The Love-Haight Case Files, Book 1: Seeking Supernatural Justice

The Love-Haight Case Files #1

by Jean Rabe, Donald J. Bingle

Supernatural beings are willing to fight for their legal rights!

Since the Summer of Love, the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco has been known for attracting weird and unconventional souls, but things got even stranger when the monsters moved in.

Magic has returned to the world and with it a host of supernatural creatures—not just vampires and ghosts, but sentient gargoyles, ghouls, sprites, faeries, and more. The frightened citizenry, holier-than-thou bigots, headline-seeking reporters, and harried police refer to them as OTs (Other-Than-Humans), but Thomas Brock and Evelyn Love believe even supernatural creatures have legal rights.

Delve into their case files for a genre-bending mix of mystery, horror, suspense, thrills, courtroom drama, and romance. The city’s OT element is sometimes malevolent, sometimes misunderstood, and often discriminated against. Brock and Love represent them all, dead, undead, or alive—whatever the case, whatever the species.


**Winner of three prestigious Silver Falchion Awards **

for mysteries, thrillers, and suspense novels: Best Fantasy, Best Urban Fantasy, and Best Multi-Genre Novel.

Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Fiction, Urban Fantasy, Werewolves, Vampires, Ghosts

397 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 4, 2015

About the author

When I am not writing, I toss tennis balls to my cadre of dogs. My house is filled with books and dogs, you can smell both when you walk in the front door. It's a good smell.

I have 36 published novels and am currently writing in the mystery genre. My latest mystery, The Dead of Winter, was a finalist for the Claymore Award and is the first in the Piper Blackwell series.

I live in a tiny town in the middle of Illinois that has a Dollar General, a pizza place with exceedingly slow service, a veterinarian (good thing, eh?), and train tracks...lots of train tracks.

Reviews

[Katinka · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a world full of the unusual, Thomas Brock is a lawyer running a small law firm that specializes in protecting the rights of what have come to be known as OTs… or Other Than humans. And San Francisco is certainly full of them. But things are about to get more difficult and stranger for Thomas and Evelyn, the law student interning with his office, than anyone could have reasonably expected.

This was an amazing story. The surprises, as well as the parts that I could see coming, really kept me hooked and wanting more. I had a very hard time putting it down. If you like stories that focus on the unusual, paranormal beings, and well written plots in your fantasy tales, you'll very likely enjoy this book.

The one thing I will warn you about is that the ending leads perfectly into a sequel, and if you enjoy this story as much as I did. You'll be looking forward as much as I am to the next book. If you enjoy tales of the paranormal and unusual, you won’t want to skip this one.

[Albert Yates · Rating 5 out of 5]

I tried reading this book a little slower in hopes that another book on this series would be ready and out. I was not that lucky.

This was such a fun book of mystery, intrigue, and paranormal. I found myself wanting to know more about the cases and the people that they met.

The Love-Haight case files was written as for short novellas that tied into a central story about how one small law firm was struggling to gain rights for people who are no longer who they used to be, some may be dead, or undead, or even a troll.

I can't wait for anything else that these authors out our.

[Henrik Rostoft · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the style of Kevin J. Anderson Dan Shamble Zombie PI books. But a bit more action.

[Samuel Guglielmo · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really like the idea of the book (which is actually four novellas bundled together): two lawyers and a private investigator fight in court for the rights of "Other Than Humans" (also called OTs), which consists of things like ghosts, vampires, zombies, werewolves, gargoyles, and other mythical creatures from cultures. It sounds like a fun legal drama.

The first novella is the best, and starts with the lawyers fighting for a ghoul to be able to visit his family. Then one of the lawyers is killed and comes back as a ghost, and that sort of takes up the rest of the novella. I get the reason why, it's to set up the rest of the series, but it was a little disappointing to sort of get denied the central case.

The second and third novella are basically the same thing. In one they need to fight to save a building so the gargoyles on it (who are not considered people) aren't killed. The other they need to fight to save a vampire that is being framed for stealing from a blood bank. It's weird that in both cases an OT is the villain (the first is a huli jing, the second is a cynocephaly) and the book kind of dives into "you can't change your nature" shit, which sort of just makes it feel like Fantasy Racism. What bothers me more, however, is that all three cases so far are solved by the private investgator (who is a werewolf) beating the shit out of someone and then blackmailing them to drop the case. We never see the inside of a courtroom outside of the beginning of the first novella.

The fourth one is really weird. It starts with the discovery that a new law is being drafted that bans pitbulls, in an effort to stop dog fighting rings. The lead lawyer is upset by this, goes to a judge, compares dog breeds to races, then demands to be able to serve as the legal guardian of every pitbull in the city, which is so fucking dumb and insane that I don't even know where to begin. When this doesn't work, the lawyers decide to "just" take down a dog fighting ring instead. The werewolf shows up, says he thinks he knows where it is, and is wrong because actually he thought it was in Chinatown because he heard dying cats and dogs there, but wouldn't you just know it turns out Chinese people actually just kill and eat dogs and cats! Duh. Then right after the weirdly racist "Chinese people eat dogs and cats all the time!" thing, there's also the part that immediately follows where the werewolf guy discovers the people running the dog fighting ring are hispanic and says "hey my name is Paco and it was my friend Chico who sent me here to bet on the dogs" and then then the narration says "he didn't know if they were real people, but all hispanic gangs had many Pacos and Chicos so he knew it would work." Just insane racism shit.

Then they find the ring, the werewolf beats the shit out of/kills people, and then the lawyers go to the judge and are like "oh the ring is gone you don't need the law anymore" and he's like "oh yeah that tracks" and gets rid of the law.

