Black Tie Required

Harmony Black #6

by Craig Schaefer

Las Vegas, Nevada. For some, a neon-drenched playground. For Harmony Black, a graveyard of bad memories. But when your job is protecting humanity from the horrors of the occult underworld, you go where the mission sends you.

The annual TechTopia conference draws Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, big thinkers, startup investors — and the Basilisk, a former German Military Intelligence officer turned freelance assassin. He’s in town to make a killing, and his target could be any of a thousand potential victims. To protect their source of information, direct action is off the table: Harmony and her team have to identify the target and stage a rescue without the Basilisk — or his mistress, the sadistic demoness Nadine — ever learning that they were involved.

Stranger things are brewing under the neon and glitz. The elite of the criminal underworld are flocking to the city like flies to a rotting corpse, rumors of a secret auction are swirling, and the assassin’s target has ties to Talon Worldwide — a corporation with a foothold on two parallel Earths. Soon enough, Harmony discovers there’s far more at stake than a single life. The consequences of this mission aren’t just global: they’re interdimensional.

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Thriller, Crime, Mystery, Paranormal, Fiction

382 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 14, 2020

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]

➽ And the moral of this reread is: I obviously need to have my head examined. I mean, how the fish could I give this installment a despicable 3-star rating when I first read it?! Clearly, I wasn't right in the head at the time. Then again, maybe this is just one of those instances when my evil twin hacked my account and then read and rated a book wrong. It wouldn't be the first time it happened. Yeah, pretty sure that's the only plausible explanation.



👋 Until next time and stuff.



[October 2020]

Actual rating: 3.457256548896 stars.

Why, Harmony? Why can't I 💕lurves💕 you as much as I do your delicious evil nemesis, aka my most scrumptious boyfriend Daniel Faust?!



➽ Full review to come. Maybe. One day. When my great-grandchildren's great-grandchildren have great-grandchildren and stuff.

· Book 1: Harmony Black ★★★★
· Book 2: Red Knight Falling ★★★
· Book 3: Glass Predator ★★★★
· Book 4: Cold Spectrum ★★★★
· Book 5: Right to the Kill ★★★
· Book 7: Never Send Roses ★★★★★
· Book 8: Snake Oil Bullet ★★★★

[Fiona Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

More and more, (though you can still read these books as one-offs) context is becoming absolutely key for Craig Schaefer and these protagonists. Thanks to a very recent re-read, Black Tie Required hit all the right references for me, as well as calling back some familiar faces, and it all came together into some sort of chaos whirlwind that made for one hell of a read.

Usually I'll make some sort of claim to objectivity, but it's out the window now - I'm invested, and the last few books have really, really got me on the edge of my seat. If you haven't read this series, I can only tell you that it's one of the better urban fantasies out there, and it'll probably suit anyone who likes a universe they can really get lost in, UF fan or no.

[Milda Page Runner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crazy intense start to finish.
Harmony moved a long way from the straight laced FBI agent that she was.

[Mihir · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full review over at Fantasy Book Critic

OVERVIEW/ANALYISIS: Black Tie Required is the sixth book of the Harmony Black series and the second book in the new Harmony Black trilogy. Black Tie Required follows the events of Right To The Kill as we find the team still focusing on their main target Nadine.

The main plot deals with the TechTopia conference in Las Vegas around which swirls a rumour of a secret auction. To add that, a highly sought-after german assassin is also attending the conference and the team not have to find out who the target is but also prevent it. This is just the start as Harmony has her own struggles due to what Nadine did. The team is also dealing with the revelations from Right To The Kill, all in all things are crazy as they can be. The main plot unfolds over a period of 2-3 days and it’s as good as a thriller you can get. We get a story that mixes a lot of elements and ultimately it leaves the reader guessing about who the target is and what is truly happening. In this plot regard, it reminded me a lot of Jeffrey Deaver's The Coffin Dancer.

As with Right To The Kill, it’s the characterization that makes this book and this reboot of the original series such a successful one. While the main plot is still focused around Harmony, we get some important bits via Jessie and other characters and this is where the story truly explodes of the pages. The plot really shines a good amount of light on the antagonist which was a cool thing as the Basilisk is one of the most dangerous folks that the Vigilant team have ever faced and this is a team that has faced demons literally. Harmony and Jessie are the emotional core of this series and it's in this book their bond is tested and highlighted to its strongest extent. I love how the author has showcased them to be polar opposites in magic and temperament but beneath it all, they share the same steel and drive for justice. This book forces the most amount of change on Harmony physically, psychologically & morally. (this point is really driven home after reading the penultimate chapter). All of which feels mighty organic and is perhaps leading to some bigger dust-ups down the road.

