Poor Mercy Thompson. She just can’t catch a break. She’s still recovering from the horrific series of events chronicled in the previous book (Iron Kissed), which led to her being drugged and raped by a now-very-dead sleazebag, when the twisted schemes of the local vampires come right down on her head. Marsilia, the local Vampire-in-charge, is losing her grip, and people are looking to overthrow her. Stefan, one of Mercy’s best friends, is one of the few vampires truly loyal to Marsilia and powerful enough to make a difference one way or the other. When Stefan turns up, a blackened husk, tortured and starving, in Mercy’s living room, it’s a sign that something’s going on. What’s soon revealed is a Byzantine scheme of betrayal, emotional blackmail, and understated violence, with Mercy right in the middle. Meanwhile, a request from an old friend to investigate a haunted house brings Mercy to the attention of another frighteningly-powerful vampire, one whose own kind have nicknamed “The Monster.” What’s an auto mechanic with the power to turn into a coyote to do? Survive, that’s what.

With each book in the series, Briggs has expanded our understanding of the world Mercy Thompson inhabits, one full of werewolves, vampires, fae, ghosts and shapeshifters. In Bone Crossed, we get some revealing looks at the bizarre abilities vampires manifest, see more of Mercy’s own untapped abilities, and in one gleefully chaotic scene, a rather telling look at how the Fae fit into the picture. To heck with the complicated plots of the vampires, or the dominance games of the werewolves, I’m all for seeing more of the enigmatic Uncle Mike and his bar full of Fae, especially since we get some not-so-subtle hints about his own true nature.

That thought aside, there’s no denying that Briggs has hit her stride in terms of tormenting her heroine, even as Mercy continues to heal, emotionally and psychically, from previous trauma. Her relationship with the local werewolf alpha, Adam, solidifies, and her relationship with his pack likewise takes on a more formalized status. It’s good to see this concrete sense of growth and change; Mercy’s definitely on a journey of some sort, and it’s fun watching her muddle through.

There’s a somewhat insular feel to this book, however. With the werewolves and vampires either just coming out of the supernatural world, or on the brink of doing so, it seems as though there’d be more of a reaction. Unfortunately, Mercy’s so caught up in her personal problems and those of her friends, that we see very little of the greater world, which is a shame. Briggs has set up a potentially fascinating scenario, and I’d love to see her follow through with the emergence of the hidden supernatural into the public eye. We’ve seen some hints and glimpses so far, especially with the way the Fae have been handled, but there’s more to be told.

All in all, Bone Crossed is a satisfying read, and a thoroughly enjoyable installment in Mercy Thompson’s world. With this, the fourth book, arriving in hardcover (whereas the first three were paperback), and the protagonist also headlining her own comic book miniseries, there’s no doubt that this werecoyote mechanic is here to stay for an extended period of time. I’ll be interested to see where things go from here.