Death of the Necromancer by Martha Wells

[snugglekitty]

Before I started reading Ms. Wells this time around, I was pretty sure I had read at least one of her works.  I think this was the work - certain parts of it seemed familiar to me.  Nicholas is a disgraced nobleman whose foster-father was killed on false charges of necromancy.  Thoughts of revenge consume him.  He has assembled a team of friends with the same goal.  They will stop at nothing to make the evil Count pay - or so they think.  The first wrinkle is the beautiful actress Madeleine.  A rash of mysterious murders may prove to be the last.

I didn't find this set of characters as compelling as the ones in <i>The Element of Fire</i>, and the plot was a lot less exciting.  Still, a good read.  Three stars, and I plan to continue with the series.