The Criminal Lair

Hidden Legends: Prison for Supernatural Offenders #2

by Megan Linski, Alicia Rades

Return to the Darke Institute of Supernatural Offenders, where love is criminal and secrets just might kill. Angels, witches, shifters, fae, vampires, mermaids, and elementals fight for dominance and seek power in this new adult college fantasy romance series.

This series takes place in the Hidden Legends Universe, along with the Academy of Magical Creatures series, University of Sorcery series and the College of Witchcraft series. Each series stands on its own and can be read in any order. This is a full-length novel over 400 pages. Recommended reading age 18+

Genres: Fantasy, Audiobook, Romance, Magic, Paranormal

494 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 15, 2021

About the author

Megan Linski lives in Michigan. She is the author of more than fifty fantasy and paranormal novels which feature themes of friendship, community, and healthy romantic relationships. She has over fifteen years of experience writing books alongside working as a journalist and editor. She graduated from the University of Iowa, where she studied Creative Writing.

Her passions include ice skating and horseback riding. In her free time she enjoys dancing in the snow and drinking fancy coffee while at her natural habitat, the mall.

Megan advocates for the rights of the disabled, and is an activist for mental health awareness.

Megan co-writes the Hidden Legends Universe with Alicia Rades. She also writes under the pen name of Natalie Erin for the Creatures of the Lands series, co-authored by Krisen Lison.

Awards Megan has won include;

Best Fantasy Book of the Year 2019 by Once Upon a Book

Best Co-Authored Book of the Year 2022 by Once Upon a Book

Author of the Year 2022 by Once Upon a Book

Keynote Speaker at Once Upon a Book 2023

Best Book Friends (Ava and Kallie) 2023 by Once Upon a Book

Featured in the FOX Teen Choice Awards Gift Baskets

Two-time Reader's Favorite Five Star Read (Bronze Medal Finalist)

Winner of Amazon's Kindle Scout Competition

Reviews

[Devika · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Criminal Liar is the second part in the Prison for supernatural offenders series. This book has a lot more romance and sex than the first part, which made the depth and action a bit less. Even though this story knows enough mystery, it is predictable making it less good than The Villian Institute

[Barbara Marie Warner · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Criminal Lair (Hidden Legends: Academy of Villains Book 2) ~~ This second book had me completely hooked. Ava Marie is growing stronger, learning how to play the villains’ game — and Charlie, as much as he tries to stay distant, can’t seem to resist her. The chemistry between them just keeps building, even when they’re on opposite sides of the chaos. There’s betrayal, loyalty, and danger at every turn, and I loved watching Ava learn that sometimes being a “villain” is the only way to survive. The tension between her and Charlie had me on edge the entire time. I switched between reading and listening on Audible, and both were incredible — I felt like I was right there in that dark, magical world.

I would definitely recommend this book and series and can’t wait to start on the next book. If you want to know what happens next, you’ll just have to read this series yourself — you won’t regret it.

[Jay A. Aulds · Rating 5 out of 5]

Criminal Lair, full of secrets

Charlie and Ava Marie keeps discovering long lost secrets to the elvens people but worries about starting a new Supernatural War.
Oberi finally get a new form in this new installment and it's beautiful!
Marcus and Kallie needs to figure out how to mesh their lives together as warlock and fi/shifter which originally supposed to hate each other since the first war.
New characters being involved, even someone's brother. original characters changing their way for the better.
Will the team find a way to stop the war? or will they end everything as they know it?

An excellent installment for this new serie! So many roads to discoveries and recognizing truth and lie.

Definitely deserve 5 stars and kudos to Megan Linski and Alicia Rades! Hope they keep up the amazing work!

Can't wait for the next installment!

[Richard Goodrum · Rating 4 out of 5]

An unsteady paranormal & urban fantasy romance. Ava Marie and her friends continue to make progress toward solving her prophecy. On the other hand, Charlie was given more about the prophecy by her aunt, Mattie.

This tale takes several twists and turns, the crew undergoes many hardships. And then the story comes to a horrible end. Hopefully, the rest of the series will resolve these issues in a more desirable manner.

Action-packed. Easy-to-read. Entertaining. Haunting. Romantic. Scary. Steamy. Tragic. Unpredictable. Whimsical. Wonderful characters.

