Joyeaux Charmand has been hunting monsters since her hounds broke through the barrier between realms to protect her from the mythical creatures who seek humans as sustenance. The monsters feed off Manna - a lifeforce humans produce in abundance. The hounds team with hunters to protect humans who haven't been gifted with either hounds or magic.
Since the death of her parents Joy has lived high in the American Rockies at a monastery where the Masters train Hunters and normal citizens alike to defend themselves. Above the snowline the monsters cannot last long and even the Fair Folk tend to avoid the snow-encased stronghold.
When the Prefect - Joyeaux's uncle and the man in charge of the nation's hunters - requests the mountain civilisations send a hunter. The Prefect is aware that Apex City does not know how many hunters are holed up on the mountain and his request for Joy's presence is a subtle reminder of how precarious the monastery is. Joy goes to the capital and joins the Apex Hunters.
Her journey is not without incident: when drakken follow their train and manage to break through the protective cage with the help of a Folk mage in a lavender costume. In Apex City Joy discovers the Hunters are more like celebrities than real hunters. They distract the cits from how many monsters are breaking through the barriers with rankings and cinematics. More and more dangerous creatures are getting through the barriers protecting Apex - so dangerous Joy can't help thinking someone inside the city is helping them.
When Joy's friend and mentor is murdered by a vampire Joy and her uncle team up to discover who is behind the infiltration. Another batch of monsters calls out most of the hunters including Joy's greatest rival Ace and his younger brother. The battle ends with the death of Ace's younger brother and Ace blames Joy even attacking her in public. The politics of Apec City nearly cost Joy her life as she seeks to protect the cits and help the Prefect find his enemies.
Though it may be too late to stop the human monsters ruling over Apex City Joyeaux finds she still wants to protect the cits--the people kept in ignorance. Teens and young adults will be able to relate to Lackey's take on government control of the populace and information. Readers who enjoyed Michelle Krys's Wicked and Liz Braswell's A Whole New World will find a similar attitude toward the global mythology featured throughout the story.
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