Cold Spectrum

Harmony Black #4

by Craig Schaefer

Criminologist Harmony Black is a witch with a loaded Glock. Her partner, Jessie Temple, is packing fierce lupine heat. Together, they’re part of Vigilant Lock, an elite FBI black ops group dedicated to defeating criminals with supernatural connections. But when they uncover a demonic conspiracy in the highest ranks of the government, it appears that everything Harmony and her friends have worked for, fought for, and risked their lives for might be a lie.

Framed for a casino massacre, Harmony and Jessie are on the run—in the real world and in their own. From the seedy casinos of Atlantic City to the steamy bayous of Louisiana and the imposing facades of Washington, DC, there’s not a soul on earth they can trust.

The only way they can clear their names is to take down the conspiracy from within and uncover the truth behind a secret that both the government and the powers of hell want to keep buried.

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Paranormal, Magic, Thriller, Fiction, Demons

326 pages, Paperback

First published October 31, 2017

About the author

Craig Schaefer's books have taken readers to the seamy edge of a criminal underworld drenched in shadow (the Daniel Faust series), to a world torn by war, poison and witchcraft (the Revanche Cycle), and across a modern America mired in occult mysteries and a conspiracy of lies (the Harmony Black series).

Despite this, people say he's strangely normal. Suspiciously normal, in fact. His home on the Web is www.craigschaeferbooks.com.

Reviews

[✘✘ Sarah ✘✘ (former Nefarious Breeder of Murderous Crustaceans) · Rating 4 out of 5]

🤫 We're Off to See the Wizard Hunt Down Conspiratorial Asses Buddy Reread (WOtStWHDCABR™) with the MacHalos and Stuff 🤫

Previous rating: 4.4999 stars.
New rating: 3.5 stars. Pretty sure I'm going straight to hell for this. A good thing my girlfriend Caitlin will be there to welcome me with open arms and stuff.

➽ And the moral of this reread is: what does it say about me that I'd completely forgotten about the Slightly Humongous Reveal (SHR™) in this story, I wonder? That my two ancient grey cells are decaying faster than I thought they were, probably. Anyhoo and stuff, judging from my original review for this book, it seems I was moderately super excited when I first read it. And now, I'm, err, well, um, NOT so moderately super excited. It seems. Maybe. Perhaps. All the conspiracy stuff got way too convoluted for my taste (and a little boring, too), everything always seems to work in favor of Harmony & friends (which tends to annoy the fish out of me) and the villains are kinda sorta cartoonish. But hey, now we know that Harmony is actually Sam the Eagle in disguise, so it's not all bad.



➽ And the other moral of this reread is: I'm no Harmony fan, but I'll keep reading this series forever and ever and stuff because a) I'm a Proudly Hopeless Schaeverferse Junkie (PHSJ™), b) the secondary (if slightly demonic) cast is the most scrumptious ever 👋 waves at Fontaine and this one Nyx and Nadine 👋 and c) hahahahahaha those dialogues.

Bye now and stuff.



[November 2017]

· Harmony Black You Finally Got This Buddy Read (HBYFGTBR™) with my BB&B Schaeferettes Choko & Robin ·

Actual rating: 4.4999 stars.

[Because this non-review wasn't long enough, I just added another fascinating paragraph to it. You are quite welcome.]

And thus the series named Harmony Black was most deliciously overhauled, revamped, rebuilt, reconditioned, redirectioned and generally revolutionized. Much titillating this proved to be. And slightly exciting, too.



See? This is so exhilarating even Darthie decided to do a little jig to celebrate this momentous event.

Okay, since I can't talk about all the game-changing stuff that, you know, changes the game and stuff—because Majorly Spoilerish Spoilery Spoilers Duh (MSSSD™)–I'll tell you why there is a slight chance Cold Spectrum might very well be the best instalment in this series so far and yet another Most Gloriously Schaeferistic Schaefer Tome (MGSST™).

① Harmony Black finally becomes the MC she was always meant to be:

Until this instalment happened, Jessie Temple—Harmony's exquisitely yummy lupine partner—stole every single scene she was in: amazing, complex, gun-loving, hilarious, badass, homicidal, with "the moral compass of a wolf on two legs in survival mode"…the chick is everything. So much so that my Most Wondrous Harem Worthiness Detector (MWHWD™) literally exploded the first time Jessie and I crossed paths. She is now safely locked up in my infamous High Security Wing, obviously a permanent guest of mine and is quite delighted about it, thank you very much. But I ever so slightly digress. So Jessie was pretty much the star of the show and Harmony felt like she was just a distant observer most of the time. Which, given the fact that this series is named Harmony Black and not Jessie Temple—as the most astute among you might have noticed—was kinda sorta not really coherent and stuff. I mean, I lurves my girlfriend Jessie to death dismemberment and would LURVE for her to have her own series—wink wink nudge nudge Schaeferistic Mr Schaefer—but by the end of Glass Predator it had become obvious that Harmony needed to change her act and reclaim her spot as the official MC for this series. And guess what? Mr Schaefer "pulled a rabbit out of his fucking hat" *waves at her boyfriend Daniel Faust* and tada!



More or less.

Harmony Black is center stage, where she always belonged! Harmony Black owns it! And is a real team leader! And accepts "the wolf hunting wolves" that she is! And kicks ass! Jessie is still my girlfriend of choice but Harmony is finally growing on me so hallelujah to our Lord Shrimp and stuff.

