The Death Dealer by Heather Graham

Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages - Publisher: Mira (Jan 1 2009) - Language: English - ISBN-10: 077832625X - ISBN-13: 978-0778326250

 

The Death Dealer

by Heather Graham

(sequel to The Dead Room)

THE POE KILLINGS

A string of homicides is mirroring the author’s macabre stories. And Genevieve O’Brien’s mother is next.

Genevieve knows all about nightmares. She herself survived two months as a psychopath’s prisoner. And now this new  menace stalks the city. Spooked by the bizarre slayings, she turns to P.I. Joe Connolly, her past rescuer, friend and… hopefully something more, if he would just quit avoiding her.

At first Joe isn’t even sure there is a case. But the body count rises, and it’s clear that a twisted killer is on the loose. Even more unsettling is the guidance he starts receiving from beyond the grave. People he knows to be dead are appearing, offering him clues and leads, and warning of some terrible danger ahead.

But can even the spirits stay the hand of a madman bent on murder?

Review: Rather disappointing…

Genevieve is convinced that the recent death and accident of two members of the New York Poe Society, known as “Ravens”, are connected. Joe doesn’t believe there’s a case. But Genevieve is certain, and as her mother is a Raven, she’ll do anything to protect her.

With the help of friends, Genevieve and Joe investigate and get down to the bottom of what’s going on. Genevieve is having disturbing dreams, Joe is seeing dead people, and while Genevieve accepts that she can see things that most people can’t, Joe is having a harder time accepting it.

And that’s about as far as I’ll go with a description – because even in the book, they weren’t impressive enough to mention. Talk about disappointing!

I was looking forward to reading this one; HG is one of my fave authors. This one missed the mark by a landslide. *eyeroll* There should have been more – more mystery, more intrigue, and Joe and all of his denials of what he’s seeing… *another eyeroll*

These were supposed to be characters from The Dead Room. They were almost unrecognizable! “Damaged goods” indeed. And in the synopsis, ‘Genevieve’s mother is next.’ *snort* it was never assumed, and even being in the killer’s head, he was after Genevieve, not her mother. The way I see it, say what you mean and mean what you say.

Yes, the whole thing went around Edgar Allen Poe, but not enough. The whole thing seemed kind of ‘see-through’ to me. I knew who it was, wasn’t surprised in the least by the twist. What I did like was how the ghosts got back at them. Yeah, (big smile), I really liked that a lot. Still, there should have been more mystery, more intrigue, more ‘oomph’!

I was disappointed. I hope I’m not disappointed with the next one.

Rating: .5

Blood Red by Heather Graham (‘Vampires’ series Book #8)

Format: Mass Market Paperbound - Published: July 1, 2007 - 400 Pages - ISBN: 0778324869 - Published By: Mira

 

Blood Red

by Heather Graham

‘Vampires’ series Book #8

When a fortune-teller shows bridesmaid Lauren Crow an omen of her gruesome death, she and her friends laugh it off as cheesy theatrics – until women begin disappearing in the night.

Even as the streets become more dangerous, Lauren finds herself lusting after a man who is himself dangerous – and quite possibly crazy. Mark Davidson prowls the city by night armed with crosses and holy water, in search of vampires, whose existence, he insists, is rea.. He is as irresistibly drawn to Lauren as she is to him, and not only because she’s the image of his murdered fiancee. But Mark’s frightening obsession with finding his lover’s killer merely hides a bitter vendetta that cuts deeper than grief over a lost love.

As Lauren wrestles with desire and disbelief, sinister shadows lengthen over New Orleans, threatening her friends and foretelling a battle that may spell the end of the city’s uneasy truce between the living and the undead.

Review: I finished this book early this morning, Thursday, July 19th, 2007. I didn’t think this was part of a series, but now I’m sure it is. Some of the characters are recurring, especially from the novels that Graham wrote as Shannon Drake. 

Nevertheless, this was another awesome book! Terrific cast of characters! I could understand Lauren’s predicament. Going to a city you and your best friends adore, just to become scared out of yourmind and be told that vampires really do exist. Yeah, I think I’d have reacted the same way. “Reality” gave her a good smack upside the head, but she moved forward just the same. I think her friends could have used a little more help, mind you, but they weren’t the main characters, so they were fine.

Mark was a great character, strong, handsome, a quick mind. He was definitely a match for Lauren.

However, I do wish there had been more between the forces of good and evil. There should have been more between Lauren (good) and Stephan (super evil) than what there was. Sure, the battle at the end was a good one, but there should have been more of a fight between Lauren and Stephan, not just Mark and Stephan. And I think that’s the only reason why I can’t give the novel a full 5 stars this time around.