As with any Craig Schaefer book, the plot is a twisted one with a lot of threads. I’ve begun to notice that in this regard, Craig is similar to Jeffrey Deaver who is famous for his multiple twisted endings. I love this aspect as even in this book, what we think is happening and what truly is the case is miles apart. The book has some clever and cool nods to the Wisdom’s Grave trilogy and in one specific case we even find out what Marie (the Knight) is upto currently. Suffice to say it’s a very knightly thing to do and I truly hope Craig gives us a story/novella about it (trust me you WILL want to know more).

The twisted plot ends on a big climax and I loved how it touched on quite few of Craig’s other series and for those fans (me included), this is one of the best bits about Craig’s books. This truly is a connected universe and it shows in the tiny nods, references & mentions (things like what the Knight is doing, the return of a certain brother-sister cambion duo and we finally learn about a particular black Hemi Cuda which has been the subject of speculation since about the last twelve books). The action is a bit more on the personal level and the horror element takes a backseat to the thriller in this book unlike its predecessor. This though is a great thing as this book IMHO takes it back to the pinnacle of the series which was Harmony Black (book 1). I loved how this book has taken this series to a whole new level. Book 5 was a revival but book 6 will really make fans notice why Harmony Black is worthy of a series.

On another note, I’ve to highlight the cover which IMO is an amazingly cool one. This has been another ace in a long line of winning covers and seriously a slap in the face of folks who complain about self-published books not having decent covers.

The only point that perhaps made my read a teeny tiny bit less enjoyable was the fact that while it touched upon events of the Daniel Faust series, we didn’t get any clear pointers about a certain Paladin-Enemy scenario. Things have been heating up especially amidst the events of The Locust Job. I’m sure that we will be getting a lot more with the next books in the Daniel Faust and Harmony Black series but I was hoping that there would be a bit more revealed about that particular plot thread.

CONCLUSION: Black Tie Required has it all, a thrilling plot, characters put through a wringer, a bit of dark humour, and an ending that will leave you wanting the next book NOW. Craig Schaefer solidly underscores why I consider him to be the best author that the urban fantasy genre has to offer. Of course he does it by bucking every trend and trope that the sub-genre is known for. Black Tie Required is one of the best books I’ve read in 2020 and as a thriller fan, I consider it to be one of the best thrillers I’ve read in my life.

[Lukasz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whoa.

Black Tie Required is my favorite entry in the Harmony Black series. It has it all: breakneck pacing, no wasted scenes, monsters, magic, and mayhem.

The team needs to take down a bad guy, maybe save another bad guy, and stop an interdimensional diplomatic incident before it pops off.

A few takeaways:

- Daniel will be pissed when he learns what had been done to his Barracuda.
- I need the next Daniel Faust book asap.
- Marie does Marie stuff, although we don't meet her in person.
- Harmony gets more interesting with each book and Schaefer challenges her moral stance without mercy.
- I need the next Harmony Black book asap.

Thank you, Craig Schaefer, for crafting such an entertaining and thrilling series.

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Black Tie Required
Harmony Black, Book 6
By: Craig Schaefer
Narrated by: Susannah Jones
This started out a bit slow for a Harmony Black book. It kicked up nicely a bit later with plenty of personal secrets between the characters. Start this series from the beginning!!! There is a target or person that Harmony and Jessie need to get. When the pieces come together, Harmony has to make a very difficult choice. There is a character that looks like a man but is a Basilisk. He works for Harmony's enemy, the demoness Nadine. Lots of action, suspense, and ingenuity to get the best of the Basilisk and Nadine!
Good narration!

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

I enjoy the Harmony Black series. It has some fun characters and there is almost always a good story happening. We are definitely at the point where you can not read a book in the series without having read others. And on top of that I'd suggest that you read the Wisdom's grave series too before starting book 5 of this series. You don't have to on that second one but it helps with a few characters and motivations.

Harmony is dealing with a few personal issues. Like she appears to be a little addicted to sucking the energy out of demons. She has a lot of shame about it and it will more than likely kill her, but no time to deal with that as there is a secret auction happening in Vegas for some unknown military type tech and Harmony and Jesse will need to infiltrate and get the drop on a demon Harmony has a personal vendetta against. Still Jesse and April know something is up with their girl and they want to get to the bottom of it and help her.

“Are you…concerned about how she’ll react if she finds out you invaded her privacy?” “I’m concerned about my best friend carrying a secret so heavy she can’t share the weight.” Jessie paused. “I’ll worry about the consequences after we get to the bottom of this.”

