Let’s play a guessing game. Which world does this snippet belongs to and who is the main character?
“… my second brother, Kody, but we call him Copper, because his hair is red, but mommy says that all of her brothers had red hair, but it turned blond when they got to be grownups, so Copper is going to be blond for sure…”
The little girl’s name was Nika.
“…And my oldest brother, Rylee, has a German Shepherd puppy, and the puppy is named Kenobi, and his paws are this big, and he’s going to be a big dog for sure…”
There’d been no warning. We’d been walking for about 10 minutes when Nika took a deep breath and suddenly all the words came out. She hadn’t stopped talking for the better part of the hour. Something must’ve convinced her that we were okay, and she was safe, and all the fear and anxiety she’d held in since the Red Tide snatched her off the street was pouring out of her like a geyser. It took a lot of restraint not to kill all of them. I would’ve ruined my strategy, but it would’ve felt very satisfying.
“… and Kenobi will be a good protecting dog.”
“For sure?” I asked.
“For sure for sure.”
Once she started talking, the other kids had thawed little by little and were now listening.
“I have a dog,” the oldest boy said. His name was Caiden and he’d insisted that he knew how to ride so T let him have the reins. I kept an eye on him to make sure I had time to lunge for the horse if it got spooked.
“What’s your dog’s name?” I asked.
“Yeti.”
“What kind of dog is he?” Nika asked.
“He’s big and white and he has lots of fur…”
Mimi says
I confessed to guessing…
Mimi says
Make that confess (sigh, it’s still early here)
Mary says
Oh, I had no idea … what I did was more akin to closing my eyes and throwing a dart … comments telling me it was wildly inaccurate 😀
Sarah C says
I logic-ed but am second-guessing. And third-guessing.
Sabrina says
This.
Thomas Coakley says
I also guessed, but currently, it looks like most people have voted with me so I am liking my odds.
Kevin says
Exactly my sentiment. We all agree with our guesses. Which means it’s probably actually Kinsmen and an unnamed character.
Thirza says
thats what I guessed
Angie says
Me too!
Kristi says
I guessed too.
Leigh Ann Parente says
Horses and child gangs = post-shift Atlanta.
Lots of horses in The Edge, but fewer gangs.
Virtually no horses in Hidden Legacy. Not none, but few. Same with Innkeeper.
Melisande says
That is what tipped me over from the Edge too. Though Red Tide did sound awful like one of the gangs from that world.
Kirsten says
I thought the Red Tide was Rene’s group in KD, but I thought the maon character might be Hugh.
Angela says
Where you in my head? LOL, that’s exactly the thought process I went through.
Ada says
That was my reasoning too.
Merran says
There were a lot of slave gangs in Steel’s Edge. And of course the Bayou Moon Sophie-capturing one.
But it feels more like a KD world character voice to me.
Lisa Lenox says
Yes but there aren’t any movies except pre-shift ones in Atlanta KD world.
Shayera says
I, too, guessed what seems to be the prevailing opinion. 🙂
Maria R. says
To my,only partially caffeinated, brain it seems as though street kids are gathering around Julie. She’s managed to get them to feel small bit of protection for a few moments and they are less guarded.
The Edge, idk if there’d be that many children unsupervised.
Kinsmen, flat out nope.
Hidden Legacy, again too many unsupervised children.
Inn Keeper, maybe in another world but why?
NSum says
Kinsman had the lady with the van of schoolchildren though right? Did I get that mixed up?
Moderator R says
I think you might have, that sounds like the beginning of Alphas ????
NSum says
Ah NO, I got it mixed up with Alphas. boo
Laurence says
Me three!!
I was looking for Alpha without remembering the name so I picked Kinsmen ????????♀️
Nancy Weaver says
Guessed
Anthea says
Horses, walking for hours with rescued children, and casual mention of killing as a solution make me think Kate Daniels world and Kate. Though it could definitely be Julie, or any of the KD viewpoint characters.
KarenM says
+1 Especially when I think of Conlan’s friends who keep Ascanio busy or Iron Covenant II.
