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Release Day Review: Under a Blood-Red Moon (Duncan Andrews Thrillers, #5) by Stephen Osborne

Private Detective Duncan Andrews is back, along with the usual gang: Robbie, Gina, Nick, and Daisy, the zombie bulldog! Duncan is trying to figure out how his boyfriend, Robbie, will fit in with the team now that he is no longer a ghost. That worry is soon set aside when Duncan accepts a new case to locate a missing young man named Graig Betz. Duncan soon learns Graig is part of a werewolf pack that is terrorizing Indianapolis. The pack is led by a witch, Ashley Campbell, an old rival of Gina’s. Duncan and his team must try to rescue and cure Graig and stop the wolf pack from destroying an entire city.



Duncan Andrews is easily one of my favorite characters of all time. He’s a man on a mission to protect the human race from all the paranormal beasties out there hell bent on creating trouble. Duncan is human himself but he’s got a sixth sense that lets him know when there are non-humans around. He’s also got a crew of friends/partners /loved ones, that help him out. It’s the same group that’s been with him since the beginning with the addition of a few new faces.

This is the 5th in the Duncan Andrews Thrillers series and where we get to see Robbie with Duncan as he should be and I loved reading the bits with the two of them together. The series is a low steam read with the physical shenanigans taking place off page. It’s proof that really good writing can show the connection between MC’s without any of the dirty. 

Duncan is full of snark, his dry and self-deprecating sense of humor makes the story read very quickly with lots of chuckles in the midst of all the adventure. But what makes Duncan so memorable and a favorite is not just his humor but he’s just a really good guy. That’s such a lame sounding reason when I type it, but he really is. I want to know him, I want to hang out with him. Not when he’s battling werewolves necessarily, I think I’d probably be more of a hindrance than a help to be honest, but that doesn’t change the fact that he’s a friend I want to have. He’s not overt or preachy about his awesomeness, he’s almost the opposite. Instead, it shows in all his actions and the code he lives and works by, it’s in his gut reactions to protecting his friends and loved ones and it’s in how he deals with loss. You would think a guy who has seen all that he has wouldn’t be affected by death, but the loss of a friend really hits him hard and the ending gave a great glimpse of Duncan’s heart. Between that and his protectiveness of Robbie, I know I need a Duncan in my life.

So, in this episode in Duncan’s private detective life, he’s been hired to find a young man who’s been acting strangely, according to his grandmother, and has now gone missing. The investigation leads Duncan to a werewolf pack that not only has your standard werewolves, but there’s a super-werewolf with anger management issues and a witch from Gina’s past with a grudge and in on a power trip. Can I just say, I need a Gina in my life too. That girl is gold.

Lieutenant Carson and Elton the Demon play prominent roles in the werewolf hunt and I liked where this investigation ended with Carson. I’m anxious to see the change in his level of involvement know that he’s further into the inner circle of Duncan’s crew. While Elton didn’t have a ton of page time, the part he played ended up being really personal for Duncan, especially as the story progressed. Elton’s enthusiasm to help Duncan, at any expense to himself, said everything about who Duncan was and the effect he had on those around him. I loved and hated that part equally.

I had two real favorite parts to the whole story, beyond just saying, “all of it”; one being the ending, in the park, with Duncan and Robbie, oh my, the swooniness and adorkability of the moment was perfect (those are totally words BTW), and two, the ending left all kinds of doors open for more in the series. In the end, that’s really what I want, I want more.

If you haven’t had the pleasure of meeting Duncan Andrews and his band of protectors I suggest you start on this series as soon as you can. You’ll read a great story, you’ll laugh and some feels will sneak up on you when you least expect it.

For more information on Under a Blood-Red Moon head over to Dreamspinner Press and Goodreads.



**a copy of this book was provided by the publisher for an honest review**

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