This book was both fun and thought provoking. Fun in Nora's antics with a PI trying to figure out the reason why a priest was calling her five minutes before killing himself (that wasn't the fun part though, her antics with the PI were). She didn't get the call since it was to her old New York number from an old business card from before moving to New Orleans.

So the mystery was why did this priest call her, and how did he get her card, and who gave it to him? She didn't pass out that card when she was in New Orleans 2 years prior when she was in town to buy her home. It was from that time since it was the old number. She can't figure out why some random priest she never heard of or met would have her card and be calling her. So she joins up with the PI tasked with answering those questions and away they went.

Meanwhile Soren is making the most of his "sabbatical" and Kingsley is going slightly crazy as Juliette is weeks away from giving birth to his third child.

There were some big paradigm shifts that happen in the final few chapters. Be prepared to see the characters in a new light. There are some dark themes, and heavy conversations about Soren and Nora’s relationship origins. Some realizations that maybe Soren wasn't such a "good priest" towards a teenage Elinore. Nora comes to some realizations of her own. The mystery is the backdrop to the conversations that happen in the book. It is the catalyst of the changes made. Nora makes new friends and Soren seems happy to be right at home with her. Although he ends up getting his own home, "a gift, a trifle" from Kingsley.

However, I will spoil this - everyone is still together in the end. Soren makes his appearance early on and stays throughout the book. Lots of him and Nora action.

This book reminded me of The Siren in that Nora and Cyrus have the most screen time and Cyrus and his own fiancée have screen time away from the unholy trinity. Unlike the Siren, Soren is no longer a mystery and he isn't hiding Nora away. He is out and proud. It was a bit odd hearing him talk about being in love with Nora and having a child while he was a priest (read the series to figure that out if you haven't already) with an almost complete stranger (Cyrus).

In the previous books Nora and Soren had to sneak around, Nora's biggest wish was for her to be able to fix Soren's morning coffee. In this book they are walking down Bourbon street together and going into bars. It basically answered the question of "What would they be like if Soren wasn't a priest". Although it wasn’t' outright said, it's pretty apparent in the end that when the year is up, Soren will be going back to the Church again and taking up his collar.

Read the book, you know you will. You just read this review to make sure Soren and Nora are in it together, that they still have sex and they are happy. Yes, Yes, and Pretty much!
Now, can we please get a book with Nora and Nico?
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I am a late bloomer to this series. I only started it because numerous people had mentioned that this would be a good starting point for new readers and I had been wanting to start it for some time. That being said, I went in blind.

Even though I didn't know the characters from their previous books, I found that I wanted to after reading this. I was not lost at any time but I sure was intrigued. There is a level of depth and complexity here that Enjoyed. There is no doubt that this author is very gifted when it comes to creating a story that is titillating and suspenseful as well as erotic.

Even though this "could" be a new starting point, I think I would have enjoyed it even more if I had started with book one, even though that is 8 books before this one which is quite daunting. However, the characters were that good and even though the author did a great job at giving the barest of detail to refresh the author's mind, I cannot help but feel compelled to go back and get ALL the details. Very good story.
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A priest makes a call just before he commits suicide. It's not usual to reach out to another in a time of crisis, but when that person is the notorious Mistress Nora, questions will be asked. Nora joins private detective Cyrus Tremont to learn the circumstances behind the death while reconciling her relationship with Soren and the Church.

I was curious about the book since the Nora-Soren-Kingsly relationship was not the primary focus of the story, Of course, once I started reading I couldn't put the book down until I finished it. The mystery was well-paced with a heartbreaking ending and Nora and Soren's relationship takes a surprise turn that will leave the reader waiting in anticipation for the next book. Tiffany Reisz is a cruel, but lovable, Mistress! ( )