Jane Blythe is a fabulous author that has given me hours of reading pleasure, so I am glad to be back in the saddle series again with Christmas Victim and Savannah and Jett.
Christmas Victim by Jane Blythe was released on 12.1.19, just in time for the holidays.
I love a series where each story is complete, but recurring characters make appearances, refusing to stay by the sidelines, and Christmas Victim by Jane Blythe is one of those stories. This time we will get the low down on Savannah and Jett and find out if their second chance romance will work out.
Savannah had worked for the FBI, but injuries suffered in the line of duty have made it impossible for her to continue. Now, her job as a crime scene technician may be in jeopardy. Savannah is afraid to try to walk again, afraid to know if physical therapy will work or will she be stuck the wheelchair forever. I like how Jane Blythe dealt with her fears and insecurities. It makes it easier to understand why some people are afraid to try and move forward, paralyzed with fear. It takes a good support team and Savannah’s struggle reads like a true story of those stuggles. At times, I wanted to tell Savannah to get over herself, but who am I to judge what is right for her. I have never ‘walked’ in her shoes. Savannah is like a cat and I wonder how many lives she has left.
Savannah’s cat, Sequin (because of her spots that looked like sequins), refused to use a little box and just had to go out…at night. Okay, at night, in a wheelchair without any protection or even her cell phone, I know something bad is coming her way…but, she hears shots fired at her new neighbor’s house.
Finn, a doctor, and Chloe, am FBI agent, had worked through their problems and were now happily married with a little one on the way. She was going to spend the night with Savannah…but they found her unconscious on the ground suffering a head injury and hypothermia. Hasn’t Savannah been through enough JANE? An author after my own heart. She puts her characters through hell…repeatedly. LOL
Violet is missing and Jett has returned to work the case. And the dance of romance begins…along with the mystery. He was the one responsible for telling her to move there. He feels it is his responsibility to get her back. Jett knows who took her, the stalker she was hiding from, but the stalkers knows all the ins and outs to staying off the radar and has been impossible to locate. He and Jett have a connection and this has become the villain’s favorite game to play. He won’t go down easy.
Savannah had sent Jett away. She felt he had let her down and she could not count on him when the chips were down. This time…well, he wants her back and won’t take no for an answer.
Violet will go through hell, beatings, torture, sexual assault, but she never quits. He believes she belongs to him and will never let her go. What is the meaning of love?
When he punched her, it was only out of love. A love he wanted her to reciprocate. A love he WOULD get her to reciprocate.
Be careful if you do something to make him angry. He came from a brutal, disgusting, appalling despicable, depraved home, but he had made something of himself…or did he? Was he just good at hiding who he really was. I love stories that delve into the mind of monsters.
WOW. I am stunned, not sure what I think. HE took Jane Blythe to a really dark place and I love getting into his mind, trying to see what makes him tick, his thoughts and feelings. There were a couple of things that bothered me, but were easy to overlook. It allowed the story to continue and gave it that little twist that lets us know, monsters don’t go down easy.
Another wild ride that does NOT make for light Christmas reading, but if you are looking for the boogie man that comes out at night, this may just work for you. LOL This is the third book in the series of recurring characters, but each story is told in its entirety.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of Christmas Victim by Jane Blythe.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
He broke her heart when he wasn’t there for her when she needed him the most.
FBI
Agent Jett Crane is hunting his ex-partner who has gone off the rails.
When his one time girlfriend Savannah Watson becomes an accidental
casualty, he is both thrilled to see her again, and terrified that she
might now become a target of the man he is searching for.
Savannah
on the other hand is not the least bit pleased at the prospect of
seeing Jett again. He let her down, and broke both her heart and her
trust, and she has no interest in rekindling old feelings. Despite her
determination to ignore his attempts to win her back and in spite of the
pain he caused her, being around him softens the hard wall she had
built around her heart. But with a dangerous man circling them will it
all be too late for Jett and Savannah to once again find happiness with
each other?
I have been a collector of all things Unicorn for some time now, so when I saw the opportunity to read The Unicorn Key by J A Culican, I had to jump on it. I’m prancing with joy that this is a series because I want more.
I love a story with unicorns, but there are so many other supernatural and mythical creatures to fear and love, that I barely had a moment to catch my breath as the threesome set off on a dangerous quest to find the Diamond.
An unlikely duo appears at Freya’s door. Opal is a young ‘girl’ with pink and purple hair and a gruff attitude, making it hard to like her. Jet is a young ‘boy’ with blue hair and a lighthearted demeanor, making it easy to like him.
Freya’s grandfather had a stroke and had not spoken in years, but when the duo arrived on their doorstep, he told her she must join them on their quest to find the Diamond and save them from the Darkness that is taking over the land.
