Under the Bones (Shadows in the Water, #2) by Kory M. Shrum

Under the Bones (Shadows in the Water, #2) Reviews

• 
  Montzalee Wittmann

  Under the Bones
  (Shadows in the Water #2)
  by Kory M. Shrum
  Lou is a gal that can slide through shadows and travel that way. She can also visit a shore where creatures lurk. Ones that she has come to befriend. She brings the creature bodies of drug runners and drug lords, murderers and other human monsters to feast on.
  But she has a strange relationship with one of the bosses, Konstantine.
  Her aunt is dying too. Life is getting complicated.
  This is so good! Not as good as book one but still pretty darn good!
• 
  Rosemary

  Under the Bones - a review by Rosemary Kenny
  
  Following in the intrepid footsteps of her late father, Lou Thorne is a paranormally-powered vigilante, with an arsenal of weapons and the ability to 'slip' through space and rematerialise where she desires without being seen to do so, in this new psychological thriller from Queen of the
  Night-world, Kory M Shrum.
  
  Though only killing evil-doers when necessary, Lou gives the benefit of the doubt (and medical assistance) to the wounded villain Konstantine, who's the favored 'son' of Mob capo 'The Padre', which drives his actual son Nico into a murderous rage.
  
  A many-threaded literary tapestry is skillfully woven in Under the Bones and the conclusion will both thrill and enchant the reader. Not to be missed!
• 
  Jerrie

  So I have always enjoyed all of the books Kory has written. She has become one of my favorite authors. When I started this book for whatever reason I was having a hard time with it. I'm not sure what it was about it but I couldn't get into the story like normal. Of course being a book by Kory I continued it and am so glad I did. Once I got through the first several chapters I was once again pulled into the book and completely enjoyed it. Like all of her books I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good action story.
• 
  Phthon

  That was just incredible! Kory Shrum knows how to write! I loved this book even more than the first one and I can’t wait to see what she offers us next!
• 
  Cath

  This is the second book in the series of Lou Thorne Thrillers (Shadows in the Water) and follows Louie Thorne (goes by Lou) as she stays in the darkness or even water to hunt down her prey. If you have read book one, you would know that her parents were killed and she is seeking revenge against those on the list of people and their associates that had anything to do with their deaths.
  
  She is really good at killing and hunts down only those that deserve it. But now she has the problem of her only family member, an Aunt Lucy, dying from cancer. She is the aunt who brought her up after her parent’s murder and taught her about her gift. She has am almost magical skill to go where she needs in an instant, but I don’t want to ruin what she can actually do and where she ends up with her kills – that’s for readers to discover – but it brings a great twist of magic, sci-fi and even fantasy creatures to the story.
  
  The only visitor to her aunt is Robert King, an old love interest and former DEA colleague of Lucy’s dead husband Jack. Lou finds it hard to visit the hospital due to all the fake light flooding everywhere. So avoids it as much as possible. Lou’s dying aunt Lucy makes a dying wish she wants Lou to keep. This makes her have to decide which to follow, her main desire to kill bad guys or a promise to her aunt, who won’t be around for much longer.
  
  Then she feels a call to an enemy of hers, Konstantine, the illegitimate son of the crime lord who killed her parents. He belongs to a gang called Ravengers, who run crime in Florence and further and has taken over after his ‘father’ died, leaving the former crime lords legitimate son, Nico, who was passed over by his own father and exiled, as an enemy for life. For Konstantine to stay alive then he has to place his trust in Lou, who has already tried to kill him in the past.
  
  A great read, which brings in a phenomenon called ‘slipping’, which I shall leave you to find out about, but gives a nice trait to the main character and her main line of work, as she would call it. Lou has to deal with difficult and emotional pressures in this book and this adds some extra depth to her character. You just keep on reading as you wait to see what will happen next and who is going to be the next in danger and who will be actually willing to help Lou in her quest.
  
