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Indelible Ink
It's What's Inside That Counts
Something lurks inside Deena Riordan. She never once questioned her life in the criminal underworld as the star of Mr. Marsh's illegal empire and his youngest assassin. Her ruthless demeanor and dark magical powers have kept her at the top of the heap for years. But one day she pushes the sorcery too far and something snaps. Only then does Deena realize she's always been a puppet of that dark power with no true will of her own.
Now, in order to get out of the crime business for good, she needs to save her sister from Marsh's angry clutches. It won't be easy. She'll have to make her way through friends turned foes, dodge determined federal agents, and stay out of a particularly stubborn fellow hitman's sights. Worst of all, Deena will have to wrestle with the darkness inside to keep it from swallowing her up again.
Something lurks inside Deena Riordan. She never once questioned her life in the criminal underworld as the star of Mr. Marsh's illegal empire and his youngest assassin. Her ruthless demeanor and dark magical powers have kept her at the top of the heap for years. But one day she pushes the sorcery too far and something snaps. Only then does Deena realize she's always been a puppet of that dark power with no true will of her own.
Now, in order to get out of the crime business for good, she needs to save her sister from Marsh's angry clutches. It won't be easy. She'll have to make her way through friends turned foes, dodge determined federal agents, and stay out of a particularly stubborn fellow hitman's sights. Worst of all, Deena will have to wrestle with the darkness inside to keep it from swallowing her up again.
232 pages, Paperback
First published June 29, 2015
About the author
Matt Betts
25 books163 followersI've been writing for a number of years and had some good fortune in getting my work in print and online venues. I've also contributed as a staff member to a few magazines. I'm a big fan of pop culture. I love old movies; good ones, bad ones, doesn't matter. Actually, I sometimes prefer the bad ones.
My first book, Odd Men Out, was launched in the summer of 2013 from Dog Star Books. It has some steampunk, some alternate history, some horror and a giant lizard. That's plenty for the first book, right?
My second book, Indelible Ink, is an urban fantasy crime story that's sort of my homage to the late Elmore Leonard by way of the Dresden Files. I had so much fun writing this and I think it shows in the book.
Two of my novels were released in 2018: The adventure/kaiju/scifi book The Shadow Beneath the Waves, and the dark fantasy/comedy Indelible Ink.
My cryptid novels include White Anvil: Sasquatch Onslaught and Skunk Ape Kingdom.
My most recent book is Gone Where the Goblins Go, a mashup of The Wizard of Oz and Apocalypse Now. It is weird and fun and a little touching.
I've also written two books of speculative poetry - See No Evil, Say No Evil and Underwater Fistfight.
I love attending cons - I've been a panelist, moderator, invited guest, and presenter. It's always a joy to interact with readers, other writers, and creators.
My first book, Odd Men Out, was launched in the summer of 2013 from Dog Star Books. It has some steampunk, some alternate history, some horror and a giant lizard. That's plenty for the first book, right?
My second book, Indelible Ink, is an urban fantasy crime story that's sort of my homage to the late Elmore Leonard by way of the Dresden Files. I had so much fun writing this and I think it shows in the book.
Two of my novels were released in 2018: The adventure/kaiju/scifi book The Shadow Beneath the Waves, and the dark fantasy/comedy Indelible Ink.
My cryptid novels include White Anvil: Sasquatch Onslaught and Skunk Ape Kingdom.
My most recent book is Gone Where the Goblins Go, a mashup of The Wizard of Oz and Apocalypse Now. It is weird and fun and a little touching.
I've also written two books of speculative poetry - See No Evil, Say No Evil and Underwater Fistfight.
I love attending cons - I've been a panelist, moderator, invited guest, and presenter. It's always a joy to interact with readers, other writers, and creators.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 24, 2015
Disclaimer: Betts is a fellow Dog Star Books author and I consider him a friend. However, I purchased a copy of this novel for full price.
Comparing INDELIBLE INK to Matt Betts’ first novel, the steampunk/zombie/giant monster/Weird West extravaganza ODD MEN OUT, does both books a disservice. Instead, INDELIBLE INK is a creature all its own. Specifically, a paranormal/superhuman/crazy assassin/creepy government agents extravaganza.
Deena is the aforementioned paranormal/superhuman/crazy assassin, but the cool thing about this book is that she is not the only one. The other is just as crazy and possibly paranormal and maybe superhuman, but not in the same way. In fact, we don’t even really know all about what makes Deena unique. The fact that Betts never tells us more than the characters themselves know is what makes this book interesting and exciting. Many authors will give enough hints in the narrative to clue the readers in while keeping the characters guessing, but Betts’ characters are smarter than that. Instead, we are along for the full ride of never quite knowing what’s coming next.
