Review - Tomb with a View by Casey Daniels - Starred Read

Tomb with a View
A Pepper Martin Mystery, Book #6
Casey Daniels
Berkley Prime Crime - Penguin Group USA
ISBN:# 9780425235515
Release Date: July 6, 2010

About the Book:
Cemeteries come alive for amateur sleuth/reluctant medium Pepper Martin.

Cleveland’s Garden View Cemetery is hosting a James A. Garfield commemoration. For tour guide and reluctant medium Pepper Martin this means that she’ll surely be hearing from the dead president himself. And when she’s assigned to help plan the event with know-it-all volunteer and Garfield fanatic Marjorie Klinker, she’ll wish Marjorie were dead...too bad someone beats Pepper to it.

My Thoughts:
Tomb with a View is the sixth release in the Pepper Martin Mysteries series, and quickly immerses readers into Pepper's latest adventure with one of Garden View Cemetery's permanent residents. Ms. Daniels has a smooth writing style that she skillfully uses to keep fans guessing throughout her stories. Tomb with a View is a mystery that involves the dead just as strongly as the living, and it's one of many intriguing elements that make reading the Pepper Martin Mysteries so wonderfully addictive. With twists, turns, and surprising revelations from history, this mystery is sure to keep readers fully engaged until the very end. I'd happily recommend any book from this series, and am eagerly awaiting Pepper's next ghostly adventure.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Review - Silent Night, Haunted Night by Terri Garey

A new review has been posted on the website for Silent Night, Haunted Night by Terri Garey. This is the fourth book in the Nikki Styx series.
http://darquereviews.com/12612/279159.html

You can also visit the author's page:
http://darquereviews.com/14912/279222.html

Please feel free to share any comments on this book here on the blog post. :)

Kimberly Swan, DarqueReviews.com

Review - MacGowan's Ghost by Cindy Miles

MacGowan’s Ghost
Cindy Miles
Signet Eclipse
February 3, 2009
ISBN# 978-0-451-22618-1

Book Blurb:
Gabe MacGowan-a sexy, brooding, guilt-ridden widower and father to mischievous seven-yearold Jake-is the proprietor of Odin's Thumb Inn and Pub in a misty Scottish seaside village. He decides to sell the inn and move, not only to give his son a more stable environment, but to escape the ghosts who haunt him-in particular his dead wife.

Gabe hires Allie Morgan, an easy-going and fun-loving American, to oust the spirits who are chasing away potential buyers. Odin's Thumb is bustling with frightened tourists, quirky residents of the village, and dodgy yet lovable apparitions-including the ghost of a sea captain who fancies Allie. Allie knows she can help Gabe chase away his own ghosts, but can she help him rediscover life-and love?

My thoughts:
When Allie Morgan receives the first international request for her services, she’s quick to take the job. Traveling to Scotland is an opportunity she wouldn’t want to miss, but meeting Gabe and his ghosts will be more than even she could have imagined.

Gabe MacGowan wants a stable home in which to raise his young son, and selling Odin’s Thumb Inn and Pub is the only way he sees to accomplish it. The ghostly residents don’t agree, and are scaring off the possible buyers. Hiring Allie to force the ghosts out seemed like the perfect solution until she walked in and turned Gabe’s life upside down.

MacGowan’s Ghost is a paranormal romance packed with ghostly adventure. Ms. Miles pens an enchanting read with charming ghosts and a lovely setting. The chemistry between Allie and Gabe is apparent from the beginning, and will keep romance fans glued to the pages until the very end. I hope that we’ll be seeing more of this delightful series in the future.

To learn more about MacGowan’s Ghost, please visit the website of Ms. Miles: HERE

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Review - A Drop of Red by Chris Marie Green

A Drop of Red
Vampire Babylon, Book 4
London Underground Trilogy, Book 1
Chris Marie Green
ACE
March 3, 2009
ISBN# 978-0-441-01681-5

Book Blurb:
If you run out of vampires to destroy at home, there's always work overseas . . .

Hollywood stuntwoman-turned-vampire-hunter Dawn Madison, along with her comrades, managed to wipe out the Los Angeles Vampire Underground-and uncovered not only her own dark family heritage but also a terrible truth about the man she loves. Now she's determined to find the next vampire lair, hoping it will help her to make more sense out of her life.