Rating:

Picture Me Dead by Heather Graham

Format: Mass Market Paperbound - Published: February 1, 2004 - 400 Pages - ISBN: 0778320103 - Published By: Mira

 

Picture Me Dead

by Heather Graham

Ashley Montague is nearing the end of her police training – but nothing has prepared this rookie for the rite of passage that will take her on a deadly ride into the underbelly of Miami’s drug world.

It begins with the shocking discovery of a body on the highway and her glimpse of a mysterious hooded figure watching from the side of the road. Then Ashley’s investigation into the incident reveals a surprising connection to another crime scene miles away.

In the heart of the Everglades, Detective Jake Dilessio stares at the mutilated body of a woman – the killing identical to those carried out by a cult leader he put behind bars five years ago. Is this a copycat killing or is the wrong man doing time?

The last thing Ashley and Jake want or need is the electric pull of desire as they are dragged deeper into a dangerous world of corruption and conspiracy. Now, with time running out and their lives on the line, they have everything to fight for … and everything to lose.

Review: I finished this novel on Friday, June 22nd, 2007. Not part of a series. Not a bad story. Could have used a little more, though.

There wasn’t enough for Ashley. She was a strong character and I liked how it played out for her, but I still wish that she’d had to do more than the one sketch (when you read it, you’ll see what I mean.)

Jake was a great character as well. Both strong, their stories were well written. And the connection between them was hot, spicy and electric. 

I thought the plot was well written, the action superb. There should have been more about the ‘underbelly of Miami’s drug world’ than what there was, but I liked how it came to it. The twist in the direction was different, and I liked how it switched.

All in all, it wasn’t a bad book. I had absolutely no idea who the ‘bad guy(s)’ was/were, and the way it came about was great. Not one of her best works, but it was pretty good!

Rating:

Hurricane Bay by Heather Graham

Format: Mass Market Paperback - Publisher: Mira (February 1, 2003) - ISBN-10: 1551666650 - 400 pages

 

Hurricane Bay

by Heather Graham

In Hurricane Bay, New York Times bestselling author Heather Graham uses the steamy sensuality of the Florida Keys as a backdrop for this gripping page-turer that will keep you up late into the night.

Dane Whiteclaw knows something about Sheila Warren that no one else does. Dane knows Sheila’s dead.

The ex-special forces agent turned private investigator had found a photo under his door – a picture of Sheila’s body. She had been strangled with his tie and posed on the bench of his private island in the Florida Keys. The crime appears to be the handiwork of a serial killer currently terrorizing the Miami area. Dane is being set up to take the fall for the killings. He just doesn’t know why.

Kelsey Cunningham is Sheila’s best friend. When she can’t find Sheila, she confronts on person she thinks will have information – Dane, Sheila’s former lover and a man Kelsey knows from her own past. Dane makes it clear he doesn’t want Kelsey getting involved. But it’s obvious he knows more than he’s saying, and she’ll do whatever it takes to discover the whereabouts of her missing friend.

Driven by fear for Sheila and guilt at not being there when her friend needed her, Kelsey follows Sheila’s tracks into a wild and dangerous world of sex, violence and drugs. Dane is right behind her, an unwanted protector in the shark-infested waters she’s swimming. But the tentative trust between them shatters when Sheila’s body is discovered – and Kelsey recognized Dane’s tie.

Now Kelsey doesn’t dare trust anyone. Especially a man she can no longer deny she has always loved. She begins to look of her shoulder, suddenly very afraid. Because here on Hurricane Bay, a devastating storm can hit without warning and whether it’s a tempest of unbridled passion or the desperate fury of a killer, nothing – and no one – is safe.

Review: I finished this book on Wednesday, June 13th, 2007. Not part of aseries. And it was pretty good!

It startee off a little slow, but picked up really quick and didn’t let up until the end. I was completely surprised who the killer was. I’d had someone completely different in mind.

I thought Kelsey was a good character. Independent, tenacious, she wanted to find Sheila no matter what. Her frustration with Dane made me laugh, even if it shouldn’t have. I still have not met a man, other than my hubby, dad and a male friend, who’s been completely honest with me… I couldn’t see why it would frustrate her. 

I liked Dane even more than Kelsey. I, as the reader, understood why Dane was the way he was, but it was really neat to see how the interaction between the characters unfolded – they didn’t know what Dane knew, like the reader does, and it was great to read how it all came together.

I liked all the characters. Each a complete individual, from personalities to what they do for a living. I like that in a novel.

And, boy-oh-boy, I’d love to give Hurricane Bay a visit. The way Graham describes the area … one of these days, I’ll visit the Keys. Don’t know when or how, but I will … even if it’s just for the sunsets.

Rating:

The Vision by Heather Graham

Format: Mass Market Paperbound - Published: July 2006 - 400 Pages - ISBN: 0778323218 - Published By: Mira

 

The Vision

by Heather Graham

The gift of sight comes at a dangerous price

When Deep Down Salvage begins the hunt for the Josephine Marie, it seems like any other dive… until Genevieve Wallace sees the vision of a dead woman in the water, her vacant eyes boring into Genevieve’s very soul.

