This is the second in Klune’s older series Green Creek.  I’d venture to guess that since his latest books have done well, the publisher thought it would be worth republishing this older series; and in hardcover, no less.  Quite a statement. I hope it was a good decision; I think these books should do quite well.  They are for the adult readers since there is explicit gay sex – you have been warned.

This series is about the small mountain town of Green Creek.  Most people have been there all their lives and the Bennetts practically own the area; although few know that there are werewolves in the woods.  In the first book, we meet all the significant characters.  The Bennett family, a family of werewolves, is now headed by Joe, the son of the Alpha Thomas we met in the first book.  The family was devastated by the slaughter of their family, including Thomas. Joe’s love and mate is Ox, a human whom we met in the first book. “Wolfsong” was told from Ox’s point-of-view.  In a freak and never-heard-of-before circumstance, both Joe and Ox are Alphas of their family; typically there would only be a single Alpha to whom the whole pack would owe allegiance and love. Other members of the pack are known as Betas.  But not every wolf belongs to a pack, for a variety of reasons; these are known as Omegas, who often go insane.  And, atypically, their pack now includes humans; also never heard of before.  Spoilers ahead:

At the end of the first book, the pack had defeated their enemy, Richard Collins, the rogue Omega who had taken Joe when a young boy and came back to finish off the Bennetts.  But that wasn’t the end of their troubles.  Someone had pointed Collins in their direction.  And the duality of Joe’s and Ox’s Alpha position is like a beacon to all Omegas in search of an Alpha; and they keep coming.

At the end of the first book, the two fractured Bennett packs were united.  We were introduced to David King, a member of a human family whose sole purpose is to hunt down and kill werewolves.  David had broken with his family but his sister led them and she was devastatingly bloodthirsty.  We also learned that back East there is a new Alpha of All, the position that Thomas held.  An Alpha who commands the loyalty of all the Alphas and Betas.  Michelle is the temporary Alpha of All…until Joe assumes the role.  She is trying her best to guide and monitor the wolves but she missed on the rogues Richard Collins and his assassin, Osmond.  She doesn’t exactly inspire trust from the Bennett pack.

The pack is still coming to terms with their two Alphas and melding the pack, which now includes several humans. In this book, Gordo, the pack’s witch, takes the point-of-view.  Gordo has a very complicated history, as well.  As a young boy, he and Mark Bennett (Thomas’ brother) fell in love.  But after Joe had been kidnapped, Thomas was forced to move his family back East to assume the mantle of Alpha of All; leaving Gordo behind, with no family.  A human wasn’t trusted enough, then.  This had been a devastating blow to young Gordo; bereft of both his alpha and father figure, Thomas, and his mate, Mark.  No one could have predicted how deeply the betrayal went for Gordo.  In the first book, the Bennetts returned to their land but by this time Gordo completely rejected Mark.

The two main plot threads in this second book concern Gordo’s and Mark’s relationship; and then the source of their next threat.  Gordo, a much older and more cynical man now, continues to reject Mark’s overtures but he does finally recognize that he is still part of the pack and welcomes their support and affection – from everyone but Mark. The threat this time continues to come from the Omegas as they gravitate towards Ox but present a very real danger to everyone else.  The pack defends but always attempts to capture the Omega rather than kill them.  But all their efforts are for naught; none are able to be saved so they are sent to Alpha Michelle to be dealt with.  But the stakes are higher now as some of the Omegas coming to Green Creek are apparently infected with something that drives them more insane than even an Omega should be.  And Michelle doesn’t know what is causing it.  Then both Mark and Carter are infected during a scuffle with an infected Omega.

Gordo begins to recognize that the infection isn’t biological; it’s magical. And the only witch that he can think of who would do such a thing is his own long-gone father.  Michelle sends her Second, Pappas, to help the pack but he ends up infected, as well.  With the evidence in plain view, watching Pappas lose all his humanity, Gordo and the pack are frantic to find a cure to save Mark and Carter.  But that may not be the most deadly threat to the pack.  Someone is organizing the Omegas. Someone wants Green Creek and is determined to end the Bennett pack.

This book was so well-plotted.  The book is both a romance and a thriller/mystery.  Some books might suffer from too much romance, detracting from the mystery; but not this one.  The tragic romance is absolutely necessary for the story as it defines Gordo, who has to be the savior.  And the romance was never forced; this cis-female was almost totally won over (I still can’t really enjoy the explicit gay sex scenes even though they are necessary).  But as I said in the last review, I can skim the sex scene and enjoy the other 98% of the book.  Klune doesn’t overwhelm me.

The mystery part was really well-crafted, as well.  The threat to the pack seems to be pretty straightforward until it isn’t…Klune piles threat upon threat until it seems there’s no way out that won’t involve more deaths. 

Probably the most powerful aspect of Klune’s writing is his dialogue.  He lets the characters speak for themselves with a distinct lack of adverbs, which typically advise the reader how to interpret the tone.  Turns out, that with this writer, those adverbs are usually unnecessary.  I can, quite clearly, hear love, anger and sarcasm without being told.

And when all is said and done, Klune has delivered a top-notch mystery and thriller for the gentle reader.  More importantly though, is that he delivered boatloads of love.  I can’t think of another writer who infuses his stories with so much love; and does it so well.

The next book, “Heartsong” will be told from Robbie’s point-of-view.  Robbie was a Beta from Alpha Michelle’s pack, sent to observe and report back about the Bennett pack.  I expect it will be just as satisfying as the previous two.  ~~  Catherine Book

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