Silly dialogue, shallow character development, ho hum writing, decent storyline. ( )

From Amazon:

Where is Lara Mayhew? Lara, a congressman's media assistant, suddenly quits her job—and disappears on the way to her Washington, DC, apartment. Novice FBI agent Meg Murray, a childhood friend of Lara's, gets a message from her that same night, a message that says she's disillusioned and "going home." To Richmond, Virginia. Meg discovers that she never got there. And bodies fitting Lara's description are showing up in nearby rivers… Could she be the victim of a serial killer?

My Thoughts:

The Krewe of Hunters has been one of my favorite series since the first book appeared in 2011...this is book 15. Do the math...15 books in 4 years with 2 more scheduled for release this year. It is no wonder that these books are beginning to all sound alike...the paranormal mystery is no longer a real mystery. The story line predictably goes like this...Agent has special ability... no one believes them except this like group of agents and even some of them are skeptical. The ghost helps agents solve the murder and everyone ends up with the love of their lives after a satisfying romp or two or three between the sheets. Don't get me wrong...this was not a bad story...it's just the same story. I'm still willing to give the series another go but I think it's like many long running, over published series...it either needs a fresh approach or a years or so's rest. 3 stars for the memory of what this series once was and hopefully can be again. ( )

Have you ever gotten stuck in a book series and each time a new installment comes out, you have to grab it right away? Even though you know that every book in the series follows the same pattern? You know there will be a happy ending, boy gets girl or vice versa, and the mystery is solved, but you still keep reading? The Krewe of Hunters books are that series for me. Now, it might seem from what I wrote above that these books may not be good but that is not the case at all. I actually love them!

For those who have never read a book in this series, there are a few things to know. First, all of the books follow a specialized unit of the FBI called the Krewe of Hunters, who investigate cases that have an element of the strange or paranormal. Each member of the Krewe has an ability that lends to the solving of these cases and new members are being added to the group all the time. So, even though new characters are the focus in each new installment, the original characters are almost always play a role in the stories as well. Second, if you haven't figured it out already, every book in the series has a paranormal element to it. While they do follow a basic crime-solving mystery format, most of the books have a mild horror element to them and almost always involve the ghosts of the dead helping to lead the way. Some of them also have a historical element to them as well, which is an added bonus for me. Finally, the two main characters always become involved with one another about midway through the story so there is definitely some romance as well. Usually, the books are in sets of three but almost any of them can be read as a stand alone.

These are fairly quick, fun reads and perfect if you need a book for the beach or a weekend getaway. I love to read them in between deeper books because I know I can count on Heather Graham to give me a spooky story that won't disappoint. The next Krewe of Hunters book comes out in September and I will await it as patiently as possible. ( )

Coincidence can be a funny thing. Having recently read The Mapmaker's Children by Sarah McCoy, which takes place, in part, during the Civil War, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Heather Graham's latest novel, The Silenced, ties into the Civil War too-sort of. At least, the two novels share similar settings with historical ties to the locales.

In some ways, The Silenced is my favorite of the Krewe Hunter books I have read so far. Although this is book #15, I have really only read 3 books in the series, all of them in the later half of the series. These books stand alone well, with two new main characters featured in each book. This particular book had more of a thriller feel to it than the cozy feel that past books have had. For those not familiar with the series, The Krewe Hunters are an elite division of the FBI whose members are specially gifted, often with the ability to see and communicate with ghosts.

As I am finding with this series, I am most enamored with the historical aspect, especially the history of the various locations that the novels take place. In The Silenced, Civil War history is at the forefront, and Graham weaves the history with the mystery quite well, referencing the political thoughts and changes at the time, some of which are relevant today. She doesn't do it in a heavy handed way at all--it's actually quite subtle.

The author does a good job of capturing the nuances of the newly formed partnership between the two main characters, especially with both of them not exactly happy about the idea. I liked the interplay between Meg and Matt, one the overconfident newbie and the other the slightly arrogant "old timer". They play off each other well, at first in a defensive sort of way and then later in a casual joking manner as they grow more comfortable with each other. I admit to not completely buying into the romance aspect of the novel though--I worried that it was more a case of a traumatic experience bringing two people together, and I wonder if it can possibly last.

My favorite character in the novel by far is Killer, who, if you read the book, you will get to know soon enough. Anyone who knows me well though won't be surprised.

The mystery itself was interesting. Politics play a large part over the course of the book and how that may or may not tie into the serial killings is a big part of it. Although I had an idea of what direction the novel would take, I was only partially right in terms of the ending--and even then I wasn't completely sure. The Krewe Hunters is a fun series, and I enjoy the interactions the characters have with the ghosts and the history behind the settings the various books take place. ( )