When a new Underground is found in England, Dawn and a vampire-fighting team are dispatched to carry the fight to the enemy in London. Dawn knows by now how deceiving appearances can be-and she is about to find out that it's not only the beautiful people of Hollywood who are willing to bargain with evil . . .

My thoughts:
Dawn Madison and her fellow vampire hunters have traveled to London, where the trail leads to a possible Underground. A psychic’s connection with a restless young soul will help in providing the clues that the team needs to escalate the investigation.

As the group continues to search, Costin fights his own battle. He’s having more trouble than ever accepting his current life. Without the hard earned control he relies on, the soul he searches for and those he cares about may be in fatal danger.

This is the fourth book in the Vampire Babylon series, and the first in the London Underground trilogy. Ms. Green moves the storyline along quickly, and delves deeper into many of the character’s hopes and fears. A Drop of Red is an engaging and passionate paranormal read that will keep fans on their toes and eager for the next release. The Path of Razors, the fifth book in the Vampire Babylon series (Book 2 in London Underground), is due out in August of 2009.

To learn more about Vampire Babylon, please visit Ms. Green’s website: HERE

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Review - You're the One that I Haunt by Terri Garey

You’re the One that I Haunt
Nicki Styx, Book 3
Terri Garey
Avon Books
February 24, 2009
ISBN# 978-0-06-158203-5

Book Blurb:
The devil went down to Georgia . . .

Nicki Styx has always known that the devil's in the details—but does he have to move in next door, too? Worse, he won't take no for an answer. Nicki would never leave her beloved boyfriend, ER doc Joe Bascombe, but hell hath no fury like a devil scorned. He's determined to make Nicki's life a living hell—even if it means exposing Nicki as an unwilling ghoulfriend to the dead.

Now, just when she was getting used to being able to see and hear—and help—spirits, Nicki's got a whole new set of problems. With ghosts descending from all sides, the bereaved knocking down her door, and Joe trying to take things to the next level, Nicki may finally be in over her head. It would be so easy to dance with the devil . . . but if Nicki crosses over to the dark side, she may never leave.

My thoughts:
After a brush with death, Nicki Styx started seeing spirits and while helping them find peace is the right thing to do, it isn’t an easy task. When the devil himself opens a shop near her own, and makes it clear that his interest in her is far from harmless, Nicki finds herself with more troubles than ever.

Nicki’s boyfriend, Joe Bascome, the man who once saved her life in the ER, has just had one of many bad days at work. Little does he know it’s about to get worse when the woman he couldn’t save comes looking for vengeance and will stop at nothing to achieve that goal. Caught between the woman he loves and the job he’s worked so hard to secure, Joe may be forced to make a very difficult choice.

This is the third novel in the Nicki Styx series, and for Nicki living with the dead is about to take a drastic turn. Ms. Garey takes readers on a new ghostly adventure, adding a surprising twist to the storyline. While unfolding at a slower pace than the previous installments, You’re the One that I Haunt is entertaining and blends the horrors and humor that’s become Nicki’s life. The ending will leave readers wondering, and looking forward to the next visit with Nicki and her friends.

To learn more about You’re the One that I Haunt, please visit Ms. Garey’s website: HERE

You can get a sneak peek inside You're the One that I Haunt at the publisher's website: HERE

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Review - One More Bite by Jennifer Rardin

One More Bite
Jaz Parks, Book 5
Jennifer Rardin
Orbit Books
January 5, 2009
ISBN# 978-0-316-02209-5

Book Blurb:
It's Jaz Parks. I've already smoked the guy who was the pain in the CIA's you-know-what for the past few years. But now, in the power vacuum left by the death of Edward "The Raptor" Samos, a struggle for supremacy has begun between his former allies: The Flock, The Valencian Weres and the Coven of Inverness.

The CIA feels the balance must be maintained. So when an agent planted among the Weres discovers a plot to assassinate the Coven's leader, I and my vampire hottie (and boss), Vayl, are brought in to take out the woman hired to do the deed, a killer who might be as wily and Gifted as ourselves.

So it's off to the Scottish Highlands for some twisted fun among murderers, demons and half-crazed relatives. Sometimes being a top-secret CIA assassin isn't all it's cracked up to be.

My thoughts:
After ridding the world of The Raptor, the team finds that one of the groups he had allied himself with is making a play to gain power over another. Jaz Parks, along with Vayl and Cole, are sent to Scotland to prevent a hit on the Inverness coven leader from taking place.