Gsg says
If a kid had mentioned a cow.. yeah I would think Iron Covenant. I still laugh whenever I read “…picture down that cow..”
Wendy says
yes! and this sounds like Julie “It took a lot of restraint not to kill all of them. I would’ve ruined my strategy, but it would’ve felt very satisfying”
Stacey says
Oh! Sarcastic killing. I was thinking actual killing and got stuck on it being Hugh because neither Kate nor Julie would seriously consider killing children. But yes, Julie would ponder it sarcastically. duh.
Moderator R says
The POV character is not considering killing the children, but the Red Tide gang 🙂
Sabrina says
I was torn between KD/Julie and HL/Arabella, or possibly Catalina, but I had this niggle in the back of my brain that Red Tide was an HL thing…? So I went with that combo. But I’m not sure at all. It doesn’t quite sound like Arabella, but then maybe it could be Arabella five years on and more mature…?
I probably should have gone with my first gut feeling 😉
Judith says
Interesting snippet with all the dogs and names.. Thanks, like the guessing 😀
PyeCat says
I think this was key:
“ It took a lot of restraint not to kill all of them. I would’ve ruined my strategy, but it would’ve felt very satisfying.”
Very few HA characters would joke, even in their head, about this.
Sharon says
I think I recall mention of Red Tide before but do not recall where but for the reasons mentioned I went with KD world and Julie
jewelwing says
I don’t think they’d joke about it, but I can think of a few who would have been dead serious. Julie, Kate, and Arabella top that list. The others are capable but wouldn’t indulge themselves in the sentiment.
Melissa Anne says
I was thinking Hugh, and could even hear the paragraphs in Steve West’s voice (audiobook narrator for “Iron Covenant”).
PyeCat says
Excellent point, and too late to change my answer.
Kylie in Australia says
all the fear and anxiety she’d held in since the Red Tide snatched her off the street was pouring out of her like a geyser. It took a lot of restraint not to kill all of them. I would’ve ruined my strategy, but it would’ve felt very satisfying.”
I thought the killing was meant to be done to the Red Tide not the children.
Moderator R says
Yes, ofc not the children ????
Courtney Mincy says
I seem to have guessed with the current majority. Go me! ????
MichelleD says
Wasn’t there an orphan with a sketchy story in Julie’s book? Reward cookies. Sneaks away from Barabas to find Julie? I think it’s her.
Sara B. says
She (cute animal name) got apprenticed to the royal assassin I think
Moderator R says
Marten ????
a says
I guessed but I think I might have been projecting wishes for another book in the series. *shrugs*
Sandhya says
This just made it clear I need to read the book again…
Delphy says
i’m very sure of my answer, the mode of transportation gave it away
Elenariel says
Sounds like Julie (with someone wolfy?!) gathered a followship!
Or the new secret project, if a Red Tide isn’t some post shifty Atlanta magical weirdness!
Raye says
That was fun! #TeamJulie
Melissa says
I’m stuck with the dog named Kenobi. I can’t see anyone in KD world still caring enough about (or even aware of ) Star Wars to name their dog that. I think the only movie I’ve ever heard referenced was The Terminator in Magic Bites after the flare of Magic Burns.
I voted Sophie, but could also see Arabella.
Moderator R says
The Princess Bride gets referenced, Lion King, I’m having a memory about Scooby Doo too (won’t vouch for it). 🙂 Pop culture has not completely disappeared.
Caitlin says
scooby do is in one of the last few books where Desandra calls Derek a meddling kid when he discovers she’s been appearing as a spectral/ghost dog/wolf/demon to annoy someone who was mean to her kids (I can’t entirely remember that part)
They also referenced The Hobbit in Kate 10
Siobhan says
One of my favorite lines. “She said she would’ve gotten away with it if it hadn’t been for me, a meddling kid.”
Moderator R says
I’m due a Kate reread to refresh, but I always wait until that No Man’s Time between Christmas and New Year when you never really know what day it is- that’s liminal Kate time 😀
Siobhan says
There’s Rambo, too.
