5 stars.
This book is awesome. It boggles my mind why this series isn't more popular. It's my favorite 2016 read, and I'm a picky reader. Also, even though this is second in the Hammer Commission series, it can be read as a stand-alone, though for more enjoyment, do read the first one as well.
In this book, we see what a shifter's interaction with an FBI team would be like, when said shifter doesn't do much to hide his non-human status (or at all, later in the book). I loved that nobody lost their mind, so to speak, when they found out the truth, so no hunting-the-paranormal-just-because, X-Men-style scenario. Everybody uses their brains in choosing how to act, and the FBI team uses this opportunity to learn about citizens that aren't human, how they choose to follow (or defy) human laws, and a little about how the paranormal community in general deals with their proven guilty folk, independent of the human justice system. The world isn't black and white, and everybody needs to understand, be aware of, and respect boundaries, both personal and professional.
The plot is quite simple, in a mystery-genre type of way. So, enjoy a good, not very complicated mystery, with federals looking for a serial killer, interlaced with the paranormal? This right here is a book for you. In a few words, serial killer finds young, beautiful women, attracts them to him, then does very, very bad things to them. One of the victims gets lucky with hormone-fueled teenage rebellion/horniness though, and thus the world finds out there is a case to be solved... before it's too late for the others.
We do see more of the relationship between the main character and his family, so there's a plus. Also, said family gives a hand in resolving the case and capturing the bastard, and also further educating the federal squad on "normal", law-abiding paranormals.
There are scenes from the killer's perspective as well, so that's interesting. It just makes it easier to understand that there really are people out there who don't think like you and I (probably, who knows who will actually read this review), and it played with my mind a little. I just wanted to reach my hand through the book and slap some common sense into that bastard. It proves how involved you feel while reading/listening to this book.
I fully, wholeheartedly recommend it.