Sand Trap

Haunted #3

by Alexie Aaron

Not all sand traps occur on the links. Some may be found on a popular beach or lonely stretch of highway.

A sensitive and two ghost hunters walk into a bar. The barman is silent and the barflies long dead. Sounds like the start of a joke, but it’s not. An active haunt in a derelict biker bar on Route 66 is a dream come true for the PEEPs team until it turns violent. An SOS is sent to Mia Cooper who hits the open road with her ghostly pal Murphy riding shotgun. Together they try to enter the haunted building only to be repelled by the building itself. They can’t get in, and the ghosts can get out.

Courtney Fairchild wanted a rich husband and wasn’t going to let a little thing like death stand in her way. Hit by lightning as she walked along an exclusive Floridian beach, her soul was fused together with the sand, creating a beautiful specimen of fulgurite, which finds a home at the Chicago Field Museum. Released into the museum, Courtney roams from display to display looking for a way out of her glass prison.

Join Mia and the PEEPs team on an adventure from the cultural confines of Chicago’s Field Museum down Route 66 to Lucky’s Bar where evil is always on tap.

Sand Trap is the third of the Haunted series.

Genres: Paranormal, Horror, Ghosts, Paranormal Mystery

227 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 31, 2012

About the author

My idea of a great vacation is a porch swing, view of the water and a pile of books to read.
Once upon a time…
I wonder if those words spoken to, or read for the first time, were the catalyst for the spark that lit the fire within us. To write and tell a story the way each of us does is a gift and a responsibility. We sometimes toil hours with an idea, or even just one sentence, not knowing if anyone beyond us will ever read our words. We do it for love. The love of bringing to light the world that resides inside our heads.
It does not matter if we have a happy ending or a soulful gasp. What matters is that we put these thoughts on paper. So keep writing my friends. Keep taking us to the secret corners of your mind. Be brave. Tempt fate and above all enjoy.

Alexie Aaron

Reviews

[Teresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the first two books of this series, but this one isn't quite up to par. The hauntings were just ok. Some of the characters' personalities seemed incongruous from previous books, particularly Beth's and Burt's.

What I really didn't like was the whole love triangle (quadrangle? pentagon?) mess- I get that Mia is a looker and all the men are enamored with her, but it all became really tedious and distracted from the flow of the story (and frankly, it's all just a little too weird). I hope that doesn't continue to be a theme with future books.

Another problem I had was that the editing (ebook) was just terrible. Spelling, misuse of words, open quotation marks- it was sloppy and, again, distracting.

Disappointing, since the first book was excellent and the second was also quite good. Looking forward to continuing with the series for now, but I hope the editing gets cleaned up and the relationship problems take a background to the hauntings and the PEEPs investigations.

[Jessica (Read book. Repeat) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 3 in the haunted series by Alexie Aaron.

This installment sees our beloved PEEPs crew, along with Mia, Murphy and Whit battling not one, but two evil entity situations. The first one is based at an old run down bar on Route 66 which used to a frequent hang out for some unruly biker gangs. The team sees that is is an escalating problem but are not quite prepared for how rough and full on it is becoming. This problem takes a back seat for a little while, which sees Ted and Mia at the museum helping Bernard with a problem of his. This entity is more spoiled brat than outlaw biker, but is seeming to be just as nasty. The beach babe haunting the museum came to be inside by being trapped in a piece of fulgurite. Her spirit was trapped when a lightning strike form the fulgurite.

I found both cases to be as interesting as each other. It was nice to actually see part of the story based in the museum, I found this to be pretty cool, and it was nice to have Bernard and Ralph be more involved in the story this time around. I love their characters. Ralph has a penchant for redecorating when Mia is out of town, this time is no exception.

I love that Murphy has become a reoccurring character in this series. His story, and feelings for Mia raises interesting questions which make me think of the Television show 'Spirited' starring Claudia Karvan. Can a human and a spirit be in love? What happens if they pursue this? I feel like these questions may be explored at some point, but not at least for a little while seeing as Whit as reappeared.

The abrupt ending of Burt and Mia's relationship was exactly that, abrupt. There was no lead up or subtle changes to make the reader see this coming, I do however believe that it was the right choice. I've found myself becoming more open to the possibility of a relationship between Whit and Mia. Whether or not it will last, time will tell.

The characters are developing more through this installment, as we see with Beth's outburst over something rather trivial. I like that the author shows these characters for exactly what they are, human, with human feelings and thoughts. None of the characters come across as perfect and this is fantastic, I believe it makes the characters more relatable.

I'm interested in the constant evolution of the characters, and I'm a sucker for a good ghost story. So I'm looking forward to continuing this series. I can't wait to see what the guys get themselves in to next.

[Tracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

That’s it – I’m done.