② The Most Stupendous Schaefer Chicks Clique (MSSCC™):

I might or might not be repeating myself here, but: Craig Schaefer writes the most amazing female characters in Urban Fantasy, Fantasy and Quantum Physics today. And yesterday, too. And tomorrow as well duh . His women are strong, but they are not masculinized to death, as happens much too often with female badasses in books and films. Their being tough and fierce and aggressive and tenacious and ruthless and stuff—which are usually seen as masculine traits—doesn't mean they have to ditch their femininity. And that, my Little Barnacles, is a little more than moderately fabulous. I don't need to tell you that this calls for a celebratory dance, do I? Oh, good.



First Darthie, now Morticia. Such awesome dancing support for this installment.

And you know what? The MSSCC™ is even more stupendous than usual here. Why? Because this is a 22+ on the Richter Scale of Female Badassness. At least. Because we've got the usual badasses—Harmony, my girlfriend Jessie + April— plus my mostest favoritest bloodthirsty maniacs demonic lovelies Nadine and This One Nyx, plus somewhat unhinged Mikki, plus a slightly awesome new recruit called Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler (not her real name) plus plus plus my girlfriend Caitlin of the beautifully serrated teeth!!!!!



Oops, sorry about that. Can't help it. It's the lethal My Boyfriend Daniel Faust's Girlfriend Caitlin is in the House Effect (MBDFGCiitHE™). No cure for it I'm afraid.

Oh, one more thing about the MSSCC™ and why Craig Schaefer's female characters are always so prodigiously phenomenal: Bloody Shrimping Diversity (BSD™), my Tiny Decapods! Whether black, white, gay, straight (to my Jessie's utter and perpetual desperation), disabled, nearly fully functional, batshit crazy, anal retentive, fashion designer addict, tie fetishist, human, demon, whatever…Schaefer's books have them all. And that is somewhat triumphantly magnificent, if you ask me. And even if you don't. Ask me, I mean. You are quite welcome.

③ A gruesomely gritty, adrenaline-filled, supersonic-paced ride this one is:

Non-stop action + amazing crazy insane fights with magic/guns/claws/knives/whatever ablazing + most villainous villains + blood & gore galore yum + liars and assholes everywhere yum again + shockers and twists and revelations, oh my + spoilers spoilers spoilers (lots of those) + more spoilers spoilers spoilers + oh bloody shrimping hell DAT ending and DAT epilogue =




» And the moral of this…Wait wait wait waaiiiittttt!!!!! I forgot to mention something utterly fascinating!! Okay, so it might have come to your attention that despite my very subdued fangirling, I didn't give this book a 5 star rating. Yeah yeah yeah, I know, I'm a thoroughly undeserving, ungrateful Schaeferette, shame on me and all that crap. Anyway, the thing with little Harmony's adventures is that I can never bring myself to give them aaalllllll the stars. Which can easily be explained by the fact that Harmony isn't my super hot if slightly amoral boyfriend Daniel Faust. Why? I can't really put my finger pincer on it, to be disgustingly honest. It seems that there's always a mysterious little something that prevents my deliciously serrated claws from clicking on that Filthy Elusive Fifth Little Star (FEFLT™). I think the near-perfect, impeccably convenient ending had a lot to do with it here. I mean, it was dazzlingly awesome indeed, but everything felt a bit too, you know, near-perfect and convenient and stuff. Which is highly suspicious, when you think about it *squints at Mr Schaefer distrustfully, dubiously and a little skeptically, too* Okay, the ending isn't exactly all pastel colored rainbows and fluffy bunnies (thank our Lord Shrimp for that), but things seem to be evolving strangely in favour of the Harmony Squad here. Which is kinda sorta very uncharacteristic. Which kinda sorta makes me wonder: what the bloody shrimping fish are you up to, Mr Schaefer?



Yes, I know, I should have a dermatologist look at that zit mole on my nose post haste. I promise I'll go as soon as I'm done taking over the world. Thank you so much for your concern.

» And the moral of this Watch Out Courts of Hell for Vigilant Lock 2.0 is Coming for You Crappy Non Review (WOCoHfHaJaCfYCNR™) is: and Fontaine shall be the cure to Harmony's legendary tight-assness. He better be, anyway. It's high time the girl got laid loosened her tie and stuff.

Oh, and by the way, this instalment in a nutshell:



Ha. Don't get it? That's okay, you shouldn't. Not if you haven't read the book, that is. You're welcome.

P.S. Fear the Kraken weird-eyed, twitchy accountants.
P.P.S. Bye now.

• Book 1: Harmony Black ★★★★
• Book 2: Red Knight Falling ★★★
• Book 3: Glass Predator ★★★★
• Book 5: Right to the Kill ★★★
• Book 6: Black Tie Required ★★★★
· Book 7: Never Send Roses ★★★★★
· Book 8: Snake Oil Bullet ★★★★





[Pre-review nonsense]

Craig Schaefer, writing the most wondrous female characters in Urban Fantasy, Fantasy and Astrophysics since the dawn of murderous crustacean times (more or less). You, Slightly Awesome Sir (SAS™), are Slightly Awesome. And, to reward you for all the hard work you put into this moderately delicious instalment, my homicidal babies broke their piggy shrimpy bank to gift you with a super exclusive 2-hour pincer massage voucher. Here's hoping you enjoy it! You're welcome and stuff!



➽ Full Little Harmony Black You're Not in 5 Star Territory Yet But You Nearly Nailed it with this Instalment So Keep Up the Ruthless Good Work Crappy Non Review (LHBYNiSTYBYNNiwtISKUtRGWaSCNR™) to come.

[Orient · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Penny for your thoughts,” Jessie murmured, her eyes on the elevator door as we glided downward.
“Just remembering who I am,” I said.
“Yeah?” She glanced sidelong. “Who’s that?”
I racked the shotgun.
“I’m the woman who makes the monsters go away.”


