When Evangeline Stone wakes up naked and bruised on a cold slab at the morgue—in a stranger’s body, with no memory of who she is and how she got there—her troubles are only just beginning. Before that night she and the two other members of her Triad were the city’s star bounty hunters, mercilessly cleansing the city of the murderous creatures living in the shadows, from vampires to shape-shifters to trolls. Then something terrible happened that not only cost all three of them their lives but also convinced the city’s other Hunters that Evy was a traitor—and she can’t even remember what it was.

Now she’s a fugitive, piecing together her memory, trying to deal some serious justice—and discovering that she has only three days to solve her own murder before the reincarnation spell wears off. Because in three days Evy will die again—but this time there’s no second chance. . . .

I started Kelly’s debut novel with high expectations and Three Days to Dead didn’t disappoint me. Why so high expectations? The novel came out in Germany before it came out in the US and for the first time ever I had to wait for the English book. Why didn’t I read the German version? I can be a bit stubborn and I wanted the US book cuz I really adore the cover and in my opinion some of the jokes always get lost in the translation so I avoid to read a translation when I know the original language. OCD much? Yep I know. But back to the book. But how great must a book be if the foreign rights are sold that fast? It is great.

We meet Evangeline Stone in a rather dramatic situation. She wakes up in a body of a woman she doesn’t knew in the morgue. She can’t remember the last few days of her life but she knows that she died. She shouldn’t be here any longer and now she has to figure out why she is and why she died in the first place. Evy is some kick ass girl. She has a way with words that made me laugh out loud more than ones. She is stubborn as hell and sometimes her temper rises rather quick but she has good intentions and I like her from the start. This is always a rather critical point for me in a book written in first person POV: when I don’t like the heroine the book has already lost the fight for my apprehension. Kelly did everything right with Evy though. She is exactly the way I love my heroines: strong but still with a heart, funny but not silly. 

And then we have Wyatt. *big sigh* He is Evy’s handler and no that not at all something dirty. He is the brain behind the brawls so to say. He organizes his own Triad, including Evy, or what is left of it. He has his own talents but those are of a more magical nature and not as fight orientated as Evy’s. There is more to Wyatt than the eyes see at first glance and I was highly intrigued by his wit and his smart-ass comebacks. He is sexy, dark and mysterious- what can a girl ask more for? His appeal grew through the book and now I can’t wait to read the next one and finally learn more about him. 

All the action is set in Dreg City- a world full of humans and monsters, or as Kelly calls them “Crazy Ugly Things”. This world is full of Magic but not everyone is able to access it. We find most of our paranormal favorites in this book: vampires and all kind of Fae. They are called Dregs but most humans aren’t aware of their existence. The Dreg Hunters are here to keep it that way and punish the Dregs who broke the rules. And you know what I mean with punish- there is no forgiveness for Dregs in this world. 

The plot in Three Days to Dead is a gripping roller-coaster ride full of explosions, fighting, action but also love, fun and intrigue. I love that it was not only a big accumulation of fight scenes but also has a really good plot behind that. I loved Evy’s and Wyatt’s discussion and their dynamics together. To say it was entertaining to listen to them is a huge understatement.

Three Days to Dead is a Big Bang for a debut novel. Kelly Meding is an author you should keep your eyes open for. A gripping explosive ride through a fascinating urban fantasy world which will glue you on the edge of your seat. I know I won’t miss the next book, As Lie the Dead and you shouldn’t neither.