Chilling Effect, by Valerie Valdes

Captain Eva Innocente, who is just trying to make a living as a trader without resorting to the illegal tactics of her family and peers, finds herself hunted across the universe by an ultra-wealthy warlord (because she refused his offer to join his harem).  To make matters worse, her sister has been kidnapped by a major criminal syndicate, and they demand Eva's servitude to set her sister free. In Chilling Effect, Valerie Valdes tells Eva's story with a sense of humor, action, and attitude.

Chilling Effect is a book for readers who are not too concerned with the "science" part of science fiction, but who love a rollicking adventure story.  I love the way that, in stories like this, a trip to another planet takes less time than it takes me to commute to work.  It certainly helps the story move along. . . . Valdes relies on mysterious technology from a mysterious, extinct race for the quick travel times.  A relic from that race factors into the plot in a big way later, giving other applications of the same technology to strategic and comedic effect.

A fun attitude, well-written action, lovable characters, and twisty plotting make Chilling Effect an entertaining page turner.


Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!