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NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Third Eye by Rick R. Reed (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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REVIEW: Dead Reckoning by Pandora Pine
Cold Case Psychic: Dead Reckoning – Pandora Pine
When the spirit of a young male prostitute comes to psychic Tennyson Grimm asking him to find the john who brutally murdered him, Tennyson can’t say no. Only able to communicate through the use of images, rather than words, getting any information out of the young man is frustrating and slow going.
Cold Case Detective Ronan O’Mara has been on a roll solving cases since he and Tennyson last teamed up to solve the Michael Frye case. Unfortunately, the red-hot romance that had blossomed between them during that investigation is now off in a ditch, thanks to Ronan’s self-confessed pigheadedness.
Agreeing to work together despite the rift in their relationship, Tennyson and Ronan discover they are in for more than they bargained for when more victims start to reveal themselves to Tennyson.
Realizing they might have a serial killer on their hands, the two men work tirelessly to stop this madman from killing again, but when the killer targets the son of a prominent member of the Boston Police Department, can Ronan and Tennyson save him before it’s too late?
It was Tenn’s turn to lose his cool with a case that hit close to home.
Tennyson, always the calm and unruffled one, couldn’t help but be emotional and angry when a ghost of a dead gay teenager appeared to let him know he was murdered. This opened a can of worms long since present in the city but largely ignored. That of homeless teenagers peddling their bodies in order to survive. Most of these teenagers were gay boys thrown out of their houses. Tenn was would have been one of these teens living on the streets if not for his psychic gifts.
Meanwhile Ronan manned up and finally admitted that he has a problem. He and Tenn had a huge blow up regarding how the previous case of his ex-husband turning out to be a child killer, was affecting him. This led to him walking away from Tenn.
Ronan was more likable in this book, especially after they reconciled. He was happier and warmer. His connection with Tenn was stronger. He still had his moments but the temper tantrums were less frequent. He still blurted out details of the case to a journalist but that was because he needed the man’s help. Like Tenn said, we’re seeing the side of Ronan that was there before his dreaded ex ruined it.
This installment also saw a more human Captain Kevin Fitzgibbon, Ronan’s boss. I liked how the captain fit right in Tenn and Ronan’s ever expanding family. I’m glad Fitz has his own book.
Dead Reckoning is another serial killing case where teen prostitutes were the main target. The details of the crimes were harrowing but not too graphic. The killer was harder to guess compared to the first book. Although, I found that the story tried a little too hard in directing my attention to the other guy.
IMHO, I think, it would have been more interesting if the killer was known early on and the story was more about trying to prove that he’s the guy. Kind of like what L.A. Witt & Cari Z. did in Suspicious Behavior. I rarely come across their kind of take on the serial killer trope.
The author did a good job building up to the climax. However at the most critical point, things quickly went pear-shaped on different levels. A police officer who knew better forgot his training and came rushing half-cocked into a standoff. Shots were fired, he was hit on the chest. Then came more people, people who were supposedly severely injured, rushing in and crying. It was stupid and melodramatic. I expected better.
Dead Reckoning may have some parts that could have been done differently, but overall, I enjoyed this book. I was hooked on the story for hours. There were definite improvements from the first book, Dead Speak. I liked how the ending set up expectations for the third book.
Would Tenn enjoy the silence?
P.S.
review of book 1, Dead Speak, here
review of Suspicious Behavior hereRating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and loveSoundtrack: U (Man Like)
Artist: Bon Iver
Album: I,I -
REVIEW: Dead Speak by Pandora Pine
Cold Case Psychic: Dead Speak – Pandora Pine
Demoted to the cold case squad after shooting a suspect in the line of duty, Detective Ronan O’Mara knows that his career with the Boston Police Department is hanging by a thread. His first assignment is the case of Michael Frye, a five-year-old boy who has been missing for seven years. With no new leads or witnesses to interview, Ronan has to start from scratch to solve this mystery. When he sees a handsome local psychic on television, Ronan figures he’s got nothing to lose in enlisting the man’s help to find Michael.
Psychic Tennyson Grimm is riding high after helping South Shore cops find a missing child. He’s even being courted by the Reality Show Network about a program showcasing his abilities. He has no idea that his midday appointment with a customer, who instead turns out to be a police detective, is going to change the course of his life and his career.