Melissa says
They also mention Winnie the Pooh!
Patricia Schlorke says
Yep, the 500 Acre Wood. 😀 That’s where Kate gets her grapes and other wild fruit for her sangria.
jewwlwing says
Yes, and all we know about the character who named the dog is that he’s Nika’s brother, so it doesn’t have to be consistent with characters we already know.
Terry says
Scooby snacks for Derek after solving a case for Cutting Edge. Maybe Magic Triumphs?
Lee Anne says
Desandra tells Derick she would have gotten away with tormenting a woman who didn’t want Desandra’s kids in a gymnastics class if “If it wasn’t for me, a meddling kid”. And then Kate asks Derick where he put he Scooby snacks in chapter 2, Magic Triumphs. ????
Jollee says
Don’t forget Ghastek snickering about “Knight Ryder” :o)
Lisa Lenox says
Not disappears, but certainly stunted. There were no more movies in post-shift Atlanta, so it depends on when the shift happened. I think the shift was about 40 years (?) by the time KD is around kicking arse, so surely there was no Star Wars? They would Have been Scooby Doo, that’s been around for about 55 years.
Moderator R says
Star Wars was released in 1977…Almost 40 years before the First Shift. It spawned a huge franchise, including books and multiple media formats, which would have all survived for the most part 🙂
Ilona says
Lisa, there are multiple films referenced through the series. In the very first book, the TV is on in the first chapter. Kate talks about watching popular movies and shows when tech is on.
Where are you getting this?
V says
The KD world has Harry Potter in Iron and Magic, so Star Wars doesn’t seem like too much of a stretch?
Wey says
Mode of transport narrowed it to the edge or KD. But Kenobi made me think KD. There were various pop culture references in KD, most usually Kate and Curran quoting the Princess Bride. A kid might have heard the name even if they hadn’t seen the movie or understood the reference.
Victoria says
Dang it! I had the same thought as you, so didn’t vote KD, and Julie.
Now that I’m reading the comments, I’m kicking myself, tough.
Christi says
Along with what the other have mentioned, I think they reference The Justice League during the midnight games. So Star Wars isnt really a stretch. She also references Rambo and Fabio in the books too, which are a bit more obscure than Star Wars is. There are a ton of pop culture references in those books. It would make sense the older generations would talk about them to their kids and stuff, since to them it’d probably remind them of better times.
Moderator R says
Television is still a thing 🙂 , it just doesn’t work some of the time. Most of these have made it to books too. A whole wealth of modern day mythology (for what else are these stories but the legends of our era) don’t go missing in 3 or 4 decades!
Lila says
i went with kinsmen.
Laurence says
Me too
Kelly says
Guessed and came in second favourite but it’s probably more wishful thinking than anything else ????.
Winnie says
Is the Red Tide the group that stuck Sophie in a hole? Gah! Cannot remember.
OK, Mod R. I’m inspired to do a re-read! Your work is done! lol
Moderator R says
😀 It’s all Ilona’s doing, but as long as the rereads are on!
Samantha says
Ha! Sneaky, that one. Love her.
Donna A says
That’s what I thought but now I have doubt. I’m sure the Hand were always up on the kidnapping and slavery stuff but I now question myself…
Laurence says
Interesting, not the results I was expecting.
Iftcan says
(Whining) What’s the answer? I’m going to have to do a serious re-read because I do not remember that snippet. My memory for the written word is usually very good. So I’m sitting here freaking out that I don’t remember that snippet. My memory is going, NY memory is going. Help, help.
Moderator R says
This is not a published snippet, it’s something in the works 🙂
The guessing game is about recognising which world it may belong to, not remembering the snippet 🙂
Hope this helps.
Stephanie says
Thank goodness because I thought I was losing memories! I guessed most likely incorrectly but mostly bc I was sure I’d never read this before (yay me I havent) so thought I missed A short story somehow
Frances says
Oooooh – see, I thought it could have been an old snippet, not necessarily a new, in-the-works snippet. That would have tipped it to Julie for me, since I think Ilona and Gordon have been pretty clear there will be no new Edge stories. As it was, I was torn between Sophie and Julie, but went with Sophie.