River volunteers his services in reading the map, which is in a code they cannot decipher. Can he be trusted…or is he after the Diamond for himself.
Trouble is sure to find them as they enter the woods, travel to distant mountains and come face to face with Baxil. They will encounter many supernatural creatures and have others join in their quest.
Unicorns are not extinct, just very well hidden. Like elephants and rhinos in our world, they are valued for their horns.
I love the Diamond twist.
The action ramps up as their journey nears its end. The characters grow, develop, and show their true colors, while forming a family of sorts, with a little romance thrown in for good measure.
The world building is magical, supernatural, and the more I read, the more I got lost in it, worrying, fretting, and wondering how the Diamond would save their world.
I love this quote:
I would never make the mistake of letting my fear stop me again. Life was too fragile, too uncertain to risk never getting the chance again.
Their quest is over, but there will more to the story and I look forward to being there for it.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Unicorn Key by J A Culican and J A Armitage
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
I was born with a secret. The problem was, I didn’t know it…
Not
until two weirdoes turned up at my door asking to speak to my
grandfather. My grandfather that had been mute since a stroke five years
ago. When he uttered his first words in years to them asking us to find
Cassiopeia, I found myself leaving the comfort of the only home I’d
ever known and embarking on a quest with the strangest couple of people
I’d ever met.
As elusive as they are strange, I only followed
in the hope that whoever Cassiopeia was, she would help my grandfather.
However these two are looking for a rare diamond and my own quest means
nothing to them. They are hiding secrets of their own, secrets that
neither is willing to share.
Thankfully, they enlist a
navigator to help them through the perilous terrain, a local bad boy and
money grabber only interested in one thing…and no it isn’t me.
With
the three of them dead set on finding the diamond and me out to find
Cassie, tension is high, and it’s not helping that the dark fae know we
are looking and will stop at nothing to keep hold of the diamond. Add
unicorns, mages, evil gryphons and dragon shifters into the mix and soon
my life takes on a terrifying turn, which nothing has prepared me for.
The
Unicorn key is an electrifying first in series by the USA Today
Bestselling authors who brought you the Dragon Tamer series. Realm of
Light and Fire is guaranteed to have you hiding under your duvet with
your flashlight, turning the pages.
Scroll up and one click now for the adventure of your life.
ABOUT J A CULICAN
J.A. Culican is a teacher by
day and a writer by night. She lives in New Jersey with her husband of
eleven years and their four young children.
J.A. Culican’s inspiration to start writing came from her children and their love for all things magical. Bedtime stories turned to reality after her oldest daughter begged her for the book from which her stories of dragons came from. In turn, the series The Keeper of Dragons was born.
As I read the short stories of Land of Bones by Glen Rolfe, filled with macabre horror, scares and screams, fright and terror, I hope for a deeper glimpse into his writing and was rewarded with a novella that left me shaking my head and saying WTH… He loves to kill his characters off in some gruesome and sad ways. Loved it.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Land of Bones by Glen Rolfe.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Demon lights, granted
wishes, strange things, and brutal love at the Lucky Lounge Motel. A
haunted sister, desperate parents, a little human touch, and the end of
the world…
These are the stories whispered among dead leaves, the
script etched bare for all to see. When the chills sink deep and your
heart begins to pound…are you alone?
Welcome to Glenn Rolfe’s LAND OF BONES
14 tales of the strange and macabre
ABOUT GLEN ROLFE
Glenn Rolfe is an author, singer, songwriter from the haunted woods of New England. He studied Creative Writing at Southern New Hampshire University, and continues his education in the world of horror by devouring the novels of Stephen King, Jack Ketchum, Richard Laymon, and many others. He and his wife, Meghan, have three children, Ruby, Ramona, and Axl. He is grateful to be loved despite his weirdness.
He is the author of Becoming, Blood
and Rain, The Haunted Halls, Chasing Ghosts, Boom Town, Abram’s Bridge,
Things We Fear, Land of Bones, The Window, Out of Range, and Slush.
He is hard at work on many more. Stay tuned!
“With
slashing claws and blood-soaked fur, Glenn Rolfe’s novel will have you
howling in terror and delight. A welcome addition to the werewolf mythos
and proof that we’re in the presence of a rising star in the genre.