It all started quite innocently when my favorite Shrimpy Tyrannical Empress of GR (and of all the world, duh) mentioned that this book is out and to my great horror I understood that I haven’t read it yet! Le gasp, I know! Heresy, outrageous rudeness and so on…. Well, I could have guessed it myself (and asked for it myself) that the murderous crustaceans were to be released to help me and guide me into right path…. So here I am!




I am charmed and in love with this series for the fourth time. Yes!!!! Oh and I am gonna dig my grave deeper. I like Harmony Black series way more than Daniel Faust series! Here’s why:

Interesting plot with great action, conspiracy and stuff.

The plot in “Cold Spectrum” excited me as much as in the earlier three instalments. I’m a big fan of doomsday/apocalyptic storylines, entwined with some science (no space stuff please!!!!), action, mysteries and of course, great kick-ass characters in the lead. This is def the direction in which this story took me. The pacing is good and the story held my interest, it reads quickly as I just had small moments to inhale and dived straight into action. I know I ranted before that” Red Knight Falling” had a bit too much of “help us, the earth is doomed” and I wanted more attention to the magical side. That is not the case with “Cold Spectrum”. I really enjoyed the excellent blending of real world and fantasy, to the point where you actually accept the abnormal as very real, true life and live it with the help of Mr. Schaefer.

Memorable characters I can root for.


I just love Harmony and this team of kick-assers! Their personal inner fights, success, loses, close and entertaining relationship kept me hooked till the very last page. I love Harmony and Jessie. They are total badass likable heroines. Complex and interesting in their own way, they are down to earth. With or without their magic, they are capable of taking care of themselves. And what I really really liked is that Harmony and her team use their abilities only when it’s really inevitable, relying more on their investigative skills when saving the world. The characters feel real for sure with human weaknesses and addictions, real life struggles to fit into the world while chased by past secrets. Even the minor characters have distinct personalities. The villains are well fleshed-out, long term ones.







Characters, action and humor are the three things I love the most in this series:

“You set your own house on fire?” I asked her.
“Basic occult-forensic countermeasure.”
Jessie flashed a broad smile and clapped Aselia on the shoulder. “Oh, I think you and me are gonna be friends.



“I don’t have a choice,” he said. “You didn’t give me a choice.”
“Sure we did,” Jessie said. “You can do exactly what we tell you, or you can spend the rest of your life behind bars. Or dead. See, that’s three choices. We’re so nice.”



“It’s that time of the month,” Jessie deadpanned. “We’ve been working together long enough that our cycles are synchronized, and we get really mean for a few days.”
“It’s true. We get these hormonal urges to tear down corrupt corporations and send entitled billionaire assholes to prison.” I shrugged. “Women, right?”


Magical creatures and magical world in total.

I love the concept for this series, with magic and the supernatural aspects woven into reality in a way that I can believe. The fight between Good and Evil, with witches, shapeshifters, demons and so on added to the mix. All this is combined into a well written series with great characters and an evolving plot.

This book is a great addition to the series and I can’t wait to see what the author has in store next.

Jessie patted him on the shoulder.
“Trust me,” she said. “Until we show up, the party hasn’t begun to get freaky.”

[Choko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second time around, I actually liked it better than the first!!! I love these ladies, and I know I am in the minority, but honestly, I am starting to love the Harmony books even more than Faust! I know, it is blasphemy! But here it is ☺️!

Rating this time around *** 4.66 ***


*** 4.35 ***

A buddy read with the always awesome Sarah and Robin @ BB&B!

This was fun! As always, Craig Schaefer delivers an entertaining and addictive read. It was made even better for those of us who are fans of the Dante series as well, because we got to see Caitlin in all of her glory!!! I love Harmony and Jessie to bits, but there is something about Caitlin's character that takes my breath away! It was a real treat having her even for just moments on page.

The forth book in the series, Cold Spectrum takes off right after the happenings of Glass Predator, with some villainous players none too happy and holding a grudge, ready to ally with some of the other bad players, who are not their friends either. Our group of special agents have gone rogue and are being hunted across country from all sides. And then right around Ch. 13 and the following several chapters, all we knew about what was going on in the series gets flipped around and rocks the foundation of the Schaefer World! Another of the bigger revaluations concerns Harmony and her addiction to some sex-demon vibes... I feel very bad for Harmony...

We did get to know much more about our mysterious profiler, Dr. April Cassidy and some of her past, which comes out to haunt them in this book. It is a good thing that she is so beloved by all of her teammates, because otherwise she might have been left on the curve if everyone went by what was for the "overall good"... Kevin was his usual adorable puppy self, while we got to meet couple of ex operatives who were very interesting themselves. The plot was simple - start with the Boom and keep going until the next Boom!!! Adrenaline and action was the name of the game, with some unveiling of an overreaching arc details. It did seem like the whole world was against our heroes and it was pretty amazing they lived to see another day and for us to read another book:):):)

I truly enjoy reading Mr. CS's books and look foreword to them with anticipation. He is one of my read-the-first-day-of-publication authors and I would recommend him to all who like a good UF or a Police-Adventure with a side of Demons. You would spend some good time reading it, I promise!

Now I wish you all Happy Reading and my you always find what you need in the pages of a Good book!!!

[☘Misericordia☘ ⚡ϟ⚡⛈⚡☁ ❇️❤❣ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Q: We got back on the highway. Danger on our heels, and somewhere up ahead, somewhere too far for our headlights to reach, one shot at finding the truth.
Too far for our headlights, but dawn was on the way. (c)

Yet another installment of my fav agents dealing with the fallout from a senator 'backed and bought by the courts of hell'. How trendy!