Jaye says
Eep- I voted Kate Daniels world, which I think is right, but I guessed Kate. Gotta say, now I think it’s Julie. Riding a horse, lots of kids around on a street who need their trust earned, not as laser direct, but empathetic fierce protector =Julie.
Melissa says
T. Teddy Jo?
kommiesmom says
Tulip?
I admit I thought of that after I voted…
Kelticat says
I’m going with the Edge, and a character not mentioned.
Amber Dawn says
+1
FelisC says
+1
Keera says
It feels more like Julie/Kate to me, but maybe an Edge character. But then you guys have mentioned before no more Edge.
Then I thought Kate has a bit more dry sarcasm than Julie does. So I went with Julie.
Little Miss Red Toes says
I voted KD/Julie, but I can also see it as Edge/Sophie too…
I miss The Edge. I know you’ve said there will be no more, but it was the series that introduced me to you guys and I still reread them yearly.
Was so happy to see George, Jack and Gaston again at Gertrude Hunt!
MarquiseArtemise says
Same here (well, The Edge wasn’t my first IA books but I really loved them)
lia says
oh man, the suspense is killing me! whoever (Ilona?) thought of putting this type of game up on the blog is genius.
Moderator R says
Yes 🙂 . You can always check it under the title!
j says
T for Tulip perhaps?
Dee T says
My guess is Julie with street kids in Blood Heir series.
Michelle says
I also guessed, but I loved the snippet. It definitely took me to Kate’s world:)
Carolin says
Voted Julie/KD as the snippet transported me right back into post-shift Atlanta. Lovely teaser!
Kathy says
Horses suggest either Kate Daniels world or the Edge as the most likely places, but since I think the Edge series was definitively closed, my best guess is Julie from KD.
Amber Dawn says
I guessed the edge world, just because of how the little girl goes on and on about her family. And it reminds me of how the edgers are all about family
Siobhan says
Are we smart enough?
Siobhan says
I pinned it on Julie, too. Especially as it’s not published. I’ve saved all the snippets on the blog for several years now, and it’s not one of them.
Jamie says
Red Tide makes me think perhaps Iron Covenant (therefore Kate Daniels world, but some other character).
Dogman says
Just reread the Threat Assessment snippet under free fiction seems like this is a continuation of that snippet.
Moderator R says
Playing snippet chess over here ????
Dogman says
Were the horde so it should be Madden’s Football not chess.
Melissa says
+1, changing my vote from Julie to Kate.
CookieWookiee says
????T is for Tulip, that’s good enough for me, oh, Tulip Tulip Tulip starts with T! ????
Kate says
Reasons for my choice of “something else mentioned” and “some character not mentioned” ( or at least not named).
To me it feels like the character from an as yet unnamed series that we’ve gotten a few snippets of. What little we can surmise is that she is from our world and has been transported to somewhere else more medieval. Why not by a “Red Tide”? And if so, why would she be the only one snatched?
Also the children sound like they are from our here and now, not the Kate Daniel’s world. If they were from KD they should be less confused by what has happened to them. People there have had time to adjust.
Kate says
Although I suppose you coul say the same thing about snatching people from our reality to the Edge.
Becky says
I think it was Kate after rescuing her contractor’s cousin. There was a snippet back in June. Kate was stuck in renovation hell and was offered the opportunity to go deal with some bad guys for stress release.
Laura says
I don’t think “for sure?” sounds like Kate’s voice, but maybe she’s gotten better with kids since having her own.
Stef says
ModR can we have this reposted pretty please?!?!❤️
Moderator R says
It doesn’t need reposting, the snippet is still available on the blog 🙂 , here https://ilona-andrews.com/2022/threat-assessment-sneaky-treat/
Relin says
Thank you so much! I had missed that one some how and it was a delight to read!
Emilie says
I like this game!!! Let’s do more!!!