With little to go on but a name, the team arrives just in time for a ghost convention and uses it for their cover. Little did they know that in the midst of their investigation, ghosts would become the biggest threat around.

This is the fifth book in the Jaz Parks series, and quickly became a favorite for me among them. Ms. Rardin adds more to the complexity of emotions between her characters and to their world with each book. One More Bite offers a fast paced paranormal adventure that travels to the castles of Scotland and leaves readers with a whole new outlook on ghostly possibilities. For a good understanding of the Jaz Parks series, readers should start with book one. You really don’t want to miss a word.

To learn more about One More Bite, please visit Ms. Rardin’s website: HERE

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Review - Deadly Night by Heather Graham

Deadly Night
The Flynn Brothers Trilogy, Book 1
Heather Graham
MIRA
October 1, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-7783-2585-7

Book blurb:
The Flynn brothers have inherited more than a New Orleans plantation. They've inherited a ghostly presence… and a long-kept secret.

Aidan Flynn, a private investigator and eldest of the Flynn brothers, scoffs at the haunted-house rumors—especially since Kendall Montgomery, a tarot card reader who has been living in the mansion, is the one to tell him the tale of a woman in white. But when he finds a human bone on the grounds and another by the river, Aidan delves into the dark history of the Flynn plantation.

Forced together to uncover the truth, Aidan and Kendall realize that a serial killer whose victims seem to vanish into thin air has long been at work…and that their own fates are about to be sealed forever unless they believe in the unbelievable.

My thoughts:
Aidan Flynn, the oldest of three brothers who’ve just inherited a New Orleans plantation home, works as a private investigator. When he finds two human bones and gets the brush off from local authorities, he’s all the more determined to find answers. As he begins digging in to local missing persons he discovers there may be a dangerous killer loose in the area. Kendall, the woman he’s started to care for, could be a target.

Kendall Montgomery owns a small shop where she does tarot readings. After staying by Amelia Flynn’s side during her final days, Kendall is surprised to meet the men who knew nothing of Amelia’s existence. Aidan, the one she pegs as the rude one, soon grows on her. As her readings and dreams begin changing in a direction she never expected, Kendall believes that something has stirred up the ghosts of the Flynn home. Until the evil is stopped no one will be safe.

This is the first book in The Flynn Brothers Trilogy, and tells Aidan’s story. Ms. Graham knows exactly how to wrap her audience up in a ghostly tale and keep it believable. The characters are well-detailed and supported by a nicely diverse group of secondary characters, each of which adds something to the over-all story. Deadly Night moves at a steady pace, without rushing scenes or losing the reader’s interest. The mystery, suspense and romance in this installment will have paranormal lovers anxiously awaiting Deadly Harvest, the next in the trilogy.

To learn more about The Flynn Brothers Trilogy, please visit Ms. Graham’s website: Here

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Review - Mysteria Lane - Anthology

Mysteria Lane
Anthology
MaryJanice Davidson, Susan Grant,
Gena Showalter, P. C. Cast
Berkley Sensation
October 7, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-425-22294-2

Book Blurb:
Return to a town of bewitching seduction and sensual demons. There’s a spellbinding witch of love who wants to make one man hers; a vegan having trouble adapting to vampirism; Satan’s emissary, who is looking for steady work in Colorado; and angelic triplets feeling a wee touch of the devil.

My thoughts:
In Disdaining Trouble by MaryJanice Davidson the Desdaine triplets tend to be the terrors of the town. When a mishap sends Withering into the town’s wishing well and returns her all grown-up just a few minutes later, Thad is happier than ever that he made to choice to move back to Mysteria.

In The Nanny from Hell by Susan Grant a demon is sent to destroy Harmony and Damon’s baby boy, but before she reaches them an accident changes things. A future with Quel, the town’s demon hunter, suddenly sounds much more appealing to Shay than returning to her life ruled by Lucifer.

In A Tawdry Affair by Gena Showalter a witch who wants revenge enlists her sister’s help in providing her with a bit of magic to make a man pay for his actions. Glory’s in for a surprise when the tables are turned, and she realizes how wrong she’s been about Falon.

In It’s in His Kiss by P. C. Cast a school teacher with faulty magic returns to Mysteria with designs on a certain fairie, but meeting Colin, could change her mind. Only problem is, Summer is a vegetarian and Colin is a vampire.