With the blessing of the BPD, which badly needs an image make-over, Ronan is allowed to bring Tennyson in to assist with the Frye case. Being thrown together in front of cameras is never easy, but add in an emotional missing person’s investigation, a tight-lipped spirit, and a cop who’s a skeptic, and it definitely puts a strain on both men and their working relationship.
When the child’s body is found, the work to identify his killer begins. As Ronan and Tennyson get closer to solving the case, the initial attraction they feel for one another explodes into a passion neither man can contain.
Will working together to bring Michael’s killer to justice seal their fledgeling bond, or will unexpected revelations in the case tear them apart forever?
Whenever something somewhere happens, somebody shouts, screams, bellows. That somebody is usually Detective Ronan O’Mara, who as a police officer, certainly had no qualms yelling out confidential police info when his temper gets the better of him. I neither liked nor disliked the man. He was not a boring character, I’ll grant him that. But, jeez, get a hold of yourself, Ro!
Tennyson ‘Ten’ Grimm is a psychic with the patience of a saint. He’s able to deal with anything from grieving parents to hot-headed detectives with equanimity. I dunno what he sees in Ronan but he’s a psychic a.k.a. he can read people, so I trust he knows his business
Cold Case Psychic is a police+psychic procedural series that’s off to a 3-star start. Book 1, Dead Speak brought together the detective and psychic to work on a cold case of a missing child last seen 7 years ago. Their investigation was filmed for a reality tv pilot with the series name as their working title.
It bothered me that these two seemed to forget they were being recorded. I know that’s the point of reality tv but still. They talk about details of the case that should have been secret. They fight and blurt out very personal issues right inside the car with voice activated cameras. And Ronan’s captain never even mentioned his lack of professionalism. At all.
I would like to say I guessed the unsub early on but I didn’t. I only got the hint when I read the other reviews that complained about the villain being portrayed as pure evil. Probably if I was smarter or more invested (because at some points, I was just there for the ride) the glaring clues should have tipped me off. Heck, he was the only one who was consistently mean. Michael was slow to reveal the clues which made the story longer. This is understandable because he was a child, even if a ghost, and had to be handled sensitively.
Even if I knew who did it, it was still enjoyable finding out the hows and whys. I still felt a sense of anticipation with the big reveal and the climax brought out the heebie jeebies. Sure, it was a bit OTT with the voices in the head thing but it was still effective.
Ten’s growing found family was a pleasure to meet. The prequel is a must read for Carson and Truman’s story. They’re expecting triplets. Cole is Carson’s brother who is married to Cassie, who is Truman’s bestfriend and business partner. They have a 1 year old daughter, Laurel. The brothers are both psychics. Tennyson is mentoring them.
All in all, I wasn’t wowed but I’m up for the second book. If you like a passable police procedural with a winsome family of psychics you might want to give this one a go. But skip if you’re looking for a stronger connection between MCs, a more professional police behavior and a more mindboggling case of whodunnit.
Rating:
3 Stars – not exactly setting my world on fire but I liked itSoundtrack: Predator
Artist: Toni Childs
Album: The Woman’s Boat -
NEW RELEASE BLITZ: To The Flame by A.E. Ross (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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RELEASE BLITZ: Loose Ends by Morgan Brice (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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NEW RELEASE BLITZ: The Hunt by Sarah Elkins (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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REVIEW: The Rising by Morgan Brice
Badlands: The Rising – Morgan Brice
A big storm is brewing, there’s a killer on the loose, and the ghosts of Myrtle Beach are restless. Psychic medium Simon Kincaide and his sexy cop boyfriend, homicide detective Vic D’Amato have their hands full helping the Grand Strand brace for rough surf, driving rain, and high winds as a winter storm roars toward shore.
Everyone’s on edge, and rumors are rampant about sightings of Blackcoat Benny, a ghostly omen of danger, and worse, the Gallows Nine, the spirits of nine infamous criminals hanged back in the 1700s, a harbinger of disaster. Rough tides wash the wreck of an old pirate ship into shallow waters, high winds threaten to damage an old mansion with a dark past, and the citizens of the beach town hunker down to ride out the storm.
As the skies grow dark and the sea turns wild, several men from prominent local families end up dead under suspicious circumstances. Simon’s premonition confirms Vic’s gut feeling—the killing is just getting started. As Simon tries to reach out to the spirits of the murdered men to help the investigation, he’s attacked by malicious ghosts that don’t want anyone getting in the way of their long-overdue vengeance.
