Valentine Shepherd Books In Order

Publication Order of Valentine Shepherd Books

Valentine Shepherd is the protagonist in series written by American novelist, Shana Figueroa. Valentine works as a private investigator that is hired by various clients to investigate and solve various crimes including murder cases. The first book in Valentine Shepherd series Vengeance was published on September 6th, 2016. The second and the third books are Retribution and Reckoning respectively.

Vengeance

The P.I. Valentine Shepherd thinks that she has witnessed everything and her strange abilities to have a glimpse at the future provide her an upper hand that no one else has in the entire world. However, when the boyfriend is killed trying to acquit his billionaire client by the name, Max Carressa, Valentine make it a personal mission to ensure that the people responsible are brought to justice regardless of the cost. She is convinced that more than attorney-client privilege involves two men. She seeks help from the billionaire Max in her investigation but ends up getting more than she bargained for.

Now on the run, Max and Valentine must uncover whoever wants them dead and his/her motives. Their investigations lead them into a conspiracy that has Valentine caught at its center. She does not understand why or how, but time is quickly running out to expose the truth and escape the danger that she knows imminent.

The series opener in one interesting premise you will ever read, you will love both Max and Robbie. You will love Max because he is perfect, he is flawed but tried to be a better person. He fell in love with Valentine and did what needed to be done. On the other hand, you will like Robbie simply because he is sweet and got a raw deal from the beginning. Furthermore, he is the reason why Valentine and Max found each other.

In this first novel, Val is out seeking revenge over the death of her fiancé. Her struggle for “justice” leads her downs to paths of power struggle, political posturing, greed, and others with the power same as hers but using it to manipulate things. It also leads her straight to Max who is much like Valentine in that he is capable of seeing things when in the throes of climax, however not death but numbers that lead to vital information.

Max is one believable character you get to see his life. His father was a mess, and even though it was awfully wrong how he died, he was someone you could not shed a tear over. Despite being a likable character, Max is troubled and lost, much happened to him in his past and reading through it will make you almost shed tears. When he tries to help Val to solve the puzzle of who killed her fiancé, they get closer to each other so much more. They both are attracted to each other, and when they stop fighting, everything seems perfect. Together, they learn about the politics of the situation, the skeletons in the closet, who is involved and so much more that you will wonder whom they should trust and whom they should not. Val and Max seem like the only people who are honest to each other, they are working with a sole purpose which eventually sparks into something more.

Valentine is one fascinating character, she is passionate but doesn’t realize that she is doing something wrong until it is done and the guilt feeling begins tormenting her. When she teams with Max, it is evidently clear that she already likes him. Together, they unravel the web around them and also have so much revealed to the readers. Then there is Kat (kitty), Valentine and Max do not even know the extent of her powers, and neither does Val’s best friend. As you read deeper into the novel, more questions surfaces, especially when Val finds out the truth and make a decision that ultimately changes everything.

Overall, Vengeance narrative is intriguing, fast paced and well written. The main plot is character driven, and it is enhanced with passion and lots of emotion. Val and Max are the core of the story, their journey lead them to unravel the truth, fall in love, solve the murder and protect each other and in the process, secrets are revealed, political posturing showcased, and plots unveiled. The ending will keep you wondering what is next for Valentine and Max. Vengeance is an intriguing tale of romance, deception, danger and complex webs that place two people at the epicenter without their awareness.

Retribution

Retribution is the second book in Valentine Shepherd urban fantasy series by Shana Figueroa. At the end of the debut novel, the Private Investigator Valentine Shepherd ends her relationship with Max Carressa. Valentine possesses a gift of seeing the future. However, she thinks it is a curse since it is only destruction and death that she sees. She has tried to change the future, and for a few time she has managed, but mostly the worst outcomes happen. Now she has seen her future with Max, but instead of changing it, she decides to walk away.

Six months have passed by, and Valentine has a new case of a young girl who disappeared. As she follows the clues on the girl, she is abducted and finds that she cannot remember anything that happened to her for 12 hours. When she tries to piece the clues of what could have happened, she finds two uploads on the internet of herself and the missing girl, unconscious and sexually abused. Now all she wants is vengeance, and she needs some help and Max connections. In efforts to move on with life, Max is engaged to someone else and has adopted a dog to get a normal life he always wanted. When Valentine calls, he is more than willing to help her regardless of the cost.

In the second novel, both Max and Val are enduring great pain and self-destruction. They are both hurting, but none would admit it to the other. The main plot is interesting, especially when the mad scientist with psychic abilities tries to experiment Val and Max. The secondary characters are complex and you will find yourself asking whether they are helping or hurting both Max and Val. The plot features great twists and turns and weaves each of the characters into a powerful narrative that is fast-paced.