  I received an ARC copy of this book from the author and have most recently read their book, Welcome to Castle Cove which was another fantastic book to read, with lots of twists and surprises to keep your attention. An author who knows how to keep readers interested and always wanting to come back for more. I can’t wait for their next book. I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
• 
  Marjorie

  This is a series that needs to be read in order, yes there are flashbacks to help a reader new to this world out but they don't start until halfway through the book and may leave you a bit confused if you haven't read the first one. Be warned though, this second book really isn't a patch on the first one.
  
  By now I think we understand that when Lou moves in to a dark area she can transport herself to anywhere in the world she wants - and even to another world. At least once every chapter told from Lou's perspective we get retold this bit of information and it started to really, really irritate me. There is also little to nothing in the way of character progression in this book. Lou starts the book as a murderous machine and ends it as a murderous machine that may be about to acknowledge she has feelings for more than just her Aunt. King is an alcoholic ex-cop who is really put through the emotional wringer in this novel, unfortunately he comes out the other side as an alcoholic ex-cop. Konstantine might be the kingpin of a well organised cadre of thieves, murderers and drug dealers but he is at least in touch with his emotions; sadly this doesn't give you much room for manoeuver with his character. There are then a few supporting artistes thrown in to the mix that have one character trait that defines them and that is it, all she wrote, so they feel cartoonish.
  
  Whilst the ending is explosive and has a few surprises in it, I couldn't help but be reminded of the end of Scarface and it did have a set piece feel to it rather than a natural conclusion to this particular thread. There is a plenty of action and some touching downtime spent with Lucy but, on the whole I found it rather a frustrating read and was more than happy to just dip in and out of it.
• 
  Carolyn McBride

  I loved this book even more than I loved #1. It was fast paced, had a great human element, and did I mention Jabbers becomes a little more likeable? Kory layers even more of Louie's motivation and backstory into this novel, as well as her current...alliance (?) with Konstantine. There is action here, and a lot of it. There is justice, vengeance and near-perfect justice. This book, this series, is unlike anything else I have ever read. And in my 50 years of life, I've read a lot more than I've listed on Goodreads.
  
  This series is listed as paranormal because of Louie's gift. It is listed as action (or should be) because of Louie's brand of justice. It should be considered a classic because of Kory's ability to suck her readers in and not let go until the very end. To say her characters are realistic and well-drawn isn't the whole truth. They are so real you feel like you could sit down and have coffee with them. Well...maybe not Louie. She's not the type to sit down and swap gossip over a cup. You'd be best not to get her angry at you. Each important character in the Louie-verse, as I call it, has so much depth and so many nuances that you can't help but form some sort of connection with them. Even Konstantine.
  
  This book, this series, is multi-faceted, unforgettable and exquisite in its grip.
  If you enjoy paranormal, YOU SHOULD READ THIS SERIES!
• 
  Kristine

  4.5 Stars
  
  Book 2 in this series was just as good as book 1. I'm beginning to worry a little about myself because I find that I am really rooting for a woman who is definitely quite a killer. She really is quite good at it and doesn't seem to have much in the way of a conscience. But, that's the thing. I think she is much more than what we have seen so far and I like the way the author is unpeeling her little by little. (and by that, I mean that at this rate, this is going to be a long process!) We see just a smidge with the situation with Lucy. Also, King is the character that I think we see the most growth in during this book.
  
  There is a little - and I do mean little - bit of progress between Konstantine and Lou but not nearly enough for my liking. I wonder how long we are going to have to wait to see what does or does not develop between the two. My heart just melts with the effort he goes to to help her, without trying to let her know. He is so afraid of doing anything to scare her off - what an unusual dynamic.
  
