The Deadly Séance

Monette Michaels
Romantic suspense
Available from Liquid Silver Books
ISBN: 978-1-59578-812-2
February 2011

When his fiancée, Ariana Huntingdon, dies at a séance, Vidal Storm goes to his niece to help him solve her murder. Abigail Gooden promises she'll do what she can to help catch the killer, even though all she really has to go on is the information provided by the ghosts of Ari and her husband, Al. With only five possible suspects, Abbie and Luc, the man she loves, will need to dig into the lives of Ari's three children, her cousin, and her butler to find the killer, all while preventing an evil from Abbie's past from getting to her.

Opening the story with a murder is a good way to hook readers, especially when it happens in a closed room and the only suspects are those closest to the victim. Switching from the murder scene to an argument between Abbie and Luc is a great way to introduce the main characters along with the secondary storyline. Their argument highlights their stubborn personalities. Abbie is a very determined, strong-willed woman who loves Luc but is unwilling to compromise on the issue of trust and her determination that he be completely open with her to prove he trusts her. Like Abbie, Luc is strong-willed and determined to do whatever he has to in order to protect her from any threat. Their strong bond provides a foundation for the compromises they need to make to strengthen their relationship.

Though Luc and Abbie are the main characters, this story is about more than just them. All of the secondary characters play a role in solving the murder, especially Detective Sam Adams, Gabriella, and Abbie's mother and uncle. The mystery of who the murderer is requires all of them to pool their magical abilities in order to get the physical proof necessary to be able to bring the killer to justice. The author has done a good job of weaving the main plot of the murder with all the romantic subplots. Though the revelation of the murderer's identity in the end may not come as a surprise, the journey getting there is entertaining.

Overall rating:
Sensuality rating: Explicit

Reviewer: Karin
April 8, 2011

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