Harmony is sometimes hard to get excited about. She is very clinical in her thought processes and definitely the straight man in the story. Jesse is really my kind of character. She is a bundle of emotions and anger and channels it all into her job and finding the bad guys. They compliment each other well.

This is a decent story. Infiltrate a secret auction, find the tech in question so no one else gets it and if you get to financially destroy your opposition at the same time all the better.

The story has pretty good pacing and before I knew it we were done. Harmony made some questionable moral calls in this, but they felt like they had to be done and fit her character shades of grey mentality. The teaser at the end is what I really got excited about, what could be going on with our Harmony? Well I guess we will have to wait until the next book to find out but it looks like it will be interesting and throw her world for a loop.

[Gavin · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is no secret that Craig Scaefer's Faust/Harmony books are my favourite UF series 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 favourites 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 was another good instalment of the Harmony Black series. We got a new villain in the Basilisk (a lackey of Nadine) and some cool inter-dimensional stuff. We also got some progress with Harmony dealing with some of her personal issues.

All in all very entertaining and I cannot wait for the next instalment to arrive!

Rating: 4.5 stars.

Audio Note: Susanne Jones did a good job with the audio. I’m used to the narration change already and I think that is because I’m used to Jones from her narration of some other Schaefer series.

[Vigasia · Rating 5 out of 5]

And yet another great adventure with Harmony Black and Jessie Temple. I love how Craig Schaefer can create so many loose threads and then weave them neatly together. I can see that stories in this Unverse are far from over and every other book gives us another mystery.

Here Harmony, Jessie and their team are on seemingly simple mission that turns out more difficult than they thought. Except fast paced action we can see in this novel how deep Harmony's and Jessies's friendship became and it's good to see how they can count on each other. We also see (or hear from) some familiar characters from Wisdom's Grave trilogy and honestly I need another series crossover so I can see all of my beloved characters in one place. Also, we see a familiar car ;)

Well, what I can tell, it;'s another great job and really I can't wait for another Daniel Faust or Harmony Black book.

[Ashley Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A few bits and pieces felt a tad too neat, but overall this was a lot of fun! And the intrigue! I’m almost bummed that I need to read one more Dan book before I jump on the sequel 🫣 almost.

If Nadine is Taylor Swift (and she absofuckinglutely is), Hausler is a younger Liev Schrieber type. Someone call Travis Kelce and see if he can do a German accent.

And as sad as I was that we never actually get to see her, I liked the Looming Threat of Nadine too. Also looking forward to how things play out with Jessie’s mom. And bless Heather for reaching into the past to bring us characters we haven’t seen in AGES. And kudos for keeping all the various Schaeferverse threads going in the wake of Wisdom’s Grave.

Give Dan his car back, pronto.

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

Black Tie Required by Craig Schaefer is the 6th book in the awesome Harmony Black series.

I cannot get enough urban fantasy detective stories these days and Harmony Black strikes all the right chords.

This series 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 is the same world and often places of the Daniel Faust series.

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

[Dustin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This 5⭐️ is for Craig Schaefer and his ability to entertain and distract during this difficult iso time.

Also, because the Harmony Black books keep getting better and better.

Black Tie Required is a blistering, out of control locomotive, that somehow combines the best of espionage thrillers with Schaefer’s own brand of urban fantasy.

Most of the story follows the Vigilant Lock crew racing against time to stop a possible assassination ordered by Nadine sometime over a weekend in Las Vegas. Yep, Daniel Faust’s backyard, but mysteriously neither Faust nor Caitlin are around at at the moment.😆 Of course, things are not as simple as they seem, and we get cameos from other Schaefer stories like The Wisdoms Grave fam. Also, we have killer nuns.

Truthfully, I was getting some Harmony Black fatigue around Cold Spectrum but I’m completely in now because we are starting to see how Harmony might tie into the Faust “Story.” Also, Schaefer has done a masterful job showing how Harmony and Jesse’s partnership has made each one grow as a character. Let’s just say, Ms. Black is not afraid to make the tough decisions or spill some blood along the way. And Jesse continues to have the best lines in the book.

Needless to say, I’ve loved Schaefer’s stories for quite awhile, and I love how he drops in references and Easter eggs to his other works. Bring on the next one please.

[Darek Zawisko · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars

[April Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

These books, Daniel Faust series, Wisdom's Grave series and Harmony Black series, have kept me entertained during the lock down. I read them all back to back and am now at a bit of a loss....hurry up the next books!!!