Moderator R says
Hehehe 😀
Mindy says
That worries me…
Laura says
I thought the narrator / main character sounded like it could be Arabella, but I figure a horse as transportation wasn’t very likely in that series. (I’m sure there are places in that world where horses as transportation would be very appropriate, but the actual stories seem to be pretty firmly tied to the city.)
VibekeR says
I feel very confident my vote for KD world (but then again maybe it is my blind spot due to wishful thinking ????????)
I am really second guessing my vote for Julie – it also could be Kate, in a continuation of the sneaky snippet mod R procured for us?! The one where Kate and Curran are in the new town, fixing up their new house/castle and Kate jumped at the chance to exercise some frustrations *in a stealthy way* to rescue a kidnapped child. Wasn’t the contractor’s family member called Thomas? Could that be “T” in the mystery text?
However the way the unknown MC was speaking seemed to be quite “young” which was why I went Julie – but maybe this is how Kate “post Conlan” interacts with kids?
SuperJD says
Hmm. I forgot about that snippet. Now I’m re-thinking this, originally I thought Julie for sure.
Lee says
Absolutely no clue, so I passed on the poll but am eager to read it in full when it’s published!
Danielle Danielle says
If it’s post shift Atlanta and this is Julie, who is T?
Mae Bar says
Tulip as in Julie’s horse?
Cooper says
I guessed other for both.
Alphas???
I’m sure we’ll find out soon!
Lara says
ohhh alphas was so unusual. would love another short story for them.
DianaInCa says
That is what I was thinking also. But it was a guess
Lara says
I’m guessing new secret project. it’s very Julie esk, but also new gang mentioned, new kids, new dogs. or kd world but in Los Angeles where Julie said this is were real nuts.
Manta says
Nothing sounded familiar and the only series I don’t read is KD. So I’m 99% sure I got the world right. I am also pretty sure I got the person wrong. But hey it’s fun.
SuperJD says
Kate Daniels world, because horses.
Julie, because she has a protective streak for street kids. Kate collects strays, including street kids (e.g., Julie), but Julie is more consistently homicidal about it.
Other Barbara says
Seems to me i faintly remember red tide. Maybe mixing with evil Knights and Red the kid? To cheat I googled.. Ilona Andrews “red tide” ..but got so many garbled results it would take all day, so will await.
MsH says
Me @ the possible of more Julie:
G I M M E ????????????
NANCY HASBACH says
I really thought of Hugh because kids, dogs and horsess like him no matter what his history is
Relin says
It would be like Julie to be preoccupied watching the safety of small kids. But could be a yet unknown character/world. The Red Tide sound intimidating.
So curious as to the correct answer!
Donna A says
I thought the Edge because slavery, stealing children (gifted?) and Red Tide sounds similar to Red Hand.
SHANELLE says
I honestly thought this was a snippet from the Hugh’s world and thought it was Hugh.
Other Barbara says
Second guess someone not mentioned. Unlikely but helps children, happy to kill bad guys, has trained horse and someone named T.
Is it possible our dear Roman, and T is for Teddy Jo?
Although first guess of Julie makes more sense.
Heather says
I totally think it’s Conlan. Annoying schoolmates who needed to be saved but are now are getting on his nerves.
Not that Conlan has impulse issues. Not at all…
Heather says
Plus I can’t see Julie/Aurelia ever having an impulse to kill kids, even if they’re being super annoying.
Moderator R says
The POV character is not considering killing the children, but the Red Tide gang 🙂
kommiesmom says
I decided it was probably Julie – well, Aurelia – first.
Then KD world fit…
Sjik says
So on the one hand, we the BDH pretty much know our stuff. We can sound out the characters/world by the tiny snippet, unpublished at that. Pretty dang cool. On the other hand, if this isn’t KD+Julie, my God are we going to have mixed reactions. Sheepishness if it is different than the current most voted guess, like a dog chasing after the ball not thrown. Or we all need to do rereads of everything ever. Or anticipation if it is a new world? Maybe continuation of the Dragon book from the newest chapter shared earlier. Or a complete moo(t) point of my comment if the tide of guesses shifts.