  Anyway - there is lots and lots of action. Many, many deaths, and an interesting storyline underneath it all. This only gets me excited to continue onward to the next book in the series.
• 
  Kaye

  TAPPING OUT!!!
  This is one suspense filled, action packed, thrilling, page turning read that hooks you from the start and reels you in for the duration. It takes you from one adventure to another with a strong female lead thats as bad a** as she is dangerous. The characters are intriguing, complex and realistic. The two main characters has an undeniable attraction to one another but the female fights it. A great balance of personalities that fit with their roles seemlessly. The scenes were so vividly detailed and descriptive that it gives the illusion you were right there in the middle of ground zero with them. Twists and turns abound with nerve racking fervor and unquenchable blood lust. Kory draws you into his imagination and weaves a world around you until everything else ceases to exist. Awesome job Kory, thanks for sharing this remarkable read with us.
• 
  Julie Evans

  Loved this book just as much as the first! Felt it was complete enough also, with room for more in future books. Lou is a complicated character with a complicated life and some uncertain feelings. She also is BAD ASS! The supporting cast of characters for her are all lovable and described in great detail. This book should be read second as the character plots are built upon, but not absolutely necessary for total enjoyment. As unusual as it is for me, I just finished re-reading both the books in this series because I love the drama, characters, and story so much. The bit of sci-fi might not have been what I first seek out, but here is totally works. Just let the imagination go and enjoy! Kory keeps knocking it out of the park!
• 
  Stan Hutchings

  Read "Shadows in the Water" first. The sequel starts soon after the first book, with Lucy dying of cancer, King by her side. Lou rescues Konstantine from a hostile takeover led by Nico, leaving many of Nico's men dead. She ends up bringing Konstantine back to heal his multiple wounds instead of killing him. Lou's feelings toward Konstantine remain ambiguous. Later, Lou returns from a mission almost dead, and Konstantine helps her regain her strength. Regrets for lost time and opportunities wrack King. Lou has trouble deciding whether Konstantine is a friend or enemy. The book ends with the final showdown between Konstantine and Nico, a bloody massacre with plenty of violence, blood, gore and in-the-nick-of-time rescues (so there will be a sequel: "Danse Macabre").
• 
  Bec

  While Kory Shrum's first entry into this series is absolutely brilliant, her second, Under the Bones, is even better, IMHO. These supernatural suspense thrillers are not stand alone novels, so it's best if you read them in order.
  
  I know that the 6th book of this series has just been released, so you'll have hours and hours of non-stop action as Louie Thorne and friends apply their own brand of justice to known criminals, most of whom have escaped prison because of bribes and high connections within the criminal justice system.
  
  You don't have enough money to buy off Louie once she has you on her elimination list!
• 
  Phyllis E. Strode

  Compelling
  
  This is the second book in a series about a woman (Lou) born with a unique “gift” that she uses with a vengeance to fight drug lords. It is a graphic, violent and compelling read. As the author reveals glimpses into Lou’s traumatic past, readers are also given a peek into a very mysterious supernatural world that she is able to access through her talent. There are many avenues and interesting characters for future books in this series.
  
  Heads up: There is a lot of graphic language, violence and death.
• 
  Thomas S. Iversen

  Italian mafia story meets american heroine...
  
  Kory M. Shrum knows how to write a good story. Thats for sure. Under the bones is the second book about Lou Thorne a dangerous heroine that is on a vendetta to clean up thia world... In very morally questionable ways..
  
  The story is a very entertaining mix of action, humor, life, love and grotesque way of cleaning the world of bad influences. A solid 5 from Denmark to Kory.
• 
  Angela

  Lou seems like she should be an unlikable character, with her cold, ruthless, killer tendencies--but I can't help but love her to pieces. There's a tenderness in her memories and family connections, and a dark humor to her severity that tickles me. "Do you know how many dead bodies have been in that tub?" Konstantine has really grown on me, too. Of course, King and Lucy make this read bittersweet.
• 
  Jodie Scales

  I am burning through these books too fast. I love the gritty, sarcastic writing. This is a must read series for urban fantasy readers who love the developing character relationships and being fed just enough of the fantasy element to want to keep learning more. Well written, well paced fun reads.
• 
  Erlinda

  Under the bones. Lou Thorne
  
  I am really enjoying this series. If you like a little magic to your stories this one will do it. Not so much “magic” as supernatural, but it has enough and it’s different, so this series is enjoyable.
• 
  Monte Hickman

  Lou will win you over!
  
  When I first heard of Lou and her talents, I was skeptical, but she won me over. Talents like her's could come in handy. This is a very good read, in my opinion, especially if you like strong female protagonists.