Terrified and confused by what she saw, Genevieve is haunted by the memory, but no one – including her diving partner Thor Thompson – believes her. When a dead woman washes up on shore, everyone assumes this is Genevieve’s “vision,” but Genevieve knows the truth: the dead woman is not the ghost she saw but another victim of the of the same brutal killer.

Sensing that the threat of death is coming closer, she and Thor are forced to acknowledge that some things can’t be explained, but simply are. Somehow they have to link a violent past witha present-day mystery or risk losing themselves in an abyss of terror.

Review: Finished Monday, September 25th, 2006. I liked it. I thought the characters were genuine, and I loved Gen’s attitude. I found that Heather graham could have used more technical aspects as far as the diving was concerned, but it was all right – it just could have used more explanation on the diving and equipment. (I had read The Reef by Nora Roberts, so I guess I was spoiled when it comes to this subject!)

The inner battles as well as the physical were a perfect blend, and I didn’t know who it was until the end. So many characters to choose from that it was hard to guess for sure who it was. 

What surprised me … about halfway through, three new characters are brought aboard, and at first I didn’t pay much attention, but then I burst out laughing. Three of the characters who show up to help are three characters from Graham’s book, Ghostwalk. It was awesome, and I hope she does that again!

Rating:

The Island by Heather Graham

Format: Mass Market Paperbound - Published: January 3, 2007 - 384 Pages - ISBN: 0778324249 - Published By: Mira

 

The Island

by Heather Graham

On a weekend vacation with her brother and niece, Beth Anderson is unnerved when a stroll on the beach reveals what appears to be a skull, and instantly recalls the retired couple who disappeared off the island’s coast a few months earlier. As a stranger approaches, Beth panics and covers the evidence. But when she later returns to the beach, the skull is gone.

With only her niece as a witness, there is no proof of oul play for Beth to bring to the authorities. To her brother, the missing skull is just a good story to tell at an island bonfire and campout that night. The take is heard by an eagr group of vacationers – including charismatic Keith Henson, the stranger from the beach. Everyone dismisses the events as the product of an overactive imagination, but when Beth hears someone outside her tent, she instinctively knows her fears are justified.

Determined to find solid evidence to bring to the police, Beth digs deeper into the mystery of the skull – and everywhere she goes, Keith Henson seems to appear. He claims to be keeping an eye on her safety, but Beth senses other motives. Then a body washes ashore, and Beth begins to think she needs more help that she bargained for. Because investigating is a dangerous game, and someone wants to stop Beth from playing.

Review: Finished Friday, March 16th, 2007. Pretty good book! I thought the characters were pretty genuine, even the youngest. I felt a few sparks between Beth and Keith, but it could have been a bit better, I think. The setting was nice, I liked how Graham described everything from the island to the marina and club. I did have a hint/gut feeling on who the bad guy was, but there are twists in this book that made me wonder. Turns out I wasn’t wrong … but I wasn’t totally 100% right either, and I really liked that. I’d recommend this one as a good-time read.

Rating: .5

Dead by Dusk by Shannon Drake (‘Vampire’ series Book #6)

Format: Mass Market Paperbound - Published: January 1, 2005 - 384 Pages - ISBN: 0821775456 - Published By: Kensington

 

Dead by Dusk

by Shannon Drake (pseudonym of Heather Graham)

‘Vampire’ series Book #6

For American Stephanie Cahill, Bella Vista is a new beginning – a chance to put her painful past behind her. Yet, from the moment the first body is discovered at the site of an archeological dig, Stephanie feels as if she’s being watched, followed, studied … hunted.

Archeologist Grant Petersen senses something odd about this dig, something that has him locking his door at night. And now, the echoes of a burial site’s ancient legend can be found in the chilling signature of a killer on the loose.

The powerful attraction between Stephanie and Grant is a complication neither can afford as they are pulled into a desperate race against time to keep Stephanie from joining the ranks of the missing. For nothing in Bella Vista is what it seems. No one can be trusted. And those closest to Stephanie may prove the most dangerous of all…

Review: I finished this book Friday November 17th, 2006. I think maybe I should have liked it more than I did. The characters had their own distinct personalities, and I liked the story line and how it got to the end. The action and love scenes were the same as usual, terrific, but I didn’t enjoy it as much. It was lacking a little ‘oomph,’ but I can’t quite put my finger on what was wrong. Having read the rest of the series, I don’t know how many times the words: ‘what the hell?’, came out of my mouth. I got confused at certain points, but then it was made clear who was who, kind of like Drake saying: “Haha, I tricked you!” Several times, I kept thinking, where’s the link? I think maybe it should have been sooner, but then I think if it had been sooner, it might have taken away from the book. It was good, don’t get me wrong, but not as good as the rest of the series.

