Cold Hard Steele (Daggers & Steele Book 2)

I've always been a fan of Forties and Fifties detective movie, and a good deal of what transpires in the first two novels in the series is very reminiscent of those films. I do like what I've read so far. My biggest problem with their world is the believability of several aspects of their society.In many respects, it's similar to the 19th or 20th century America or Great Britain except there's no mass transportation in the city (horses were banned because they poop). When the characters aren't walking they take rickshaws! There's no long distance communication, no telegraph, no radio, no telephone; young children are used as runners, and the most unbelievable of all, there are no weapons more advanced than swords , knives, or, Daggers' favorite piece, a steel truncheon (basically, a club). There are no projectile weapons of any type, no bows and arrows, no blow guns, and, of course, no firearms. There are armies and war, but I find trolls, ogres, and elves more believable than a fairly advance human society with such limited technology. It's still a fun series and I'm hoping in later books these glaring inconsistencies are resolved.

This is the second book in the series. I have read both of them and I have developed a serious problem with Alex Berg's writing. He is a lovely writer, intelligent, witty, sophisticated with a rich knowledge of language and character. But he has a problem which is driving me crazy. He is completely backwards when it comes to the subjective vs objective tense of the first person pronoun. He consistently reverses them.ie: "It was Shay and I's case after all." or "Me and Shay....knocked on the door" or "They scoffed at Steele and I." I want to scream at him, just remove the Shay or Steele or whatever other name and test it. Would you ever say, "It was I's case?" or "Me knocked on the door?" Or "They sneered at I?" Of course not. So please have a good editor clean this up, or better yet, test each phrase and fix it. If the writing weren't so first rate in every other respect I would just pass on the books and assume the author was illiterate. But he is not, he is really a fine writer so why does he do this everytime? It is not to provide color for his character who is otherwise both literate and well read. It is driving me crazy!

I enjoy Daggers & Steele's partnership, their precinct & co- workers and the larger picture of their world very much! They are all described in excellent detail, giving me a sense of reality in the whole thing.Their world tech seems to mirror ours in the 20th century in many ways. The characters hold the same feelings, needs, prejudices & loves we humans have felt since time began, so when you suddenly realize the guy they're talking about is a Troll, or that not only is Steele smart and lovely, she's also an elf... it can feel almost like a surprise! It's written in such an easy, casual style that sometimes, because he doesn't pound magical cliches into us, you almost forget it's a fantasy. As a 'full-on proud' Fantasy & Sci-fi reader, I was surprised that I liked this aspect of the Series a lot, it's a very nice change!His other series' are very different in many ways, but the enjoyment is still there, very much so!This is an excellent, unusual & exciting writer. I've begun all his series but not finished any yet, and I rather hope it takes a while to reach the end of all of them, because they are that good!!(Usually I race through a series to get them all read right away- these I want to savor slowly!)

With a heavy heart today especially...Nothing is more painful than watching someone at the end of their life because of cancer. Trying to look good, but after chemo and radiation ... you know the person is physically changed and they're in shock!! I know some of you do not give a hoot about this message because, of course, the cancer has not touched you. You do not know what it's like to have fought the fight or had a loved one who leads a battle against cancer. For all the men and women I know, I ask you a small favor and only some of you will do it... If you know someone who has led a battle against cancer, still struggling or who passed, please add this to your status for one hour as a mark of respect and remembrance ...Copy and paste to support victims and families affected by cancer.From your phone or tablet, Hold your finger on the message to copy and paste on your page. Please no tagging or sharing.

Much like Red Hot Steele, the first book in the series, Cold Hard Steele is a fun romp of a murder mystery full of witty, charming characters, tons of plot twists, and lots and lots of laughs, from snarkiness to sarcasm to dry humor. Seeing the world through viewpoint character Jake Daggers’s eyes is a treat. He’s a little bit less of a jerk this time around, but he’s just as amusing as ever.Genre-wise this is still a mystery/fantasy combo, but compared to book one, this one has a little less of a noir feel, possibly due to the budding relationship (maybe?) between Daggers and Steele. Not to say that a romance erupts, but you can kind of see where this is going for the rest of the series…The plot and characters are definitely the star, though we do see a bit more of the world and city in which Daggers & Steele operate. The mystery elements are great, with multiple reveals throughout the story. Highly recommended, and can’t wait for part 3!

I rarely give a book four stars. I enjoyed this story immensely. Although it seems a fantasy procedural, to me its more a police procedural with fantasy overtones. The fantasy adding spice to the story. It's also really funny. I found myself laughing out loud several time. I've read several books which presented themselves as humorous which weren't or were merely cute. Cold Hard Steele was funny without taking away from the story or action. Not an easy thing to do.I'm looking forward to the next book in this series and all the other books as well.

Good from start to finish. Looking forward to book 3

A detective series with a twist. Hard nut professional homicide detective (Daggers) with a mean gallows sense of humour forced to team up with a sharp witted and pretty half elf (Steele) - makes for an interesting take on homicides in the urban sprawl. Rickshaws are the urban transport mode of the day (no flashing blue lights) 'racing' to the latest crime scene.. If this gives rise to a picture you find quirky and interesting then read on. I enjoyed the series and look forward to the next book release. A fan.

The characters grow on you like good friends. Humour and mystery in the right mix, all on an interesting background.

Interesting series, a lot of fun and a different "take" on detective strories. Read 2 in the series so far, will read more.

Another good read. Quirky and funny. Like how all the characters gell together. Would love To know more about this world They inhabit