Bri says
I was hoping it was the SPECIAL PROJECT we’ve been teased about for forever
Cory says
I don’t know if mine is a guess or wishful thinking lol.
Luiz says
Its clear it isnt dina Kate catalina or nevada. It could been Arabela or someone new or it could be julie… I would give 25% 25% 50% chance for being one of them in that order. So by math laws I gonna vote julie.
Mary says
Thanks for the guessing game. Not my greatest week so anything that takes my mind off worries helps a lot!!!
Enjoy your weekend
Patricia Schlorke says
I knew it was not Kinsman, Innkeeper, or Edge (since Ilona said a while back no more Edge books). So I had a 50/50 chance it’s either KD’s World or Hidden Legacy. I went back and read the post again and figured with “T” and dogs, it would most likely be KD’s World. I put Julie down as the person talking.
The Red Tide gang…sounds like an algae bloom. 😀
Sara B. says
Snippet, so from something not yet published? Not a snippet from something that has been published and we’ve all read … because I did not recognize any of that, but the tone sounded “Julie”. …
Sara B. says
PS – love the picture at the head of the post … Quincy? Have to confess that I am a big Artha fan.
TiffanyCrystal says
My first thought was Kate’s world, with Julie as the character, but I can’t think of any characters with a name starting with ‘T’ x_x I know I’ll feel like an idiot once someone starts listing them, but right now…
Sal says
Have to disagree with the popular theory of Kate Daniels world – I don’t think street kids would have pets with current pop culture names like Kenobi, would they? Or close knit families? Which is why I went Hidden Legacy and Arabella – having to hold back rage sounded very Arabella-y.
Moderator R says
I don’t know where this idea that pop culture has completely disappeared in Kate Daniels comes from, but it’s not true. ???? There are several references to contemporary movies and books in the series.
Henry says
The snippet is from a first-person POV. The speaker has brothers who are red haired. The speaker’s mother said all of her brothers had red hair. Caiden and Nika are neither the speaker’s siblings, nor each other’s siblings. The speaker said it was against her strategy not to kill them all. Was speaker thinking about killing the Red Tide or the kids walking with her? Caiden said he could ride a horse. Was that horse Teacup or was it a person named T who gave him the reins? Kate is recognized as Julie’s mother and Kate has two Quasi- brothers who Julie sometimes calls uncle. Julie has two siblings, Conlan and his sister.
I picked something else, and a character not mentioned.
Aiden says
I think it’s the one with the woman who can see the future.
Terrie C says
The horse and the comment about restraints needed not to kill pointed me in the KD world. Now that sounds a lot like Kate, but because Julie has been interacting with the street kids, I went with her.
Melody Lao says
They’re traveling by horse so I knew it had to be Kate Daniel’s world but I’m behind on Julie’s books so I guessed Kate but it could’ve totally been Julie.
Manda says
The pop culture references make me think the edge and Sophie maybe visiting her family.
Ms Blaise says
Question for the BDH please: how come Leon is the 2nd highest earner in the Baylors? After Alessandro. How does he earn so much?
Moderator R says
He earns so much because he has years of work experience as a PI, a slew of contacts in and around Houston that Alessandro, a foreigner and newcomer, doesn’t have- and responsibilities mainly to do with the Baylor Investigative Agency, as opposed to House Baylor, the Wardens or being a Prime, like the Baylor ladies do.
Ms blaise says
Awesome thanks!
Louisa Dawes says
I’m saying kinsmen as their the only ones I’ve not read and I don’t recognise the names!
Besides if it was the Kate Daniels which I’ve read about a million times then kate is the main character! ‘kate daniels’ Savvy?
KarenM says
After wistfully wishing for the main character to be Raina of the dragon snippet, I thought it would be cool if it was a spin-off project from Innkeeper / Edge characters Sophie and George’s new world. Lots of potential for violence and kidnapping in that world.
Helleina says
*works on animals like birds(?) wolves, horse’s, and children
what ever family Julie depends from????
