues, which gives Anna an opportunity to shine. The story kept me interested, but so did the evolving relationship between Anna, Charles, and Brother Wolf. The murder investigation plays second fiddle to their emotional journey, which wouldn't work if I didn't love these characters so much. But I do. They're fun to hang out with and I was happy to wallow in their angst. I thought this series got off to a weak start, but I'm loving it now. There's a reason why Patricia Briggs is an auto-buy for me. It's always a treat to get a new book from her.

With a great protagonist well written romance that's not an afterthought a well thought out story line and an actual ending and not a cliff hanger, I can't get enough of Patricia Briggs' universe.

I'm a bit addicted to the world that Patricia Briggs has created. I just can't seem to put the books down! There are many new characters to introduce, and some of them are mundane humans (gasp!) Yet it manages to fit neatly into the rest of world she has created. Charles isn't in a very happy place, haunted by what he has done to protect the werewolves secrets.... and a miserable Charles makes for a miserable Anna. Hoping they can fix their problems before more drastic measures nee to be taken, Bran sends them off to Boston, to aid the FBI and various other government agencies in tracking down a serial killer. This isn't just your ordinary serial killer, though. This one takes out fey and werewolves with little trouble. I liked how Charles and Anna have grown and changed. It makes them seem more real, that they have to face their problems, and not everything is sunshine and roses. Their love for each other is still consistent and strong, but they aren't instantly "fixed" by it... refreshing, because that doesn't seem to happen a lot in this sort of literature. I also liked the bit players, it was almost like many of them are also quite real, more developed than the quick glimpse you see in this story. And the ending. Dear gods, THE ENDING!!! I loved the ending. It neatly resolves the story, but turned into a complete surprise. I didn't see it coming, and it makes me really, REALLY curious as to what the future holds. I tend to read the ending of a story first, but for whatever reason, I didn't. Minor quibbles... It was fairly obvious to me who the bad guy was going to be. I pegged him for the guilty party almost immediately. I was sort of hoping it would be a red herring, and it was a little disappointing that it was so obvious to me. I also feel like in all of the books set in this world, someone is kidnapped. While it is important to the storyline and shows the bad guys being bad guys while the heroes embrace their inner strength, I've come to expect it, which lessens the suspense and makes it feel a bit tired. But, hey... The spectacular ending more than made up for those minor quibbles.

I am half way through the series and it is definitely in the top 3 series I have ever read, if the rest of the books in the series match the 1st 3 plus the introductory novella it could move to number 1. I purchased the 1st book, "Cry Wolf", 12 days after after it came out in 2008. I never realized I got less than a few pages into the book and it got lost in the 3000+ Kindle books I have. When the latest book, "Wild Sign", came out I was surprised the only book I had of the series was the 1st, I decided to read all of the series in order (as I usually do) and decided to start with last few chapters of "Cry Wolf", when I load it into my Kindle App and found I never finished it I start at chapter one. I realized quickly that Charles and Anna story started before book 1 so I reread "Alpha and Omega" and finished "Cry Wolf". Every book has been so powerful (crying, laughing, lusting for justice and satisfied at the ending) that I haven't gotten much sleep. But there are only 3 more books left, do I need a break to calm down, nope, on to book 4!

Charles is nearly broken. As the Marrocks' Tool for Justice, he doled out punishment to any who broke their laws for 200 years now. Recently, he started to question if some of his orders were unjust, that some may even be innocent enough that a stern warning be issued instead of a death sentence. Werewolf law is strict. The Marrock being the North American law of all packs, the Alphas of these packs reported only to him. Charles was seeing the ghosts of his unjust kills. It was effecting his bond with his mate. The Marrock thought the Boston Job would be good for both of them, Anna as the Omega would help see through the emotional aspect and Charles the Investigator would be the operative. That the FBI requested the werewolves Assistance was indeed part of their job to present to the humans their ability to interact with humanity z. When they learn many not the victims were Fae and that three werewolves were also murdered, Charles and Anna suspected there was much more to this killing spree than the FBI were telling them.

What I love about this series and the Mercy Thompson series, is how Ms. Briggs slowly and masterfully sucks you in and then spins you around. Her werewolf world is so beautifully layered that the two series barely touches the surface. And I really enjoy the character growth and development. In this case, Anna and Charles. I was delighting in Anna's character. She has grown into a confident, strong, and sassy woman. Her traumatic past, while a part of her, no longer defines her. She has grown into her Omega abilities and it was thrilling to see her stand up to Bran and others. Charles on the other regressed a bit in this book. Worn down and literally haunted from acting as his father's enforcer of werewolf justice, Charles has been literally shutting Anna out to spare her his degradation. Anna, in desperation, appeals to Bran to ease up and allow Charles to take a break and hits a brick wall. Bran is determined to keep the werewolves in line, especially since they outed themselves and is determined to do it at all costs, even to Charles. When news of a serial killer preying on werewolves is brought to Bran's attention he sends the couple to act as a liaison to the FBI. I enjoyed how we got to know more about the werewolves as they were explained to the FBI taskforce. Here Anna shined as the PR face. Charles was more of the silent bodyguard of Anna and struggled to let her back in. Their search for the serial killer helped to bring them back together and I really enjoyed how Anna never back downed and while sympathetic, fought for Charles and their relationship. Overall, this book was fantastic. It was a lot of fun to revisit Anna and Charles and to slide back into their corner of Brigg's world. And the shocking twist at the end, especially makes me anxious for more books in either series. This series is an autobuy for me and I was not disappointed. Fast paced and engrossing, I loved every page.

I read the first chapter of this book on Patricia Briggs' website and the part where Anna plays her cello for Charles brought tears to my eyes. When I got the book and read it again, I had the same reaction. I really enjoyed this book and I'm glad the author jumped ahead a couple years. First, it gets everyone on the same timeline (in the Mercy series, Anna didn't exist in the first few books, so it was weird when Mercy referenced her later on). Second, while Anna's first few years as a werewolf were horrific, continuing in the timeline might have made for some tiresome reading while she was working through her issues. So, am I really the only one who noticed the difference with Charles' change? It may seem like a small thing, but in the first two books (and even the first Mercy book), Charles' changes to and from werewolf are described as almost instantaneous. When I really started to think about it, I realized that the author went into a good bit of detail in past books -- how it is part of Charles being born as a werewolf; how Anna thought it was beautiful; how Asil recognized it as display of dominance. To me, it was a big part of what makes him unique. However, in this book, his change takes time... Oh, its still faster than most alphas, but 10 minutes is not instantaneous and there was nothing magical in the author's description of it. And then, when he finally does change in a instant, its only because he got a boost from fae magic?? Seriously?? I'm going to go back and read it again to see if I missed some tidbit; that maybe it was a secret the wolves purposely held back or made impossible because of his ghosts. If not, I'll be really disappointed if she doesn't remedy this in the next book -- even if its not out for two more years.

When your job is dealing harsh justice sometimes the ghosts of those killed don't let go. Using the guilt against the human form gets in the way of relationships. This book is so well written that you don't want the bad guys to win. Nobody is completely innocent yet plenty are more than guilty. It's hard because the werewolves can't safely mate yet the Fea mate with humans so they don't die out but this weakens the bloodline. When they start becoming serial killers there's only one answer and that's death. Our criminal system is when a death sentence is given, you can still die from old age before they ever see justice done. I wonder if we had a swift death if that would deter criminals? Knowing that a death sentence really means that you die immediately after it's given and not years and years later if we would have people who would think harder about killing others. Maybe this fictional writing should be an argument for it? Sorry but this is where my brain went reading this one. Nobody is exempt from killing because jurors are less likely to condemn a pretty woman than a man. Looks are deceiving. Just think about what hell Jodi Arias did and wonder why she's not dead or even on death row. If a man had done the horrific things she did, that's where he'd be.

As noted in many other reviews, this story is wrenching emotionally and stark in so many ways. How could it not be as Charles and Anna fly to Boston to aide the FBI tracking a serial killer? The story within the story concerns Charles’ struggle with guilt as the Marrock’s assassin. Fascinating reading with enough bits of light and humor to allow me to shake off injustice, acknowledge good in life, too and then be able to sleep tonight.

I love the supernatural world of Patricia Briggs. While I slightly prefer the Mercy Thompson series over the Alpha and Omega series, they are both wonderful in their own right. Charles and Anna are interesting characters on their own. Both are still trying to grow into who they want to be. Anna really shined in this book. She was funny, self-assured, confident, and in control. It was nice to see her have a handle on everything in her life. As a couple, Anna and Charles are kind of stagnate in this book. That is the only reason that I took off one star. I don't feel like their relationship made much progress in this novel. They are still falling into old patterns, especially with Charles shutting down the mate bond because he's scared of hurting Anna. I hope this is the last book where they react to each other in these ways. They really should have learned better by now. Aside from that issue, this book was really great. It is possibly the best book in the series. Anna and Charles are helping the human authorities investigate a serial killer and, of course, things get dangerous. I guessed the baddie before the big reveal but it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story at all. The pace was fast, the murders grisly, and the new characters interesting. I really hope we will see FBI Agent Leslie again in the future. The ending of the novel was a shocker. I saw it coming, but at the same time I was thinking, "Oh, Patricia Briggs wouldn't do that!" But she did! This ending is going to send shockwaves throughout the series. It will even affect the Mercy Thompson series. I can't wait to see what happens next!