With the storm hammering the coast, and new victims piling up, Simon is certain that the sins and secrets of the past are coming due, and that the murders have a supernatural link. Vic and Simon race to stop the murders against an unholy deadline, but as they battle rising tides and risen ghosts, can they save the intended victims without getting trapped themselves?
The Rising is the second novel in the Badlands series. It is a MM romance intended for readers 18 years of age and older.
Hmm…I don’t know if I’m in a slump but I wasn’t into this the way I was with the first book, Badlands.
I like Simon and Vic and appreciated that the book avoided the usual petty squabbles between couples, focusing instead on the adjustment to their new life and dealing with the fears and dangers of being in a relationship with a cop and a psychic. However, much as I like these developments, I can’t help feeling that the execution of their couple downtime felt a little mechanical a.k.a kind of blah. This is something I’ve noticed with Morgan Brice‘s books, the smexy times are not necessarily forced into the scenes but they don’t feel organic either.
The book is a great mix of police and psychic procedural, taking time to lay out the step-by-step of the investigations and Simon’s rituals. Simon had to deal with dead pirates, sunken ships, haunted houses and vengeful ghosts while Vic tackled a case of multiple suicides, murder and possibly, spirit possession. The cases crossed paths and led them to two ghosts who were bitter enemies back in the day when they were privateer and pirate. And one of them had a special connection to Simon!
As interesting as these sounded, I wasn’t surprised by any twists. I found that answers came too easily, via visions. This is convenient and welcome since it makes life easier and safer for Simon and Vic but it also makes it easier to predict the outcome. I guess it makes a nice change from the usual vague and obscure psychic visions but unfortunately doesn’t help in creating tension and excitement.
The highlights for me were the seances and these were definitely suspenseful and exciting. Narrator Kale Williams did a wonderful job creating varied voices, some pitiful and some malevolent and he was able to amp up the scare factor effectively. As if that’s not scary enough, it’s quite something to read about these events in the dead of night where spirits were summoned, witches worked their magic and a storm unleashed its fury while an actual one is raging outside right at the exact moment. Talk about realism!
What’s also fascinating about this book are the rich folklore and the magical practices that the author was able to make good use in the story, particularly through Miss Eppie’s and Gabriella’s talents, in addition to Simon’s academic background and his skeleton crew’s gifts Their hoodoo and witch magic made them formidable enemies so it’s a good thing they got Simon’s back. I want to see more of these folk magic again in the future.
Overall, The Rising had all the right ingredients but some things were bland and predictable. This could be a ME thing because many people gave it high ratings. I’d still read the next books. The Badlands series, and Brice‘s paranormal universe as a whole, has many interesting elements that I would like to explore. I’ll give this one a passing grade for now.
P.S.
Badlands books are best read in order. Review of book 1 here
Other psychic series you might enjoy:
Psycop review here
The Secret Casebook of Simon Feximal review here
Psychic Detective Mysteries review here
Tyack & Frayne review here
Russ Morgan Mystery review hereRating:
3 Stars – not exactly setting my world on fire but I liked itSoundtrack: The Mariner’s Revenge
Artist: The Decemberists
Album: Picaresque -
REVIEW: Shadow’s Edge by S.C. Wynne
Psychic Detective Mysteries: Shadow’s Edge by S.C. Wynne
Liam Baker can see things. Dead people like to visit him and tell them how they were wronged. Some might call it a gift, other’s a curse. But either way this ability makes him useful to Los Angeles homicide detective Kimball Thompson.
Some madman is slitting the throats of young male prostitutes and then dumping their bodies in the desert with vague clues of pink feathers and the number five. Usually Liam can talk to the spirits of the dead. But someone is blocking him. Someone is taunting him.
The case is rapidly deteriorating into a violent, psychic pissing contest and Liam can’t see far enough ahead to figure out who wins or who dies.
I seem to be building a collection of psychic detectives as I yet again start on a series featuring another consulting medium+ police detective combo. Someday, I going to create a ranking list featuring these ghost talkers. Unfortunately, Liam Baker might not make it to the top 5 as this book is pretty average.