Highly recommended!” – Ronald Malfi, author of December Park
“(Rolfe)
takes his writing cues form Richard Laymon, Jack Ketchum, with some
haunts thrown in via the eerie style of Ronald Malfi.” – Oh, For the
Hook of a Book
“Glenn Rolfe’s writing is a breath of fresh air,
followed by a jolt of adrenaline.” – Iain Rob Wright, author of The
Final Winter
“Glenn Rolfe runs at the front of the pack with the
best of today’s emerging horror authors.” – Terry M. West, author of
Heroin in the Magic Now
“Rolfe weaves a wonderful tale of big, bad things happening to a small, good town. A sure winner!” – Hunter Shea, author of The Mantauk Monster – (on Boom Town)
Doctor Alicia Reese suffered the devastating loss of her husband and was in a delicate place when Lucas walked into her office with paralyzing panic attacks.
I was reading along, then went back to the blurb, wondering if this book was going to be about love, loss and recovery and just a ho hum read, WHEN it took a sharp turn.
I had a general idea of where Deborah Serani was going to take me, but after the phone call…that revved it up for me.
I was very curious how it would all play out because it’s only 188 pages and I felt like time was running out. My suspense level rose, the tension increased, pace got faster and I felt I had to know.
Yeah, the cover drew my interest, but the title and blurb set me up for an even better story than I anticipated. I do like book surprises, don’t you? And this was one wild ride in the inner thoughts of Lucas and Alicia.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Ninth Session by Deboarh Serani.
4 Stars
BOOK BLURB
Dr. Alicia Reese, a recent
widow and a CODA – a child of Deaf Adults, takes on a new patient. Lucas Ferro
reveals the reason for his consultation is that he wasn’t really open with his
previous therapist. After gaining Reese’s trust, he shares aspects of his life
that are clearly disturbing – experiences that create anxiety and panic, but
also reveal horrifying psychopathology. Instead of referring Ferro elsewhere,
Reese chooses to continue working with him, feeling reinvigorated by the
challenge of his case.
As sessions progress, and Ferro’s disclosures become more menacing, Reese finds herself wedged between the cold hard frame of professional ethics and the integrity of personal truth – and learns just how far she’s willing to go, willing to risk and willing to lose to do the right thing.
ABOUT DEBORAH SERANI
Deborah Seraniis an award-winning author and psychologist who has been in practice for thirty years. She is also a professor at Adelphi University and is a go-to media expert for psychological issues. Her interviews can be found in Newsday, Psychology Today, The Chicago Tribune, The New York Times, The Associated Press, and affiliate radio programs at CBS and NPR, among others. Dr. Serani has also been a technical advisor for the NBC television show, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. The recurring character, Judge D. Serani, was named after her.
Extinct by Ike Hamill has an awesome cover, so I had to take a walk into the woods, during a blizzard to find out WTH is going on.
Robby is an intellectual young boy, always analyzing, so when the freak snowstorm hits on Thanksgiving and people began to go missing, he began questioning…everything.
Well, I’m still no sure exactly what’s going on and neither is our gang of survivors…that keeps dwindling in numbers. Vanishing into thin air, eyeballs popping our of their heads, ‘water’ devouring anything it touches…
This ragtag band keeps moving, not always forward, but sticking together, going the extra mile, doing whatever they can to save our world.
The characters come and go and at each juncture in their adventure I wonder who will vanish next. Where do they go? Who is taking them?
The world building is so richly detailed I could follow the thin blue line with them and we all know in troubled times peoples true colors are exposed.
Well, this has been one wild ride, danger around every corner and the mystery of ‘them’ hangs in every word. Good thing Book II, Instinct is ready and available, because I want to know. It looks like…so far…there are five books, so you will be seeing more of Ike Hamill’s work on fundinmental.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Channel Two predicted a
blanket of snow for Thanksgiving weekend–unusual, but not alarming for
the little Maine island. What comes is a blinding blizzard, and a mass
disappearance of nearly every person Robby Pierce knows. He and his
family flee, trying to escape the snow and the invisible forces stealing
people right from the street. Miles away, Brad Jenkins battles the
same storm. Alone, he attempts to survive as snow envelops his house.
When the storm breaks, Brad makes his way south to where the snow ends
and the world lies empty. Join Brad, Robby, and the other survivors as
they fight to find the truth about the apocalypse and discover how to
live in their new world.
ABOUT IKE HAMILL
Ike Hamill writes fast-paced horror novels with strong, relatable characters. His books have gained a steady following amongst readers who enjoy his blend of sci-fi, paranormal, occult, and suspense. Whether focused on a small family trying to survive the move to a haunted house, or following a band of angry rebels determined to withstand an apocalypse, his stories draw the reader into the lives of real people in crisis. Readers are always sad to leave the characters behind when the book is finished.
Reviewers
compare Ike to Dean Koontz and Stephen King—two of his favorite
authors. His narrative often jumps between interwoven stories,
presenting readers with a fresh perspective and keeping them guessing
until the last chapter. Most of Ike’s readers are repeat customers. Pick
up one of his books to learn why.