I received a review copy of this book from a third party. This is my honest review.

[Jennifer Lil'n Dunski · Rating 5 out of 5]

**The Prophecy Begins**

I'm not entirely sure how to describe this story without giving away spoilers!?!? I was not expecting what I just read! Its sexy, enticing, heartbreaking, yet shocking, cold, heartless....characters grow yet fall back, the story and plot will make you want to rip your hair out, just have some wine ready and be ready for the intensity that will have you reading through the night!

[Marianne Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m enjoying this series a lot and interested to see where it goes. The mix of supernatural beings is really cool (there’s literally everything, even a unicorn familiar).

Please be mindful of triggers as it does discuss some seriously heavy topics (FMC is a r@pe survivor, MC was homeless and often turned to prostitution to have a roof over his head).

[Véronique Laplante Grenier · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Criminal Lair is the second book in the Hidden legends : Prison for Supernatural offenders series by Megan Linski and Alicia Rades.

The book starts where the first one left us. Ava is trying to figure out the prophecy and her, Charlie and her friends discover hidden elvens secrets and about demigods. Really love the plot and had a hard time put it down. Can't wait to read the next book in this serie.

[Cleocutie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great continuation of the story. The characters get more complex as the story goes on and the plot gets better and better.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this world, I do not love Ava. I can say that by book three she is so much less annoying, but man it's hard. It is so much worse listening to a dude's voice whining in Ava. So much worse.

[Kira Moericke · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: please give us a story about Opal!

[Mari · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the story and the end of this book was heartbreaking. It’s not completely unexpected, since I already read the first series and there’s definitely a theme here, but it was still sad.

[Michelle VanDaley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 2 continues Ava & Charlie's thrilling journey that was very hard to put down. The story flows nicely with plenty of action and suspense. We learn more about the prophecy but there are still sooo many unanswered questions. I love the friendships and relationships in this series. I am invested in these characters and look forward to the next book.

[Nancy (The Avid Reader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Criminal Lair takes place in a prison for supernatural offenders. In this prison, for supernatural offenders, we have all sorts of paranormal creatures like angels, witches, shifters, fae, vampires, mermaids, and elementals all of who are working their way to being the one to lord over all the prisoners.

Ava is one of those offenders. Ava has a prophecy she is trying to solve. She must solve this prophecy if she wants to save the world. Ava has learned that this prophecy has something to do with elves and the best place for her to learn about the elves is in the prison.

Prisoners compete in fights at the prison. The fights are supposed to be kept secret but most know about it. Charlie is given the chance to fight in this underground fight club. Charlie may be blind but he has other senses than being able to see. Charlie hopes to gain favor by fighting, favors that can hopefully make his life and Ava’s life better in prison. Charlie doesn’t want Ava to know about the fights and definitely not that he is fighting in them as he is sure she would not like it.

I loved the closeness, the connection between Ava and Charlie. Ava loves Charlie very much. I understand Ava’s love for Charlie. Some of the things she says about Charlie being in pain I understand what she is feeling as I have said the same things myself. When she said the things she said my heart swelled with warmth.

The Criminal Lair is a very interesting and engrossing book that drew me in with all of its twists and turns. The twists just kept on spiraling out of control as each page was turned. The turns were popping right off the page, page after page, turns that had me racing to the end to see how it all turned out. Turns that gave me a jolt of surprise as I did not expect them. Oh man, there was this one twists that really floored me it knocked me right out of my seat. Well, maybe there were a few twists like that.

I loved all the magical battle scenes. I could just see each and every one of these scenes in my head as if I was right there. I could see the magic flying in every direction as the fighting raged on. I can’t wait for more from this magical world.

And as always I highly recommend The Criminal Lair to all paranormal fantasy fans. One-click your copy of this awesome book The Criminal Lair today for an epic magical journey in a world that has a prison for supernatural offenders!

[Rachelle Rachelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Super fun! I love my blind orphan baby boy Charlie so much. Ava has really grown a lot, too.

Very distinct characters, plot just got thicc, can't wait to continue.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

a miracle book as usual, all the love and praise in the world... I don't have the words to describe the amazingness!!! I loveeeee AVA!!! I LOVEEEEE alll the characters!!! they feel like friends.... the story is beyond awesome!!! holy shit I love this serie!!!