The Paladin by Ken Newman

Larry is an angel of the Lord... retired. To avoid final judgment and rather warm room without a view he seeks to make amends by helping humanity against spiritual darkness. Unable to directly interfere, he must use a human to do his dirty work, or as he calls them... Paladins. A lonely kindergarten teacher, Harriet Smith, dreaming of romance and an exciting life of high adventure, has no idea that she has been chosen... that is until she is kidnapped by a five year old, and reborn as the sultry, Maggie Black. Maggie is about to find that the world is a far different place than she could have ever imagined as she faces shape shifting hit men, psychotic witches, and four thousand year old living weapons of mass destruction. Fortunately, Maggie isn't alone, as Silas Cole, a deceased Paladin, comes to her aid, possessing the body of his murdered great grandson. Maggie soon falls in love with the dashing Silas, but finds that to save humanity, she must sacrifice the man she loves.


What I liked most about this book was its freshness, not only in plot, but also in writing style. As readers in this modern age, we are constantly bombarded by supernatural mysteries, etc. which while fun, tends to run in the same direction ie vampires, werewolves, zombies. This book is a bit different, which is why it made it a pretty interesting read.

The characters were well done. Larry, the angel who recruits Harriet (or Maggie as her alter ego is called) is hilarious, with many moments of dialogue where he has us laughing out loud. He tends to steal every scene he is in, which is a bit of a problem sometimes. We are supposed to care more for Harriet, and yet, we are drawn to Larry. The whole Silas and Harriet relationship feels a bit thin, it progresses too quickly. Silas, however, is a great character, with a lot of great history that adds quite a bit to the plot.

As with many books, this one could have used a bit more careful editing, just because there are, here and there, some syntax issued. It is not too bad, though, it definitely does not interfere with the story so do not hesitate to pick it up on that account.

If you’re looking for a fun, quick-paced paranormal mystery, this one is a good choice.