Madhouse (Cal Leandros Book 3)

Madhouse is book three of the Cal Leandros series. In this book Cal and Niko face a new threat in New York City, Sawney Beane come back to life. In this manifestation Beane is a redcap who killed hundreds of people with a band of followers in Scotland before being hunted down by an army and burned at the stake. His ashes were on display at the MET, for a horror exhibit which featured Jack the Ripper and others. Somehow his body way resurrected and he escaped to once again prey on travelers. Only for him NYC is great because everyone is a "traveler" and so everyone is fair game for his next meal.On top of hunting down the insane mass murderer the brother's friend Robin Goodfellow is being hunted by assassins and is barely staying ahead of them. Robin won't tell them whose behind it. Cal suffers nasty side effects from "traveling" (his version of teleporting) in order to save Robin. The brothers make an alliance with a Central Park boggle and some werewolves to hunt Sawney. Several attempts fail to inflict damage on Sawney, and leave Cal with a huge hole in his chest from being bitten. Enter the werewolf Delilah. I wasn't such a fan of the "Cal getting laid" subplot, but it was there. I was much more interested in who was trying to kill Robin.In the end the four main characters (Cal, Niko, Rob, and Promise) come up with one final plan to try. It involves explosive bullets, Cal as the bait, and a flamethrower. Cal finally overcomes his inability to travel and is able to fight Sawney in an almost even fight. The resolution of Robin's story line wasn't as exciting as it could have been, but the person behind it all made sense.Lots of bodies and body parts hanging around at Sawney's hideout. A good solid book with a fast moving if gruesome plot. Not recommended for those who don't like a bit of horror and a lot of violence.

I really enjoyed the first two books of this series. Thankfully the author keeps the quality, and the adrenaline, high for this third installment. While I felt Moonshine wasn't quite as good as Nightlife (having a little too much description), Madhouse exceeded them both with excellent pacing, slick dialog and good old-fashioned action.An exhibit on Famous Serial Killers at the museum takes on "new life" when one of the residents is resurrected. Sawney Beane supposedly killed and ate some 1000 people - actually more like 6 or 700 according to Robin Goodfellow. Cal and Niko are on his trail, but he's recruiting help among the revenants. Only, the first couple times they take him on they barely escape with their lives. To make matters worse, someone is trying to kill Robin and they can't even begin to narrow down his list of enemies. Despite the dire situation, Thurman injects some humor and humanity into the story to balance all the action and bloodletting. Cal has decided he's ready to lose his virginity, and Robin can hardly wait to help him. Though this does add some great laugh out loud moments (like when Robin suggests a tryst with a water nymph & Cal declares he can't get it up in 50 degree water!!) there is a serious side that gives readers more insight into Cal's fears about his heritage. He's afraid to father children that could turn out to be monsters (as he sees himself), which is part of why he's afraid to have a relationship with George. Thurman never lets readers forget how dangerous Cal's world is, or how fragile his self-image. This really helps readers connect with Cal - I want him to succeed, I want him to find love, I want him to win.I agree with another reviewer that it was nice to see Cal making some decisions on his own, in contrast to Niko's wishes. Such as practicing his new ability to make gates, and making tough choices about George. Niko is very protective of Cal, and their strong relationship is the foundation of the series. However, Cal can't live in Niko's shadow indefinitely. As indicated in the last book, the Auphe have returned with a vengeance, and Cal needs to step up to the challenge as the one who may have to protect his brother for a change. Cal grows a lot in this book, and it was a welcome development. One thing I didn't like - the huge cliffhanger ending in the last sentence! But just as intended, I am nearly salivating for Deathwish (Cal Leandros, Book 4).Overall, this series is very strong and I highly recommend it. The writing is so well done, I hope the author considers doing another series - either based in the world, or another. Yes, that good.

Madhouse is the third installment in the Cal Leandros series. If you haven't met the Leandros brothers yet, stop reading HERE and first read books no. 1 (Nightlife (Cal Leandros, Book 1)) and no. 2 (Moonshine (Cal Leandros, Book 2)).So. What happens in "Madhouse"? (great title; read the book to find out why. I love Rob Thurman's one-word titles).In short, and trying to avoid spoilers, there are two main plotlines running here:--> Sawney Beane, the legendary head of a 48-member clan in 15th- or 16th-century Scotland, reportedly executed for the mass murder and cannibalization of over 1,000 people (as quoted from Wikipedia!), is raised to life from ashes at the New York Metropolitan Museum. The Leandros brothers are hired to find his ass (and kill it thoroughly and inventively, of course).--> A great second plotline involves an unknown attacker making repeated assassination attempts on Robin Goodfellow's life. The brothers try to find out who ('cause a guilt-ridden Robin refuses to tell them) while struggling to keep Robin alive....There's also a subplot involving Cal's love life...er...sex life?...And keep in mind the Auphe are back!I loved the book. The Cal Leandros series is character-driven, and I enjoyed reuniting with half-brothers Cal and Niko and with my favorite trickster, the horny puck Robin Goodfellow. As in previous books, I loved the narrator's (Cal's) dark-snarky voice. And the author made me laugh. Repeatedly. In a very good way :)I deducted half-a-star because there were some plot solutions/resolutions I found less believable, and some motivations weren't good enough for me to justify certain actions. BUT. In spite of my nitpicking, It's a great third book. If you liked the first two books in the series, go get it!