[Derek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great installment in the Harmony Black series, can't wait for the next one...please hurry 😊

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun ride. I liked it better than book 5.
I'm a big fan of urban fantasy and a big fan of crime fighting novels. Best of both worlds here.

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Craig Schaefer has done it again for me. The Harmony Black series will always hold a special place in my heart (the first book of this series, Harmony Black, was my first ever Prime First Read). Schafer knows how to paint a picture from the very beginning of his books to get you sucked in right away.

Black Tie Required gave me answers to the questions I was left with after a few of the other books ended, and I hope I’m wrong in saying this, but I feel as though the end may be near for this series with how this one was left off. Mr. Schafer please tell me I’m wrong and that after book 7 you will continue to write more of Harmony and her crew. Or if you are planning on ending it after book 7, just lie to me and make me feel better 😂.

But I’m all seriousness if you’re into fantasy that’s set into a thriller genre, then do yourself a favor and check this series out. You won’t be disappointed at all.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like this series even though it leans toward horror and there's going to be another one soon. The title is Never Send Roses, but it's not on goodreads yet.


#JennyGuyColvin

[Wendy Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Harmony and Jessie

No better team than Harmony and Jessie . Add in April and Kevin and you have a recipe for an awesome, rocking good time!

[Hans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh man, Craig Schaefer is really popping them out like crazy and barely half a year after the previous Harmony Black and a couple of months after Daniel Faust, here's the next Harmony again. Basically, there's an action packed Urban Fantasy thriller to be excited about almost every other month and the best thing is, Schaefer manages to keep up the quality as well as the pace. Of course the man obviously has a plan and by now, all the series in his shared universe are connected in a way that you should really read everything to get the big picture.

That being said, "Black Tie Required" is once again non-stop action from the first to the last word and there is barely any time to catch your breath. The agents of Vigilant Lock are on the hunt for a human asssassin who works for the Court of Dead Roses which leads them to Las Vegas of all places. If you've read the latest Daniel Faust, which you really should, you know that he and his crew are currently otherwise engaged and don't make an appearance this time. There are some very promising hints to possible events in the next Daniel Faust though that make me really look forward to it. The New Commission pulling out in force? Hell yeah, so there really will be a siege! Of course the situation becomes much more complicated along the way, as connections to the "Wisdoms Grave" trilogy also come into play.

Also, Schaefer is finally getting on the way to resolving a subplot that has annoyed me for quite some time, namely Harmony's addiction to demonic energy since her first encounter with Nadine.
Harmony herself is not my favourite character in Schaefer's shared universe anyway. She is still rather self righteous and more insecure than any spook should be. And let's face it, a spook is what she is, albeit one that tries to cling to a moral code she can't possibly uphold and thus she is constantly justifying her actions with the greater good while still trying to keep standing on some moral highground. The fact that she has been lying about her addiction to her team, excusing this behaviour with the team relying on her and needing her ready for action while achieving exactly the opposite didn't make her more likable in my book.
On the other hand, there were barely any consequences in the previous books to what is supposed to be a crippling addiction and it all felt a bit like a plot device to make the rather bland Harmony more interesting. With recent developments though, Harmony might actually become exactly that, so I'm looking forward to the next book.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Followers of the series, be glad. This one is worth reading every word.

Oh, yeah, we’re back with the Harmony team and it’s good to be back. I’ve read the entire Faust and Harmony series plus the oddball lesbian trilogy that adds some important elements to the canon. Despite the author giving a fast and dirty ‘what came before’ as an introduction, I strongly suggest that reading the precursor three series will be necessary to gain context.

Books one of both Faust and Harmony are origination stories so I think they should be definitely read before any others. There’s a great deal of explanation of magic and what Hell is like, for example, in these first two books as well as what, if not entirely who, the players are. What for example, is a cambion? Even if you look that one up, there are more – many more.

In this volume, the author maintains his style, wit and clever plot structure – things I felt sorely missing in much of the lesbian trilogy. In all, I’m glad to see the stronger books being continued into this one and hopefully, more to come. Fans, this will remove any concerns you (and I) may have had about the two linked series.

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This wraps up the Harmony Black to date. There's a good deal of action in this intertwined UF world. They read fast with some vicious bad guys and a high body count. The magic and its monsters are also original with more than a touch of syfy.

The trouble with having Demons from Hell is the theology baggage. The villains in this story are so very evil they should suffer Hell's Torment but swept under the rug is the question of what is keeping track of everyone's morals and who sets the standards for what's evil. Especially as God is written out of the picture in the Wisdom's Grave books.

