Mark of the Demon (Kara Gillian)

Kara Gillian is a police detective and summoner of demons. While performing a routine ritual to summon a minor demon, Kara somehow accidentally brings forth a beautiful but deadly demon lord. But Kara just may need his help with her latest case. The Symbol Man is a serial killer who leaves his victims with strange ritualistic symbols on their bodies. This is Kara's first homicide case, and she's definitely going to be put through the fire.

Rowland's urban fantasy world of arcane magic and demons is fresh and original. The demons of her world are not the well-known evil creatures from hell, but honorable and still deadly. Kara is a smart and tough cop with a dark past. Rowland's characters are well-developed and distinct.

Blending police procedure and fantasy, this debut is a great start to a fascinating series. The plot is complex and suspenseful. And the mystery is a whodunit with a surprising, climactic ending. There are mild romantic elements, but the plot certainly focuses more on the mystery and magic. This urban fantasy novel is dark, fast-paced, and gripping. Fans of the genre should not miss this series.

Demon Lord Rhyzkahl. Who just so happen to pop up while Kara is looking for help with a soul sucking serial murder on the loose. She isn't the only sleuth on the case, FBI agents are also looking into too these bizarre murders.

Love the behind the info about being a detective. Pretty sure the author has hands on experience in this field. I found the heroine's lifestyle understandably lonely. While dedicating her life to work and trying to keep her conjuring a hush hush thing. Really where does that leave her time to find a man or get her freak on...lol So with this being said, I totally get where her sensuality has taken over.

Another great thing about the book was you never saw it coming. Many moments I found myself thinking..hmmm this has to be the murderer. But alas I was wrong every time. If you love a murder mystery with a little nookie on the side this is the book for you.

Kara is a police detective in southern Louisiana and she was born with arcane abilities that she is developing expertise for. This first book sets the groundwork for the main characters - an FBI agent who may have some arcane abilities but also has secrets, a gorgeous and sexy demon lord who is equally deadly, and the usual cast of characters from a police department that contribute to a well rounded story. I enjoyed the writing style, the humor, the exciting suspense. I will definitely be reading more in this series.

Diana Rowland managed to take a widely popular theme and make it her own in her debut novel, Mark of the Demon. I can honestly say that this was one of the best new books I've read in a long time. There's been non-stop flow of mediocre Urban/Dark/PNR Fantasy with female protagonist, and it seems that everyone and their mother is jumping on a bandwagon to stamp out a 300 pager about a lonely depressed heroine with special powers and a sexy love interest or five. This book has all these elements (except for the depressed part), but it is so well set up and executed that it leaves you wanting more once the last page is turned. It only goes to show that you don't have to have a PhD in English Literature to write excellent books - just a good story and realistic characters. Now on to the review.

Kara Gillian's life has not been easy. Her parents died when she was fairly young, and after a short and terrible time with a foster family, she was placed with a reluctant but only remaining relative - her eccentric aunt. Having spent majority of her youth rebelling and getting into trouble, Kara cleaned up her life and decided to become a police officer. Now she is a woman desperate to prove herself as a homicide detective at a mostly male small town police department in Louisiana. She worked hard to get promoted and finally gets a break when a serial killer that terrorized this small town with a string of brutal murders, reemerges after a three year silence.

There is also another reason why Kara has been fascinated with this case. Three years ago, she got a chance to see the last victim before the killer's unexpected disappearance, and could feel the lingering threads of arcane energy around the mangled body. In addition to being a police detective, Kara is a demon summoner, a gift she shares with her aunt and mentor, and with her othersight senses knows that as more victims are found, she is dealing with more than a serial killer. With her background and arcane knowledge, Kara is the only person who can solve these heinous crimes, but will she be able to stop the killer and divert a mounting catastrophe without losing her own life?

This was such an exciting and well researched book. There was a great balance between storytelling and character development, and the final mystery of the book was well foreshadowed and realized. Kara was not portrayed as being omnipotent, but a normal and somewhat naïve woman who makes mistakes and often finds herself outpaced by events. The supporting characters were all well drawn and the promising love interest is bound to be developed in future books of this potential series. I hope to see more from this excellent author.

It was obvious Rowland did her research in writing this debut novel. I liked the fact she created a believable strong character. The heroine is a police detective that is new and still trying to prove herself in a male dominated world. A RURAL male dominated world (which makes it all the harder). Plus, she has a special ability that her aunt tutored her in, she can call demons. This has to be kept secret, which makes her life very lonely. The story begins with her calling the highest level of demon known to her. She handles it all well, but when she attempts it again later, she gets something unknown and dangerous.