Honestly fucking insane people shit. Glad to recenter myself and remember that, actually, books can be bad.

[Siobhan Falen · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5

What does a gargoyle, a murdered ghost lawyer, two humans, and a werewolf have in common? The law firm they work hard to keep together so that they can work together to seek justice for OTs (Other-Than-Human).

I found this through the Books of Horror group I'm a part of but I wouldn't classify this as horror. Urban Fantasy, supernatural romance, something else maybe? It was nicely done but if you're expecting horror, it doesn't quite fit the taste.

If you're prepared for something non-horror though, it is a fun romp through the imagination of what lawyers would face if given non-human cases. This was a bunch of smaller stories tied into one, and I'm not gonna deny, as someone who loves collecting gargoyles, Pete's story and the targeted attack on his kind, was sad. Not the gargoyles!

Anyways, there were things I enjoyed, things I didn't, but it was a cute take on what could happen if OTs came out into the light.

[Marigold G · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great Concept but Needs an Editor!

I love the idea of a ghost seeking justice for the undead, the preternatural and the otherworldly. But this book is in serious need of a good editor. There's lots of word for word repetition of descriptions and background information. It appears this is a series of short stories poorly strung together, with little attention paid to the story timeline, information the reader already knows and location.

The writers do a good job of making snappy dialogue but much of it is stereotypical of a new writer's ideas of what dialogue should be not what it really sounds like.

I'm disappointed at such a poor showing from two such experienced and established writers.

[Cynthia Kumanchik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Authors Rabe and Bingle introduce the reader to a unique group of misfits all working together to defend Other Than Humans (OTs)’ rights in The Love Haight Case Files, Book 1. I was intrigued by the supernatural characters that move through San Francisco’s Tenderloin and Haight areas. My favorite character is Dagger, a tough and persistent detective with a secret of his own.

A tragedy upsets the newly formed clique and threatens to destroy them. However, the stage is set for more mysteries to be solved and details revealed. This paranormal and urban fantasy keeps the reader engaged with a surprise ending with a lead into Book 2. Stay tuned for another wild ride.

[Lissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an interesting world these characters live in, when all forms of supernatural beings live right along humans. In the middle of the Haight-Ashbury district is a law firm that fights for the rights of the "others". Tom, Evelyn, and their band of quirky co-workers, take on the cases that no one else will, while battling evil from inside and out. Quick paced sub-stories within one novel, this first book of the series introduces you to a world full of good and dark. I cannot wait to read the next book.

[Milady133 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like Jean Rabe mysteries, I think I haven't read anything by Bingle, but this book sounded a lot like other Rabe's mysteries, so now I'm curious about his style.
Anyway, within a supernatural setting, these stories read like a procedural, the book is a compilation of novellas/short stories (where's the limit between those two?) with a conductor story, and really enjoyable, I hope there are more books in the future (I've just saw book 2, wheeee!)

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I quite like the mortal, ghostly, and other characters (especially the beer-drinking gargoyles!) in this contemporary (at the time of writing) fantasy set in San Francisco. The descriptions of the city are great! The narrative(s) are kind of disjointed, though. Part IV, Dogged Determination, seems like a separate book. Esther confusing.

[M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an innovative storyline, I loved getting to know all the characters, from Thomas and Evelyn, to Dagger, Gretchen and Pete. We meet a ghoul first, that Thomas is defending in a child custody case. The Law firm specializes in OThers rights, and meet all kinds of clients including imps, vampires, werewolves, dog faces, ghosts etc. really good read.

[Dorothy Lloyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

unexpectedly wonderful stories

Didn’t know what to expect when I got this series. Certainly not a law firm taking on cases for all sorts of odd paranormal characters. Love every person in the law firm and building, even those that aren’t the norm. I only wish it was longer. I love the cases they take on and the unorthodox way they solve them. On to number two!

[Rita Whinfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great concept

Really like the idea of this book. Paranormal people need justice too. I was shocked at how the first story unfolded, but enjoyed the tales. You will need to read it to see what I mean, you won’t regret it.

[Midu Hadi · Rating 2 out of 5]

An interesting world populated by equally interesting characters. What I liked most was the practical turn of events the protags decided on in a not-so-real world full of vamps, weres, ghosts, and such. It led credence to their profession, i.e., of a lawyer. I want more, which is why I'll be reading the next book in this series.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.8

Cute, but not made for critical thinkers. I personally did not like the helplessness of the ghost. Will see if authors can manage to modify that.

[Manola Dobbs · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Love-Haight Case Files

Excellent book. It has just the right amount of action, mystery, and romance. The characters are so unique and lovable. Very good read.

[Wendy Lord · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It is highly imaginative! I will never look at gargoyles the same way again!

[Christine Verstraete · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic tale of paranormal and unusual characters living in San Fran's Haight Ashbury District. Great storyline and a lot of fun! And a bonus fantastic new cover!

[Steven Paul Leiva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rabe and Bingle have done a brilliant job of creating a modern world where the supernatural creatures -- zombies and ghouls and ghosts and even stone gargoyles -- seem just as natural as anything else. Even to the point of suffering bias and prejudice against them just because they are undead and occasionally turn into werewolves, being labeled not-so-nicely as OTs, short for Other Than Human. But Evelyn Love, a newly minted lawyer, and Thomas Brock, a newly minted ghost who was a lawyer come into the picture as the upright defenders of the rights of OTs. In four connected novellas, Rabe and Bingle explore through breathless action, humor, characters to care about, and a pure sense of justice, good and bad of humanity -- even when it's not completely human. The last case ends with a big fat hint that there will be more to come. We have it on good authority that you can take that hint to the blood bank.