The Demons are also very humanized, if sadistic; so you have to wonder how another parallel realm could only just be in the business of torturing human souls. Seems limiting for an intelligent species although, in these stories they're running earth too with an evil eye for wealth as any 1% bastard.

But the weakness of the world building can just be ignored to enjoy the never ending peril the Feds for the occult, Harmony and Jessie, endure.

[Just Jese · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely didn’t disappoint with this one

This had the same problem I had with the most recent Faust novel, it didn’t immediately grab me when I read this until maybe a quarter of the way thru. However THIS WAS GOOD.
My biggest problem with the Faust series was that it was more of the same and little to no evolution of any kind. The characters were basically the same as when we were first introduced to them. Harmony and company never had that problem. Every book was something NEW and here we are at book 6 and were still learning and growing. We got several appearances from previous characters, an update on what happened to Marie and Nessa, and we finally got a bit of closure surrounding Nadine and her parting gift to Harmony. Apparently Harmony is something else.. can’t wait for that reveal, we can rule out cambion.... my money is on nephilim. Did I mention I can’t wait for the next book?

[Lisa Hernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another triumph!! In Schaeffer-land, my loyalty will always be to Daniel Faust, but this latest installment in the Harmony Black, Faust-adjacent series is fantastic! A solid blend of hard-boiled crime drama, high theatrics heist & occult nightmare. This latest story finds Harmony, Jessie & the Vigilant Lock team tracking down tech gurus from alien worlds while sabotaging incarnate demons! Not to mention a terrific cameo by Faust’s beloved ‘Cuda!
Filled with break-neck fight & chase scenes & extremely well conceived plans & improvisations, this series continues to get better & better!
Harmony has evolved from a relentless do-gooder to a multi-dimensional character with her own strengths & developing weaknesses. Her band of evil fighting misfits also continues to grow into a cohesive team with distinct personalities & skillsets.
Dear Craig… please stop teasing us with Faust & Black cameos & give us the cross over series we all really want to see!! You know you want to!

[Kateblue · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well, I really, really thought that this was the best Harmony Black book ever until the lack of an ending. What a ripoff! Mr. Schafer, you should be ashamed. I have not liked the Harmony Black books very well until this one. Daniel Faust's series is much better. But now I'm not sure I want to read any more of them, either, because I fear another damn cliffhanger.

And where is everybody?? This is in Vegas, and it became apparent that this is after the Wisdom's Grave disaster, so where is everybody? Yes, I know, you said they all left town. Not helpful.

Frustrating book all around. Mr. Schaefer, if you are hit by a bus tomorrow, you better have left some notes, so somebody else can write a decent ending! Or ANY KIND of an ending!

[J. Ryan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm a long time fan of Craig Schaefer, specifically his Daniel Faust and spin off Harmony Black series.

For some reason, Black Tie Required didn't do it for me. It may have been my state of mind, or something I ate, but I had a difficult time getting through this one. I had to switch to the Audible version to finish it. Otherwise, I would have DNFed it.

One meh book out of the six so far in this series, isn't too bad, and I plan to read the next one.

[Isaac · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good!

I first found out about Craig Schaefer by reading the first harmony black book. Then I found out that she was part of a larger universe and I quickly devoured all of it. There was a fairly large event that rocked the universe and I grew concerned about the future of all of Craig’s series. I needn’t have worried. These books keep going strong. If you haven’t found your latest quarantine books, I strongly urge you to check out Craig Schaefer. Bravo Sir.

[Melissa Polk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh. My. Goodness!
Cameo appearances! Resolutions of certain things that have been plaguing a character for a while! Reminders of people/things that will plague other characters for a long time to come! And a new mystery?!

I loved this book! As an author, Craig Schaefer can do no wrong. I stand by this fact. The man is a genius and his books having gotten me through more than a few rough times.

[Miranda Stokes · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid installment in the series...

But it’s getting really weird. Is too weird possible with this series? I don’t know for sure but the multiverse plot development complicated any sense of progress. I enjoy serialized stories BUT need to feel like I’m getting to an ultimate conclusion. Mr Schaefer doesn’t roll the same way and tends to make some series linger a little too long (the Faust series jumped the shark a few books ago).

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't usually write reviews but this book seemed out of order from the rest. It talked about events that didn't occur in the previous 5 books and what happened to the pursuit of Bobby Deal? I kept looking to see if I missed a book and as far as I can tell I didn't. Even Harmony's back story was different. Maybe I have the luxury of listening to the books one right after the other so I picked up on these details, otherwise it was an ok book, if it seemed a little out of order from the series.