First, the romance between Liam and Thompson was a big plus. It worked quite well with the mystery as the backdrop. Liam is prickly and grief-stricken over William, who was also Thompson’s partner. Thompson is a tough-looking, workaholic homicide detective who have always cared about Liam and had taken him under his wing when William died. He has deeply hidden feeling’s for his late partner’s boyfriend. This and the work-related pressures added extra tension to what was an already fragile relationship. Then Thompson started dating somebody else and Liam slowly realized that he was attracted to Thompson. And that he needed to get over William’s passing. All of which brought out Liam’s thorny side and he was being quite an ass. At this point, Thompson had given up on having his feelings requited, Liam being clueless and such and that should have been the end of it. But there were feels ready to be felt and USTs that irresistibly needed to be resolved and hash it out they did. While not exactly sqee-tastic, the chemistry sparked, the dynamics was enjoyable and their transition from work partners to romantic partners was convincingly executed.
However, for me, the mystery should stand out as well and while it was one of the main threads, it wasn’t as strongly delivered as I hope it would. It was as generic as they come. I didn’t feel the suspense or the chill and some of the clues’ significance were not so clear during the big confrontation with the killer. Even the killer’s motive seemed weak. I was looking forward to this ‘psychic pissing contest‘ but I’m disappointed that the antagonist was too one-dimensional.
The world-building also needed to be fleshed out. Are psychics common in their world? Everybody seemed okay with the police working with a consulting medium so maybe we can assume it is so. Since Samhain was mentioned, do other paranormal entities exist in their world too? Given the length of the book, it might not be surprising that we only get the bare-bones details but it would have been more effective to give the reader a little more meat to chew on as this would make mystery more compelling. Maybe in the second book then.
Because I liked Liam and Thompson enough to read the second book. Also, I like Kale Williams’ narration a lot. Hopefully, book two’s much better than this.
So, if you, like me, prefer your police procedural romance to be heavy on the mystery and police work, this might not be the book for you. But if you like your romance served with a side of mystery and paranormal, Shadow’s Edge by S.C. Wynne might do it for you.
P.S.
If you are interested on other books featuring psychics, check out:
Psycop by Jordan Castillo Price (review here)
Tyack & Frayne by Harper Fox (review here)
Badlands by Morgan Brice (review here)
The Community by Santino Hassel (review here)
The Secret Casebook of Simon Feximal (review here)Rating:
3 Stars – not exactly setting my world on fire but I liked itSoundtrack: Wake Up
Artist: Arcade Fire
Album: Funeral -
REVIEW: Kitto by Harper Fox
Tyack & Frayne: Kitto – Harper Fox
Now Lee is free from the malevolent ghost of Morris Hawke, his clairvoyant gifts are expanding fast. Too fast for comfort, and he and Gideon find themselves wrestling with his unsettling capacity to see the future. In some ways this new power is wonderful, and Lee finds himself a local hero after predicting a flood.
But there’s one aspect he can’t bear, and that’s the blind spot he sees when he thinks about the wedding plans he and Gideon have started to make. It’s as if this event, which he wants more than life, simply isn’t going to happen. He’s troubled and stressed out, and Gideon decides to intervene, whisking him off to an isolated creek-side cabin in the mysterious Cornish ria country. All is peaceful there, and the clamour in Lee’s head subsides. It’s time for companionship, peace, good food and plenty of sex…
Then a young man wanders out of the woods and turns their blissed-out retreat into chaos. Kitto is harmless – a charming drifter, very handsome. To Gideon he’s just a kid, flesh and blood and a bit of a nuisance. But Lee reacts with horror. Since when can Gideon – Lee’s rock, his connection to the real world and sanity – see ghosts?
Mysterious midsummer is rising in the deep green Cornish countryside, and as the village gears up for the eerie Golowan festival, Lee and Gideon face their toughest case yet: a battle between the real and spirit worlds that threatens to tear their own apart.
Kitto started off with an air of nervous anticipation. Lee and Zeke form an unlikely friendship and embark on a search for the perfect ring. The wedding is near and Lee is turning into a Bridezilla. Zeke, in his usual dry humor tries to comfort his brother’s fiance. Lee then receives a vision of a natural disaster, cue Zeke’s hilarious reaction and our favorite psychic becomes a hero. It all became too much for him. He and Gid decided to go on a vacation to get away from it all but a certain ‘teenage nutcase‘, falls into their hands. The psychic is convinced he’s a ghost but the copper insists he’s real and sets out to prove it. For the first time in their relationship, conflict and ugly fights ensue. At one point, Lee even tells his boyfriend in no uncertain terms to “fuck off“. To his amazement, Gideon still calls him “love” after that. ♥(ˆ⌣ˆԅ)
After that flood and the boys took a break, I was expecting something sedate. But again, they were thrust into another mystery, this time not that creepy but more disturbing . The monster is very real and very sinister because of the implications and that eerie horse skull. I wasn’t familiar with the Penglas character but I definitely don’t want him lurking around.
