Beneath a Rising Moon is the first book in the Ripple Creek Werewolf series by Keri Arthur.

Dell published Beneath a Rising Moon on July 31, 2012. There are earlier editions than the one I read.

The story includes elements of romance, sex, mystery, and action.

Blurb

Keri Arthur, the New York Times bestselling author of the Riley Jenson Guardian series, takes readers to the werewolf reservation of Ripple Creek—where moon fever runs high and a savage murderer runs rampant.

There’s no turning back for Neva Grant. To find a killer, she must seduce the boldest male in the Sinclair pack. Her twin sister lies in a hospital bed, fighting for her life, the fourth and only surviving victim of a vicious attacker. The werewolf rangers suspect the Sinclair pack, and the only way Neva can infiltrate their close-knit ranks is to unleash the wildness within and offer herself to Duncan Sinclair.

Duncan’s appetite for women is legendary on the reservation. But when this new woman stirs his hunger, he finds his desire for her goes deeper than anything he’s ever felt before. When he realizes that she’s playing a game and he’s taken the bait, he is determined to push her to the breaking point. As Duncan and Neva engage in a dangerous dance, they must somehow find a way to join forces—before a cornered killer bites back.

Jen’s Review of BENEATH A RISING MOON

This review first appeared on our old site, booksthathook.com, but I have edited and (hopefully) improved it. Beneath the Rising Moon was actually one of the first books I reviewed when I started blogging. Since then, I have read a lot more Keri Arthur books.

The Story

Beneath a Rising Moon is written from the third-person point of views of Neva and Duncan. The story is about their relationship as they try to hunt down a killer.

After Neva’s twin sister is attacked and hospitalized, Neva learns that others were attacked by a silver wolf near the Sinclair mansion. Like Neva, her sister, and the Sinclairs, the victims were werewolves.

The Sinclairs are the prime suspects, considering their wild ways. They host ‘dances’ (essentially orgies) at their mansion during the full moon.

Duncan Sinclair, rumored to be the wildest of them all, is not a suspect because he was away when the women were attacked. Neva thinks that if she can get close to Duncan, she’ll gain access to the mansion to find out who attacked her sister.

She does this at great risk to herself, especially since her family and pack rejects the dance. They believe in waiting until you find your soul mate before you dance. Her family would be appalled to know she was even going to the Sinclair mansion, much less what she planned to do when she got there.

It doesn’t take long for Neva to find, seduce, and mate with Duncan. She doesn’t know, though, that he has returned only to investigate the murders and clear the Sinclair name. She also is unaware at fist that he cast a binding spell on her requiring her to do what he says.

Duncan becomes suspicious about Neva. He thinks she is working for the killer. He decides to play games with her emotionally and sexually. His hope is he can force her to run to whomever she is working for.

Neva and Duncan have to work out their misconceptions about one another if they are going to find the real killer.

The Characters

Neva and Duncan are both likable characters. What sold me on Neva is she tries to do the right thing. Plus, she isn’t willing to be pushed around by Duncan. If she really doesn’t want to do the things he tells her to do, she has a way to fight him.

Duncan might be playing games with her, but he’s not a jerk at heart. The reason he left was he was looking for something more than the dances could give him. He doesn’t like being judged by his past. So Duncan stole my heart as much as Neva.

I really enjoyed their romance. It has ups and downs, without insta-love.

The Writing

I loved how Keri Arthur jumped right into the action and built suspense quickly. She didn’t give all the backstory first, which I appreciated. I also liked the way the sex scenes were written. They didn’t feel smutty to me.

Do I Recommend?

I loved the characters and story in Beneath a Rising Moon, and I would read it again. If you haven’t read it yet, I strongly suggest you give it a try. I would recommend this book to adults who don’t mind a romance that focuses quite a bit on sex, with some mystery and action. If you want love-at-first-sight, this isn’t the book for you. Beneath a Rising Moon is a book with characters who have to learn to like and trust one another before they can fall in love.

Keri Arthur was already one of my favorite authors. Reading this book made me want to read even more of her work.

My Rating for BENEATH A RISING MOON: 5 out of 5 stars (A)

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Beneath a Rising Moon – Keri Arthur [Review]

Beneath a Rising Moon is the first book in the Ripple Creek Werewolf series by Keri Arthur.

Blurb