I like all the Alpha and Omega novels by Patricia Briggs. Enjoy!

The 'outing' of Were's has resulted in an upping of penalty for weres who cross the line and the ramping up in his duties as werewolf executioner is taking its toll on Charles, and on the relationship with mate Anna. When Anna finally gets help in making the leader of all werewolves, Bran, hear just how close to breaking Charles is, Anna and Charles are sent on a different kind of hunt - as consultants to the FBI in a case involving a serial killer killing supernaturals. As much as I like Briggs writting and her world, it took me a long time to get wrapped up in this story. There were things that I thought were interesting about the backstory to Leslie the FBI agent and her experience with the Fae as a child and I liked the way that Anna used her mojo to manage everyone human or supe (I loved Anna, even though her 'super powers' make her like the 'invisible girl'.) But I didn't actually get invested in the story until I got finally to the part where the thing that we all knew would happen to Anna happened. A part of that was that I've liked the relationship bits between Charles and Ann in past stories and because Charles was so damaged he is very closed off from Anna here. But the larger part is that I am just not that fond of serial killer stories and what the victims endure before their death and the fact that the most recent was a child (and other of the victims were as well) was hard for me to take. The ending though, that was really really interesting. I am sure that we will see the reprecussions in the next Mercy book since Anna and Charles timeline looks to have caught up with Mercy's.

The third Alpha and Omega novel has a suspenseful story at its core, but Briggs also provides quieter moments so her characters can breathe. After having to kill several werewolves, Charles is beginning to crumble mentally; he's seeing ghosts and starting to give in to his bloodthirsty instincts. So he and Anna are sent to Boston on a special mission -- assist the FBI on a serial-killer case that has lasted decades. The killer initially had a straightforward pattern (Asian teenagers), but began including werewolves and fae. Each one was carved with witch symbols, raped, and finally murdered. Now the human daughter of a high-ranking fae has been kidnapped, and the FBI/werewolf team has only hours to find her. But the case becomes particularly strange when they discover that a long-dead witch and a bizarre kind of fae may be involved in it. And unless they figure out who the killers are fast, Anna will be their next target. As with the two prior books in this series, the characterization and story world are amazing. The story is dangerous and exciting to read. I particularly enjoy the completeness of the story. This series fills in some background holes in the Mercy Thompson series...world events that impacted that series but were not explained in detail. In this story...the retreat of the Fae to reservations is explained. As with the other stories in this series, the love relationship between Anna and her Charles provides the heart of the story. It's extremely well done, and is a series that definitely should not be missed! "Fair Game" tries to tackle a lot of heavy topics -- prejudice, the cost of killing, and the way normal humans would see the "monsters."

I found it too long a wait for this installment of A&O. Unfortunately, it shares an author with the Mercy Thompson series and I appreciate that Patricia Briggs is only human. Also, I agree with one reviewer that the book could have been longer. However, it did move quite well, and it was a good story with some tough character development for Anna and Charles as a consequence of Bran's decision to "out" the wolves. If it were easy, there'd be no story, if there was no heartbreak and angst we'd have no growth. At one point, Anna quotes the line from Nietzsche: "What doesn't break us, makes us stronger." It's a philosophy she is intimately familiar with. Also, there is advancement of the "Long Game," the overarc shared with the Mercy Thompson series about the paranormal world as a whole. Without trying to be spoilerish, I appreciate world-building and that actions can have long-reaching consequences. This is especially true when you look at the lifespan of Bran and his sons Charles and Samuel and the lives and memories of the fae. The road to hell is paved with good intentions and it's the unintended consequences that bite you in the butt. A common theme in paranormal stories is that society reacts to the fear of the dark and things that go bump in the night, forgetting that plain old human beings are some of the biggest baddest evilest monsters around. I recommend this book, but remind readers that there are two novels and one short story that precede it and as the backstory in Fair Game is just as important as the story itself, not to make this the first book you read in the Alpha and Omega series.

These books are spellbinding and impossible to put down. I gobble them up as fast as I am able. I am only sad, now seeing that I have only two books left until either it ends or the waiting game starts. Considering the fifth book was just released this month, most likely the waiting game. In this book, Anna is concerned because Charles has been having to act as the Marrok’s sword, killing werewolves who are out of line. Since coming out to the humans, Bran is not giving the wolves second chances and some of the kills are weighing heavily on Charles, and Anna seems to be the only one who sees it. She is scared of the torment Charles is inflicting on himself and he is not letting her share in his burden. They are sent to help the FBI on a serial killer case, where three werewolves were among the most recent victims, but the killings have spanned several decades. Bran hopes that by giving Charles a chance to solve this and be a hero that his weight may be lessened. I don’t want to give away any details and that is enough about the story to get you going. If you want to read more, buy a copy! You won’t be disappointed!! Patricia Briggs stories are gold!!

I have just closed my Kindle after finishing Fair Game and am tempted to go back and re-read the last couple of chapters because wow, I am not sure what just happened. And I mean that in the way a reader means when something major happens in a book and you just can't believe it. That should tell you how enjoyable this book was. Fair Game is the latest in the Alpha and Omega series by Patricia Briggs. The story is a thrilling mystery - a "find the victim fast" ride that carries the reader from the start all the way to the amazing ending. I was never bored, I never felt the need to put the book down. As the plot progressed I became even more engrossed. I am embarrassed to admit to yelling out-loud at work when I got to the end of the book - I was that shocked. Needless to say, I am dying to find out what this means for Mercy, for Zee and for the rest of the werewolves. And even though you don't see them in the Alpha and Omega series, I wonder what this means for the vampires. Patricia Briggs has taken her world and turned it on its head with this book and I love it. I am glad I have a few other books coming out this year to distract me from the fact that the next Mercy book will not be out till next year. I can only hope that a new Alpha and Omega book will be out as well. Keep writing, Ms. Briggs. You are, by far, my favorite author.

The existence of werewolves is out in the open…what could possibly go wrong? I loved how though Charles has knowledge and experience, he allowed Anna to take point and do what she does best, talk with people. I love how these books balance the preternatural world with outlet current world and how sometimes the true monsters aren’t the ones you expect them to be.

I’ve loved Anna and Charles’ relationship from the beginning. It gives an entirely different perspective on living as a werewolf when there’s an Omega to keep things (relatively) calm. And Anna’s journey to strength and some measure of self-assurance is a wonderful thing to read, given her character’s history. This story is much more romantic (in a non-traditional way) than the previous books in this series. This one starts at a point when the relationship is seriously frayed by the demands of Charles’ position. It’s a modern trial with mythic overtones, but so real in the ways we cut ourselves off from those we love (in the thought that we’re saving them from our pain!) it left me feeling heartsick for both of them for a good deal of the book. And the ending… Now I’m uber-anxious for the next Mercy Thompson book to see how she evolves the rest of the world these packs inhabit. So I continue to be an unabashed Briggs fan. Anyone who wants to read an engrossing mystery with the spin of werewolves and fae and vampires and other things that go bump in the night set as the backdrop to a clearly limned and extraordinarily sympathetic cast of characters would be well-advised to read this series. (And I’m admitting to a massive character crush on Charles, even though he–and I–are both clearly taken.) This series and its sister series represent some of the best urban fantasy on the market to me, so if you like the genre, don’t hesitate to check it out.

*Minor Overall Series SPOILERS Charles and Anna are back and the first thing that comes to mind is YAY! Patricia Briggs is one of the most consistently amazing authors out there. she has yet to disappoint me and with Fair Game she continues with her winning streak. The Alpha & Omega series is a spin-off of Patricia's awesome Mercy Thompson series, with a couple as the protagonists instead of a single character. Anna and Charles are amongst my favorite couples ever and the series takes a different approach to the Paranormal Romance spectre. Charles and Anna's "HEA" happens in the short story published in the anthology "On The Prowl" and the rest of the series is about what comes after the HEA is established. Since they are wolves and the HEA was pretty fast, you can imagine that the road won't be without obstacle, specially since Anna and Charles both have their own personal issues to deal with. Fair Game is the fourth book in this fantastic series and it is an incredible addition to an already awesome story. We get ton of Charles and Anna moments along with a compelling and thrilling storyline that will keep you on the edge of your seat and unable to put down your book until you are done. If you have yet to check out the Alpha & Omega series, get off your butt and do it! You won't regret it! Originally Posted at Welcome to Larissa's Bookish Life {[...]}

Mated werewolves Charles Cornick and Anna Latham are sent to Boston, when the FBI requests the pack's help on a local serial killer case. They quickly realize that not only the last two victims were werewolves-all of them were supernaturals. Someone is targeting their kind. And when the daughter of a major fae lord is kidnapped, Anna and Charles set out to rescue her.