The couple were also roped into joining the Golowan or the Midsummer festival. There’s always something so dark and primal about these pagan festivals and Harper Fox did a good job using this not only to give an extra thrum of chaos and heighten the suspense at the climax but also in binding the two men together in an ancient ceremony. The confrontation with the monster was brutal. There were heart stopping moments when all seemed lost and the wedding almost didn’t happened. But after hanging on by the skin of their teeth, and some backseat interlude, they finally made it.
And so, the wedding. Lee and Gid looked dashing in their dove gray suits. Their happiness was contagious. Everybody was there including Isolde. And then Lee’s sister showed up and dropped a bombshell. I thought this part was a little too much too soon. I expected it to happened, not then and there, but perhaps sometime in the next books. Oh well, I guess the boys get an early start on raising those goldfish.
Kitto was another enthralling installment of the Tyack & Frayne series, serving up spooky romance with a rich play of words and a Celtic vibe. At this point, I am committed to seeing this series through to the end. Love Lee and Gid! Can’t wait to see what that goldfish turns out to be.
P.S.
Tyack and Frayne is best read in order. Review of the other books in the series here.
Reviews of Harper Fox’s books here.Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: The Mirror
Artist: Damaged Bug
Album: Cold Hot Plumbs -
REVIEW: Don’t Let Go by Harper Fox
Tyack & Frayne: Don’t Let Go – Harper Fox
What’s haunting Lee Tyack? He’s moved in with Gideon Frayne, and they’re both loving their new lives. But the shadow is still there – a voice from hell that torments clairvoyant Lee, and which even the pragmatic copper Gideon can hear.
Gideon’s determined to protect his lover. But after a serious injury on duty, Gideon finds out the hard way that he needs protection too. His job’s on the line and he’s scared. Worst of all, he thinks he knows who that voice belongs to – and he can’t stop Lee from heading off to confront this most terrifying ghost from his past.
When the full spring moon rises over Cornwall’s rugged coast, and the veil between the worlds grows thin, Tyack and Frayne must join forces to solve a decades-old mystery that still has the power to tear their world apart.
A couple of years ago, I started on Tyack & Frayne. It was OK but book two, Tinsel Fish, wasn’t all that spectacular and I dropped the series. I passed too hasty a judgment it turned out because Don’t Let Go, the third book, succeeded in captivating me this time.
Some things I liked:
Zeke, who was introduced on Tinsel Fish, was a revelation. Gideon’s Methodist preacher brother showed Lee and Gid that he wasn’t the stone cold religious conservative Gid thought he was. Loved his dry sense of humor.
Lee and Gideon had moved in together and I totally loved how their relationship grew. Gid was a stubborn git when faced with his convalescence but Lee, bless him, dealt with it all like a saint. That’s true love for you.
Meeting Lee’s family and getting some closure. Locryn is a beautiful name. Lee and Gid exorcised a monster from the past. Boy, was it creepy, especially when listened to at wee hours of the night.
Once again, Harper Fox made me want to go to Cornwall and visit these two men. Her trademark lyrical prose is best read with a British accent and Tim Gilbert did a good job making it all come to life. The way HF describes Bodmin, the imagery she used, was very evocative. I’m glad I gave this series another chance. While it does meander a bit, it delivered a riveting and emotional story. I have loved Lee and Gid’s chemistry from the get go and here they are evolving into a comfortable domesticity which is just lovely and ‘normal’ in contrast to all the excitement of chasing criminals, ghosts and psychic monsters. Someday, when they are both old men, they could rest in front of the fire and feel nostalgic about all this but for now, they’re still up for another adventure in book 4, Kitto.
P.S.
review of Once Upon a Haunted Moor here
review of Tinsel Fish here
review of Harper Fox books hereRating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Hold On
Artist: Flor
Album: Come Out. You’re Hiding