I have been remiss in keeping up with my challenges and am now crossing off the Z for my Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge, Zombies v Ninjas by R A Barnes. I have K, Keeper of the Peace by Jennifer Malone Wright, X, EXtinct by Ike Hamill (which I am currently reading), and You Can Run by Willow Rose to finish it off. I pulled them from my Amazon free downloads. I will be squeezing the reviews in before the end of the year, because I like all my challenge books to be reviewed.
I picked this up on 9.10.15 for free and it was still FREE when I created this post.
The tile for Zombies v Ninjas made me have to pick this up. I was curious how they would come together and it happens quickly.
An island, the Undead, an evil mastermind…and ninjas, there has to be a lot of slash ’em up, rock ’em sock ’em action…and there is. Have I died and gone to…HELL?
This is a different slant on zombies and how they came to be and the ninjas are recruited to save humanity from the apocalypse.
I felt like that’s cool, oh yeah, i like that, all right, way to go, but I never felt like OH NO! OMG! Run for your lives. Watch Out.
All in all a fun read and I would continue with the series.
3 Stas
GOODREADS BLURB
The dead are coming alive on an island in the North Atlantic Ocean. A bullet isn’t going to stop them. They feel no pain.
Flesh-eating walkers have been taking sheep and cattle from the fields. A minor inconvenience until someone, or something, starts to organize them.
A force of pure evil, building an army of undead offspring, planning the end of mankind. Only the ninjas are suitably skilled to identify the undead, understand them and cut off their heads. So few against so many.
Will the human race survive?
Featuring Ruby Barnes, John Baptist and D.I. Andy McAuliffe.
Wicked is his name. He watched her from the dark, barely able to control himself.
Gwen saw him approach from the dark, tall, heavily armed and looking like the warrior he is.
At first I had trouble figuring out who was talking, him or her. It took a moment to catch the shift.
How she becomes a vampire is a bit different and so are these vampires. I am always on the lookout for an author that represents them in a new to me light. They are accepted as part of the human world.
When I heard Gwen say, “Well, hurray for me. Don’t I feel special?”, I knew I was going to love this character. LOL I love her sarcastic wit. She is a Halfling, half vampire and half human.
We have other supernatural characters visiting and, in my book, we can never have too many.
Have you ever felt like…one minute I was attracted to him and wanted him to kiss me and the next I wanted to punch him in the face and watch him bleed.
As Gwen sits at his beside, tears rolling down her face, I came close to crying with her. I love a story that evokes emotions.
He met his match in her, but will she be his mate? In the supernatural world, love and romance is on a different timeline and I love to go with it, letting the author take me where they will.
Kayden…I laughed and worried about him. He is a great warrior, but, deep in his soul, who is he really?
Great and a bit gory fight scenes and sweet lovin’. This is not erotica, but I highly recommend it for adults only. The sex scenes are more sweet and loving than erotic.
As I saw the end coming, I knew what would happen, with 500 pages left, I was racing through the pages as I see the story undold right before my eyes. I worry so much more for Kayden than I do for Gwen and Wicked. After all, they are the stars of the show and can’t be killed off…can they?
Whew…no cliffhanger, unless you count the tease, which did its job and hooked me. I have to know more and this is one of those series that I want to read to the very end.
I am hooked on the characters, the vampire warriors, and Evi’s ability to spin a tale that captured me totally, completely. I was afraid I would have to wait for the next book in the series, but, no worries. It has been written. The only problem I see is there is no Kindle version available. Hey, Evi, help a girl out, please. I have to know more!!!!!!!
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Wicked Night by Evi Rhodes.
4 Stars
BLURB
Follow
the journey of a strong, independent, yet caring woman as she navigates the
supernatural world she is thrust into. Gwen steps out of a dysfunctional family
life and into a world filled with danger she never realized lives at every
turn, fiery passion, and a love that is ever binding. How will she handle her
strange new surroundings as well as the man with the intense and overbearing
personality who threatens to destroy the emotional barriers around her heart?
Wicked, the next in
line to become the vampire king, is caught off guard when he grudgingly agrees
to take on a charge, something he never wanted to do. He is unsure how to
handle the fierce and vibrant woman with the unsettling green eyes. It doesn’t
take long for them to clash, but will it end passionately or burn down around
them?
EXCERPT
Wicked stood in the darkness staring at his soon-to-be
charge and felt like a deer in the headlights. He couldn’t take his eyes off of
her and just stared, blinking with wide eyes.