Rating:

The Awakening by Shannon Drake (‘Vampire’ series Book #5)

Format: Mass Market Paperbound - Published: January 2003 - 384 Pages - ISBN: 0821772287 - Published By: Kensington

 

The Awakening

by Shannon Drake (pseudonym of Heather Graham)

‘Vampire’ series Book #5

The tree-lined streets and mystical shops of Salem, Massachusetts resonate with a seductive and brutal history. New Orleans musician Megan O’Casey has returned to the home ofh er ancestors to perform, with her husband Finn, in a weeklong series of concerts, culminating on All Hallow’s Eve … and to renew her connection with the past.

But from the moment they arrive in Salem, Finn seems different – sensual beyond belief one moment; cold and ruthless the next. The locals – even Megan’s relatives – regard him strangely, with a distrust bordering on hatred. Megan must soon face the fact that something powerful is rising, a malevolence that may have already claimed Finn for its own…

As the full moon approaches, Megan senses that she, too, is in great danger. Sinister forces seem to be bringing her closer to darkness in a centuries-old ritual that music cannot tame … and time cannot conquer…

Review: Finished Wednesday, November 1st, 2006. Great book! The descriptions of Salem and everything that goes on brings a vivid picture of place and events. You can feel the confusion, the fear, that the characters feel. Again, at first, you dn’t really know the connection, but about halfway through, it comes together, and the action and climax of the story keeps you glued and turning the pages. I thought both characters, Finn and Megan, were strong despite their confusion and denial, and the love they have for each other is so fierce, some of us can only wish we had that very thing. I thought it was well done, including the historic facts. A great read!

Rating:

Realm of Shadows by Shannon Drake (‘Vampire’ series Book #4)

Format: Mass Market Paperbound - Published: January 2002 - 416 Pages - ISBN: 0821772279 - Published By: Kensington

 

Realm of Shadows

by Shannon Drake (pseudonym of Heather Graham)

‘Vampire’ series Book #4

Every Nightmare Has Its Beginning

In an ancient churchyard just outside Paris, archeologists uncover an ancient tomb certain they have stumbled onto the find of the century. But something goes very wrong as the tomb is opened. Something too frightening to image … and too terrible to utter.

And Its End

For American visitor Tara Mason, the romantic city of her dreams has suddenly turned sinister. For she has heard the blood-curdling screams in the churchyard and knows that she must run away – from the powerful stranger chasing after her … and from a nightmare she can’t be sure is real or imagined.

In The Dead Of Night

At the country estate where she has sought refuge, the shadowy man reappears. He calls himself a guardian, sworn to protect the innocent from an evil most never see. And Tara will have to trust him, because that evil has seen her … and won’t stop until it claims her, body and soul.

Review: Finished Thursday, October 26th, 2006. Still not as great-great as the first two in the series, but great-good. I thought Tara to be a strong female character, who knew her own strength and still pushed on. I thought it was planned out, and you never really know who the ‘bad buy’ is, but you still manage to figure it out by the end. What I like is the ties from the past to the present and what it means for the characters.

Rating: .5

Deep Midnight by Shannon Drake (‘Vampire’ series Book #3)

Format: Mass Market Paperbound - Published: January 2001 - 480 Pages - ISBN: 0821768379 - Published By: Kensington

 

Deep Midnight

by Shannon Drake (pseudonym of Heather Graham)

‘Vampire’ series Book #3

An opulent Carnivale ball in Venice takes a terrifying turn for book critic Jordan Riley. As festivity turns into frenzy, she is rescued by a powerful man disguised as a wolf. But was what she witnessed really just the evening’s entertainment – or something far more sinister?

Review: Finished Monday, October 23rd, 2006.

Not as great as the first two, but good! At first, I found the book to be confusing. Too many things were happening, bang, bang, bang, one right after the other, sometimes more than one thing at a time, and it was difficult to keep everything in order. I didn’t find the characters as profound as the first two books, which was a switch. Sure, you could understand Jordan’s confused panic, but it was like there was no substance … me, as the reader, didn’t really feel Jordan’s confusion or panic like I did the first two. 

It’s only until about 3/4′s of the way through the book that you finally understnad how this book ties in with the first two, and I believe it should have been sooner. I was really starting to worry that this book should have veen on its own instead of part of the series. The climax was good, as was the ending. The action and feelings of desperation you sometimes feel from the characters are what makes you turn the page.

It’s difficult to explain, but my feelings didn’t quite pick up on the book. Although it was good, it wasn’t 5-star great. It’s difficult to explain… I did like her descriptions of Venice (I’m Italian – so sue me, LOL!) I feel that she got it right-on in that aspect. I just somehow feel the book could have been better.

Rating: .25