Rachele says
I guessed in the voting, but would also like to throw a vote out it being in the Alpha universe, main character Karina.
Gaëlle from France says
I went with Julie, but I hesitated because I think it could be Hugh too. KD world in any case.
Gaëlle from France says
And after re-rereading it, I now think it could be Kate. There’s something here that says Kate for me…
Alisnea says
What? “It took a lot of restraint not to kill all of them,” meaning the kids, and people here voted mostly for Julie? The same Julie that wants to protect all the orphans in the world?
Alisnea says
Oh wait, not the kids. My bad then. Sorry!
Marie S says
I understood the main character was wanting to kill the Red Tide members.
Marie S says
I’m being greedy and want more, HA.
I was thinking Julie and then I thought that pets don’t seem to survive well in Atlanta unless they have some magical ability. Also, the onversation felt too modern.
I just want another Blood Heir book and, if not, I want it to be a new project! Love how you write children.
I’m in suspense.
I voted new project. I’m usually wrong. ????
Pearl says
“Snatched off the street” makes me think KD over Edge, after all the reasoning on horses mentioned by others to rule out the other worlds. And then Julie, with her horse magic, probably wouldn’t need to lunge at the horse if it spooked. So I’m thinking KD/Kate!
Bill G says
Cool. Thank you!
Lee Anne says
To me it just sounded like KD and Julie because of her protectiveness towards street kids. Blood Heir mentions that she’s always trying to rescue them.
DianaInCa says
Okay, I first was thinking alpha’s. Total guessing. Now I am wondering does this belong to those snippets that occasionally appear about an assassin? Or am I just totally confused ????
Adela says
I thought Hugh or his wife, but Julie is plausible too
Maya says
It doesn’t read like a cut so it’s probably from some in progress work. So no Edge, HL or Innkeeper for sure.
Logically, Blood Heir #2 seem like the most probable option.
Jeff H says
To me, the casual but absolute confidence of, “It took a lot of restraint not to kill all of them,” takes it out of the Edge, Innkeeper, and even Hidden Legacy worlds.
Some Kinsmen characters might have that “I can kill as many people around me as I’d like — the only thing stopping me is my own decision”, but it sounds more a Kate/Curran/Julie kind of confidence in their abilities. Curran probably wouldn’t have that restraint, and wasn’t one of the options, so it’s Kate or Julie — and I’m betting it’s Julie.
Lenore Villa says
Have to admit, I guessed. But in reading the snippet, it just felt like her.
Susi says
My votes turned out to be the clear majority – they were wishful thinking but I’d be happy with any of the options!
Other Barbara says
Guess three cause, obsessed.
It could be prequel Kate Daniels, when she is young, just on her own and closer in time to the arrival of magic while tech is still sometimes working then crashing.
I hope new book within their existing worlds. I have listened to Ruby Fever so many times already… it is the most complex, dense, quick moving finely written of the whole series.
Having a working reality so well developed meant imho they could focus on plot, characters, dialogue without needing to create a new culture, world.
The authorlords may not agree at all of course, but RF is brilliant.
njb says
No idea really. but there was that Kate snippet where she ran off from her remodel beach “fort” to rescue her contractor’s cousin, who had been kidnapped. With a name like Red Tide, it sounds like a beach gang, no?
njb says
So the consensus seems to be Kate world and Julie. If so, then I got it half right, heh. This was fun, thanks!
Ally says
That was so much fun! It was a book lover trivia delight. You had me wracking my brain eliminating possibilities. I guessed Edge but I think Julie is also a strong possibility.
Mel says
Karina Tucker from Origins?
Rescues the van of children from the monster house. Been a while.
Mel says
Nope, never mind. Just saw reply to another post by Mod R stating that this is a new snippet.
Thank goodness, I thought I had missed a book as my recall is normally pretty good.
AP says
I voted but don’t care if I’m right or wrong – it was fun!
Ooh! Please do more guessing games!!