It was a great book, with a touch of romance, but a lot of detecting and descovery. I highly look forward to reading the next one!

"Mark of the Demon" is more paranormal mystery with hot sex than a paranormal romance with mystery. Make sense? The is Diana Rowland's first book about a brand new detective in soutern Lousiana who also happens to be a demon summoner. Her very first case turns out to be one that has ties to her family's past and also introduces her to one smoking hot demon lord!

Kara is a small-town cop and a demon summoner. When her first case turns out to be the resurgence of the 'Symbol Man' killings after a three year hiatus, she's not sure whether to be excited or overwhelmed! She quickly determines the killings have an arcane purpose and that means she's likely the only local detective who can solve this case. But first she'll have to deal with an amorous demon lord, a suspicious FBI agent, and a very high body count.

The author had to take the time to set up her world, its rules, and her cast; but once she had that fleshed out, I was drawn into the mystery of who was killing and why. I won't give away the solution, but I was a bit disappointed by the sleight-of-hand required from the author to produce the killer. If you like to 'solve' while you read, you'll likely have problems with this one. If you just like an exciting, gritty, urban fantasy mystery with some pretty hot sex thrown in...then you should pick up "Mark of the Demon" by Diana Rowland.

On her first homicide case, Beualac police detective Kara Gillian needs help capturing a serial killer who has murdered thirteen taking their souls with him. Instead of other cops, she uses her inherited occult skills as a demon summoner to conjuror up a minor demon to help her stop the Symbol Man. However, the mage is stunned when her ritual brings her demon lord Rhyzkahl.

At the next murder scene the wastewater plant, Kara senses a trace of magic, but before she can follow up, she is stunned when FBI Agent Ryan Kristoff arrives. She needs his help, but also fears the price she will pay to bring in a killer thought dead three years ago; as Kara knows Ryan's touch burns her soul.

This romantic police procedural fantasy is a fast-paced thriller starring two fascinating lead characters who each understands catching the Symbol Man comes before their personal desires. The investigation is top rate as paranormal clues are as important to solving the case as the mundane (poor choice of words with what happens to the victims). Sub-genre fans will welcome Diana Rowland into the fold as the author brings a fascinating twist to forensic science and police work with the exhilarating magic murder mystery MARK OF THE DEMON.

Harriet Klausner

One thing a burgurlar should NEVER do is break into a cop's house. Another thing they should NEVER, EVER do is break in while she's summoning a demon in her basement. Mark of the Demon has one of the best opening chapters I've read in a very long time.

Kara Gillian has just been promoted to detective and she takes her job very seriously. She's done the footwork, and the deskwork, and is ready to prove herself. It's incredible the amount of insight into procedure we get due to Diana's own background in law enforcement. It's detailed enough to enhance the story but not so much that it takes over the other aspects. Kara is also a Demon Summoner, an inherited gift from her grandmother (and, I hope, not something that was written from the author's personal experience, lol). Little did she know these two parts of her life would come together in her first homicide case.

"The Symbol Man Murders" baffled the Beaulac, LA Police Department three years ago, and now it appears they've started up again. Kara felt arcane signatures on the victim then, and feels them on the newest victim, so she knows she's the right one to find and stop the killer. However, after her latest summoning went dramatically wrong, she's having a hard time trusting herself.

Between the gruesome murders, the terrifying but beautiful demon lord, Rhyzkahl, who ended up in her basement (and continues to make delicious appearances in her dreams), and her new FBI partner, Agent Kristoff, Kara has her hands full. Throughout the story, aide from some expected, and some not so expected sources help pull the pieces of the case together.

I have to admit, I thought I had the killer all figured out, but I didn't see the end coming AT ALL. There was one clue that I didn't catch until the reveal. The story was told using equal parts nitty-gritty police investigation and powerful supernatural intuition. The side characters were absolutely perfect. Each one had an important place in the telling of the story and added to the overall feel of the book. They also helped Kara infuse some much needed comic relief. I loved that Kara was strong, and even though she had doubts about what went wrong with her summoning, she moved past that and used her other strengths instead of wallowing. The "romantic" aspects of the story were non-traditional, but completely fit. The hot was REALLY hot... and the UST (unresolved sexual tension) was written in such a natural progression that I totally believed it.

I am so excited to get my hands on the second book in the series, Blood of the Demon. I'm not sure where the story's going from here, but I'm totally ready to find out!

