CAUGHT IN THE DEVIL’S HAND
Ruby Duvall
Ellora’s Cave
ISBN: 978-1419907-838
June 2007
Ultimate, Paranormal Romance

What a totally fascinating story! Ruby Duvall weaves an interesting tale of magic and demons in CAUGHT IN THE DEVIL’S HAND. Shumei is a poor black haired medicine woman in a tiny village. In a society which favors the fair haired and ostracizes the black haired, she and her mother have not had an easy time of it. The only thing that really saves Shumei from total destitution is her knowledge of medicine and her nine year old brother who has blond hair.

When a sickness invades her village, Shushei tries with everything that she has to save the townsfolk and her mother and brother. In a desperate attempt to save their lives, she races to her medicine field at dusk to get the plants that she needs. Unfortunately, there are demons and evil things that lurk in the dark, and that is not just superstitions and stories told to scare children. There are definitely things that go bump in the night.

Vallen can not believe his good fortune. He sees a beautiful creature alone and unprotected in the night. With white hair, and a beautiful visage, he is a sex demon and Shushei is exactly what he needs to sustain himself. In a nut shell, this is the set up for this story. For the reader, this barely scratches the world that Ms. Duvall opens up, but to tell more will give too many spoilers as to what will happen in the story and I do not want to ruin this wonderful book for anyone.

The weakest part of the story to me is the fact that the ending is left open. It is obvious that there will be at least one other book in this series (if not more). I tend to like my stories wrapped up in one reading, but this ending leaves many threads open for the next story. Definitely worth reading for those who enjoy well written spicy stories. While some of the earlier plot (and bits later in the story too), focus on sex, there is much more to this story than that. Shushei and Vallen are well thought out and developed characters. The story has an intricate plot that is sure to please any fantasy reader and secondary characters who are also woven nicely into the plot; do not pass this book up.

Reviewed By Sarah Silversmith
Rating: 4