I'm a great fan of Patricia Briggs going back to her Hurog story days before she started writing about wolves. While I love the Mercy books, I haven't felt the same intensity over the Alpha and Omega books. So when this book first came out, I read the reviews which didn't seem overwhelmingly positive and decided to wait and buy the book when it came out in paperback so the ebook would be cheaper. A friend told me yesterday that she had just read the book and it was really good. I went back to Amazon and discovered the five star reviews had increased so I bought the book this morning on my Kindle. I sat down to read at 10 a.m. and couldn't put it down until I finished it five hours later. Wow! This has to be the most suspenseful book Briggs has ever written. There was the mystery of the serial killers, the mystery on how the fae fitted into it, the suspense of trying to find the half-fae woman who had been kidnapped before she was killed, the confusion on why Charles was pushing Anna away, and finally the rush to find the newest kidnapped victim before they were tortured and killed. And then when you thought that Briggs was going to take the last few pages to wrap up the tale, she throws in a major story change to end the book. A change that will now affect both the Mercy and Alpha and Omega books. I can't wait.

I'm surprised by the review I'm about to write for two reasons. First, I'm going to have some big negatives about a Briggs book. (something I previously thought impossible) Second, I'm going to rave about and recommend a book that i wanted to abandon until the last 1/4! I don't think either of those cases has happened before. I'm a huge Briggs fan and like this series. But I spent the first 3/4 of the story slogging my way through wishing it would end and debating whether to give up on it. I kept thinking how I couldn't believe I was about to give a negative review for this series. I love Chatles and Bran, enjoyed their parts, but the story was so slow, so very predictable and just boring. It was also heavily a mystery/suspense with very little of what I love about Briggs and this series. (lore, the characters, romance, action, UF world building) If you were to change the names of the characters and make them not werewolves it could have been any CSI type show on a network. So if you dig that sort of thing you will love it. Not my thing, I like action, romance and urban fantasy. So don't purchase this one expecting much of that or if you are in the mood for a good UF romance.. I dont want to supply any spoilers so I won't provide specific details but the romance between Anna and Charles was a huge bummer and many parts were just baffling and made me shake my head, roll my eyes with a big "oh come on, seriously?!" - yes, I actually said it out loud I was so frustrated. Talk about terrible backdrop for a sex scene! Ick!! I had to read some parts over repeatedly because they were so confusing too. There were also story lines that seemed important and then went no where. However, all that said.... My girl Briggs busted out her trademark amazingness in the last 1/4 and left me so excited about the future of this series that I can't wait to see what happens next. Love, love one of the new fae characters introduced!! So all fellow Briggs fans should purchase it. And then just keep telling yourself that it gets great toward the end. ( squeals and baby claps!!) To quote Anna - here's to things getting "interesting" !!

I do believe that Patricia Briggs stories should be put to the movies. She has such a way with the stories that I've read so far. The Alpha & Omega series and the Mercy Thompson series. She writes with such passion about family and protection of friends. Even in putting down the evil and diseased, which of course is what is done in today's world also. I can't put her books down once I start. I have to see what happens to Charles and Anna and the pack as a whole. And Mercy and Adam's pack and the people they come in contact with. From Cantrip agents, FBI and of the Fae and Witches and a few Vampires in the mix. She blends they so well in the stories that you feel the pain and joy as you read. She makes you a part of that world, which as a writer is the greatest gift that you can give the reader. I hope she never stops writing. And I hope that some day Hollywood will come knocking on her door to make that special movie of her books.. If they can do it for Lord of the Rings, and Twillight, than she should be right up there with them..... Thank you for the pure enjoyment of reading......

In this book Charles has to deal with the ghost of some of the dead that he has created. Also we meet some interesting Fae people and see them take an interesting action or two. It’s a good book as all of her books are. I can’t wait to read the next and the next and if she is not busy writing them I implore her to get busy. If you enjoy reading what is called urban fantasy, then you need to read these books. Or perhaps you only want to read these books.

I’ve read all the Mercy Thompson series and it’s nice hearing the story that was mentioned in the Mercy books. I really enjoy this series and the confidence Anna has in their relationship and that’s refreshing! So far I’ve enjoyed this series more and more with each book.

Great book by P. Briggs love the Mercy Thompson books and am falling for The Anna books too!

I was okay with the first novella that introduced Anna. Just the fact that it centered around Bran and Charles, instead of the so-much-less-interesting Samuel and Adam from the Mercy Thompson series, made that first story worthwhile. Bran is a fascinating character, and Charles even more so. The second Alpha/Omega book was a fine read, and I liked the evolution of Anna, who remains haunted by her terrible past experiences with the Chicago pack from which Charles rescued her. But this third book is SUPERB - by far the finest book Briggs has done even as of two years later. Anna's confidence continues to grow, and Charles learns further lessons that being a loner is no longer necessary. The secondary characters introduced in this book are fully fleshed out and help create some wonderful plot twists, some of which intertwine with the Mercy Thompson books. I'd really like to see Briggs do more with Anna and Charles. Their interactions with Bran are riveting; full of alternating tension, frustration, and affection. They are so much more interesting characters than Mercy, Adam and Jessica, who are becoming very "stock action" storylines. Warning: do be careful when purchasing - there are two different covers for this book, so don't buy it twice in error!

Fair Game is the 3rd book in the Alpha and Omega series by Patricia Briggs. If you want to read these books in order and have not started them yet, I would recommend starting with the short story titled Alpha and Omega in the book On the Prowl. Charles is the enforcer and son for the leader of the North American Werewolves. It is a job that has changed dramaticlaly now that werewolves have come out to the public. Charles is becoming conflicted about enforcing new rules and expectations of werewolves everywhere. When his mate, Anna, is sent to help law enforcement find a serial killer that is now murdering werewolves he finds himself dangerously close to the edge. Anna is an Omega and can calm the wolf inside. Can Anna convince Charles to let her help when it is the man that is in trouble? I really liked Fair Game. The deepening of the story line to this whole world has me craving the next book (don't want to give spoilers so I really cannot say more). Anna has grown as a character and it great seeing her keep everyone in check. The story flowed very well and the ending was great! I would recommend reading this series in order, although I do think that Fair Game could be read interdependently as well.

I love Patricia Briggs and the universe that she has created. But this would be my least favorite book in this series so far. I had a hard time getting into it. The second half was much better and the ending left me waiting more.

I adore the characters in the Marrok & Columbia Basin settings & was dissappointed to hear they weren't more prominent in River Marked & felt the same way about Fair Game. Unlike River Marked, the story in Fair Game interested me, so I gave it a shot despite my reservations. I'm so glad I did. Anna & Charles' relationship is explored in touching detail, the serial killer hunt is exciting to follow (though difficult to read at times b/c of the heartbreaking violence against some helpless victims)& even the werewolf/fae/human political aspect was well done (normally I find this boring, but the politics were so seamlessly woven into the story it was an enhancement to the overall story, rather than a distraction). Even Briggs' tendancy to spend too much time on scene descriptions was at a minimum. I love the new characters, in particular Isaac, the young hot-headed but sharp Boston Alpha who "when he grows up, wants to be like Charles," and the mysteriously powerful fae whose daughter is abducted by the serial killer. Leslie, the human FBI agent, who earned the respect of the fae & werewolves, was intelligently written and her interactions /w the powerful players in her changing world was believable. This book has my favorite ending of any of the Mercy world books. Overall, a quick, well-rounded, enjoyable read.

Most of Briggs books have a twist at the end that make them unique and memorable. It felt like there was more to the story but it was ended early to meet a deadline

This series continues to keep me mesmerized and unable to put it down 😃. Non-stop action, intriguing situations and fantastic characters will keep you turning pages long into the night 🌛. Thanks again Patricia, you're truly an Awesome storyteller and I look forward to reading more 🤓.

First, I must say that I haven't yet read a book by this author that I haven't liked!... That being said, I like this series, & this book is a great addition to it. If you have read her Mercy Thompson Series then you have a little bit of background with most of the characters. With this series, you get a more in depth characters that intrigued you in the other series. I loved the Mercy Thompson series so when I seen that she was doing this series I checked it out...I'm GLAD THAT I DID! You get to know these characters so well. It's like getting to be a fly on the wall & having a front row seat. P.B. writes so well that you can watch these stories unfold in your mind. Each character is strong in their own right & go so well with each other in the stories! Also, I really enjoy getting to know Anna & Charles more & more, + follow them along on their journey with each other! Anna is such a strong woman, which is amazing in its own right. Especially if you read the short story introducing these two characters & how their story started. Charles is also very Strong, on so many levels. But the way they are with each other is just the right balance! You have action, suspence, love, intrigue, & all the emotions in between.

I don't read many books twice. I don't often take time to review things. I really like this series! Enuf said.

It took three books, but finally I'm all aboard the Alpha/Omega train. No plot spoilers, but I really enjoyed the overall of Anna's personality. Gone is the abused, scared-of-her-own shadow waif who all the big boys ~~~~~~loved to protect. She's not as abrasive as Mercedes Thompson, but she has her own spine and it showed well. For two books, we've been told that Charles is a scary mo-fo without really seeing evidence of it. Briggs showed this side of Charles and more, with a few truly creepy scenes (the one in front of the mirror!) and switch-outs between himself and Brother Wolf. From my West Coast POV, Briggs did a wonderful job at showing Boston and it's colorful people. She seems to have the dialect down pat, and the glimpses of scenery interesting rather than overbearing (I'm looking at you, River Marked). The book itself was short, but there was no fat at all to trim. The plot moved along at a quick pace and then end... oh boy. Things will be Changing. My only complaint is that the book was a little *too* short. I'll find a way to deal. For the first time I'm looking forward to the next in this series, and not just as a holdover until the next Mercy book. The book is quick and lots of fun. One of the top I've read this year so far.