P.S.- Rhyzkahl is pronouced by the author to sound like "please call"... although after pronouncing like "rise call" for the entire book, I've been assured he would still come if I called him. *claps hands and looks for a way to put a basement under this Florida duplex*

It should have been just a routine summoning. Kara Gillian has been conjuring demons for a good while now. One night she is practicing her skills in order to summon a low level demon and the unexpected and dangerous happens - instead of a fourth level demon walking through the portal she invoked, Rhyzkahl, a Lord of Demon appears instead. Knowing full well she is probably going to die, Kara is unprepared but utterly captivated by the deceptively beautiful demon. One scorching hot sexual encounter later, Kara is unsure of what just happened or why he demands that she call him. With his instructions in her mind, Kara heads into work where she is assigned her first murder case. Having recently been promoted to investigator, Kara is given the duty of finding and arresting a serial killer who has been dubbed, `The Symbol Man'. The Symbol Man has killed thirteen people and more are turning up dead. Things in Beaulac, Louisiana are about to get very interesting.

MARK OF THE DEMON floored me. Completely. I could NOT put this book down for a single minute. Kara was born into a family of women who practice the occult and summon demons. She lives alone out in the country so that her nocturnal activities will not be witnessed by anyone. Enter Special Agent Ryan Kristoff. Readers are given a hint of romance between these two characters and then Ms. Rowland throws a huge wrench into the storyline that I did not see coming. Ryan is an FBI investigator who has been asked to assist on the case that Kara is working on. To complicate matters further, he also dabbles in the occult and is small time summoner. With Ryan on her side, and help from Rhyzkahl in her dreams, Kara is determined to find The Symbol Man - before he finds her.

I loved the character of Kara. I found her a mix between princess and tom-boy. She wasn't afraid to get dirty but she was still girly enough to worry about how she looked. Ryan was a top notch FBI agent and his treatment of Kara evolved in the pages of MARK OF THE DEMON despite the fact that Ryan's and Kara's association starts out a bit shaky. Each officer doesn't trust the other but as events unfold, the two grow closer. Their on-the-job connection begins to turn into something more and I look forward to exploring their relationship with them in future releases.

For a first release, Diana Rowland's MARK OF THE DEMON begins strong and continues to kick-butt the entire book. Action, arcane witchcraft, demons, and dream travel - I can't rave about MARK OF THE DEMON enough. Part urban fantasy, part romantic suspense, MARK OF THE DEMON will grab you, keep you enthralled, and take every single thing you think you know about this fabulous book and surprise you completely.

Take a chance on Diana Rowland's first release, MARK OF THE DEMON. You will be glad you did - I know I was.

Natalie S.

If you like a police mystery with a fantasy twist this is the book for you. Diana Rowland is an amazing writer that creates the kind of suspense that makes you want to keep reading hour after hour. Murder, police chases, a light romance, and demon summoning. What could be better?

Well, i have to admit, i was quite surprised with this book. The main character is not your typical urban fantasy chick, you know the one that has become popular: really strong, whinny in a childish way and all the guys after her!
She is actually smart, doesn't really complain, tries her best even though it's not always enough and has to wow!! get this, really work for it!
There is no mushy romance but there is a bit of tension and one sex scene in the begining. However, the author tunned it down and focused on the really wicked plot and not the romance!!
The story is delivered in a medium paced way where you actually get to understand and love the world you are discovering!

I really recommend this and hopefully others will discover that we have a talented author rising!!!

The book was a great first effort. The heroine and the FBI agent were quite interesting and left me wanting to know more. The demons were unique in that they weren't "evil" they just followed their own code. The heroine's interaction with the demon lord left me quite puzzled though. I don't think you can just forget that the entity your having romantic feelings for is seconds from killing you with a thought. Ah well I do look forward to seeing what's next. The aunt's backstory promises to be quite interesting too.

I love the world that Rowland has created. I love that the demons are demonic. I think that her characters are realistic and the book is fairly well written. The narrative, however takes a turn at the end that's a little hard to swallow.

Incredible! I was so captivated by this book that I could not put it down! I can't wait until Feb. for Blood of the Demon. I read a plethora of urban fantasy and this was an absolute standout ~ so well written. It reminded me a bit of Patricia Cornwell with a huge fantasy twist. I look forward to following Diana Rowland's career...

Mark of the Demon is a wonderful debut novel with a nice twist on 'demons' and solid threads laid for the future books. (I just completed the fifth of the series). A combination of mystery, police procedural and interplay with other worldly beings, the book in and of itself is a fast, easy and entertaining read and lays a great foundation for the series. Recommended reading.

Kat Richardson, author of the Greywalker series, suggested this book. I read it in one sitting and ordered Blood of the Demon that very night. This is a very enjoyable series with wit, humor and a very believable heroine.