“I didn’t expect you to be so beautiful,” he whispered to
himself. He was late meeting her but he
could not face her yet, not until the blood in his veins cooled and his
breathing returned to normal. The last thing he needed to do was make an ass of
himself by acting like a high-school boy hyped up on hormones. He had never in all his 148 years felt this
kind of draw toward anyone. He had the strongest urge to reach out and touch
her hair, to whisk her off her feet into his arms and kiss her until their lips
hurt and she breathlessly begged him to stop.
His blood felt as if it were boiling in his veins as the image of this
woman in his arms flickered across his mind.
Out of the blue, she laughed aloud, seemingly for no
apparent reason, but it was almost his undoing. It was like she was purring in
his ear; he could feel her breath against his skin as if she were standing
right beside him. He growled under his
breath and then turned around and closed his eyes as he ground his teeth
together in response to his body’s reaction. Good God, he wanted to march
across the short expanse separating them and do something that he would
definitely regret later, like push her up against the wall and take her right there. He could picture ripping open her jacket and
lifting her off the ground . . .
AUTHOR Bio and Links
Evi Rhodes has
always had a passion for writing and likes to spend as much time as possible
hanging out with the array of rescue animals on her farm in Ontario, sipping on
a cup of coffee and typing on her laptop.
In addition to
getting her degree in business as well as competing in her favourite equestrian
sport, dressage, she is an entrepreneur, and has coached many of a riding
enthusiast, but she has always found herself coming back to wanting to write
full-time.
“I just want to
be me and to be authentic. To tell a story that others can immerse themselves
in and enjoy is what I have always wanted.”
I loved Perry Prete’s Ethan Tennant series, so I was curious how he would handle these four dark tales of horror…and I think they are a complete success. Well done Perry.
The stories are short, so I didn’t have time to get lost in them, but I thoroughly enjoyed each and every one. If I had to pick a favorite, it would have to be Social Studies.
THE ELEVATOR: This was one creepy story and it had my mind wondering what was real and what was I imagining as I got lost in the dark…trapped in the elevator and in my own mind. Well done. 4 Stars
REUNION: It had been five years since his girlfriend went missing when the creature attacked and he had been back for a family reunion. Sad, frightening, but ya gotta hang in til the end because ya just never know. 4 Stars
SOCIAL STUDIES: One assignment = one grade and it took over her life. I didn’t see where this going and, wow, it was all over the place and I loved it. 4 Stars
HIGHWAY 7: Predictable, now you see it, now you don’t, but with a twist and I loved it.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Highway 7 by Perry Prete.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
A terrifying tale of
claustrophobia reveals a dark secret even more disturbing than the
present ordeal. What should be an idyllic family reunion turns to trauma
when a demon from the past reappears to claim its victim. An innocent
girl investigating a series of brutal murders becomes warped in ways one
cannot imagine. And a pit stop along a long highway drive may lead to
love, or it may be the final destination in a bizarre twist of fate…
Award-winning
mystery novelist Perry Prete returns with Highway 7: 4 Dark Tales, an
anthology of unsettling horror stories that are sure to leave you
shivering as you triple-check your locked door. Get ready to experience a
weird world as you journey along Highway 7!
ABOUT PERRY PRETE
Perry
Prete is a Canadian crime writer and paramedic. His first novel, All
Good Things, introduced us to Ethan Tennant, a City of Ottawa paramedic
who looks at crimes from the medical perspective.
Perry continues to work full-time as a
paramedic and uses his thirty plus years of life changing and sometimes
dramatic experiences to bring realism to his gripping medical novels.
His other works include, The Things That Matter Most and All Good
Things.
He is also a business owner,
specializing in the pre-hospital care field. His company sells medical
equipment across North America, primarily to EMS agencies.
A native of Sudbury, Ontario, Perry, graduated from Fanshawe College in London but now lives and works in Brockville, Ontario.
The eerie cover of Beneath London’s Fog by Ilona Caldwell makes me think of Jack the Ripper and ghosts. Are you creeped out yet?
Jonathon has made himself a prisoner in Raven Hollow Manor, along
with his daughter, Holly. He lost his love, Anna, but her ghostly
presence lingers.
His past is coming back to haunt him when a serial killer goes wild in the foggy nights of London.
He is able to transform himself and I loved it. He becomes a cat, a
Great Dane, or a mist in the night. Being immortal allows him to see
without being seen. He is very protective of Holly and struggles to
allow her some freedom. He is easily able to ‘spy’ on her, assuring her
safety. After all, he knows first hand the monsters that lurk in the
shadows. His oasis is by Anna’s gravesite. He reads Poe and Robert Frost
to her.
Holly knows that he is an immortal. Authors have the freedom to
create the immortal they want to portray, and I love Ilona Caldwell’s
version.
