Deadly Spells by Jaye Wells

Title: Deadly Spells
Author: Jaye Wells
Genre: Speculative Fiction, Urban Fantasy
Series: Prospero's War #3

Trade Paperback, 400 pages
Publication: February 10, 2015

Source: I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

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After the grisly murder of a dirty magic coven leader, Kate Prospero and The Magical Enforcement Agency team up with the local police to find the killer. But as the infighting between covens turns ugly, an all-out war brews in the slums of Babylon.

When a tenacious reporter sticks her nose in both the investigation and Prospero's past in the covens, old ghosts resurface. The team will have to use all the weapons in their arsenal to stop the coven war and find the killer before the case brings down all their careers - and their lives.

Kate and the gang are back in Deadly Spells, the third installment in the Prospero’s War series. Kate and the MEA team are once again called in to help the BPD on a homicide investigation when the victim turns out to be an important Votary Member. The first two Prospero’s War books focused on the Babylon Covens but in Deadly Spells the main focus is an outside party; a Brazilian Cartel/Coven who is scheming to make the Covens turn on one another. The Brazilian Cartel/Coven, A Morte, wants to get into the dirty potion business and they sent their most deadly assassin to ensure they get what they came for. But things aren't what they seem when secrets are reveals and motives come to light that turns everything that Kate believes in and stands for on its head.

Deadly Spells didn't feel quite as heavy in terms of action or shocking revelations like the previous two books. As it was hinted in the last book, there’s a lot more to Kate’s mom death than what we already knew and readers finally learn the truth in book 3. We also learn a lot more about Kate’s MEA boss Garner, about her past and her involvement with this book’s villain, Pantera. Then on the home front, Danny is having problems at school that gets him expelled for using potion on another student. Poor Kate, she can never catch a break.

Anyone that has already read this series knows there are two main guys vying for Kate, her partner Drew and Mayor John Volos. Even though Kate knows that both men are interested in her and surely sees all the signs…she is in total denial because she ends up going on a date with Danny’s teacher Mr. Hart. Mr. Hart really surprised me! Who knew under that nerdy exterior he was such a douche bag. The brief date scene made me so mad for Kate, and I wished that she decked him in the face. Dude really needs to get smacked a few times. I love Drew and think he’s perfect for Kate, so I’m glad with how the book ended. As for John, I still don’t know what to make of him and what his motives are. He’s really confusing. I know he still loves Kate, but he’s from her past…and in my opinion the past needs to stay in the past.

I thought Deadly Spell was an excellent follow up to Curse Moon, not much action as I would like but still entertaining nonetheless. I pray that there will be more novels in this series (since there hasn't been any word yet on whether there will/will not be more books in the series), because it certainly still has a lot to give. I really enjoyed it and can’t wait to see what happens next!