Crimson Moon
Rebecca York
Berkley, Jan 2005, $6.99, 348 pages, ISBN: 0425199959
reviewed by Harriet Klausner

In Baltimore, werewolf Johnny Marshall drinks in a seedy bar when he gets into a brawl with bikers. He wakes up in the hospital with only pain reminding him he still lives. However, he overhears several bikers discuss framing him for killing one of them though he is innocent. Instead of waiting around he flees westward changing his name to Sam Morgan and vowing to do good deeds.

Sam becomes an eco-thief causing problems for environmental abusers. His current target is lumber baron Wilson Woodlock who is devastating Washington State. At a party Wilson hosts that Sam crashes, he meets his target’s daughter Olivia who somehow can sense his presence even when he uses his werewolf powers to hide. When Sam goes to commit an act against Wilson, Olivia and her brother Colin catch him. They hire him to find a stolen artifact that if not returned to their family means death for the Wilsons. As Sam begins his assignment, he knows Olivia is his soulmate, but to persuade her of that will prove difficult once he reveals his true roots.

This is an enjoyable werewolf romance starring two likable protagonists though Johnny’s conversion from bad dude to heroic eco-avenger seems too quick and easy. Still the story line is loaded with action, suspense and an especially enjoyable romance as Sam has to find a way to convince Olivia they belong together after he reveals his animal nature. Sub-genre readers will appreciate this fine paranormal tale and hope for a sequel starring an interesting secondary protagonist.