Duncan Hughes is one of those people who finished Law School, managed to get a job in a perfectly ordinary firm and then got stuck at the first rung of the career-ladder. Apparently, he doesn't have the drive, the hunter's instinct to go for the big kill (although considering he works on death and estate taxes, that remark may be slightly insensitive). So when an old schoolfriend of his gets back in touch and offers him a position at his (the friend's) law firm - as a partner, no less - he obviously jumps at the opportunity. Well, when I say jumps: it's more that he reluctantly agrees, after being fired from his current job for taking confidential information out of the building (what irony, considering he was only pretending to work from home...).
In any case, Duncan finds himself back with Luke Ferris and his gang, only to realise that "pack" would be the more appropriate word, as these guys are all werewolves. Which is where things start to get really weird. Not only are there werewolves in London's legal circles, there are vampires (including Duncan's ex-wive), zombies and at least one more or less immortal shape-shifter. Without giving too much away, I can safely say that "more or less immortal" are the imperative words for the whole plot.

The best thing about the book is how it combines flights of fantasy (i.e. the werewolves and so on) with scathing attacks on lawyers, all bound together with a very easy-going writing style. Obviously, the whole idea that some lawyers are vampires or werewolves (and nobody else noticing anything strange about them) is already a only thinly-veiled dig at the legal profession; the book is peppered with remarks that make the werewolves look like the paragon of subtlety. Clearly, Tom Holt holds vivid and not exclusively positive memories to this time as a lawyer!

It's an easy-going, fun book. Great for an easy read, on holiday or after a hard day's work. Don't expect anything really high-minded, but warn people near you that chuckles will be emanating from you at random moments. And if you happen to know any stuck-up lawyers that think they rule the world: force 'em to read this and change their mind (that is, if they still have a sense of humour).

A rollicking read, though somewhat flawed. The author seemed to be preoccupied so much with working in all the fantastical details, that at some points he forgot to tie up all the loose ends of the story and make it all make sense (um, within the crazy world in which the story is set, of course). I enjoyed it though.
Onto the To Be Released pile.

This was left in the flat by DJGib when she moved out, so I'll release it instead. It'll be left somewhere in or near Next on Sidney St in Cambridge.