Q:
Now, how about one of you little bitches uncuffs me? I just can’t wait to go and burn a few people alive. You know, for Uncle Sam and the American way. I’m feeling so very patriotic all of a sudden. (c)
Q:
“Halloween is the same deal,” I said. “The one night of the year that communing with the powers of darkness and trying to conjure demons sounds like a fun party game.”
“I’ve clearly been going to the wrong parties.” (c)
Q:
If she’s still alive, she’s deep underground—metaphorically, literally, or both. (c)
Q:
You know the old saw about the definition of insanity, right?”
“Doing the same thing over and over, expecting something different to happen?” (c)
Q;
“Every inch. From the Court of Jade Tears on the West Coast to the Court of Windswept Razors on Wall Street. Overseas, too. Every spot of dirt on the globe and most of the water.” (c)
Q:
Demons are almost as good as politicians when it comes to twisting words around. (c)
Q:
“This is crazy—you’re all crazy—but . . . this is the kind of crazy I can get behind. Fuck it, I’m on board. Let’s do it.” (c)
Q:
You’re good at being stoic. It’s your superpower. (c)
Q:
Jessie held up her hand. “I vote for explosives.”
“You always vote for explosives,” I said.
“You should praise me for consistency. That’s what my therapist does.”(c)
Q:
“I adore Howard Jones.” Caitlin clasped her hands, all earnestness. “Duran Duran, the Pet Shop Boys, Spandau Ballet. I could never destroy a world that had Howard Jones in it. Something you may not be aware of: I’m loath to admit it, but my people are . . . not good at art. We can appreciate it, cherish it, but we lack some primal spark required to make it for ourselves. Humanity has that spark. We can inspire you, though. All throughout history, wearing countless names and masks, we have been your muses.”
“Sounds like you’re trying to sell us on a kinder, gentler hell,” I said. (c)
Q:
Your species is quite alone in the universe.”
...
“Well, not entirely alone,” she added. “You have us, to keep you company in the dark.” (c)
Q:
“It’s that time of the month,” Jessie deadpanned. “We’ve been working together long enough that our cycles are synchronized, and we get really mean for a few days.”
“It’s true. We get these hormonal urges to tear down corrupt corporations and send entitled billionaire assholes to prison.” I shrugged. “Women, right?” (c)
Q:
“You—” He flailed, fumbling for words. “You started this fight. You came after me first, remember?”
“You were trying to unleash an alien god from outer space,” Jessie said. “So, yeah. We felt a strong inclination to intervene. We get touchy about things like that.” (c)

[Robin (Bridge Four) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sale Alert: Daily deal for 03April2018 $1.99

We’re being hunted by the government, the law, at least one infernal court, a team of satanic special forces operatives, a psycho pyromaniac, and the director of the FBI.[…]On the bright side? Things can’t possibly get any worse.”

My largest complaint in the last books of this series is that Harmony, the character the series is named for, didn’t really seem like the star of her own series. Jessie Temple stole the spotlight at every turn and Harmony was too Joe Friday to ever outshine her. Well, how the tides have shifted on that score.

Harmony isn’t as squeaky clean as she used to be. She has a few new issues in her life that are rounding out her character quite well. First, is a brand new semi addiction to a succubus. Hell doesn’t play fair and they use all their tools when necessary Harmony is living with the after affects of Nadine’s kiss and it is making her hormones pubescent and her magic skittish. Second is the luke warm romance is gone for at least this book. Cody is almost completely MIA from this book and that actually made it better. Their semi-relationship didn’t seem like it was going anywhere anyway and Harmony never seemed really into him but maybe just the thought of him. Plus Cody is all wrong for her. I’m holding out for a Harmony/Fontaine coupling. Last, she is learning how to bend the rules a little. I don’t think she will ever break them completely but she appears to be getting a little limbo flexible with her interpretations of the rules.

Just because Harmony has come out of her shell a little doesn’t mean that Jessie isn’t still a star because she totally is. I love that lady and all of her snarky attitude. I’m just dying to find out who would be the perfect match for her since I think she deserves a little lovin.

“It’s a sex thing,” I whispered. “Isn’t it?”
“C’mon.” She nodded ahead. “Y’know, normally I might check this out . . .”
“There are things I don’t need to know about you, Jessie.”
“My safe word is Oklahoma.” She winked and kept walking.

The plot and pacing for this was so much better than the last book. I had some suspicions of who Harmony and Co were really working for. I was right and wrong on this point but I loved this development in the grand scheme of things. What do you do when you think you are team good but it might be team evil pulling all the strings.

There are some awesome world building add-ins. My favorite was a bar called Dashwood Abbey. This was a place I’d love to visit.

“Drinks at Dashwood Abbey don’t work that way. You order by flavor or feel, whatever your palate is craving, and I mix something to suit. Perhaps you’d like something fruity and cold, something tangy and hot? Maybe something recklessly erotic, but with an aftertaste of next-morning regret. Something mournful, perhaps.”

Also I was extremely happy to see Caitlyn from the Daniel Faust series make her way into some page time for this book. That Hound is the best and really added to the story. She works for hell but does that really make her a bad person? Nope I don’t think so in the slightest.

While I really enjoy these books and the action is pretty non-stop throughout sometimes the follow through or resolution. Still overall it was greatly entertaining, full of some great twists and I loved how Harmony and the team are really working well together to fight the good fight.

We will just have to see where the next book takes us, but with the epilogue that happed in this one I think it is going to be a great ride.

[carol.]

Turned into a no-go. There's virtually no backstory and although I've read books one and two in the series, apparently things changed enough in book three that I need to read that. There's a very wide cast of characters that pop in and out without too much context (including Nadine and Caitlin, presumably courtesy of his other series), and plotting seems to involve a lot of double-crossing, which makes history more important. I was hoping for a quick, fun UF to break up my non-fiction, but that won't happen with this book. Moving on until I re-read book two and read book three, and there's a solid chance I won't care that much (curse Amazon and their targeted Kindle sales!).