I really wanted to love this series – I did love the ghost stories, they were brilliant. But the characters and their interactions have just become to much.

I have struggled in each book with the inconsistencies – the characters seem to reverse their feelings and/or thoughts multiple times throughout the series to suit the current circumstances. I keep finding myself thinking “but didn’t he/she say the complete opposite in the last book.

I also cannot read anymore of everyone in the Haunted universe immediately loving or lusting over Mia (except her parents - and I’m with them). And if anyone dares to criticise her, every other character coming to her defence.


In The Sand Trap it is Ted’s turn to lust after Mia, and it is Beth’s turn to be the bad guy. I honestly thought that I had spent the last two book reading about a burgeoning attraction between Ted and Beth. Apparently not – I was reading about Beth’s crush on Ted – Ted only ever thought of Beth as a colleague. In the course of The Sand Trap, Mia accidentally lets Ted see her naked three times (yep... accidentally....). When Beth leaves a nasty message on Mia’s answering machine, Mia plays the message to nearly every other character, despite not wanting to involve the other PEEPS and cause problems between them and Beth (isn’t she thoughtful). And, predictably, Beth is told not to join the others until she can get over her unreasonable jealousy of Mia.


I’m so disappointed – this series could be so good.

[Al · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is a lot to like in this third book of the series, as well as some of the same annoyances. I really like that there is some new things that are learned about ghosts in this story. Like the last book, it makes you feel like there is a lot of new things that will be brought out in each book. Sadly like the last book, the author feels compelled to have these strange love triangles happening. This really works against the enjoyment of the book. The author also likes to suddenly change how characters act, this time it is one of my favorite characters and one that I was hoping had a lot of potential. Well, she is not my favorite character anymore and I no longer care about what happens to her. This is the problem when you roll the dice to see which character will suddenly flip out.

Seriously if the author focused on the ghost story and less about who wants to crawl into bed with Mia, the novels would likely be a 4 or maybe a 5. *Shrugs*

[robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just really enjoy this series. I give it a full five stars because the plots are so unique and well thought out. Sometimes I have to reread because she has changed the situation (there are usually multiple hauntings and investigations going on) I don't really mind that.

I do think that Mia has no idea who she loves and gives it up pretty easily..lol. She needs to do her for a while and sort out a mish mosh of feelings.

Love the characters!

[Cheri Schaefer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly fantastic series!!

Right from the beginning this book has
me spell bound. Extremely entertaining
and definitely an up all nighter. Loved the
story line and as always love the ghosts,
especially Murphy. He's a real character!!!
This series definitely will go into my book
of favorite authors and series '!!!!!

[Tammi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy read. I feel each author has his/her style in writing. Although I've only read three of the books in this series I have noticed a trend in this author's writing techniques, etc. I will say her word of this book is "besotted". I'm curious to see which repetitive verbs, adjectives, and nouns are chosen for the fourth volume. I was a little frustrated to purchase an ebook that contained so many grammatical errors and typos. With that said, the book was an easy read and overall entertaining and I guess none of us are perfect (regardless of what our mothers told us - lol).

I read a review on this book on Amazon whereas the reader complained about the increasing amount of sexual compositions in this book and, although I disagree with that particular reviewer's opinions, I have also noticed the increase per book volume. I have enjoyed the series up to this point and will give the next volume in the series a try. I'm lowering my rating due to some redundancies and grammatical errors/typos. Again, I have been entertained by the series and find it easy reading thus far albeit the aforementioned complaints above.

[Maxine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know where Alexie Aaron gets her ideas from, but I am so glad she does! This is yet another great PEEPs investigation, and it was good as the others. If you want intellectually challenging reads then don't pick these books, but if you want fun, a good story,and great characters that develope more with each book, then give this series a go - I love them.

[Leah Polcar · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read Teresa's review below if you want my opinion of this book -- she nailed it. Too full of weird romantic geometrical shapes and implausible hauntings that weren't really witty anymore. I think this was my last book in this series...I can do without finding out whether Mia ends up in a ghostly menage-a-trios.

[Michele bookloverforever · Rating 3 out of 5]

a haunted location keeps many ghosts, some of them violent, trapped. plus, there's an angry, vindictive ghost in a Chicago museum. good story, some sex, jealousy, anger...match making. re-read february 2017. enjoyed it all over again. Last read 2017. Re-read December 2020.

[Mary Powers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This 3rd in the series was a fantastic and original offering! I often lose interest by the third book in a series. I am reading Darker than Dark now. Engaging!

[Linda Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Compelling

better and better. I like the way how each character is brought out. each character has matured. mia is becoming stronger and starting to like herself.

[Glenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good paranormal mystery

[Tyler Mattingly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great


This is a great book in the series! I can't wait to continue reading about Mia's story. If was an easy read.

[Marilyn Groves · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best in the series!