Coming Soon: The Uninvited (Krewe of Hunters series) by Heather Graham

This is Book 8 in the Krewe of Hunters series. I only read book 4 (The Evil Inside) in August last year, also as an advance review copy, so I had to go and double check I was right that this was the 8th. And it is, Heather Graham is a machine!

This book is set in a Philadelphia mansion that is a feature of the city's tourist trail. There are plenty of ghost stories attached to the house, and a number of curious deaths in recent decades, but head guide and academic Allison is sceptical. When she finds a colleague dead, having apparently impaled himself on his replica bayonet, she certainly doesn't believe ghosts were involved. When there is another mysterious death and a former visitor falls into a coma rumours are flying that ghost of Butcher Bedford is the culprit but Krewe member Tyler Montague is convinced otherwise. Both Allison and Tyler believe there is an earthly explanation, and the time they spend together begins to change Allison's view of the world of the paranormal, and her initial distaste for the Krewe's involvement evolves into an overwhelming attraction for Tyler. Allison and the team have to work together to get to the bottom of the strange events and prevent more untimely deaths.

Having read two of the books in the series it appears that the members of the Krewe who mainly feature change with each book, so not having read previous stories is no handicap. This book is narrated largely from Allison's point of view and this allows the reader to discover how the Krewe work through her eyes. The writing is fluid and makes for an easy read.

I liked the overarching story in this book and was wondering which of two prime suspects would turn out to be the real villain. The book serves up a good helping of the paranormal combined with a little bit of romance and that's obviously a successful formula for this author. However I definitely preferred The Evil Inside. While I learnt a little history that I didn't already know and enjoyed the descriptions of the mansion it wasn't as thrilling as I'd like and I never really felt any sense of peril threatening the lead protagonists.

This was a good read, and I can imagine reading further books in the series but they won't be heading my To Be Read list.

Format: Kindle, ARC, anticipated release 28th August 2012
Publisher: Harlequin MIRA
My Rating: 3*

Coming Soon Book Review: The Evil Inside (Krewe of Hunters series) by Heather Graham

The Krewe of Hunters is an FBI special unit and paranormal forensics team. Team member Jenna Duffy has been summoned back to Salem by her uncle after two murders, and she arrives just as a teenage boy, Malachi Smith, is arrested, covered in blood, for slaying his family. They lived in the notorious Lexington House, which has a history of violence and a reputation for evil. Defence attorney Sam Hall is in town to try and figure out what to do with his late parents' house. Having been the one to find the boy he feels a connection and agrees to take on his case. Both Jenna and Sam become convinced Malachi is innocent but use very different methods to try and uncover the real killer.

This book is the 4th in the Krewe of Hunters series, but the first I have read. I didn't feel I was missing out having not read the predecing books, possibly because Sam's side of the story is slightly more dominant and the FBI team aren't heavily involved until later in the book. The story is told in the third person from a few viewpoints, allowing the reader a good overview of everything that is going on surrounding the case, and all the efforts being made to uncover the truth.

Sam is set up at the start as a bit of a wealthy playboy but we soon see a softer side. It is almost the other way round with Jenna, who is the dutiful niece at the start but moves into the role of hard-hitting FBI agent later on. I liked both characters, and found the other minor players an interesting bunch. Jenna's ability to see ghosts, or postcognition as she refers to it, added a paranormal element that I really liked, as I'm open-mided about that sort of thing (unlike Sam)

I found the setting, and the history of the house and Salem, a very good backdrop for the story. With nuggets of information about the witch trials, and the different faiths and beliefs of the people of Salem, I felt like I learnt something as I read. I enjoy reading about other religions and faiths so it was a good match for me.

This book hit the spot in a lot of ways, crime - tick, a historical element - tick, religion/faith - tick, a not too out there paranormal element - tick. All good. However although there were moments when members of the team were in peril I never felt the level of tension was as high as I would like and I didn't have that feeling of needing to press on to find out how they would fare. I did really enjoy it and will at some point try and get my hands on the other books in the series.