Wow! Fair Game? Yes please! I loved this book. I've just finished reading the Mercy Thompson series so I thought I would try the Alpha and Omega series. It's just as great if not a little better. (I will say I didnt care for Storm Cursed, 11th Mercy Thompson book though) I just finished reading this book today and omgosh yes! she did it again. I love love LOVE Anna and Charles! I love their relationship. It's a little rough but they are in it for each other. One thing I love about Patricias books is she never pins Anna and Charles or Mercy and Adam against each other. They are always in it together. Their love is strong and are always there for each other. I've never been into fantasy books, especially not werewolves and such but these are awesome books.

This book hit close to home for me, I do not like it when the system fails those who have been wronged. In this book Anna and Charles help the FBi, Homeland Security and Cantrip to find a serial killer that has killed three werewolves and countless of victims. The book takes a drastic turn when certain event and incident happens that leaves a surviving victim without justice that causes a very powerful fae to excert his own form of justice when the system failed to do so. That is a powerful message the book portrays, how many cases do we see in the news about victims and families being royally screwed by the systems that is set to protect them. I love how Patricia Briggs writes these amazing stories that reflects our society and the issues that exist. I love how she takes these issues and woves them into interesting factors in the story and adds a realistic dimension that we can relate to as a reader. I just can't believe I have to wait months before I can get my hands on Dead Heat! I really cannot recommend this author and both of her series enough, they are out of this world amazing!

I have read so many other books of Patricia Briggs and love them. This series has developed. characters and is so fun . It's hard to put down. On to book 4

I had forgotten how much I enjoy Charles and Anna. Charles is his father's enforcer and his job has become increasingly demanding since the wolves have come out. Anna has seen the change in him, and felt the distance as he has withdrawn from her, but Bran blows her off when she tries to talk to him about it. She goes to Asil, an ancient whom she has befriended, but he also is patronizing. Asil does go to Bran,though, and raises some hard questions. Bran, after talking to Adam, decides to send Anna to Boston as consultant to the FBI in their search for a serial killer who has mutilated three werewolves in recent weeks. Charles will go as her bodyguard. A win-win solution. What they don't know is that Charles is being hounded by the ghosts of wolves he has been forced to kill, and that they are threatening to harm Anna through the mate link. He is forced to close her out, at the very worst time, when they are in the sights of a serial killer. Briggs is one of my all time favorite authors, due to this series and the Mercy Thompson series, the story lines of which are interspersed. I loved this book in particular, however. I highly recommend it.

I read this book in less than 24 hours over a three day period (had to go to work yesterday and today), otherwise, I would have finished it yesterday. I enjoy this series a lot. I like how the relationship between Charles and Anna (and their wolves) is progressing. I also enjoy the stories of pack magic and the fae. Although I can take or leave the fae, with each PB book, they become more and more interesting. I think this one was the most interesting of all. The powers, the glamour, the creatures, etc. made for a very quick read. I think the book is excellent. One disappointment is the bad guy was rather obvious. There was no surprise at all when it turned out to be that particular person. I think there could have been more mystery around the "whodunit" aspect of the book as well as the "why" (that wasn't too original). In addition, I felt for this to be a hardcover, it was very short, especially for the price. I enjoyed the book and am already looking forward to the next installment(based on the ending). On a final note, Patricia Briggs, if you get this message (I know your husband is on here sometimes), can I please get A BOOK THAT IS ALL ABOUT BRAN!!!

I've loved all the A&O books, they just keep getting better. Briggs' use of custom, characterization and believability are used with such understanding in her world building. I would live there, raise my kids there and expect to flourish in their world, which is so attuned to ours. It is a sad observation that humans sometimes just won't get along and accept the differences between us. This is the crux that makes this series so fascinating. Anna and Charles struggle, like the rest of us with right, wrong and finding the balance of things that life requires. Characterization of groups are not tidy and like life, requires the reader to bring an open mind in order to assess what is really happening. Meeting new characters in this book; like agent Fisher and the Boston alpha Isaac, have me hoping they will be in future books as well. All in all, an excellent read, keeping me at night because I just had to know....

I think if you like the series, you will really enjoy this latest installment since that is the case for me. The good is overwhelming so I'll just be perverse and note a couple of hinky stuff for me: 1) Why does Charles hate driving cars? I assume he would rather go horseback or what? He can't wolf it day to day to the supermarket. Yet he loves driving airplanes and is a master computer hacker? In reality, most of us aren't consistent either but it still sort of irks me every time the subject is brought up, which seems often since it's a button for me. 2) The weirdo xxx incident on creepy island. That was just ??? for me. Not cause I don't like things saucy, but it just seemed so off when a serial killer could jump you at any time. It was like every other horror movie where the frisky couple gets busy and then gets dead. Always a no-no whenever a killer is on the loose. Would've been more realistic to have given anyone affected a couple slaps and a snapoutofit pep talk or send them back on the boat out of the way so the others could get on with the rescue.

Patricia Briggs has always been one of my favorite authors, I purchase her books as soon as they come out but lately they are beginning to feel a little thin to me. I understand that these stories have been picked up for multiple book arcs but that really isn't a reason to make them feel rushed? The characters are great, I love Asil and his tired silliness; he feels like more of a lead then a secondary but not everyone gets that chance. Maybe something written for him in novella form from the past would be nice for us. ;) Truth is, I can't usually right a spoiler free review so I will let you know this. If you are a fan of Patricia Briggs, you'll pick this one up. You will enjoy it, especially Anna's personal growth. It is a bon bon of a book, no one you can curl up with for a long slow read. That would be my biggest complaint. Yes I know, no super helpful but there are plenty of spoiler reviews; this review is a buy it you will like it review.

I must admit that I'm a fan! I have read all of the Alpha & Omega books as well as the Mercy books. This story really showcased the woman that Anna had become, you can see that she trust herself more, she is willing to fight for what she thinks is right and go up against anyone to protect Charles. I think this lets you know that Anna has accepted who and what she is. Charles is not in a good place, mentally. His job has become exceptionally tough and his father (at least in the beginning) is unwilling to allow him any releif from the stress of being his hitman. Charles is dealing with alot of issues and his own fear that it will ruin his relationship with Anna - but Anna is unwilling to let that happen and fights Bran and even Charles to keep their relationship and to help Charles. The story was very dark and deals with a serial killer that has been killing for over 30 years, new characters were introduced and you even get to hear from Adam from the Mercy series. Bottom line - this book ROCKED! It was one of those you couldn't wait to turn the next page to see what happens.

Just finished

I love Patricia Briggs and I love her Mercy Thompson and her Alpha & Omega series. I think Adam and Charles are my all time favorite leading hero's ever. This book was another hit. It had everything you would want in A book. Charles was the tortured hero and Anna is trying to safe him from himself. There was romance and action and we learned more about the fae. I was swearing in the end so angry and then crying. It was such an amazing adventure. I love Charles and my heart bled for him and Anna. He is so strong and he loves her so much. I especially loved the end where the story-line moved forward and can not wait for Mercy's book in 2013 because of course Adam and her will be effected by what happens in this book. I hope Patricia Briggs doesn't keep us waiting 2 more years for Charles and Anna's story to continue. Another bonus is that we meet Issac in this story and I loved him.............He is like Ben in Mercy's books. I love Ben and want to know more about his life. This is a must read for those who love this story. I am not looking forward to waiting until 2013 to learn more :(

Patricia Briggs' fictional world is one of the best thought out creations of the urban fantasy genre. She has taken the time to think through the ramifications of what happens when the mundane world and the supernatural world intersect and this is a major theme of her latest book "Fair Game." Set in Boston, the werewolf heroes of Briggs' Alpha and Omega series (Charles and Anna) are called to "Beantown" to help the FBI investigate a string of murders apparently committed by a serial killer. The mystery is interesting, tightly written and kept in the forefront of the tale rather than being shunted behind the supernatural goings on, which is all to the good. The one weak point in "Fair Game" is the obligatory urban fantasy sex scene, which comes off as awkward and pro forma. One gets the feeling that Briggs is uncomfortable with the forced inevitability of the sex that shows up in almost all urban fantasy and is usually the weakest part of the book. I would highly recommend this book to all readers of science fiction and fantasy literature and would go further to suggest that you give Briggs' Mercy Thompson series a try as well.

I actually read Alpha and Omega years ago, then got hooked on the Mercy Thompson series. I bought this book last month, and have read it twice already. Without giving away any of the story... Bran gets shown that he is NOT all-knowing, and that Anna is not so soft-hearted that she can't make her point heard - and felt. Charles is reminded that he and Anna are mates - and he should not hide things from her. Beauclaire ... what can I say about Beauclaire? Well, I knew from the Mercy books that he was the Dark Lord who declared the Fae a sovereign nation, but WOW! Violent, but kinda Awesome! And to paraphrase his speech - a separate justice that is unequal has nothing to do with that lady holding the scales - and everything to do with your fear. WOW - If that is not applicable to our world, I don't know what is!