[Gavin · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is no secret that Craig Scaefer's Faust/Harmony books are my favourite UF series(s) of the lot by a considerable distance. In fact they are the only UF books that I've read that come close to matching any of my epic fantasy faves in terms of quality and addictiveness. The books have a great mix of action, humor, mystery and great characters. The inclusion of humor should not lead you to believe these are light reads. The story can get pretty dark at times and the characters, while likeable, are definitely morally grey and the occasional bursts of humor and the moments of real caring and friendship shown by the characters keep things from becoming too bleak and grim. The balance is really perfect. Another big plus is that Schaefer has a really engaging writing style and has created a super cool world!

This 4th Harmony instalment was lived up to expectations. The story was as fun as ever. Harmony and her team continued to hunt the truth behind Cold Spectrum and what they found was definitely a bit disturbing! Nadine and Bobby Diehl also managed to cause a whole lot of problems for the team as did another familiar face that no one expected to see again!

Outside of that Harmony had to deal with a few personal issues stemming from what Nadine did to her in Glass Predator. I thought she was as likeable and easy to root for as ever and she was ably assisted by her awesome Vigilant Lock team mates. Harmony has always been a bit less morally grey than Faust but I never did feel like she was the one dimensional good girl most others paint her as and this instalment showed that she is willing to bend her morals when she needs to (or maybe just that spending so much time with Jessie and the others is corrupting her!).

“Penny for your thoughts,” Jessie murmured, her eyes on the elevator door as we glided downward.
“Just remembering who I am,” I said.
“Yeah?” She glanced sidelong. “Who’s that?”
I racked the shotgun.
“I’m the woman who makes the monsters go away.”

Jessie provides most of the humor and the crazy moments of this series (and she was great again in this one) but I feel like Harmony is the heart of the series and pretty awesome and kick-ass in her own right!

Another great strength of this and the Faust series is the villains. It really helps that the villains cross-over in both series. I think Nadine has cemented herself as my favourite Schaefer villain of the lot and and my favourite spoiled crazy demon princess had a few scene stealing appearances in this one. My favourite being:

“Piss off, Nadine. We know who you’re looking for— same as us— and he isn’t here. Cut your losses and leave before more of your men get hurt. We’ve already dropped two bodies, and I don’t mind making a few more before we go.”
“Bad dog,” Nadine snapped. “Dogs don’t talk. Give the radio to Harmony.”
Jessie stared at the radio, one incredulous eyebrow slowly lifting. I sighed and held out my hand.

Only someone as crazy as Nadine could say something like that with a straight face:)

Caitlin made a few fun cameos in this one and it was fun to see her through Harmony's eyes rather than Daniel's as it showed her as the formidable demon she really is!

Random Thought: I usually enjoy a good romantic sub-plot in my stories but feel like Schaefer has made the right choice to shelf the potential romance in this book. Dull Cop was just not working out and the Harmony/Jessie friendship works just as well for this series as the Faust/Caitlin romance does for the Faust series. Though if a Harmony/Fontaine romance was to spring up I'd be all for it. I caught the guy trying his luck in that regard in this one:)

All in all I loved this one and cannot wait for the next instalment of the series.

Rating: 4.5 stars. Rounding up to 5 stars as I feel like I do not give enough top ratings to Schaefer books!

Audio Note: I think Christina Traister does a great job with this series.

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cold Spectrum by Craig Schaefer and narrated by Christina Traister has the team in some serious trouble! We find out finally what the secret Cold Spectrum is! Chilling, thrilling, suspense, action, twists, and surprises keep the wild ride going! Love it! Love the consistency of the narration too!

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to follow (as it's Sunday night and productivity is at an all time low).

[Fiona Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally, Harmony Black is done with everyone's shenanigans; this is a book where finally the gloves come off. So satisfying! She's still absolutely determined to be on the side of right, but she's starting to accept that she may have to sacrifice some of her moral "rightness" in order to save others from having to do the same. It's an interesting conundrum and I can't wait to see where it goes.

The other thing about this author's books is the continuity - she must maintain one hell of a spreadsheet - and it's back in full force. There's the nod to the timing of this book, keeping it on the Faust timeline, as well as issues like Harmony's reaction to Nadine's kiss; there's no easy wrapping up with the end of a book. Love, love, love it, and for anyone who's on the fence about this author, 100% go for it. This finally lives up to everything I've wanted from urban fantasy, and when paired with the Faust series, it's sheer perfection.

[Alaina · Rating 4 out of 5]

IS IT OVER? IT BETTER NOT BE. I NEED MORE FROM THESE CHARACTERS!

Cold Spectrum is the fourth addition to the Harmony Black Series. I have been in love and completely hooked with Harmony and her crazy and wild life since book one. Okay, since the first page really. Harmony definitely had to come to terms with somethings... because she always wants to be right but in this book she had to start accepting that she also needs to make sacrifices. She can't always be right. Her morals always can't be right. She needs to sacrifice things just like every other person.

Now I loved everything about this book and Harmony's storyline because I wanted to know about her reaction to Nadine's kiss. I also wanted to know why it happened! I was hooked. I wanted information! I NEEDED THE DETAILS PEOPLE!

Besides Harmony's fascinating story and character, I am still in love with Jessie as well. I feel like no matter what scene she is.. she will somehow always steal the show. I love her comments, sass, and her attitude whenever she is talking to someone, about them, or just being herself. These two girls are the best partners ever and if this series ever became a TV show or a movie.. I would totally watch it hands down! I'm a terrible actor (I hate cameras.. and people) BUT I WOULD SO PLAY JESSIE!