Format: Advance review copy, e-book. Anticpated release date 30th Aug 2011
My Rating: 4*

Book Review: Baby Jane by M A Demers

Lately I've read a couple of books that encompass elements of the supernatural or spiritual so I was interested to read the description of this book, which hinted at a crime thriller with a twist.

Claire Dawson is looking for a new start in the home she has brought for renovation. She has a past she is trying to get over but it doesn't look like things will go smoothly when she finds human remains within the walls of her house. Detective Dylan Lewis arrives to investigate and the two immediately find themselves unintentionally winding each other up. Claire is determined to give the victim the dignity of a name and decides to help the investigation along to ensure justice is served. The house has more secrets than just a body within its walls though, and when Lewis' grandmother Ta'ah, a Coast Salish medicine woman, hears about Claire's story she gathers the elders and goes to the property to deal with the demon within it. Claire's continuing involvement in the case brings her into repeated contact with Lewis and the sparks between the two are all too obvious, but the potential conflict of interest further complicates matters.

I loved this book and found it a compulsive page turner. The first chapter had me hooked, with plenty to read on for in order to answer a bunch of questions. Written in the third person the story is told from a few points of view, which allows the reader to get a good background and feeling for the main characters. I really liked Claire and Dylan, but at times wanted to bang their heads together. I also found the details of Ta'ah's role and beliefs fascinating. It has made me want to go away and read more about the Coast Salish people.

As far as the whodunit went the suspects were fairly clear early on, but the supernatural or spiritual element makes it stand out from a lot of other thrillers. I did wonder whether the presence of demons in the story might make it too far fetched for me, but actually in the context of the beliefs of the Coast Salish peoples it made it even more interesting. I also found the historical element, going back to what was happening in Germany before WWII, a clever element.

I'm not sure there is much I can give as a negative, it was well-paced, the main characters were well drawn and had a range of issues that made them flawed and human, and the plot had something to separate it from the crowd. I thought it was a great read and would happily recommend it!

Format: Kindle, review copy
My Rating: 5*

Coming soon book review: Don't Breathe a Word by Jennifer McMahon

This the author's fourth book, but the first I have read of hers. It is described as interweaving family secrets, dark loves, and the allure and fear of the supernatural. I'm not necessarily a big believer in all things supernatural but I'm certainly open minded and as it sounded quite dark and mysterious it appealed to me.

One night 12 year old Lisa goes into the woods behind her Vermont home and disappears. She has told her brother Sam that she has met the King of the Fairies, and that he is going to take her home to be his Queen. She believes the door to his world is in the ruins of an old abandoned town in the woods. Fifteen years later Phoebe and Sam, her boyfriend, receive a strange call that brings Lisa's disappearance to the forefront of their minds.

The book switches between the time just before Lisa's disappearance and the present, and from Lisa's viewpoint to Phoebe's. The moves between the two, and when the events are supposed to have taken place, are clearly indicated, but even without it would have been easy to follow.

This was one of those books where when I had to put it down I found myself thinking about it, and trying to figure out what was going on and where the story might be headed. Would the explanation be supernatural or was it some darker but human? Lisa absolutely believed in the fairies, whereas Sam was a logical, scientific type who was sceptical at the time and has remained so over the years. I felt a bit like I was trying to untangle the truth along with Phoebe and Sam as they got pulled into the mystery, such was the strength of the storytelling.

I thought the characters were well drawn, and could well imagine the dynamics between the young characters in the time before Lisa vanished. I also really liked Sam and Phoebe, they were both sympathetic characters whose lives were thrown into turmoil. I really wanted to see them have a happy ending. I couldn't possibly reveal whether they get it or not, but the ending left me feeling satisfied, even if it did leave me with some questions.

I started the book with a slight concern about whether this might venture too far into the realms of fantasy and the supernatural but needn't have worried, it was well balanced between fantastical and thrilling. I'll definitely be looking at the author's other titles.

Format: E-book, review copy (expected publication date 17th May 2011)
My Rating: 5*