A century ago Faerie merged with modern reality in an event known as Convergence. Connor Grey is a resident of the Weird, a section of Boston filled with human and fey who are looking for a good time and often trouble. He is also an ex-investigator for the Fey Guild who lost his job at the same time as his druid powers. He is currently looking into a string of human and fey disappearances marked by a strange flash of blue light as well as the murder of several dwarfs. Unfortunately, his investigation draws him deeper into fey politics and rivalries, putting him and those around him in danger. Grey's tired of being a pawn in fey power games, but if he chooses to stand by and do nothing it could mean the end of the Weird and possibly the world.

UNCERTAIN ALLIES is the fifth installment in Mark Del Franco's Connor Grey series. The world Del Franco has built is complex and unstable, filled with magic and dangerous political players. Not having read the prior books in the series, I found it challenging to keep track of the plethora of characters and understand the relationships between them. Del Franco does a decent job explaining the pertinent happenings of prior books, but I would definitely have had an easier time following along if I had started with the first book. That being said, the plot is interesting, well-developed, and can stand on its own. Unique circumstances and events add intriguing layers to the plot, including a black mass that exists in Grey's head and reacts oddly at inopportune times. There is not as much action in the book as many other urban fantasies, instead focusing on politics and interpersonal relationships, but things do pick up during the second half. In addition, issues that have existed since prior books are resolved, which should keep dedicated readers happy. I also appreciated Grey's strong male voice and the depth of many of the secondary characters. Overall, it is a good, solid read that will be appreciated by fans of the series and may inspire newcomers to go back and read from the beginning.