Betts is very good at creating ensemble pieces with characters that follow all the expectations of the genre while adding his own flavors to make them stand out. They might not always be likable, but they are always interesting. This is another perk that definitely kept me reading.
Though ODD MEN OUT worked as a stand-alone novel with the exciting possibility of a sequel, I always had the feeling while reading INDELIBLE INK that there was too much going on to be neatly wrapped up in one package. Never fear, the primary plot is resolved, but the novel itself sets up further adventures that left me wanting much, much more.
Comparing INDELIBLE INK to Matt Betts’ first novel, the steampunk/zombie/giant monster/Weird West extravaganza ODD MEN OUT, does both books a disservice. Instead, INDELIBLE INK is a creature all its own. Specifically, a paranormal/superhuman/crazy assassin/creepy government agents extravaganza.
Deena is the aforementioned paranormal/superhuman/crazy assassin, but the cool thing about this book is that she is not the only one. The other is just as crazy and possibly paranormal and maybe superhuman, but not in the same way. In fact, we don’t even really know all about what makes Deena unique. The fact that Betts never tells us more than the characters themselves know is what makes this book interesting and exciting. Many authors will give enough hints in the narrative to clue the readers in while keeping the characters guessing, but Betts’ characters are smarter than that. Instead, we are along for the full ride of never quite knowing what’s coming next.
Betts is very good at creating ensemble pieces with characters that follow all the expectations of the genre while adding his own flavors to make them stand out. They might not always be likable, but they are always interesting. This is another perk that definitely kept me reading.
Though ODD MEN OUT worked as a stand-alone novel with the exciting possibility of a sequel, I always had the feeling while reading INDELIBLE INK that there was too much going on to be neatly wrapped up in one package. Never fear, the primary plot is resolved, but the novel itself sets up further adventures that left me wanting much, much more.
August 24, 2015
Matt's writing is as sharp as always. He's come up with an interesting and consistent world, and while the plot isn't particularly surprising, it has enough twists and turns to make it a fun ride.
(Full disclosure: I published Matt's collection of poetry and short fiction, See No Evil, Say No Evil because I liked it so much.)
(Full disclosure: I published Matt's collection of poetry and short fiction, See No Evil, Say No Evil because I liked it so much.)
August 11, 2016
Note: I was involved in publishing this book
Matt Betts's second novel is genre with a twist just like his first, but it twists in a different direction. This time he tackles Urban Fantasy with a Crime/Noir undertone. There's a mafia boss, hitmen, hidden powers, secret experiments and agents in black. The book has a cinematic quality and reminds me of some of the best spooky/serious TV shows of late (think Heros, Fringe, Orphan Black). It's not exactly science fiction but is certainly influenced by it. The central figure, a teen female assassin, is complex and compelling. She functions as the immediate draw to the book and also the fulcrum on which the tale is balanced but there are several other offbeat characters that serve as excellent counterpoint. If you're looking for an action-packed read that's a bit out of the ordinary this is for you.
Matt Betts's second novel is genre with a twist just like his first, but it twists in a different direction. This time he tackles Urban Fantasy with a Crime/Noir undertone. There's a mafia boss, hitmen, hidden powers, secret experiments and agents in black. The book has a cinematic quality and reminds me of some of the best spooky/serious TV shows of late (think Heros, Fringe, Orphan Black). It's not exactly science fiction but is certainly influenced by it. The central figure, a teen female assassin, is complex and compelling. She functions as the immediate draw to the book and also the fulcrum on which the tale is balanced but there are several other offbeat characters that serve as excellent counterpoint. If you're looking for an action-packed read that's a bit out of the ordinary this is for you.
June 5, 2018
‘Indelible Ink’ introduces a fantastic world, a captivating plot with a sci-fi/paranormal twist. By the time I finished this novel I needed to take a deep breath from such a wild ride.
This story is told from multiple perspectives, and jumps around the timeline a bit, but mostly follows our protagonist/anti-heroine, Deena. However the theme of Deena getting her new attitude/ lease on life didn't quite mesh for me. I felt like there was a few gaping holes in context, though I did enjoy the story arc.
Harper, Deena’s kick-ass sister, has a darker side and I felt got off too easy for some of her actions. Plus it felt like issues between the siblings never gets resolution. But these girls go through the ringer with action, espionage, crime, and killing. A real by-the-seat-of-your-pants epic.
The narrative is a completely unique story. Refreshing.
There’s so much carnage. It was hard to care about some of the characters when they get offed so quickly after being introduced into the narrative.
For as much action ‘Indelible Ink’ has, it felt like it took forever to get somewhere - which is sad for such a short book. The pacing lagged - jumping around the timeline, short chapters continually changing POV for each different cast member. It made it hard to relate to, and get invested in any single person. I put this novel down a few times for a break because of the scattered narrative.
