by Heather Graham
Release Date: May19th 2020
2020 MIRA
Kindle Edition
ISBN: 978-0499055706
ASIN: B07WZ1XRKQ
Genre: Fiction / Mystery / Paranormal
Source: Review copy from publisher
3.5 / 5 Stars
Summary
It was supposed to be a fun girls’ weekend in Salem, but when a past-life regression session instead sends a terrifying vision of murder to Kylie Connelly, she’s shaken and doesn’t know what to think. Worse, later she identifies the attacker from her vision: he’s a prominent local politician.
Special Agent Jon Dickson of the FBI’s Krewe of Hunters is on the trail of a suspected serial killer based on the scantest of clues and unreliable witness testimony. When he realizes Kylie’s vision might be his best lead, he must gain her trust and get close enough to guide her new talent. Though she doubts herself, the danger Kylie sees is all too real—and the pair will have to navigate a murderer’s twisted passions and deceptions to stop the killer from claiming another victim.
My Thoughts
Seeing Darkness is the next book in the very successful Krewe Of Hunters series, this time bringing us back to Salem, one of my favourite settings for this series outside of New Orleans. This series is my comfort series. It is definitely predictable and formulaic: FBI agent has been seeing ghosts since childhood, other person has a traumatic event and suddenly starts seeing ghosts, murder happens, FBI called in to investigate, FBI agent and other person fall in love, murder solved, end of story. But gosh, these stories are FUN to read. And as I am in the middle of some heavy non-fiction hitters at the moment, this was a welcome distraction.
One of the things I have always enjoyed about this author and her writing, is her ability to convey historical fact through her characters and their actions. I've visited Salem and I could literally picture it through the eyes of these characters as if I was there, and I enjoyed the historical lessons as much as the mystery. I've always thought this was one the author's strengths in her writing.
The plot was interesting, but I think having read every single one of her books, it is very easy to see through the red herrings she throws, even if they are pretty good. Her books do follow a pretty predictable formula, but that formula definitely works, is enjoyable, so why change it?
I wasn't as crazy about Kylie though. I'm not sure what it was but I just didn't empathize with her and didn't really see the connection between her and Jon. One minute she was annoyed with him, then suddenly she was attracted to him? This is one of those mysteries where I thought the romance was actually kind of flimsy, at best. However, I did like the route used to open up Kylie's mind to ghosts; I had flashbacks to the movie Stir of Echoes throughout this book, and I am curious if this will be used in future books as a plot point.
Verdict
Seeing Darkness does not disappoint, and I am always intrigued when characters from previous books show up to help, even if the reasons were pretty flimsy. I enjoyed the characters, even if I thought they were a bit much, especially Kylie's friends, and I'm not really sure a political wife, born and bred into that lifestyle, would actually behave the way she did, but there you have it. The story was fun, and I don't think you will be disappointed with this instalment in the series.
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