In this follow-up anthology, four talented authors are brought together for another visit to the town and residents that readers were introduced to in Mysteria. With just as much humor and romance as the first, Mysteria Lane will keep readers engaged from the first page to the last. Each author provides readers with a well-detailed short story that’s filled with magic, passion and wit. I hope to see another visit to this mystical town in the future.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Review - Their Way Home by Melissa Van Rossum

Their Way Home
Melissa Van Rossum
MetaPublishing
April 2, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-9792265-3-3

Book Blurb:
Melissa Van Rossum dreamed of having a normal life. Problem? Melissa Van Rossum could see ghosts. She didn't have to visit the local haunted house to encounter these spectral beings - they would find her. In her car, her closet, her shower - everywhere. And sometimes they'd tell her their stories. Meet the ghostly woman who was distressed at never knowing her children; find out why hundreds of ghosts haunt a Hollywood sound stage; discover what still fascinated a phantom businesswoman; and feel for the teenager who desperately wanted to come back to life.

These ghosts run the gamut from a creepy clown to a criminal predator to a sweet little girl who stayed behind to comfort her mother.

Melissa Van Rossum has encountered them all, and for the first time, tells their stories. These are spooky tales like no other as a true ghost guide gives insight to the lives of the ghosts she’s known and how she helped them find Their Way Home.

My thoughts:
The book opens with a nice foreword by Raymon Grace, followed by an introduction by Melissa Van Rossum.

Finding My Way is the first section, and in it Ms. Van Rossum shares everything from her early memories of playing with a motherly ghost, to a pair of ghosts who took up a brief residence in her vehicle. The creepiest story in this section has to be the ghostly dentist who appeared not to get a clue.

Finding Their Way is the next section, and it covers ghosts she’s met from a wide array of backgrounds. Readers may never view a simple walk-in closet or the theater the same way again.

Visits From Loved Ones is the third section, and is by far the most touching. The author shares personal experiences with her own family and friends

Process, Questions, Lessons is the final section that offers some guidance for readers who are interested in learning the basics on how to help guide the earthbound spirits to cross-over. This segment also answers the most asked questions, and the lessons learned from ghosts.

Ms. Van Rossum has shared her experiences in a well-organized manner that is quick and easy to read. Their Way Home touches on every emotion from joy to fear and will leave readers more curious than ever about those who remain unseen by their side. This is a short read and will certainly be over long before most readers would prefer, but the author details the facts in each encounter without dressing-up the experience. While Ms. Van Rossum may not have always been able to comfortably experience her abilities, it’s good to know that she’s more at ease now with the gift she’s been given. That in itself is probably the most amazing part of her story. It’s difficult to imagine someone living every day of their lives under what most would consider nightmarish conditions.

To learn more about Melissa Van Rossum, please visit her website: Here

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Review - Hex Appeal by Linda Wisdom

Hex Appeal
Hex, Book 2
Linda Wisdom
Sourcebooks, Inc.
November 1, 2008
ISBN# 978-1-4022-1400-4

Publisher’s blurb:
The second book in the Hex series features feisty witch Jazz and her drop-dead gorgeous vampire cop boyfriend in a new installment. On again, off again for over 300 years, Jazz and Nick are finally back together, but then Jazz thinks Nick has bitten her. Separated again, upset and angry, the two of them start having violent, recurring dreams in which each one figures in disturbing and menacing ways. They can’t sleep, they can’t eat, and they finally figure out they’d better get together and discover who’s poisoning their dreams—and their relationship.

My thoughts:
Jazz Tremaine wakes feeling certain that her vampire boyfriend has bitten her, even knowing that her blood could make him seriously ill. That’s just the beginning, because Jazz soon finds herself fighting to save Fluff and Puff, her snarling slippers, from a murder wrap, and someone is out to get her. She has no idea where to begin looking for her enemy, but she’s convinced the answer is there in her suddenly disturbing dreams.

In addition to being a vampire, Nick Gregory occupies his time as a private investigator. Things are changing in the vampire community and some of it he’s not at liberty to share with Jazz, it makes for a sore spot in their relationship. With an unknown force stalking his girlfriend’s dreams, his own dreams are heading in a troubling direction. Apart they may not have a chance, but together Jazz and Nick have the ability to track down their assailant and put an end to it before one of them stays trapped in their own worst nightmares forever.