I begin to wish for his happiness, for him to move on and create a new life, without Anna.
Enter…Walter Deverough, a detective on the hunt. I wonder….I feel we’ll be seeing a lot more of him.
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned and SHE will scorch the earth with her need for revenge.
We, also, have Leland…a hero to the end.
Fast paced. Suspenseful. A vampire of a different color. Great world
building as I pictured him walking the streets of London, damp and
weary. Ilona Caldwell draws pictures with her words.
I voluntarily reviewed and ARC of Beneath London’s Fog by Ilona Caldwell.
4 Stars
Beneath London’s Fog Iona Caldwell Published by: FyreSyde Publishing Publication date: October 30th 2019 Genres: Occult Fiction, Ghost Story, British Literature
Jonathan is the immortal master of Raven Hollow Manor – a decrepit mansion riddled with superstition, murder and restless ghosts. Beneath it lies a restless malice.
Its previous owner driven mad, violently kills his guests with a rusted ax, creating the perfect venue for Jonathan to seclude himself in a prison of his own device.
When the streets of London begin to run red with blood; the bodies exhibiting disturbing signs and baffling wounds, the identity of the killer remains elusive to police.
The bodies are just the beginning of Jonathan’s troubles. A mysterious letter accusing Jonathan of committing the murders appear, raising suspicion in the police. Hidden beneath the mangled bodies, Jonathan soon realizes he is being forced to face demons he thought died in a forlorn past he attempted to escape.
One thing Jonathan knows for certain: He must deal with the demons of his past if he is to survive his future. Not only him but those he has come to love as well.
For fans of Jim Butcher, Stephen King, Darcy Coates and Nick Cutter.
I want it known before this tale begins – I am not a hero but a villain. I want no sympathy from whomever reads this recalling of my story; no mourning for the tragedy that befell my life. I am not an innocent man but a sinner forced to face the ravaging demons and ghosts of his own creation.
My story began as many do – a lie, a fire and murder. One of my kind murdered the woman I loved in the coldest of blood in one of history’s darkest times at the behest of a possessive noble.
After a run in with him in Nottingham, I soon found myself fleeing for my life from hunters, framed for a murder I had not committed.
Forgive me, I am getting ahead of myself.
Let me begin where this part of my story took place.
A bloody civil war ravaged London followed shortly by the Great Fire in 1666. A glorious time for me and those like me to take advantage of the chaos and remain hidden in the shadows.
I managed to pursue the one responsible for nearly getting me killed two centuries prior to the plague which befell London before the fire.
Within the shadows of the flickering flames of St. Peter’s Cathedral, I struck him down and departed the city, thus avoiding my demise.
I had yet to escape him, however, when his vengeful spirit devoured the souls of the innocent in a mad bloodlust.
Though greatly injured, I managed to drive his spirit to my new home Raven Hollow Manor in London, imprisoning him in stone coffin in the crypt beneath it.
Peace resumed in my life and nobles of all kinds enjoyed lavishly hosted parties within the halls of my estate.
Unfortunately, the short lived splendor at the hands of the hauntings filled the ears of the locals and my beloved home decayed into a tangled web of blood-filled rumors and superstition.
My once glorious halls became infested with dust, its crystal chandeliers covered with cobwebs, their spiders fat on the insects buzzing around the decay and mold-covered wallpaper.
Yet, there I remained as it proved a decent place to not only contain my greatest sin but served also as a castle of solitude.
The tides of time swept by in a cacophony of modernization and the movement from superstition to things only mortal science could explain.
I still needed to venture into the city, not only to feed but also to purchase other items needed for everyday living.
It wasn’t until the winter of 1910 that my silence would be disrupted in the form of a girl named Holly, a young street urchin accused of theft. I took her with me after using a bit of “persuasion” on the local officers to let her go.
They did not need to know where I would take her and she soon grew into a wonderful messenger on my behalf. She became a rather attractive young woman with bouncy blonde curls who kept me company with stories of what went on in the city.
I am sure, at one time, she became infatuated with me. It did not surprise me. To mortals, my kind held a certain allure they found difficult to ignore. I ended her infatuation quickly following a stern talking to and dousing with cold water.
One day, while in my labyrinthine garden, Holly came to me in tears.
When the people of London learned where Holly lived, the townsfolk dubbed her a practitioner of black magic.
One day, I found Holly sitting on one of the marble benches in the garden, sobbing. I picked a flower and put it in my daughter’s hair, sitting next to her beneath the statue of a praying angel.
“You need not worry about them, dearest. Mortals are always quick to place labels on what they do not understand.”
