Hell to Pay (Infernal Affairs 1) by Sherrilyn Kenyon-review
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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 28, 2026
Lucian “Luke” Teivel isn’t just any exile—he’s Lucifer’s son, freshly banished from Hell with no forwarding address and zero explanation. Now he’s stuck in the human world, working for Infernal Affairs, a secret task force that polices supernatural crime and decides whether the guilty belong in prison…or back in the Pit.
Luke’s doing his best to blend in and not burn his petty annoyances when a new partner storms into his life: Detective Sorcha O’Malley. She’s sharp, stubborn, suspicious—and assigned to keep him from indulging in his more demonic tendencies. But Sorcha carries shadows even Luke can’t read.
Just as they’re settling into their begrudging partnership, college students start dying across Savannah, Georgia. And every clue points directly at Luke. Someone is framing him—someone with a grudge, a plan, and a very personal reason to keep him out of Hell.
To survive the setup, Luke and Sorcha must team up against enemies both infernal and annoyingly human. But as the danger escalates and Sorcha’s secrets inch closer to the surface, Luke faces the worst dilemma: stay with humans he loathes or return to the home he craves.
And if he’s not careful? Savannah might wind up with a fresh vacancy in its homicide department—and one very pissed-off Prince of Hell.
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REVIEW: HELL TO PAY is the first instalment in Sherrilyn Kenyon’s contemporary, adult INTERNAL AFFAIRS paranormal, urban fantasy series, set in the author’s Dark Hunter worlds. This is Lucifer’s son Lucian ‘Luke ‘Tievel, and detective Sorcha O’Malley’s story line.
Told from omniscient third person perspectives HELL TO PAY follows in the wake of the banishment, with no explanation, of Lucian ‘Luke’ Teivel from Hell. Working for Infernal Affairs, the division of law enforcement policing the supernatural, Luke will meet his new partner in the guise of Detective Sorcha O’Malley, a young woman is something more than human. A number of mysterious deaths point to a possible soul eater, and the local police are determined to point the finger at our story line hero but as Sorcha and Luke begin a deep dive into the victims, a familiarity will lead our couple to world beyond Earth.
The world building follows several pathways including the possibility that Lucian ‘Luke’ Tevel has been targeted. Someone is determined to ensure Luke remains on Earth but Luke is about to discover the there is more to what is happening than he could have possible imagined.
The relationship between Luke and Sorcha begins as partners but Sorcha is new to the job at Infernal Affairs, and Luke will take Sorcha under his wing in an effort to ensure the survival of our story line heroine. There are no $ex scenes, and their barely veiled mutual attraction is aided by a kiss that threatens to reveal the humanity in our story line hero.
There is a large ensemble cast of colorful, supernatural creatures, many of whom are members of interlocking and mutually exclusive paranormal worlds. We are introduced to Luke’s mother Senka, Georgia Homicide Detective Rory Corvan, Sorcha and Luke’s boss Bernadette Corwin, Captain Elana Reyes, Fae Queen Tanith, and Luke’s ‘imp’ protector Helly. The requisite evil has many faces.
HELL TO PAY is a story of secrets and lies, power and control, betrayal, vengeance and jealousy, murder and mayhem, friendships and family. The character driven premise is dramatic and captivating with the added bonus of humorous scenarios and current world vernacular. The characters are numerous, energetic and charismatic. Saying that, there is a strong familiarity akin to the author’s Dark-Hunter series especially as it concerns the relationship between Luke, his mother Senka, his imp ‘Helly’, and our heroine Sorcha.
Copy supplied for review
Reviewed by Sandy
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New York Times and international bestselling author Sherrilyn Kenyon is a regular at the #1 spot. With legions of fans known as Paladins (thousands of whom proudly sport tattoos from her series and who travel from all over the world to attend her appearances), her books are always snatched up as soon as they appear on store shelves. Since 2004, she had placed more than 80 novels on the New York Times list in all formats including manga and graphic novels. Her current series are: Dark-Hunters, Chronicles of Nick and The League, and her books are available in over 100 countries where eager fans impatiently wait for the next release. Her Chronicles of Nick and Dark-Hunter series are soon to be major motion pictures while Dark-Hunter is also being developed as a television series. Join her and her Paladins online at MySherrilyn.com and www.facebook.com/mysherrilyn