Hex Appeal is the second installment in the Hex series and is as fast moving and fun as the first. The characters are well defined, the dialog is witty, and the romance is steamy. Ms. Wisdom shares her fictional world populated with fiery witches, sexy vampires and a variety of supernatural beings that are sure to charm and entertain readers from the start. Hex Appeal can be read as a stand-alone, but as with most series books I’d recommend enjoying the Hex series from the beginning.

To learn more about Hex Appeal, please visit Ms. Wisdom’s site: Here

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Review - The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong

The Summoning
Dark Powers Trilogy, Book 1
Kelley Armstrong
Harper Teen
July 1, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-06-166269-0

From the publisher’s website:
My name is Chloe Saunders and my life will never be the same again.

All I wanted was to make friends, meet boys, and keep on being ordinary. I don't even know what that means anymore. It all started on the day that I saw my first ghost—and the ghost saw me.

Now there are ghosts everywhere and they won't leave me alone. To top it all off, I somehow got myself locked up in Lyle House, a "special home" for troubled teens. Yet the home isn't what it seems. Don't tell anyone, but I think there might be more to my housemates than meets the eye. The question is, whose side are they on? It's up to me to figure out the dangerous secrets behind Lyle House . . . before its skeletons come back to haunt me.

My thoughts:
Chloe Saunders is your average teen until her school’s hallway becomes the scene of an extreme episode with a ghost. The adults in her life, her dad and aunt, decide it’s best to send her to Lyle House, a place where she can work on recovering from whatever has caused her hallucinations. The doctors quickly diagnose her as a schizophrenic and add medication to help her deal. Chloe assures them that she’s going to get better and attempts to ignore her ghostly visitors.

Lyle House has other residents, each with a surprising tale of their own and it’s clear that the group home is more than a half-way house for troubled teens. The house has its own share of ghosts, and some are willing to share its secrets with Chloe. It’s a dangerous risk, but if she and her new friends don’t dig up the truth soon, they could all be calling Lyle House their permanent home.

This is the first book in the new Dark Powers Trilogy, a young adult urban fantasy featuring Chloe Saunders. The plot is filled with paranormal elements, intriguing characters, and action that keeps up a fast pace. Ms. Armstrong is an all-around fabulous storyteller and The Summoning is no exception. This is a story that’s easy to follow, well-detailed as events unfold and easily enjoyable by both teens and adults alike.

To learn more about the Dark Powers Trilogy, please visit Ms. Armstrong’s website: Here

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Break of Dawn by Chris Marie Green

Break of Dawn
Vampire Babylon, Book 3
Chris Marie Green
Ace
September 2, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-441-01629-7

From the Publisher’s site:
Hollywood can really suck…After facing off against the lethal Vampire Killer, Hollywood stuntwoman Dawn Madison and her friends are reeling. But for Dawn, the pain is much more personal. She’s learned more about her missing father and long-dead mother than she ever wanted to, and her conflicted feelings about both her enigmatic, never-seen boss, Jonah, and P.I. Matt Lonigan are only making things worse.

To save her father Dawn must enter the Vampire Underground, where she will encounter an unthinkable betrayal, and where the question of who is truly good and who is truly evil will become a matter of life, death—and undeath…

My thoughts:
Dawn Madison and the team working for Jonah Limpet are getting closer to discovering the Underground’s location. The team’s leader, The Voice, has worked a long time on plans to destroy the master running it, but he’s managed to stay just out of reach. Dawn is supposed to be the key to reaching their goal, but for her it’s about bringing her father home and there’s little that will change the course she’s set for herself.

As secrets are revealed and Dawn is pulled further into the dark world of the Underground, what remains of the team fights to put an end to the evil and bring everyone home safely. While they may triumph to some degree, secrets will be revealed that will change each of their lives and may fracture the team forever.

This is the third release in the Vampire Babylon series and completes the first trilogy. Dawn has priorities, and while she’s willing to work with Limpet’s team, she’ll stop at nothing when it comes to rescuing her father. The darkness and danger mounts as Ms. Green exposes her characters well kept secrets, and resolves many of the mysteries surrounding them. Break of Dawn ends with a well-planned twist that will leave readers eagerly anticipating the beginning of the next trilogy. This is a series that should be read from the beginning to fully appreciate how some aspects of the storyline unfold.

If you’d like to learn more about the Vampire Babylon series, please visit the website: Here

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Underground by Kat Richardson

Underground
Greywalker, Book 3
Kat Richardson
ROC
August 5, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-451-46212-1

From the Publisher’s site:
Harper Blaine was your average small-time P.I. until she died—for two minutes. Now Harper is a Greywalker—walking the thin line between the living world and the paranormal realm. And she’s discovering that her new abilities are landing her all sorts of “strange” cases.