Holly sniffled and sobbed, wiping her nose and offering me a smile. “But why do they avoid this place, Jonathan?”
“Mortals fear what they cannot comprehend. Pay them no mind. You are a wonderful young woman,” I purred, brushing a blonde curl from her face.
The words appeared to have placated her as she smiled and joined me in a moonlight stroll through the garden.
***
Around midnight, after dinner with Holly, I dismissed her to bed. Once she departed, I sought out sustenance in the city.
A dense fog rolled in due to the cool winter weather and the recent days of rain.
Combined with the darkness of the streets and alleyways, I managed to meet a young working woman on the corner and wooed her into joining me for a walk to the park. As with other women, I made sure she understood I respected her body with gentle caresses and loving words murmured into her ears.
Once I placed her deep under my spell, I kissed the tender flesh of the woman’s throat and exposed shoulder, thanking her for her gift.
My fangs pierced her flesh, earning a moan of pleasure as her body surrendered its precious life force without any significant damage. Her body pressed against mine, her moans increasing with pleasure at my kiss.
I preferred this method to those of many of my other brethren who tore their victims apart during a feeding, choosing power to subdue instead of sexual allure.
When signs of weakness began manifesting I released my hold, picking her up after licking the small puncture wounds, my saliva healing them, leaving no marks or scars.
To assure she received care, I took her to the nearest hospital and deposited her on the steps without anyone noticing.
As always, I used hypnotic suggestion to erase her memory and leave her with a pleasant dream.
During the wee hours of the morning, I tended to enjoy the calls of the birds and the chirping of the crickets to help relieve the burden on my mind.
Not a soul roamed the streets near the bridge where I liked to sit and write poetry or read a book.
In the midst of the silence, a horrifying shriek caught my attention, almost startling me.
My pupils narrowed to those one might see in a viper or a cat. I let my body dissipate into the form of a black mist, hovering over the city in search of the source of the scream.
I found it in the shape of the body of a mangled man.
The whites of his eyes consumed most of the portion of the glossy orbs in his skull, mouth gaped open mid-scream.
I knelt before him, my own brows furrowed in frustration at the recognition of the familiar puncture wounds on the man’s throat. This cannot be. No other has hunted here in centuries.
The disturbing find made something clear.
Many of my kind preferred not to hunt in one place occupied by another of higher status, or in another’s territory for that matter. We changed due to the growing number of human hunters who would kill any of us they came across.
Despite the city’s size, my reputation often kept others out of my hunting grounds, for which I remained grateful.
This new kill had been malicious.
If I allowed such behavior to continue, it could draw the attention of the hunters or the local police to my home.
Whomever the responsible party, I needed to locate them and have a word with them or kill them if necessary.
My eyes closed, a heavy sigh drawing up from within my lungs. I placed my fingers over the man’s eyes, using a gentle touch to close them. “Forgive whichever of us did this to you. You did not deserve to die in such a horrific manner.”
Searching through the pockets of his trench coat, I located his identification card and vowed to send some money and roses to his family.
Sounds of sirens and the calls of the corner watchmen announced the arrival of the authorities. I left them the man’s wallet so they could inform his family of their loss.
I lurked in the shadows listening to the inspectors scrutinizing the scene.
“Bloody mystery, it is. This is the second mangled body we found this week. One has to wonder if we might be witnessing the birth of another blighter of a serial killer.” One of the inspectors scratched his head beneath the dome shaped hat.
I recognized him as Bertrand Abrams, a well-known officer and one of the only men who aided Holly during her visits to town.
From his looks, one would expect him to hail from Scotland. A bushy mustache and stringy hair with the consistency of sheep’s wool held the color of fire. Dimples set into high cheekbones and a double chin made me smile. A portly belly betrayed his affinity for too many scones and perhaps Scotch.
He had been wrong. This death held no mystery. I merely needed to find the one responsible before it resulted in too much of a personal dilemma.
Following the release of the corpse to the medical examiner, I took the form of black mist and drifted back to Raven Hollow.
The beginnings of my night would be haunted by dreams of a past filled with love, vengeance and pain.
It would be filled with shining auburn locks and eyes the color of the fresh leaves of spring.
Author Bio:
Iona Caldwell is the lover of all things arcane, folklore, nature and magic.
She is the author of the British Occult Fiction, Beneath London’s Fog set to be published by FyreSyde Publishing October 2019. Her second title, Hell’s Warden is forecasted to release in February of 2020. When she’s not busy weaving worlds of the arcane and dark, she’s spending time out in nature. An avid lover of books, Iona claims her biggest inspirations are H.P Lovecraft, Stephen King, Neil Gaiman and Edgar Allen Poe.
She believes storytellers should tell the stories they want to tell. As such, most of her titles are stand-alone novellas she hopes will leave her readers immersed in magical worlds.
She is also an extremely active book blogger who will review primarily horror, suspense, supernatural thriller, mystery, and occult/gothic fiction.
Every so often I will follow an email link from NetGalley and check out what’s happening. I try to limit how many books I grab at one time…you know how that is. I found some books by Joanna Schaffhousen and grabbed a couple. I would like to thank NetGalley, Minotaur Books and Joanna Schaffhausen for the opportunity to read and share them.
The Vanishing Season is Joanna Schaffhausen’s debut novel, released in 2017…and, boy oh boy, is it a good one. I don’t know what I was expecting, but it gave me so much more.
Three people have gone missing and Ellery Hathaway knows they are dead and another will be taken very soon. Sam dismisses her warnings, but she won’t stop there. Sam is not only her boss, the chief of police, but also her lover, her married lover. I sure don’t approve of that, but as I read on, I could see how it happened. She uses sex as a weapon. That will have it’s own repercussions.
Woodbury, Massachusetts is a small town, a blink and you will miss it, with only eight police officers. I love to read of small towns, the gossip mill, and secrets that won’t stay secret. Ellery has a big one, but…
Ellery calls in the big guns, Reed Markham, an FBI profiler that had saved her from the serial killer that had taken her fourteen years ago, leaving her scarred and broken. He too has his own story. His marriage is on the rocks, but he had made a promise to her, so when she called, he came.
I love her basset hound, Speed Bump. LOL Critters always add some grins for me, and with a subject like serial killers, I need some chuckles.
The dog leapt from the vehicle with all the grace of a hippo performing a belly flop.
I have plenty of suspects, but two in particular have my attention. Even if I’m wrong, I don’t like them. LOL I do like to try and figure it out for myself as we follow clues, question witnesses, and try look for what others have missed.
There is no romance, though I know there are more books coming, so I wonder. I mean, just think about it, her body is scarred and so is her mind. She doesn’t want anyone in her house. Doesn’t want anyone touching her. And doesn’t want to share her secret. After what she’s been through, I can see why she protects herself, so who could possible get through the walls she has built up but the one person she trusts?
I am at 38% and my tension level is high, the pace is picking up, making me feel like the end is near, nut, there’s so much of the story left. I can only imagine what Joanna Schaffhausen has in store for her characters. I am lovin’ it.
I am filled with horror at the terrible things one person can do another, as the bits and pieces of Ellery’s captivity leaks out, each detail worse than the last.
Well…I didn’t see him coming. It takes a lot for an author to fool me so completely, especially near the end, but she had me eying the wrong guy until a page or two before he attacked. He was well camouflaged, but I will be on my toes with the next case, expanding my suspect list and reading between the lines.
Man oh man, I am so glad I took a chance on Joanna Schaffhausen. I had never heard of her. She kept me riveted from beginning to end and I can hardly wait for Book II, No Mercy. BRING IT ON!
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of The Vanishing Season by Joanna Schaffhausen.
5 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Ellery Hathaway knows a
thing or two about serial killers, but not through her police training.
She’s an officer in sleepy Woodbury, MA, where a bicycle theft still
makes the newspapers. No one there knows she was once victim number
seventeen in the grisly story of serial killer Francis Michael Coben.
The only victim who lived.
When three people disappear from her
town in three years, all around her birthday—the day she was kidnapped
so long ago—Ellery fears someone knows her secret. Someone very
dangerous. Her superiors dismiss her concerns, but Ellery knows the
vanishing season is coming and anyone could be next. She contacts the
one man she knows will believe her: the FBI agent who saved her from a
killer’s closet all those years ago.
Agent Reed Markham made his name and fame on the back of the Coben case, but his fortunes have since turned. His marriage is in shambles, his bosses think he’s washed up, and worst of all, he blew a major investigation. When Ellery calls him, he can’t help but wonder: sure, he rescued her, but was she ever truly saved? His greatest triumph is Ellery’s waking nightmare, and now both of them are about to be sucked into the past, back to the case that made them…with a killer who can’t let go.
ABOUT JOANNA SCHAFFHAUSEN
Joanna Schaffhausen wields a mean scalpel, sharp skills she developed in her years studying neuroscience. She has a doctorate in psychology, which reflects her long-standing interest in the brain―how it develops and the many ways it can go wrong. Previously, she worked as a scientific editor in the field of drug development. Prior to that, she was an editorial producer for ABC News, writing for programs such as World News Tonight, Good Morning America, and 20/20. She lives in the Boston area with her husband, daughter, and an obstreperous basset hound.