The writing style is edgy with sarcasm and highly entertaining. I just wish the chapters were longer and remained with the sisters...
‘Indelible Ink’ reminded me of Swarm from the Spider-man franchise.
Even with the issues I had, I would still recommend this because those qualms resulted from my personal taste, and not from any failings in story, structure, or character development. Glad to add this to my collection. I might re-read this sometime in the future and see if my opinions and rating change.
This story is told from multiple perspectives, and jumps around the timeline a bit, but mostly follows our protagonist/anti-heroine, Deena. However the theme of Deena getting her new attitude/ lease on life didn't quite mesh for me. I felt like there was a few gaping holes in context, though I did enjoy the story arc.
Harper, Deena’s kick-ass sister, has a darker side and I felt got off too easy for some of her actions. Plus it felt like issues between the siblings never gets resolution. But these girls go through the ringer with action, espionage, crime, and killing. A real by-the-seat-of-your-pants epic.
The narrative is a completely unique story. Refreshing.
There’s so much carnage. It was hard to care about some of the characters when they get offed so quickly after being introduced into the narrative.
For as much action ‘Indelible Ink’ has, it felt like it took forever to get somewhere - which is sad for such a short book. The pacing lagged - jumping around the timeline, short chapters continually changing POV for each different cast member. It made it hard to relate to, and get invested in any single person. I put this novel down a few times for a break because of the scattered narrative.
The writing style is edgy with sarcasm and highly entertaining. I just wish the chapters were longer and remained with the sisters...
‘Indelible Ink’ reminded me of Swarm from the Spider-man franchise.
Even with the issues I had, I would still recommend this because those qualms resulted from my personal taste, and not from any failings in story, structure, or character development. Glad to add this to my collection. I might re-read this sometime in the future and see if my opinions and rating change.
May 9, 2018
It's hard to say what kind of a story this is; urban fantasy, sci-fi, adventure, action, maybe even a touch of horror. Betts is a creative and imaginative writer and has woven a tale that touches a little bit on everything - weaving it together expertly.
Indelible Ink is unpredictable, exciting, and a blast to read.
Indelible Ink is unpredictable, exciting, and a blast to read.
November 25, 2015
Indelible Ink is an incredible book, and Matt Betts seems to have nearly mastered the art of putting purpose into every sentence.
The mechanics of the main character's gift are well-executed. It is described with fluid imagery, and it isn't over-described, which can get annoying. It's also consistently used and described throughout the book.
The main character is a Strong Female Character, and it's important to note her and her sister are not the only ones. Each one is obviously different in how they speak and act, which is just one of the many ways this book excels.
The book switches narratives between most chapters, so the reader gets to see into the minds of a couple different characters. Though it isn't clear how one of them is entirely relevant to the overall story until near the end of the book, including them in this book sets them up for the next in the series. Without their narrative in the first book, the next one likely would have too much exposition on this character and what may come across as back-tracking, so I believe it was necessary to include it in this book.
I look forward to the next book in the series and more of Deena's never ending spunk.
The mechanics of the main character's gift are well-executed. It is described with fluid imagery, and it isn't over-described, which can get annoying. It's also consistently used and described throughout the book.
The main character is a Strong Female Character, and it's important to note her and her sister are not the only ones. Each one is obviously different in how they speak and act, which is just one of the many ways this book excels.
The book switches narratives between most chapters, so the reader gets to see into the minds of a couple different characters. Though it isn't clear how one of them is entirely relevant to the overall story until near the end of the book, including them in this book sets them up for the next in the series. Without their narrative in the first book, the next one likely would have too much exposition on this character and what may come across as back-tracking, so I believe it was necessary to include it in this book.
I look forward to the next book in the series and more of Deena's never ending spunk.
October 1, 2015
Betts writes a good tale that was unlike anything I had read before. It's an urban fantasy that has to deal with assassins, sisters, comic-relief cops, and a young main character rife with blood lust. Throwing so many ingredients into the story makes for an intriguing read. I commend the author on writing a strong female character who dares to show her ugly side. I'll definitely be picking up the rest of the series when it comes out.
April 15, 2016
I would give this 4 1/2 stars. It was really very good. I loved it. I tore through it. The characters were imaginative and interesting, while remaining believable. I loved the question that Deena's powers raised. Is she really responsible for her actions? Is she even human anymore? Is this thing an alien?
I can't say enough good stuff about this book. I think it would make a great movie. The fight scenes were really cool.
I can't say enough good stuff about this book. I think it would make a great movie. The fight scenes were really cool.
Shelved as 'dnf'
October 22, 2015Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy.
August 30, 2016
Interesting premise and generally a good read.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews