The comic book chick

Succubus in the City by Nina Harper is chick lit for the supernatural crowd. Think “Sex in the City” for demons. Lily, a 3000 year old Babylonian priestess, tells the story with lengthy descriptions of her designer lifestyle.

Lily is a succubus living the good life in New York. She tempts men with sex and then turns them to ash. Three deliveries a month fulfill her obligation to Satan, who is depicted as a woman named Martha, so Lily keeps busy with her job, accessories editor at Trend magazine, and her friends. Lily and her three demon girlfriends, Eros, Desi and Sybil, are targeted by the Knight Defenders, a group of hunters who are out to kill them.

P.I. Nathan Coleman shows up to ask Lily a few questions. Her name was in the address book of a missing pharmacist. Lily is ready for love and a relationship. She’s falling for Nathan but can he accept the truth if Lily confesses her true identity? And is Nathan really who he says he is or is he connected with the hunters?

There’s not a whole lot of action. Clever dialogue and smart writing are Harper’s forte. She does an amazing job of painting a vivid picture of upscale New York. It’s amusing and effective, but too many details make the story secondary to the setting. The shallow label-dropping demons are not that likeable and the chemistry between Lily and Nathan is lukewarm.

If you like lots of girl talk about fashion, food, shoes, shopping and men than you’ll be entertained. Unresolved conflicts remain but the scene is set for the second book “Succubus Takes Manhattan,” which promises more conflict.

Publisher: Del Rey (March 2008) ISBN: 978-0345495068 Pages: 400 Price: $6.99