As a Child of Endor and Mistress of Gideon, Lauren Reardon has dual responsibilities in JERICHO. Not only does she have to ensure Gideon remains an economically viable town for the witches who reside there, but she also is charged with guarding the "thin places" between the worlds of human and demon. A vision of a forest in Oregon keeps haunting her, and Lauren soon finds herself drawn away from her new home in Gideon to the mysterious and deserted town of JERICHO. Will Lauren survive the evil that lurks in the old, seemingly abandoned logging town?

JERICHO is the second book in the Laura Reardon series and I highly suggest reading them in the order published. Alex Gordon did a phenomenal job at establishing the world building in the first book and she builds on that foundation in JERICHO. We begin to see the broader scope of the hidden world of witches that Lauren discovered in GIDEON. I like that Alex Gordon starts exploring some of the political machinations underlying the Council as the dynamics are intriguing and full of potential pitfalls.

Lauren is really growing as a character! Lauren has learned a lot about her past, including some of the reasons behind her dad changing his last name and leaving Gideon. Lauren is still learning what her powers and responsibilities are as the new Mistress of Gideon when she's suddenly thrust into a wider world where the Council reigns. While GIDEON wowed me with the deliciously creepy atmosphere, JERICHO begins to shape Lauren into a heroine and a true guardian of the "thin places".

JERICHO is exactly the right blend of horror and suspense, keeping readers on edge till the very end. Alex Gordon's second entry into the Lauren Reardon series is a guaranteed winner for fans of horror novels. I can't wait to see what dangers Lauren faces next!