I think this book probably deserves more like 4.5 stars, the only reason being that Patricia Briggs books seem to be getting darker as they progress with a bit of predictability. Don't get me wrong, it is still a really good book with great characters. But I could totally tell after one particular scene who the killer was. I mean come on, he practically says it! (These aren't spoilers people when you read it you will know unless you are a braindead monkey). This is a review after all so I am entitled to my opinions as well as to point out that it was a good book. Despite the predictable turn it took, I still enjoyed actually reading the thing. I am a huge fan of Patricia Briggs and will continually support her by buying the books in both this series and her Mercy Thompson series (Probably one of my favorites of all time). If you have ever read Briggs then go ahead and buy the book, just don't pay $28 for the slim hardback (a shameless publishing company's trick to make more money...*le sigh*), mine was only $0.01 on Amazon...well plus shipping but hey! Can't beat that, so overall I'm happy. Enjoy!

Thanks Patricia (tho I only knew you as Patty then). You make me laugh, cry and startled when I recognize somewhere I know. You have come a very long way since Eugene (really it doesn't always rain there but not inaccurate either). Always wished I could wear clothes like you do. Love all your stories/writing. It's rare I like everything a writer does, but you do it all so well. Thanks so much.

I actually wanted to give a rating of four and a half stars, but either I or the app couldn't figure out how to do it. Anna has grown even more into her strengths as a woman, a werewolf, and an Omega. She has self-doubts, doubts that have the possibility of causing her a great deal of harm, but that makes her only human, and young. Charles is less the hero in the flawless sense, with silver rather than kryptonite his weakness, but he, too, has grown in strength and his weakness is something that he grows through. A flawed hero and heroine who grow. Priceless. I'd love more about Leslie Fisher and Agent Goldstein, both peripheral characters who don't just serve a purpose and vanish off of the reader's mental stage, but that is just a tribute to how they are also fleshed out rather than a hint for a new series. Fun, engaging, and I've read it more than once. Love Ms Briggs. Not everything, but she does werewolves and vampires and fairies (oh my!) very, very well.

The latest installment of Patricia Briggs' Mercy-Thompson-off-shoot series, Alpha and Omega, falls somewhat short of the author's usual standard--the funny, sexy fantasy for which she is so deservedly known--but it's still more cleverly orchestrated and better written than the vast majority of the competition, and offers the promise of a new and exciting future for the series. In this installment, werewolves Anna and Charles find themselves partnering with the FBI and a made-up paranormal governmental agency to track a serial killer who has been targeting their kind. Their mission and their relationship are hampered by the fact that Charles is secretly haunted by ghosts--but not to worry--they can be dispelled via cell phone. Anna, meanwhile, is concerned because she and Charles haven't had sex lately. Fortunately, midway through the novel, the couple go ahead and go for it in the woods in front of the FBI and a bunch of other werewolves, so that gets resolved, too. Happy endings all around. And, you know, they catch the killer and all. Of course, there comes an inevitable moment when Charles has to save Anna. All the passion of their relationship is wound up with the desperate threat of loss, and it's sort of hilarious watching as Briggs tries to balance her signature themes of domination and romantic possessiveness with feminism. It's not that these things are inherently incompatible. Rather, the author's own internal tension is palpable in the work. Anna, like all Briggs' female leads, walks a thin line between resilience and strength, luck and wit; her greatest asset is the fact that she is beloved of someone far more dangerous and far more deeply damaged than herself. Like "River Marked" before it, this is in many way a series-building novel, occupied more with plot than with character development. We don't learn much about anyone in this book--but that doesn't mean it isn't fun.

I'm rather old in years, but enjoy my fantasy as much now as I did as a youngster back in the 50's. So, recently I've become addicted to this author and this series. It has mystery, action, and a terrific interplay of characters both on the action level and all the ups, downs and myriad emotional gymnastics people go through in their "heavy" relationships with their soul mates. All of these books are keepers.

I love Patricia Briggs books. She keeps you interested from front to back cover. If you like werewolves, fae, and the fantasy genre then this book is right up your alley.

This series is very different from the Mercy Thompson books, which I loved. Very deep, very I tense and gard to put down. I'm on to the 4th book in the series. Incredible writing and imagination!

Love the suspense, the drama, the continuity of a true storyteller! Waiting with anticipation for the next book in the series

This is my favorite author! Wonderful writing and I love this character and all the characters within the stories, I never get bored of them. This series helped me through some difficult times so I hold Mercy very close to my heart and when I found this side story with Anna and Charles and intertwining with Mercies world I had to read, and am so glad I did! Its as close to me as Mercy is now.Mercy is who I need and want to be and Anna is more like me and where Ive come from. All these books are great, definitely must read, Has all your creatures from werewolves to shifters to vampires and fae, and things you've never heard of, but not in any goofy or silly way. Wonderful!

I love the way Patricia Briggs has a new and different storyline without the same repetitive sex scenes and and stories that other authors use in every book they write. You dont need a family tree to keep track of who you are reading about. There are always new characters that keep you interested in the story and excited about the next. Loved the ending and the 59 black horses! A book you cant put down!

This was another good novel in the Mercy Thompson universe. I just love Anna, how she grounds Charles and others reaction to an Omega. The crimes are suspenseful, the villains disgusting and I don’t skim a bit when reading.

I am a follower of both the Mercy Thompson series and Alpha and Omega novels and I love how they blend into each other. This is my favorite of the Alpha and Omega books so far! I read this book in a day, glad to see that Anna has found some self confidence, settled into her marriage and is willing to fight even the Marrok for it. The challenges that Charles had made perfect sense with the changes in the Were community since they went public and their effects on Anna and Charles' relationship as well. I don't want to say specific things and spoil this for potential readers, but with the major changes in the Fae community at the end of the book, I can't wait to see how this affects Mercy and Adam in the next book. I appreciated the addition of Leslie and her back story (I hope she will return in a future book) and the mystery played out well. There was just enough focus on Charles and Anna's relationship to soothe me. I feel like I have just eaten this really great meal- full and satisfied!

I read this book too quick. I was eager to reach the end to find the bad guys and for justice to be served. Wow, didn't see the fae move coming. Intense book and I know I will be rereading it.

Every once in a while a writer hits a home run. This is one of those, one of the best reads out there. There is romance, intrigue and mystery all put together masterfully. It flows from one chapter to the next in such a way, I didn't want to put it down. There are not only interesting werewolves but deep and beautiful Fae as well. One note of caution, there are scenes depicting serious violence. They are done as descriptions rather than first person experiences which would have made this book horror. My sincere wish is that Patricia Briggs will revisit Charles and Anna with more Alpha and Omega books in the future. Her Mercy books are quite good, but these are my favorites out of all my books (and I have plenty!)

Sometimes you find a writer/artist who can bring the words to your mind that create images you remember from childhood. I'm grateful that Ms. Briggs is one of those. Be it her Mercy series or this one (both of which interact within a well built world) do so for me. It's not often that I leave a review, since I've been reading these books since the publication of the very 1st Mercy book, this is one of the few. These two series, both following the same timeline in differing locations, bring my imagination and education of folklore to bare. Increasing each with fun and including females characters I enjoy reading along males who, while dominant, arent overbearing.

Anna is one of my favorite heroines. Briggs did an amazing job making you not only root for her, given her traumatic past, but believe in the confidence and power she has achieved since; giving her an unusual amount of depth for an ongoing series such as this. The first two and a half books proved this by laying out with great character development and I was most looking forward to the next step in that progress with this book but unfortunately it begins years after the last and I felt more than a little let down. My interest picked up again when I realized the emotional plot of the book was about Charles trying to square his budding humanity to the fierce, God-like character he was made out to be. I'm the anti-fan of mysteries and cop dramas but I pushed through all that in this book to have my faith renewed in the interesting way the book ended things.

I enjoy Briggs' work - it's clean, well plotted and low on hystrionics. She uses a light touch even with difficult scenes and generally is known for not being too sexy. Briggs' work is full of fae references and folklore, FAIR GAME is no exception and that is perhaps my concern with this novel. In her past novels, Briggs' shines when creating tension among her characters usually because the characters are so at odds. In FAIR GAME, the differences between Charles and Anna are almost two dimensional and cartoonish. Charles is stoic to the point of catatonic while Anna is so emotionally wound up she could win an Emmy for best actress in a soap opera. Briggs over indulges in writing the angst between Anna and Charles. Charles' tortured psyche is literally under attack by the ghosts from his past and unfortunately - I never really bought into this. His reluctance to find any way to communicate his plight with Anna for fear that she would also be haunted didn't work well for me because I couldn't embrace that there really was a threat. Briggs has written a truly disturbing series of crimes perpetrated by a group of villains displaying a complete lack of moral fiber. The crimes were distasteful and could make it difficult for some readers to make it through the book or the ending. I found the judicial trial at the end of the book and its outcome hard to fathom. And I readily volunteer that I am clueless as to how Briggs will choose develop the fae schism in her next books. The final scenes in the book have a direct effect on the Mercy Thompson series so be forewarned.

Read/Listened for Fun (Paperback/Audible) Overall Rating: 5.00 Story Rating: 5.00 Character Rating: 5.00 Audio Rating: 5.00 (not part of the overall rating) First Thought when Finished: Fair Game by Patricia Briggs was my favorite in the series so far! Quick Thoughts:It was a great mix of mystery, romance (a totally inappropriate "bow chica bow bow" moment that was immediately called out by Anna so that made it OK), and momentum forward in the overall storyline. All around FANTASTIC! I didn't even knock off for that "wait where is the next one" ending. Audio Thoughts: Narrated By Holter Graham / Length: 9 hrs and 57 mins Holter pretty much nails it again! I really loved his narration, pacing, and emotion. I couldn't imagine anyone else doing Charles voice! Part of my Read It, Rate It, File It, DONE! Reviews

This author never disappoints. These books are amazing! I have read them for years and by far are my favorite books. You never know where you are going to go when you read a Patrica Briggs book!