-

Pioneer Square’s homeless are turning up dead and mutilated, and zombies have been seen roaming the underground—the city buried beneath modern Seattle. When Harper’s friend Quinton believes he may be implicated in the deaths, he persuades her to investigate. But the killer is no mere murderer—it is a creature of ancient legend. And Harper must deal with both the living and the dead to stop the monster and its master…unless they stop her first.
-
My thoughts:
After surviving a brief brush with death, Harper Blaine found she came back with a gift. Now she can move through the Grey where ghosts and darker things exist, and sometimes the layers of time can be accessed. Her P.I. business, and her new talent with the Grey, brings her in contact with beings and entities she’s left little choice but to believe in.

The homeless are turning up dead and Harper’s friend, Quinton, has asked for her help in discovering the cause. He’s a pro when it comes to designing electronics to protect and defend, but even Quinton is at a disadvantage when it comes to something ancient who hungers at the whim of a master. With Harper’s ever evolving skill in the Grey, they may have a fighting chance to find the answers they need before the evil seeks other avenues to satisfy the hunger that consumes him.

Seattle’s Underground can be a very dangerous place, but tracking a killer through parts of the city that were buried after the city’s tragic fire could cost them their lives. If they can uncover the monster, they’ll still have to rely on the support of those who can banish their foe because there can be nothing left for his master to hold on to.

This is the third release in the Greywalker series, and the aspects of the Grey become deeper still as Harper Blaine leads readers to discover what lies beyond the norm. As Harper comes to accept and utilize the changes in her life, not everyone around her is as agreeable with her choices. It makes for some interesting friction and opens another door to possibilities. Ms. Richardson gives readers a paranormal murder mystery and provides all of the fast paced action it takes to solve it. Underground should easily satisfy urban fantasy readers, and includes a touch of romance to lighten some of those dark corners of Grey. The author provides just enough background to start the series at this point, but I would recommend starting with the first Greywalker book.

To read an excerpt from Underground, visit Ms. Richardson’s site: Here

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

A Match Made in Hell by Terri Garey

A Match Made in Hell
Nicki Styx, Book 2
Terri Garey
Avon Books
June 24, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-06-113616-0

When a heart condition nearly took her life, Nicki Styx came back with a gift she’d rather not have. She can see the spirits of people who haven’t crossed over, and each of them need her help. This time around an accident victim, Peaches, leads Nicki to answers from her past and the family she didn’t know existed.

Joe Bascombe, the emergency room doctor who saved her life, is her new beau. More often than not his time is spent by her side, especially during the times that she needs him most. He’s adjusted to Nicki’s gift rather well, so when she finds herself chasing down family ghosts it’s no surprise that Joe takes a few days off from the hospital to join her.

A surprise visit from a family member leads them both to the home they knew nothing about. Once there, family secrets are revealed, spirits are set free and Nicki finds herself fending off some tempting attention, the price of which could cost her soul.

This is the second novel in the Nicki Styx series. Nicki’s family background is revealed and it’s as much a surprise for her as it is for fans. Ms. Garey adds many twists to this installment, and keeps readers on the edge of their seat until the last moment. With some new and intriguing characters added to the mix, the trouble in A Match Made in Hell intensifies, a strong romance is put through more than one test and souls are in danger. The chemistry is scorching, looks can be deceiving, and Nicki’s life is about to get a lot more complicated.

Kimberly Swam Darque Reviews

Weddings From Hell - Anthology

Weddings From Hell
Anthology
Harper
May 27, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-0614-7268-8

‘Till Death by Maggie Shayne – When Kira Monroe receives a call requesting she attend the reading of her great-aunt’s will, she finds herself heading to Scotland to meet the relatives she never knew she had. She also meets the handsome Ian Stewart who captures her attention from the start. It seems there’s a family curse on the women of her mother’s line, and Kira’s convinced there’s a way to break the curse and set the ghosts free. It could be her only chance at love.

Happily Never After by Jeaniene Frost – Isabella Spaga is being forced into marriage with Robert Bertino, a local mafia boss with big plans. Her brother Frazier has disappeared, and Bertino claims to be holding him until their wedding. All is not lost because Chance arrives to honor his sire’s request in stopping Bertino. Once he lays eyes on Isa he’s in it for a whole lot more. Now he’ll just have to convince her that what he is doesn’t make him a monster.