Pete says
Sounds like Kate world with Julie as the lead. Paraphrasing, “I want to kill them all, but it would mess up my strategy” sounds very much like Julie, especially defending kids.
dagamaul says
Omg I read it as the character killing the kids, what a massive misunderstanding! 😀 Now that makes sense for Julie for sure 😀
Pam says
I seriously hope I’m not just wishful thinking………………
Cptn says
I’ve read all the aforementioned series except and it didn’t seem familiar so I had to choose “Something else mentioned in the comments”
M. says
I voted Julie and KD World on an impulse, but now I have second thoughts.
First, to get it out of the way: these are not street kids: Nika mentions her parents, her whole family unit, her brother has a purebred dog, etc.
I still believe it’s KD world, because of all the reasons other folks mentioned: tone, casual death mention, horse-drawn vehicle, etc. Plus – T might be Thanatos.
I think it’s Kate though, not Julie / Aurelia because of the Red Tide mention: whether it’s a gang, a magical being or phenomenon, I think it would be more likely for it to be located somewhere on the coast where people would be more familiar with the destructive nature of the natural phenomenon called a “red tide” then in Atlanta. And I remember that Kate and family moved somewhere closer to the cost.
Gaëlle from France says
Same for me. I voted Julie, but I am pretty sure it’s Kate. Like you said, they don’t sound like street kids. And, I don’t know, that’s « her » voice.
E says
is this Kid 2’s project?
SoCoMom says
The snippet reminded me strongly of the KD books. I voted KD/KD. As I voted Kate I thought “Julie?” but heck, with whom did Julie grow up? Using this thinking, could also be Hugh (post IC book 1) or an unnamed character. Love this twist and reading everyone’s deductions!
Allison says
I voted Julie, but still really like the mental image of this being Roman.
Just a black volhv trying to carry out sinister plans and incidentally ending up with a nonstop chatterbox ray of light incarnate glued to his hip.
Marie-Claire says
I voted KD World for the same reasons as many of you, and picked Julie because she isn’t going to kill all the Red Tide as it would ruin ‘her strategy’… not sure Kate would have a strategy that made her seem less dangerous (these days), but Julie used something similar when she went after the mad God in his pocket dimension… even got herself chained up, yes?
Whether we’re right or not, it does sound like a wonderful ‘new’ project is moving forward a bit! And I agree w everyone above – cool idea to do a guessing game, and so much fun to morph it into a spot-the-pop-culture references ‘I spy’ across the universes (universi?) 🙂
pang says
I am going will Kate. Wanting to kill things and restaining is so her. But Julie is also possible.
I go with Kate because I want kate book…..
Anna says
It’s a hard one. It could be Sophie, was my first guess. But now I am thinking Julie. The Edge is done so logic says it must be Julie.
Siobhan says
When do we find out the right answer? I know not today (Sunday), but Ilona won’t keep us in suspense until the actual book, will she?
Kelley says
+1
dagamaul says
A lot of people say Julie, but I think this: “It took a lot of restraint not to kill all of them. I would’ve ruined my strategy, but it would’ve felt very satisfying.” goes against Julie – Julie would never kill street kids!
I went with the only series I didn’t read, Kinsmen, hahah 😀 Mostly because I can’t think of a female lead in any of the ones I did read that would be this cold-hearted. Although maybe I am taking a wrong hint from the second question and this is not a snippet with the main character narrating?
Moderator R says
The POV character isn’t saying she’s going to kill the kids, but the Red Tide gang ????
dagamaul says
Hahahah yes I just read that in other comments, I must be really tired! I change my mind now, definitely could be Julie 🙂 Thanks for the reply and sorry for the misunderstanding, wow…
Lynn Thompson says
Thank you, Ilona Andrews for the snippet.
Rune says
Is the correct answer to this game ever going to be clarified? I’m pretty curious.
Moderator R says
In not very long time at all ????
Libby says
I’m very very late in my guesses. But to me this is Hidden Legacy. The specific reference to a purebred German shepherd puppy named after a Star Wars character was the first thing I noticed. Also the fact that the kid didn’t mention the puppy having three heads. I think that the lead character is Arabella.