This story line has all four. Some good, some bad but all fascinating. To make a good story telling how Charles and Anna, werewolves, can become hero's without upsetting the Apple cart is truly a great author. Patricia spins a tale that brings together all four types of races. She makes some good, somebad , and some both just like in the real world. She has victims who are all four that need heros who came being justice to everyone. Do the good guys prevail? Do the bad guys get caught? Have to read the book to find out.Patricia Briggs is truly amazing writer!

Once again she not only creates an interesting world and story, but a solid well written book. 10/10 would recommend her whole portfolio.

The only bad thing about Fair Game is that I read it in less than 24 hours. It was that good and I am a harsh critic. This book didn't stop, grind, or halt. It just kept moving faster and faster. Patricia Briggs is brilliant and I have to wonder "does she ever sleep"?? Her Mercy Thompson books are must reads and the only other authors I feel that way about are Sherrilyn Kenyon and her Dark Hunter series and her Nick series and of course Harry Potter, even though I am not necessarily fond of JK Rowling most of the time. I also like the Melissa De La Cruz books about the vampires but Patricia and Sherilyn are top writers both. I wish their books would come out sooner but I realize it does take time. DO NOT PASS THIS BOOK UP. I wish I had more money so I could fill my Kindle and IPAD up with all of their books but I have to be patient and it is so hard to do..

I loved EVERY bit of this book. I have read some of the negative review on this book and feel that maybe the reader(s) were unable to look past their "expectations". But yes, there is a strain on Anna and Charles's relationship but its not due to Anna this time. The book was about finding what is right and wrong; The times for justice and making the right decisions; To live, forget and learn from your past errs to continue stronger. The ending of this book was the added "OH HO HO" to make one salivate for the continuation of the Mercy Thompson and Charles & Anna universe. I cannot wait to read how Briggs ties Mercy into the new revelation of the Fae's position of the human world. However, to wrap this up... its a good book. You can choose to believe those who written bad reviews or read it yourself and enjoy being included in the next big step in the overall intra-series plot.

I loved Fair Game. Anna and Charles start out a bit estranged. This worried me, but after I reread the first two books in Briggs' Alpha and Omega series, I could see why this was natural. When they are first mated, Anna accidentally sees Charles' deepest fear: that she will see the monster he is. In this book, it becomes a major part of their lives. Anna and Charles sally forth to Boston to hunt down a serial killer who specializes in offing paranormals. For me, it was a fantastic twist that one of their colleagues turned out to be a serial rapist and killer. I expect nothing less from Patricia Briggs and she definitely delivered. If you like the Mercy Thompson books, you should pick up the Alpha and Omega series. For one thing, there's interplay. Frost Burned happens after this book, and this book gives context that you would not otherwise have.

The novel starts off with Charles, the werewolf executioner, haunted by the harsh justice that going public has forced upon the werewolf packs. Lost and terrified of the ghosts that feed on his guilt, Charles is shutting down the bond to his mate, Omega wolf Anna, and is sent to Boston to hunt a serial killer in the hopes that the work will distract him from his pain. This book is part mystery, part romance, and all fun as the couple teams up with federal agents and the leadership of the Boston wolf pack to try to find a killer who has been targeting supernatural prey, including several werewolves. Whatever you love about Patricia Briggs, this book continues to deliver, with a sexy but troubled male lead, a great story, and a kick-ass heroine who can hold her own, even when the going gets tough.

Bask in the glory of a full story told very well. Anna and Charles feel like real people throughout the story, with highs and lows and realistic woes MS. Briggs never disappoints.

Patricia Briggs is one of my favorite authors, and I love all her books. I got the Kindle edition of this one because I couldn't wait for a hard copy to come in the mail. I wanted to read it right away. Loved this book, and the Kindle edition left nothing to be desired. I will also be purchasing this in hard copy at some point because I like to have the full series in my library. The story itself is engrossing and fully entertaining, and I couldn't put it down. It answers some questions and asks more, as any good book in a series will. A person could come into the series here if they chose to, and not be too left out, although I personally would recommend starting right off with the novella in On The Prowl. You'll be glad you did. I can't wait for more from Briggs!

Another brilliant work in the catalog of Ms Briggs’ work. Do not pass this up. I couldn’t put it down. Page turner. Charming and talented story-weaving. plenty of description visuals without being redundant.

This third book - four, if you count the introductory novella that starts the whole saga, is far more serious in tone than the others. I don't like being reminded that evil is among us, but the rich do often get by with more wrong-doing, with the simple expedient of spending more money to cover things up. It's still a great story, and the good guys triumph in the end. I love the ending - it never fails to give me hope! One more to go - that is, if the author doesn't relent and give us yet another book in this great series! Here's hoping! Jgtimm

First, all the Boston information was very accurate. Things that sometimes are not accurate unless you have lived and traveled to Massachusetts. The Boston group makes,e want to go looking for them to have fun! Love the Anna and Charles stories. Bringing the fae to this on a different level makes you wonder exactly what is out there or what goes bump into the night. Politics always play a way one direction or another and showing paid off policies within politics can be a mess. Now, not one to write all about the book I like to make sure your own interpretation comes. Can Anna and Charles save the day? What does Boston and the fae have in common? Guess you will have to read.

Nuances are everything I missed when I read this story the first time. I must have rushed through it. So don't hurry, savor the tale, make it last longer and don't miss those nuances.

I really enjoyed this one, and the ending.... *chef's kiss. I look forward to the next book and seeing what all the new characters do!

I particularly enjoyed the continuation of Charles and his wife. I loved the involvement of the fae. More on werewolves and pack hierarchy would be nice.

It's the sign of a good writer when I get angry, or scared, or think of my own retorts when I'm reading. It means I've climbed into that book ---- the author has skillfully pulled me into the action. Well done, Briggs car

This is such a pleasing gift of culmination and summation for many of Briggs best series. All of which have afforded me both entertainment. And multidimensional illumination for my personal soul journey as well as my expansion of body wisdom. And how to use my inner training to serve best the evolution of collective and global tolerance as good citizens of this era and dimensional knowledge and tech tools and art and abilities to survive our lessons regarding leadership, polarity, power brokerage and the terrifying responsibilities of love. My eternal forgetfulness. aithfulness.

Things are rough going at first for Anna and Charles. Now it’s time for them to take a different approach to what the wolves can do to help the humans. You won’t be disappointed as you meet some very interesting new characters in Fair Game. I couldn’t put the book down. Can’t wait to reach Book 4 if it’s out yet. If you aren’t following Mercy Thompson’s series you really should, as her two series while different, do correlate and there is some overlap that is amazing to see! Great work as always!

Opposites, seemingly, are our Charles and Anna. Opposites attract, right? That's what we hear but, they are really each others balance. I so love this series. The big bad wolf and his sweet Omega. This story tugged at my heartstrings(as did the two before); here, though, I felt a raw fear for our cheered on duo. An unlikely couple who've endured so much to achieve 'contentment '. A psychopath has left a lengthy path of murders and oddly enough it might be just the case/vacation this fractured couple needs to save their bond, maybe their lives. Can't recommend Patricia Briggs enough,y'all. Seriously!

Just finished reading the first 2 1/2 books in the series before this one entered my kindle in the morning, then finished this book in a day and WOW it was worth waiting for. I am, however, really glad I hadn't read the reviews before starting the book. Having no idea where Briggs was taking Anna and Charles made it so much better, I definitely recommend avoiding the longer reviews and just leting yourself in for the ride. The characters stay true to their development in the series, we have glimpses of Mercy Thompson's world and it all blends seamlessly. There is enough back story given that you could probably read it as a standalone, but I recommend starting with

This book was quite exciting! Werewolves, witches, fae oh my! A predator is stalking the streets of Boston, taking prisoners and torturing them gruesomely. He has done this before. For years. The time for him to be caught is now. Anna and Charles are called in as consultants. The FBI, homeland, and a new branch nicknamed cantrip try to solve the crimes, yet the killer leaves no clues behind. With the help of these two special wolves justice is meted and Charles' guilt is destroyed by purpose. And the fae, oh, the fae... They do something incredible. So indescribable that I can't wait to get my hands upon the next book to find out the consequences.

Love the worst and turns and Anna's optimistic view. And being able to see many sides to Issac. It explains a lot as well to what is taking place the same time as the Mercy books

Good plot, characters and writing; it enhances the previous books in the series. I enjoyed how it intertwined with the Mercy series and we get more information on the fae.

I love to dream about another life in witch other ways of life exist. I love to read other people’s creative minds. This is one of the best.

I never thought I would like anything about wherewolves, as I am usually drawn to novels that have highly detailed historical themes and a good story. My mother recommended these and have not been able to put them down...have read everything she has written to this point...caused me to ignore a lot of work I needed to be doing! These are much better in my mind the the Anne Rice Wolf series that I read just to compare (only 2 books so far - "The Wolf Gift" etc). I have read lots of Anne Rice's earlier books that were very detailed and interesting - these 2 wolf books she has out seem to be written by someone else with a simpler mind! You can't go wrong with Patricia Briggs, even if the covers look a little extreme.