Overall, I loved this book. It was amazing and fast paced. I was never dull. I was hooked from the first book all the way to the very last page of this one. I wish it wasn't over. I need another book STAT. PLEASE TELL ME THERE WILL BE ANOTHER ONE?!?!

[Mihir · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full review over at Fantasy Book Critic

Overall rating = 3.5 stars

OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: Cold Spectrum is the hotly awaited fourth volume of the Harmony Black series. This volume follow right on the heels of Glass Predator literally and figuratively as the main plot is set in under two days of the events of Glass Predator.

As the story opens, we see our Circus team huddling together and trying to figure out how to best survive and how to expose Linder. Things however are not going their way as someone higher up in their shadowy department is orchestrating events and forcing them on the run. Soon they realize their only way out is to connect with the sole remnants of Douglas Bradford’s team who have been hidden from Glass Predator’s virtual eye. This search will take them to Atlantic City via a detour to Portland (on the west coast) and finally a trip to the Louisiana bayous. Harmony, Jessie & team really are on tenterhooks as their own agency is now hunting them and the one of their own squads (Panic cell) is on to them as well.

This book is potentially dealing with the fallout from Glass Predator in more ways than one. Beginning with Harmony, after facing down Nadine and her vile powers, Harmony is facing a personal blowback to her powers. In the last outing she was barely able to control her inner self and find the requisite strength to do the needful. She however finds out that dealing with a succubus and the after-effects are a whole different ballgame. Unlike Harmony, Jessie is exuberant at her recent fortune of finding out more about her inner wolf and is ready to do what’s necessary to survive. April Cassidy and Kevin bring up the rest of the team and they bring their own skills as all of it will be needed for them to survive the nationwide manhunt.

This story is a crackerjack one and Craig had mentioned many times over that this book is a game changer and it is in more ways than one. Primarily the whole reveal about what Cold Spectrum is and what Douglas Bradford unearthed is fully laid bare in this story. Its mind boggling to say the very least and deftly showcases how much of a master planner Craig Schaefer is. There have been clues spread throughout the series so far and in this volume. Plus there’s the big reveal about everything so far and the answers we get are beguiling to say the least. I loved how the reveal ties into the grand mythology of the this series and it even clarifies a few things from the Daniel Faust series since both of them are so heavily entwined together. Lastly I believe this mythology will further enriched by further volumes in both series. I can’t wait to read the next volumes in both series however both of them are at least a year out.

The action sequences following on from Glass Predator are amped up as well, in this regard Cold Spectrum has more to share with Red Knight Falling. The atmosphere and locales change frequently and the action never seems to let up. In the last book there was a fascinating sub-plot introduced which dealt with the Hounds from two infernal courts. In this volume, we get a full resolution to that sub-plot with a wonderful cameo from one of the main characters from the Daniel Faust series. Plus Cold Spectrum also features a surprise appearance from a Hound of an infernal court who has never been featured before. So far each of the hounds we have met in this world have been very different from each other and this new hound is perhaps the most vicious of them all.

Another positive of the book is its pace which never lets up and we constantly are taken from location to location with wonderful action sequences in between. This book while seemingly darker than its predecessors (possibly scoring a tie with the first book for being the grimmest of the series) has a lot more comedy to it as well. Particularly with the scenes focusing on Jessie & Harmony, and I believe this (Jessie’s & Harmony’s relationship) has been one of the series cornerstones. Focusing on the chronological front, I believe this book is set just a couple of days after the events of Glass Predator and potentially runs parallel to some of the earlier events in Double Or Nothing.

This volume being the fourth of the series, we also get a look into Dr. April Cassidy’s life and this I believe is the weakest portion of the book. April Cassidy has been built up as this enigma and a brilliant strategist but we never quite get a focused look into her past. There are comments and insinuations but no dice with the actual history. I was thoroughly disappointed with this aspect. I get why the author might have done so for sake of brevity and keeping the plot on point but I felt that being the last Circus team member and having such a crucial hand in the formation of the Circus team and Jessie’s rehabilitation. It would have been glorious if we had gotten a deeper look into her history and backstory.

This was the biggest drawback of this book in my opinion as otherwise this book is pretty much a runaway thriller. It also sets up things nicely with Harmony and this is where my inclinations about her role in the cosmic story are becoming stronger and stronger. I believe we might get more insight about this in the Wisdom’s Grave trilogy and I for one can’t wait to get my hands on it.

CONCLUSION: Cold Spectrum is a spectacular conclusion to the first arc of the Harmony Black series and I for one am absolutely gung-ho about where this series is headed. Cold Spectrum is an absolute cracker of a story and I can’t recommend it enough. This series is a must read for those who love X-Files, Hellraiser, & a solid dose of dark humor to even out the grim edge of urban fantasy presented within.

[Ashley Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was all movement from the jump. I loved the plot twist (is it a plot twist if it happens 30% of the way into the book, with all that time left to fill on the back end?) and still managed to roll my eyes at Harmony & Co multiple times.

I keep saying I want to love this series, and I will, as soon as Harmony puts the badge down. I love Jessie and her vicious streak, but reading some casual police brutality while in the real world we're reckoning, almost daily, with more deaths of unarmed Black men by police, is... it leaves a bad taste in my mouth, to put it nicely. I appreciated that this book focused on April (and Ben, the scum). Cait's appearance was phenomenal.

[Kateblue · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wavering between 2 and 3 starts here . . . Reading all of the Schaefer with the Goodreads group "The MacHalo Asylum for Mischief and Mayhem." https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...

I still do not understand why these books are so popular because I still find Harmony cold and underdeveloped. I don't like her.

I don't like Jesse either. Never have. And Kevin is an underdeveloped child, and underutilized. I do like April. She's the only one. She could have Kevin's job as well, and he could easily be dropped completely out of these books. Too many characters, none fleshed out. (Some literally not fleshed out sometimes haha.)

