With Lost Calling, Evelyn Vaughn gets Bombshell's new Madonna Key continuity series off to a very strong start. Fans of Vaughan's Grail Keepers series will no doubt enjoy seeing how she uses several secondary characters from that series as her focus for this novel. New readers, however, will not be left out. This book stands very nicely on its own and launches a new, mysterious plotline unrelated to the grail quests of previous novels.

Catrina Dauvergne is a rather pragmatic sort of person, so when an earthquake in Paris starts her down a trail of mystical discoveries, she is rather taken aback. However, after unearthing a cache of artifacts from the French Revolution, she cannot deny the effect the items have on her. This inherently cynical woman finds herself having visions of a group of women called the Sisters of Mary and she feels almost compelled to preserve the archeological find and unravel the mystery of who these people were and why their belongings were hidden underneath Paris for so many years.

To assist her in her quest, Catrina calls on Rhys Pritchard, a former priest and student of archeology. Though Catrina and Rhys are somewhat at odds, Catrina knows she can trust Rhys to preserve the site from theft and destruction. In addition, some of the artifacts seem to have a religious significance, an area in which Rhys has great familiarity. Rhys distrusts Catrina somewhat, but he instantly recognizes the importance of her find and, as the two work together to unravel the mystery of the Sisters of Mary, the once-buried chemistry between them also ignites.

Catrina tells her story in the first person, and this type of narration underscores one of the author's strengths as a writer - her ability to create characters who speak in distinctive voices. In many first person stories, the narrator of the tale can come across as a rather bland teller of facts rather than a multidimensional person. Catrina is nothing of the sort. She speaks in a voice distinct from that of other Vaughn characters I have read, and though she narrates a story, she also gives readers a glimpse into her rather complicated mind. Catrina is neither noble nor entirely likable, but she does speak in a strong voice and I enjoyed getting to know her.

Rhys is no simple character either. As Catrina and Rhys seek to unlock the secrets of the Sisters of Mary, the reader learns quite a bit about his background, his ethics, and his inner conflict of belief. The action in this story flows steadily and it is apparent from the opening chapters that Rhys and Catrina are in grave danger from those who want the Sisters of Mary to remain forever forgotten. However, with each situation faced by the characters, the reader learns more not just about the mystery, but about the characters themselves. For instance, other books I have read featuring former priests as characters have paid little attention to the significance of a priest leaving that vocation. Rhys, however, does not treat his crisis of faith as a simple job change. He recognizes the significance of what he has done and is still trying to figure out how to handle his life, and the mystery surrounding Catrina's find is testing him in many ways.

With strong and interesting lead characters and a fast-paced suspense plot, Evelyn Vaughn starts this new continuity off to a strong start. At times the plot relies a little too much on coincidence and there are a few unintentionally funny moments in the romantic plot, but those are small points. Lost Calling is not quite a keeper, but it's definitely an intriguing thriller worth reading.