Charles and Anna make an engrossing couple. The basic plot is a good one, a serial killer has been on the loose since at least 1975 and has now begun to target werewolves. Charles, morose and depressed because he is tired of killing werewolves whose crimes don't seem to warrant it, is sent to investigate. So far, so good. My problem with this book begins after about 75% of it is past. (Spoiler alert). The good guys have managed to rescue a victim. In doing so, they are closing in on the identify of the bad guys. Anna and Charles are invited to a party to celebrate. Charles is too busy with his computer search to go and sends Anna off without him. Has any plot device ever been more obvious? Let's see....Anna without Charles. What do we all think will happen? Of course, she is snatched. The rest is about as predictable as a book could be. In the end, the fae and humanity are close to open war and the Marrok has to decide which way the wind is blowing. I suppose we'll find out in future volumes, but the contrived nature of the suspense in this one made my enjoyment considerably less than it might have been.

Another clever book by this author. It was interesting and memorable in its way. I enjoyed both the suspense and the romantic elements. One thing I found uncomfortable was that paedophilia and rape had a role in the plot. I always find that difficult to read about. The act itself is not described, but we are told that it happens more than once. Still, Charles and Anna are great. Looking forward to reading more about them.

Charles has returned from doing a job for his father. Only his ghosts are threatening Anna and his family. So, he shuts down his mate bond, which makes for problems later in the book. Read and enjoy!

Easy read, relaxing and exciting. I loved this series. These books take your mind into a world that you wished existed. I am only sorry I am caught up. I am patiently waiting for a few more to come out so I can binge read. Thank you Sarah for the recommendation.

Patricia Briggs has a rare quality to her writing, particularly when writing such compelling characters as Anna and Charles, she makes you feel it. There wasn't an emotion in this book that I didn't feel on a personal level. I laughed and cried, was afraid, confident. Fair Game does what the great books do. Spoiler Alert: (sort of) I love when an author has the guts to take a world they have carefully crafted, developed, made rich with depth and history, and turn it on its head. And when it's done well, it's very powerful. Many authors get comfortable in the worlds they create, and they write good novels in a never changing landscape. The great ones aren't satisfied with the status quo they have created for themselves. I can't wait to see what consequences the twist in Fair Game brings forth. "To interesting times"

I thought the story was pretty good; however, it was not as good as the previous books in the series. It didn't feel as cohesive as the other books, and I think the resolution of Charles's problem was too rushed and easy. Also, Anna was way too open to everyone about Werewolves, and it seemed reckless to me and something that should not have been tolerated by Bran. It didn't "fit" in the world created by Ms. Briggs.

Read it. Patricia Briggs rules! An offspin series of the Mercy Thompson series, but can be read all on its own, however you might not want to once you begin.

Read it practically straight through. Wild from start to finish. I'm deeply in love with Anna and Charles' relationship. I recommend reading river marked before this if you are reading the Mercy Thompson series as well.

The latest book in the series is coming out soon and I can't wait to read it. But Fair Game is always a favorite of mine. Briggs is a skilled writer and good storyteller, but behind the scenes you can tell she does so much research. She pays close attention to details about human mannerisms, behaviors, movements, reactions--and how a werewolf would read and interpret these. It all makes her fantasy world so vivid and realistic. I just loved the jaw-dropping end of this book, too.

Briggs is a fantastic writer. The story was great, interesting, nothing was fluff and everything added to the story. She is a great writer and I love her imagery!

I don't think I will ever get tired of re-reading this series. It's been awhile, so I forgot about everything that Charles was going through in this book. Anna loves him so much. She knows that something is wrong and she will do anything to help him, including getting in Bran's face and going to Asil. The mystery in this book is great. It's a page turner, that's for sure.

She is my new love! I can't get enough of her gift of story telling. I adore all of the references to geek culture 💕!

I won't rehash some of the beautiful analyses that my co-reviewers have written, but let me say that I agree with most of them. The world-building and character-driven story presented here is superb-- all of what you read urban fantasy for. And, for those of us who really do want romance with our urban fantasy, there is a strong helping of that with Charles and Anna, and their developing relationship, as well. No, life is not just a bowl of cherries when these two mate, they have issues they need to work on and resolve, and that's why they seem so real to me. Even the subconscious yearning of Anna's for offspring of her own is touched upon, and in the way that I hoped Briggs would brainstorm. Amazing! And her denouement with the Fae issues knocked me mentally for a loop, but it makes sense.

Patricia Briggs is a wonderful author and has given us many fabulous adventures. Her urban fantasy are very believable. Charles and Anna go to Boston to assist the FBI in finding a serial killer...or is it killerS? Charles is in a battle with his own ghosts and Anna fights for her mate to allow her to help him. Why are Alpha males so blind to seek anyone's help? I love the in-depth characters of this story. The plot is a hunt with unlikely allies joining together to seek evil killers. I LOVE THIS BOOK AND ALL THE OTHERS OF THIS SERIES.

I was a fan of Patricia Briggs from the Mercy Thompson series, so tried this Alpha and Omega series and it's just fantastic! If you like intricate fantasy worlds, then this series is for you. Briggs' books are well-written and completely enjoyable. These are not the typical werewolf stories, although there's a bit of all of that old myth in these. These werewolves have intricate plots, detailed story lines, and you'll have no problem believing in these characters. Briggs' writes 3-D portrayals of her characters, and Charles and Anna (the two this series is about) are real people that grow and develop throughout a book. You will both cheer and cry for them. I cannot wait until the next book in the series comes out!

I'm a huge fan of the Mercy Thompson series and I've never really liked the Alpha and Omega books, but this book was AMAZING. I absolutely loved it, from beginning to end. Things happen in this book that will change EVERYTHING, so I can't wait for the next Mercy book. The Mercy books will always be my favorites from Patricia Briggs but I now have much love from this series too. Can't wait to see what happens next! Last thing, my favorite part of this book was the Bran/Adam conversation. I loved that we got a glimpse at how much Bran truly cares for Mercy and how protective he is of her. I just wish we got to see more Bran/Mercy interaction in the Mercy books, hopefully we'll get that in future books :D

Love it. I just love series as I always want to know what happens tomorrow. What is started with the Mercy Thompson series is continuing here.

I started this series because I have enjoyed this author in the past. Unfortunately book one was a short story that was stretched to book length and book two did not have much plot. This third installment was given to me as a gift and I am pleased to say that it does definitely have a plot - solving murders by a serial killer. There is some character development and overall a much better read than the first two books. The sex scene at a crime scene was unnecessary and felt awkwardly placed. But overall I now have some hope for the series.

I love this series

Another good installment of alpha and omega series. While an intriguing mystery, with bits of love and action throughout, the paranormal feels very realistic in such a mundane world. There are a few vocabulary or syntax errors that seem to be the bane of electronic books, but they are easily read over. I only gave four stars, as I thought, two years was too huge a gap from the last book, we missed the coming out and the Anna/Charles relationship growing and maturing. Also, what about what we learned in the last book, "never trust the fae"---even though I felt the end was completely justified.

I love Patricia Briggs‘s books they blend mystery with romance. I loved the mercy series and now I’m loving Alpha and Omega with Charles and Anna🙏🏻💜🐕🐾

Fair Game was short and sweet. The plot was quite linear: a serial killer chase through Boston. The story was filled with likable characters (though too shallowly presented and not enough of them) and a predictable plot line. We met spunky FBI, an admirable-but-distasteful black witch, and other fun and odd characters. Like the previous two books, the physical chase was paralleled by one character's psychological problems. The bad guy gets too close to Anna; Charles has to fight but stay smart, etc. And then the ending ripped all of my complacency away. That was one of the most satisfying plot twists I haven't expected. I am all wiggly with interest on where this series is going to go now.

First in the interest of full disclosure Patricia Briggs is my favorite author but this book has exceeded even my expectations. Nice cross over with her other series allowing us a peak as to where this book fits in the timeline. Patricia Briggs creates a modern USA that is believable and scarey all at the same time. Anna and Charles character development is continued in this book along with getting to know Bran even better. If you have not been following either the Mercedes series or the Alpha and Omega series I personally would not recommend starting with this book. Those who are fans will not be disappointed. There is romance, mystery, thrills and chills and an ending that will blow you away. This book is a game changer in the series.

I'm enjoying Alpha and Omega nearly as much as I did the Mercy Thompson series, the only problem is that there's no Mercy. Briggs is just the boss of Urban Fantasy as far as I'm concerned. The serial killer story in this book is particularly compelling and it's complemented by a nice mix of romance, good characters, and the continuing development of the world.

Once again, Patricia Briggs brings you a blockbuster of a story you simply have to read. Totally a fantastic read.

This is a very good book series, a little long but totally worth the read. I loved it. A A+

I love Patricia Briggs, even though horrible things happen, more is right in her world than is wrong. I was not entirely sure how she would go with this new Alpha and Omega novel, but should not have worried, she knows her stuff and did not write a boring bread and butter novel to silence clamoring fans as so many writers do. Fair Game is terrific on a whole lot of levels, fascinating characters, relationships, perspectives and I do so like Anna and her Charles. I enjoyed the positive contribution made to law enforcement by our heroes. I am always saddened when the justice system fails to deliver, it is tragic when a society loses faith in its institutions and must rely on individuals to see justice done. Fortunately Briggs gives us righteous heroes.