Ghoul’s Night Out by Terri Garey - When Nicki Styx got a call from her cousin, Debbie, she did the right thing by agreeing to be in her wedding. Even if it meant that she had to dress like the Chiquita Banana lady. It’s not long before a ghost pays her a visit and clues her in on how she became a bride’s maid. Someone among the group of Debbie’s friends has intimate knowledge of a murder. Now she just has to get a confession to prove it before the killer strikes again.

The Wedding Night by Kathryn Smith – If Violet Wynston-Jones wondered why she wasn’t happy to be marrying her handsome fiancé, she need only think of Payen. It had been five long years since the night he ran away and never looked back. His sudden reappearance may push her into doing the right thing, but Payne is a vampire child of Lilith, and convincing him to stay is going to take a lot more doing.

With stories from four fabulous authors, Weddings From Hell offers something for everyone who enjoys a good urban fantasy or paranormal read. From ghosts to vampires, sweet to steamy, these strong heroines know what they want in a man and are determined to get it. A fast, fun and entertaining time.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

The Death Dealer by Heather Graham

The Death Dealer
Heather Graham
Mira
March 25, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-7783-2532-1

After surviving a kidnapping at the cost of another life, Genevieve O’Brien has had enough horror. Now her worries are for her mother and the other Ravens of the Poe Society who appear to be in danger. There’s a serial killer on the loose and no one’s better to find the culprit than the man who helped to save her life. Confident in his abilities, Gen hires Joe to look into the Poe Killings and to keep her mother safe.

Joe Connolly is a Private Investigator, and reluctantly takes on Gen’s case. He has problems of his own right now and thinks he may be going crazy after hearing voices from the dead. With so many possible suspects, and so little proof, the case will take more than his expertise to be solved. Gen isn’t about to let him go off to investigate on his own, so when she insists on accompanying him Joe gives in.

As they grow closer to the truth the killer will strike once again and Joe will have little choice but to believe in the voices of those he lost. If he doesn’t heed their warnings another life will be taken soon, and that loss may be more than he can bear.

This sequel to last year’s, The Dead Room, is another well-told mystery with a paranormal touch. Ms. Graham writes some fabulous tales, and her romantic ghost stories are certainly a favorite. A romance blooms, the mystery steadily unravels, and readers are led to a brisk and satisfying end. The Death Dealer picks up soon after Genevieve’s rescue, but can easily be read as a stand-alone book.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Key to Conspiracy by Talia Gryphon

Key to Conspiracy
Gillian Key, ParaDoc, Book Two
Talia Gryphon
Ace – Penguin Group USA
April 29, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-441-01576-4

Though she’d prefer not to, Paramortal psychologist, Gillian Key, leaves Romania and her handsome Master Vampire, Aleksei Rachlav, behind when she’s recalled by the Marine Corps for a special mission. With her handpicked Re-Con team, Gillian is sent to Northern Russia under the cover of helping in a search and rescue after a major earthquake. Their true mission is tracking down kidnapped children in the hands of traffickers and bringing the perpetrators to justice.

While she and her team complete their mission in Russia, an unrelated job waylays her on her return trip and puts her in more danger than ever. Separated from Aleksei, Gillian is more susceptible to Dracula and his minions. When an evil she thought she left behind appears in the flesh, it’s all Gillian can do to get away. With a whole lot of help from her friends, Gillian plans to make it back to Romania and to Aleksei, the former patient she’s waited years to explore a relationship with.

Key to Conspiracy is the second book in the Gillian Key, ParaDoc series. Gillian enjoys her work as a Paramortal psychologist, but when the Marine Corps calls she’s duty bound to take on a new mission. With the dark prince Dracula still on the loose, danger is inevitable. Ms. Gryphon revs up her romantic urban fantasy series with new threats and action-packed danger. Chemistry sizzles between characters and their relationships move to a new level while the fight to break the dark prince’s hold continues. Key to Conspiracy can be read as a stand-alone story, but for a better understanding of the evil Gillian faces readers should start with Key to Conflict.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

House of Whispers by Margaret Lucke

House of Whispers
The Supernatural Properties, Book One
Margaret Lucke
Juno Books
March 1, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-8095-7158-1

Claire Scanlan has moved back to California and left her life with a cheating husband behind. She’s gotten her license and a new a job as a real estate agent, but her first listing will be a very difficult sell. Especially when Claire is forced to come to terms with a talent she’s spent most of her life denying.

