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QUICK FIX by Linda Grimes

QUICK FIX

by Linda Grimes

Pub Date: Aug. 20th, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-7653-3181-6
Publisher: Tor

Second (In a Fix, 2012) in the urban fantasy series starring Ciel Halligan, “aura adaptor,” meaning that she can take on the physical characteristics of another person. Even more useful, auras can be remembered and swapped with other adaptors.

This time out, Ciel visits the National Zoo with hot-hot-hot adoptive cousin (and adaptor) Billy and his 10-year-old sister, Molly. Precocious Molly may be an adaptor herself. But when she touches a baby orangutan, she turns into an ape—and can’t change back! Smuggling Molly off the premises while pursued by overzealous zoo officials proves a challenge for Billy and Ciel, as does concealing orang-Molly’s condition from her relatives. Help may be at hand in the form of James, Molly’s nonadaptor, science-whiz brother, who has a theory that the adaptor ability may be genetic and susceptible to switching on and off. But then CIA operative Laura, whom Ciel met in the previous adventure, turns up shot under circumstances that make it seem as if Billy shot her. So Billy’s arrested for attempted murder, although he doesn’t stay in jail long—it’s simple for another adaptor to exchange places with him. And soon Mark, the CIA spook Ciel still has a crush on from high school, shows up. Billy, who knows more than he’s saying, doesn’t trust Mark’s boss—clearly there’s far more going on than anybody will take the time to explain to Ciel. Will Ciel finally get herself into bed—and with Billy or Mark? And then James turns invisible, Molly's still an ape, Ciel’s overabundant brothers continue to interfere; everybody, it seems, wants to tell Ciel, who’s practically gushing hormones, what to do.

Not quite as much fun as last time, but it’s sexy and amusing and sure to please Grimes fans.