A Garden of Vipers

The third in this by-the-numbers series changes the formula to ensure each book is not rinsed and repeated, however it's not enough to hide a dull plot. The violence is toned down as Carson and Harry investigate a power hungry family which may be involved in some nefarious deeds. The first three quarters of the book offer up plenty of misdirection, using previous characters in the series to add some emotional weight. The plot jumps about between (deliberately) unexplained characters and it becomes difficult to follow at times and this is hindered further by the protagonists who are still rather two-dimensional. The Broken Souls offers nothing new in this genre and only the finale makes it worthwhile.