Her boss has sent Claire and her equally new colleague Avery to meet with a potential client to discuss the house he has on the market. Trouble is the client’s family was murdered there. After months in the hands of other agencies, it’s their hope to be the one that can finally sell it. Avery plans to make sure that it’s her name on the commission, but Claire is just as determined.

Ben Grant is still mourning the loss of his brother and his family while he does the best he can to raise Eden, his surviving niece. Then Claire comes into his life and what he believed was true of the murders is now in question. Truly solving the mystery of the family’s death is the only way they can ever move on, and Claire intends to help the deceased do just that.

House of Whispers is the first book in The Supernatural Properties series. Claire is doing everything in her power to make a new life for herself, but a meddlesome coworker and a few insistent ghosts are about to make it a very difficult process. Ms. Lucke pulls readers into her story with an intriguing murder mystery, and adds a bit of romance and the paranormal to the mix. This is an entertaining and suspenseful tale with a sweet blossoming romance. Readers will see more in The Supernatural Properties series in Ms. Lucke’s next installment, Mansion of Desire.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Demons Are A Ghoul's Best Friend by Victoria Laurie

Demons Are A Ghoul’s Best Friend
Ghost Hunter Mysteries, Book 2
Victoria Laurie
Obsidian – Penguin Books
March 4, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-451-22341-8

M. J. is on a new ghost hunting case at the Northelm Boarding School near Lake Placid, N.Y. to investigate the haunting of an old wing. With her partners Gilley and Steven by her side, M. J. is about to take on one of the strongest ghosts she’s encountered. Tales of Hatchet Jack have been circulating for years, but it’s been the school’s policy to keep the incidents secret. Now, with the renovation of the old wing and a dean who chooses to ignore the danger in what’s going on, Hatchet Jack is busy scaring anyone who crosses his path.

There’s more to the ghost haunting Northelm’s school grounds and M.J. will have to solve that mystery in order to discover why he’s still hanging around. Finding the portal that Hatchet Jack uses and sealing it is the only way to ensure that he never returns. Some days a ghost hunter’s job is much easier said than done.

Demons Are A Ghoul’s Best Friend is the second installment in the Ghost Hunter Mysteries series. M. J. takes her job very seriously, so when she’s faced with Hatchet Jack she won’t let anything stop her from banishing him and ridding the children of Northelm Boarding School from further threat. Ms. Laurie has penned a fabulous read and packed it with ghost hunting action at its best. With a chilling mystery, a danger filled investigation, a bit of romance and a wonderful dose of humor, there’s little chance that readers will be able to set this book down. M. J. and the team’s next investigation is currently scheduled for March of 2009.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Like a Charm by Candace Havens

Like a Charm
Candace Havens
The Berkley Publishing Group
February 5, 2008
978-0-425-21926-3

All Kira Smythe ever wanted was to get out of her hometown of Sweet, Texas and make her mark in the world. She achieved the success of a contract attorney with Zeb Corp., but when a client takes her own life the tragic experience is too much to bear. The death is blocked from Kira’s memory and lands her in the hospital with little choice but to return home and recover.

In the time that Kira has been away from Sweet a few things have changed. The parents she once saw as hippies are now successful business people, and the town she once felt alone in has become much more inviting. Luckily for Kira the best things she remembers have stayed the same. Lulu’s is still the best place for a great meal, the bakery is still a welcome temptation and Mrs. Canard is still the town librarian.

When tragedy strikes once again, Kira’s world is thrown even further into turmoil. With ghostly encounters that leave her thinking she must be crazy, and one too many job offers, Kira has some decisions to make. Then there’s Caleb, a carpenter who stirs her interest, but has secrets of his own. For Kira, making the right choice will prove to be a very difficult task.

Like a Charm is a delightful romance. In a town full of people who always seemed special, a life of being less than ordinary was something Kira felt she had to leave behind. When she returns to Sweet, Kira finds that she’s no longer the ordinary girl she was, and the years have given her a new outlook on the place she once again calls home. Ms. Havens combines the allure of small town living with magical residents. Well-written, fast-paced and filled with enchanting characters, Like a Charm is a fun escape that captures the reader’s attention and thoroughly entertains.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews