Rula The Candidacy Party

When I read The Heist, the first book in the Rula series, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Part of this was on purpose; while I pick books partly based on their description, those descriptions never tell you everything about a book. The other part was that a lot is going on in this series. By the time I was a quarter of the way through, I was wrapped up in so many different plots that it could easily have been overwhelming.

Those of you who have read The Heist may want to pick it up for a refresher before you start The Candidacy Party. While I was soon devouring the second in the series, in the beginning, I had I found myself wishing I had thought to give The Heist at least a quick reread so I would remember where all the characters had ended up (and, in one or two cases, who they were).

However, that was only at the start. I have to hand it to the author: she knows how to get readers back into the story without doing a massive infodump. By the third or fourth chapter (and these are very short chapters) I was getting back into the swing of things, and by the seventh, I was fully invested in the story.

Just like The Heist, I couldn’t have predicted half of what happened in this book. Kate and Anthony are still hot on the trail of McGuire Tennenbaum, but in addition to drawing closer to the renowned magician and jewel thief, they find themselves drawn into the world of Rula as well. The mysterious game from the first book is revealed to be more dangerous than either of them could have expected, and when everyone around them has an ulterior motive and their own reasons for pushing the pair to, or from, the game, the reporters find themselves in over their heads. On top of that, Kate and Ethan’s marriage has been strained since the end of the last book, leaving Kate with one less person in her life that she can trust. It’s entirely possible she may not be able to trust anyone at all.

The Candidacy Party is an exciting continuation of the series. Complex and fast-paced, it’s a wild ride, and I’m eager to see where the series goes next. If the next two books can top this one, I will be impressed, but not at all surprised. Nicole Parris knows very well how to raise the stakes.