I really liked the first books in this series and have read them more than once, this one not so much. It was a lot more of the weird fae's story than I would have liked and not enough of Anna & Charles. Maybe it's just me, but even the Mercy Thompson last book had the monster in the river that was a fae, to me a series about werewolf's should stick to werewolf's, I was expecting more of a story about them coming out to the humans. Enough said about what I would have liked, I bought it for my Kindle and will more than likely buy the next one too.

Briggs is one of my favorite authors, maybe my favorite, especially this series. I just love her characters and how you get too know the point of view from each, it makes me feel so much for them. The fantasy is so clever and dynamic and full of depth. The story is so properly character driven and the descriptions beautiful. Thank you! This series and the mercy series have left an impression on me. I'm from the southwest but take trips to WA state to visit family. I had my husband drive me around tri-cities with a map from a mercy book looking at where things might be. It's one of my favorite road trip memories.

I'm a long time fan of Briggs, from back when

These stories just keep pulling me in, eager to see what comes next. Anna and Charles are unique characters that have me fully invested in their stories. And I’m beyond glad to see that justice is served. And I’m really interested in Isaac now.

Any fan of Patricia Briggs would love this book, and those new to this series wouldn't beable to put the book down until the last page is read. Each one of these series, you learn something new about the characters and there is no way of not falling in love with those characters all over again. The only bad thing about this book is the ending! It will make you want to throttle the woman and force her in front of her pc to write the next book to find out what happens next! lol. But all in all, excellent book and I highly reccomend this series. It is easily to become addicted to Charles, Anna, Bran and all of the other main characters these books. If possible I'd give it a 11/10.

The author didn't seem to know where she was going with this book/series? She spent the first 3 books demanding almost religious secrecy of all the werewolves, only to completely relent from that as soon as they are outed. I can understand 'good spin doctoring' to the public about werewolves; however, Anna spent the entire book spoon-feeding all vital information, including and especially ALL werewolf vulnerabilities to not only all forms of human police, but ALSO Fae. Which struck me as utterly stupid and something that Bran would sooner die than encourage, in my honest opinion. Furthermore, the entire book was like watching a bad episode of Law and Order and I honestly don't care for cop-themed anything and there is so very much of it permeating fantasy lately, it's a tired and played-out theme. That probably makes me somewhat biased against this book, especially since the synopsis of the book says it's..basically a tired cop show. But I think it should be pointed out she avoided using that theme to this extreme throughout the entire series and it was why I enjoyed it. But that aside, she spent entirely too much of the book retelling why werewolves act how they act/re-introducing them, as though we had not spent 3 books reading about their moodiness. We learned nothing new in this book and very little of it progressed Anna/Charles' relationship much at all. In fact, the first of..2 'love' scenes, where Anna insists Charles have sex with her while near the base of the serial killers and with cops not 20 feet from them, seemed very forced as a plot device and ..highschoolish/immature. If I wanted lame cop stuff I would pick up Laurell K. Hamilton or watch Law and Order. All in all, wasn't very impressed with this installment, it had too many inconsistencies with the first 3 books to be very enjoyable.

Wow! It was amazing. Werewolves, Fae and monsters, Oh my! The books in this series just keep getting better. I love how Anna is a strong but not tough-as-nails character. I love how vulnerable the tough-guy Charles is because of Anna. The plot was engaging and the twist at the end was completely unexpected. In my opinion, this book had just the right mix of fantasy, suspense, and romance. While it's not completely necessary, I highly recommend you read the first 3 books(1 short story + 2 books) in this series as well as the books in the Mercy Thompson series first. I think this book could stand alone but there are several side characters and plots that will be more enjoyable if you're already familar with both the series.

I really enjoy this book series. The characters are exciting and I love to see how they change and develop with each new installment. I really like the pack structure and all the fun new characters in each book. Can’t wait to read the next novel!

There's not much to say that hasn't been said in other reviews, but I wanted to stick my five stars out there. The only downside to the book (and any in this or the Mercy Thompson series) is that I tend to read through them in a day or two at the most...there isn't another writer that I look to on a regular basis for stories as consistently good as what I can get here. This book is absolutely a can't miss story if you enjoy this or Mercy's series. I love the way it's written; even though I knew early on who was responsible in the whodunit, she still managed to surprise me with the ending (which I'm still a little in awe of, honestly, it was spectacular).

It was a great read as always. Patricia Briggs sucks me into her world of werewolves and I am always surprised to realize that I read the whole book in mere hours!!!

I am a Patricia Briggs fan and I love her Alpha and Omega series. Usually the story is about how the guy meets the girl and they end up together. What I love about this series is, it starts with, they met and are together and the series chronicles how they learn to be together, work together, rely on each other while in the midst an individual novel's conflict. If you haven't read this series, pick it up! It is a well done urban fantasy series.

Another great read by Briggs.Brother Wolf, Charles, and Anna involved in another great escapade. When will Anna the Mercy meet?

Wonderful Book in this series!! As always I love her books. This one doesn't disappoint.

Ms Briggs crafts some of the most delightful tales of the urban fantasy slash paranormal genre. Her characters come to us, beautifully written and fully formed, yet evolving and growing, as each of her works unfolds. While eagerly awaiting the next installment in the Alpha and Omega or Mercy Thompson series, each book - luckily for us - bears a second, third or more re-reading.

Incredible character development with a story that flows. Different story from anything else written. I highly recommend buying anything she writes

I love the Mercedes Thompson series but when I read the first alpha and omega book, I was pulled on a new level. I think knowing all the back story you get from the Mercedes book gives it more depth but they aren't necessary to enjoy this series since it is not characters you follow in that series. I've read all of these books more than once now and look forward to the nexr.

I’m a big fan of the Mercy Thompson series and when I discovered that she made a series for Charles and The Marroks pack I knew it would be good. Three books in and I’m reading slowly so I don’t reach the latest book published. Patricia Briggs is an author of books that are enjoyable as Charlaine Harris and Nalini Singh!

I love this series. As a matter of fact, I think I like it more than the Mercy series. I really hope we see Anna and Charles in the next Mercy book and vice versa when the next Alpha and Omega book is released. Personally I think we should have another Alpha and Omega book before we get back to Mercy (her fans have soooo many other books to re-read). This book is a serious mystery with an ending that will bring lasting changes to this world as we know it. I was completely satisfied as a reader and am looking forward to what the future holds for Anna, Charles, and the rest of the pack (s).

I've really enjoyed all of Patricia Briggs' books but this one didn't sit well with me. The character development was weak and the villains were utterly predictable. Of course it was the racist/xenophobic bunch of rich white guys committing unspeakable acts on werewolves and fae, all of whom are either terribly weak or awesomely powerful depending on which chapter you were reading. And of course the murdering rapists were doing it all to protect their great country from "outsiders" and to "teach them a lesson." Please. I didn't buy this book for a thinly disguised and overly simplistic lecture about immigration and racism...that's what Law & Order reruns or Criminal Mind episodes are for. Now, having said all that I'll concede that it's possible that Briggs just wasn't at the top of her game when she wrote this and I'm reading too much into it. I'll be eagerly awaiting her next books and hoping that this was just a one off.

I liked the plot and action. I liked it expanded on more detailed information and a new set of characters

I can't get enough of these stories. The books are so well written and the character's are wonderful. I recommend them to everyone. Well, I'm off to get book 4. Happy reading all!

This is the best of the Alpha and Omega series. It explained in greater detail events that are also part of the Mercy Thompson series. I prefer Mercy, but this one is the best of Anna and Charles. There is still more romance than fun-filled action, this one being more graphic than any of the others, which some may prefer. It was a little jarring for me, preferring the romance be lingering kisses, hug, hug more passionately, then fade to black, wink, wink. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the book.

Mrs Briggs does it again. This spin off from her Mercy Thompson series is top notch. The intrigue, emotional content, and plain old great storytelling make this a novel to read for fantasy/scifi readers. I have all of her novels on my shelf and this is one of the authors I constantly search for looking for new material. She has not disappointed me yet. The character driven plot and the ability to take a genre such as Urban Fantasy and create characters that jump off the page and stay with you long after you finish the novel is what makes Patricia Briggs one of the jewels among fantasy authors today. Can't wait for the next one.

I have read almost everything that Patricia Briggs has written. I have them on my kindle and have the Mercy and Alpha and Omega series in paper back. I have a couple of her graphic novels too. She is a great story teller and and I have read several of the books several times. I realize that this review is more about the author than the book but I don't like to give spoilers. Anna and Charles work a difficult case with some difficult characters. Briggs makes you hurt for the victims in this story and you want justice for them. In this world justice isn't always the legal solution. This is a great book.

Though it doesn't beat out my complete adoration for her Mercy Thompson series, the Alpha and Omega storyline is a welcome addition to the fantastic "world" Patricia Briggs has created for us. The book "Fair Game" is quite fun--a strong and feisty female lead in Anna, a dash of romance and teasing between her and her mate, Charles, and a peak behind his normally strong facade to the personal (and not so personal) demons he faces.