It's hard to read four books, waiting to like the characters, and never liking them. The Daniel Faust books are much more interesting and fun. I like those guys. Even the baddies. Also, the Daniel Faust books are easier to follow. (I said easier, not easy.)

These Harmony Black books are so convoluted! (Thanks for the perfect descriptor, Sarah!)

I got annoyed here when, once again, Schaefer re-introduces characters and organizations as if I am supposed to remember them! I don't! (And I said, just recently, that Schaefer was better at reintroducing characters than Kadrey in Sandman Slim. I may have to take that back.) I was skimming fight scenes etc. even before I skipped from 56% to 85%. Why did I skip? You got it-discussion of some guy that I could not remember, without any intro.

And right when I was beginning to have fun, too.

This whole series is just too cluttered up with unmemorable minor characters that don't add anything, and whose roles could have been combined with others. For example those frantic phone messages at 56%, which made me skip, could have come from Linder! And then, when they save everybody, they don't even mention that guy. Or maybe they do. Maybe I already forgot his name again--but I don't think so. According to a McHalo friend, apparently he was in the 3d Harmony Black book running some company that I don't remember either. Nor do I remember why he felt he could call Harmony and Jessie for help. Wasn't he a bad guy in the last book?

I did go back and search for something I became aware of after my skip, the meeting with Caitlin, which occurs at about 74%. It was good fun, and I am glad I read that. But see, I always remember who Caitlin is. And where did we meet? NOT in this series.

At this point I have read all of the Daniel Faust through #7 and the first four Harmony Blacks. (I have not read the Revenache Cycle, which is supposed chronologically precede Daniel Faust and Harmony.) My recommendation? Just read Daniel Faust. Skip the Black books. You meet Harmony briefly in one of the Faust books, anyway, so if she becomes important over there, you will have at least seen her before. (Though you may not remember.) And since all of the HB characters are undeveloped, I don't think it will matter if you meet them all for the first time in a later book, even if they actually appear--I have no idea if they do.

Actually, as I write this, I am feeling kind of annoyed with Schaefer for being so arrogant as to think we love his books SO much that we are going to remember every single minor character from previous books. REALLY? Yes, I have always had a bad memory, but REALLY?

OK! On to Daniel Faust #8!

This is longer than I intended, sorry!

Good luck!

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Cold Spectrum (Harmony Black #4)” is a fantastic audiobook! The author ties together the related plots of books 1-3, unveils secrets that were teased about existing characters (Linder!), brings back the baddies featured in books 1-3, introduces a terrific new team member (Azelea), introduces a terrific new demon (Caitlin), surprises us with an amazing revelation about Vigilant Lock, and teases with further adventures to come!

Speaking of future further adventures, when introducing the Harmony Black series, author Schaefer made it clear that at some point there would be a Daniel Faust team vs. Harmony Black team storyline. I haven’t read any of the Faust stories, but crossover stories can be interesting when an author is excited about two of his/her series.

Back to “Cold Spectrum” - Harmony’s personality continues to develop, and she becomes less and less of a “by the book” action-focused super agent as she continues to battle the magical effects of Demon Nadine’s kiss. Harmony continues to prefer dressing as a lesbian, and openly lesbian Jesse continues to wonder about her, but “Cold Spectrum” is not a lesfic kind of action book.

Jesse continues to provide lots of great humor (her safe word is Oklahoma!).

Harmony: “either you [Kevin] find a solution in the next half hour, or we start shopping for explosives.”

Jesse: “I vote for explosives!”

Harmony: “You ALWAYS vote for explosives”.

Jesse: “You should praise me for consistency. That’s what my therapist does.”

Throughout “Cold Spectrum” Harmony’s team battles their own government, nefarious humans, and demons and their minions. What fun! Narrator Christina Traister continues doing a fantastic job, and I would enjoy relistening to the book despite now knowing the plot twists! 5*

[kartik narayanan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read the full review at my site Digital Amrit

Let’s see what they have got. Quite a mixed bag of talents! There’s the witch, the wolf, the hacker and the profiler.

Introduction
“Cold Spectrum”, written by Craig Schaefer, is the fourth book in the Harmony Black series. It stars the eponymous Harmony Black on her quest to defeat the demons who are subverting the human world.

Harmony Black and Jessie Temple delve further into the mystery of Cold Spectrum. They discover a demonic conspiracy and are framed by the demons. Now, on the run, they have to somehow survive and unmask the conspirators, while saving the world somehow.

Recommendation
Cold Spectrum was mildly enjoyable. Fans of Harmony Black will like it while others will not be overwhelmed.

As I have mentioned earlier in the review of the series, I think this is Craig Schaefer’s weakest character and series. While I loved the Revanche cycle and found Daniel Faust to be above average, Harmony Black feels more like a side character in the Schaefer universe. With that in mind, this book has all the strengths and weaknesses of the previous books in the series. It feels generic and the world building is the only thing that drew me in.

Read the full review at my site Digital Amrit

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

And the fun just keeps coming. Cold Spectrum is my favorite book in a series that keeps entertaining.

The plot picks up right where things ended in Glass Predator. Forced to question their own superiors, Harmony and the rest of Vigilant Lock go off the grid to get answers to questions that have been plaguing them for a while, answers that could change everything about their team. Their hunt for the truth takes them all over the country, stacking them up against the forces of hell, their own government, and an old enemy.

In this book we get the answers to questions that have been out there since the first book. Seeing those puzzle pieces fall into place was satisfying, as the answers weren’t given cheaply but fought for every step of the way. The pacing is frenetic, as Harmony and her team barely stay ahead of their enemies. There are several incredible action scenes in the book as well. Harmony and Jessie continue to shine, but I thought that April finally got her moment as well. I’ve felt that aside from Harmony and Jessie the rest of team can feel a bit flat at times but this book really gave April some cool moments.

The only real criticism I have of this book is that it seems like the tone of the series has shifted a bit. The first book started out as a urban fantasy thriller/mystery with some strong horror elements. As the series has gone on it’s become more and more straight up UF action. Which is fine with me, it’s well written and consistently entertaining, but it doesn’t quite have that really unique feel it did in the beginning. Regardless, Schaefer has managed to produce consistently fun and engaging books and I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.

[Bart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating: 4.00

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars


Cold Spectrum Harmony Black #4 by Craig Schaefer is the fiurtg book in a series that is tailor made for my likes. I cannot get enough urban fantasy detective stories these days and Harmony Black strikes all the right chords.

This book are has hot FBI lead agents. Paranormal story lines. A witch or two. A sleeping beast. Demons and things that go bump in the night. And more...

This story explores the history of the FBI and the paranormal. It is filled with major reveals, plot twists, and the closure of many threads from the previous books. Cold Spectrum concludes most of everything we have come to know and believe and sets up the series for a completely new direction.

I loved the characters, the writing, the world, and the story...

Awesome!

[Darcia Helle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unfortunately, this series has gone downhill for me, which is very much an issue of personal preference.

If you haven't read the first three books, you need to. Cold Spectrum doesn't work as a stand-alone. Lots of pieces from the previous books come into play here. In fact, it's been a few years since I read book 3, and I had trouble understanding what was going on here because I didn't remember all the details from before.

We don't have much character development. Knowing anything about these characters relies heavily on having met them in the previous books. Also, we have a whole lot of characters, which would be confusing if you're just jumping into the series. This was confusing for me, and I'd been introduced to most of them at some point in past books.

I did love the twist in the plot's direction.

The plot is action-heavy, so again, personal preference. For me, this would work extremely well as a TV show or movie, but I'm not a big fan of overblown action at the expense of complex characters.

The writing is quite good, as always, hence the three stars.

[Bryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Phew. What a ride that was.

Harmony and gang are back for another adventure. This time they've got the forces of Hell coming after them, their own agency has some surprises in store and Harmony's still reeling from Nyx's little "gift." Just another day at the office.

Once again, Mr. Schaefer keeps things tight and moving quickly. I enjoy his style and the way he keeps ramping up the stakes, even while solving the various issues at hand within their respective tales.It was great spending time with the team again. They possibly even picked up a new member. Looking forward to seeing what the fallout from this tale will be when the next book rolls around.

[Todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harmony has an odd notion of black coffee, sorry it doesn't include any creamer. Harmony, Jessie and their arm of Vigilant Lock have been fairly sure they're not working on the side of angels. In this book they clarify exactly who is directing their actions.
Some humor and plenty of action in this seemingly hopeless fight.

[Gina Berry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another awesome book in the series

Spoilers....

I could not put my Kindle down while reading this. It was awesome to finally get the answers to the realities of Cold Spectrum...and Vigilant Lock. Wasn't expecting that VL worked for the Eastern courts of Hell at all, yet it made perfect sense once all the evidence was on the table. I still think Linder's a tool, but at least now he's a tool in the right hands. I loved Caitlin's appearance and how she dealt with Harmony without mentioning their connection via Daniel. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens when those two meet up again, since it seems that Harmony & Daniel's enemies are connected rather closely. Seeing Nadine get pissed off was just icing on the cake. I know that there'll be another Daniel book coming out before the sequel to this one, and I'm curious to see what the Network will be doing on his side of things and how it'll affect Harmony & Jessie. Because seriously, if you've read the entirety of both series, it looks pretty clear that Harmony will have a role to play in the fight against the Enemy, and that somehow Daniel will end up on Bobby's shit list via the Network. Kudos to Craig Schaefer for writing yet another excellent novel, and I can't wait for his next one to come out.

[Daytrpa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.6

[Marylynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Already looking forward to the next book!

What another amazing addition to an already amazing series! I would have finished it the day it was released if not for the pesky responsibility of going work. I love the characters, old and new, so much, and it was lovely seeing a wonderfully familiar face from the Daniel Faust series make an appearance. I don't normally take the time to gush about a book, but I just love everything about it: The way the characters interact, Jessie and Harmony keeping each other balanced, the way the team is always there for each other, the wonderful imagery, the tension, etc. There was just one section that annoyed me, and I got over it pretty quick cause this book doesn't let you rest!! I already know I'll be rereading both series (again) to help fill my time while waiting for the next book!

[Todd Lindstrom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mystical Powers at War

Good vs. Evil with Magic, wolves and geeks added to the mix. Oh, yeah, almost forgot about Satan's minions as well. All this is combined into a well written series with great characters and an evolving plot. Thoroughly enjoyed the latest in this series.

[Nick Adamson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great series

The Harmony Black books are absolutely wonderful.
I'm so pleased that this isn't the last in the series.
What I always hoped the X Files would be.
If you like the Peter Grant series you'll like this.

[Isaac · Rating 5 out of 5]

And that’s how you escalate!

If you haven’t read the rest of the series this is NOT the book to start with. This is the equivalent of Goblet of Fire, or as I like to think of it; when the paradigm undergoes a shift and you realize that the world goes a lot deeper. Now I’m struggling with waiting for two of Craigs next books. Fantastic job Mr. Schaefer! Keep it up!

[Andy L · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best Urban Fantasy authors out there

The Harmony Black series is simply the best mix of spy/thriller and UF out there . With believable evolving characters and awesome action they are not to be missed

[Val Moss · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good

I love when one series bleeds into another. I was hoping Daniel would show......maybe down the line? Can't wait for the next one!