The Death Dealer

Harrison Investigation #7

by Heather Graham

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?

Genres: Paranormal, Mystery, Romance, Romantic Suspense, Paranormal Romance, Suspense, Fiction

304 pages, Hardcover

First published March 25, 2008

About the author

Also published as Heather Graham Pozzessere and Shannon Drake.

New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Heather Graham majored in theater arts at the University of South Florida. After a stint of several years in dinner theater, back-up vocals, and bartending, she stayed home after the birth of her third child and began to write, working on short horror stories and romances. After some trial and error, she sold her first book, WHEN NEXT WE LOVE, in 1982 and since then, she has written over one hundred novels and novellas including category, romantic suspense, historical romance, vampire fiction, time travel, occult, and Christmas holiday fare. She wrote the launch books for the Dell's Ecstasy Supreme line, Silhouette's Shadows, and for Harlequin's mainstream fiction imprint, Mira Books.

Heather was a founding member of the Florida Romance Writers chapter of RWA and, since 1999, has hosted the Romantic Times Vampire Ball, with all revenues going directly to children's charity.

She is pleased to have been published in approximately twenty languages, and to have been honored with awards frorn Waldenbooks. B. Dalton, Georgia Romance Writers, Affaire de Coeur, Romantic Times, and more. She has had books selected for the Doubleday Book Club and the Literary Guild, and has been quoted, interviewed, or featured in such publications as The Nation, Redbook, People, and USA Today and appeared on many newscasts including local television and Entertainment Tonight.

Heather loves travel and anything have to do with the water, and is a certitified scuba diver. Married since high school graduation and the mother of five, her greatest love in life remains her family, but she also believes her career has been an incredible gift, and she is grateful every day to be doing something that she loves so very much for a living.

Reviews

[CJ - It's only a Paper Moon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is actually 2.75 stars. Warning, this book references events in "Dead Room" which I didn't know anything about until someone mentioned to me that there was in fact a prequel. Who knew? It wasn't marked clearly enough for me.

Anyhoo, the constant referencing is probably there for people like me who didn't know and therefore didn't read the first book. So, each character character is affected by the events of the first book - it was a decent book but nothing to write home about.

The premise was interesting (a serial killer taking out Poe fans by using methods that Poe used in his stories) and the history was also interesting but this book is stilted by the fact that Joe and Gen were thrown together by a story that is alluded to but never experienced by the reader (i.e the constant exposition).

Gen and Joe are friends and Gen is love with Joe and Joe is in love with an idea. Joe sees dead people but no one knows why. Gen can see dead people and no one really know why.

I liked the characters as an outline. Meaning, if they had been more than just an idea of characters and had been fleshed out better, this book would have been able to actually reach its potential.

The characters moved a bit too fast in the romance direction but I did like and want them together but there were too many obstacles to overcome that surely could have been elaborated and explored through the course of the story.

Mainly, this is a decent book if you're by the beach and while I liked it the story is full of allusions, ghosts, promises that are never fulfilled (to the reader) and rushed.

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of Heather Graham's best. The last couple I've read weren't up to her previous high standards. The characters are fun, the passion is wonderful, and the mystery/thriller is terrific.

[Krissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I gave this two stars b/c it was a fast read but maybe I'm not the audience for this genre.

[SOME SPOILERS]
I think there were various things about this book that were both objectively and subjectively wrong. Typos first and foremost. I don't understand how an editor didn't catch them. (Not blaming the author for this.)

The book was filled with cliches, and maybe that's just what you get with murder mysteries, but it was hardly a mystery with a twist and more just the author pulling two killers out of the air at the end of the book.

(The ending reminded me of the episode of Bob's Burgers when Linda decides to do a murder mystery dinner-theater & tells everyone it's not the butler and at the end says it IS the butler. It's not a twist. It's a lie. And that's exactly what this book did.)

The characters were two dimensional and their personalities fluctuated weirdly. Every woman was thin and attractive and too many men were "manly" and "gruff." And all the women except like one had blue eyes. As if to tell the reader "don't mistake any of them for POC."

The author had this weird need to remind the reader constantly how amazing New York is despite using a lot of British words and mannerisms throughout the book.

I couldn't stand Genevieve or Joe and how incapable of communicating they were. And their attraction to each other felt purely physical so I didn't care if they stayed together or when they got married in the epilogue.

Genevieve in general annoyed me. She seemed weirdly judgmental of sex workers considering her career. And her weird stubbornness surrounding not wanting to believe in ghosts came off like a petulant child.

The shower sex scene was weird.

Also the one scene about giving Joe aspirin for his headache was weird. And then him giving it to her WHILE she was drunk. It was unnecessary and also who doesn't know what aspirin is for??

And the Native American character. Brent, being described with "light-colored eyes" has this racial undertone that made me very uncomfortable, not to mention the author describing Nikki as "light and delicate" and Brent as "dark and solid." If you can't see what's wrong with that, I can't help you.

This book was a boring but fast read that didn't feel like a mystery and more like a lot of scenes choppily pushed together. The killers' motive at the end was lazy and their personalities felt like cartoon villans.

The epilogue felt like a quick, desperate attempt at the author saying "see?? Look! It totally makes sense!" rather than leaving real clues throughout the book for the reader to solve the murder along the way.

I recognize this book was published in 2008 and awareness of race and healthy relationships was not always a forefront topic in every household, but I think the author could have done better with diversifying her cast of characters. And maybe shown at least more attempts at some level of communication between Joe and Genevieve b/c their stubborn behavior and inability to have emotions around each other was irritating.

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the storyline! P.I. Joe Connolly and Genevieve O'Brown are investigating a murder which leads to several other deaths, each involving similarities to Edgar Allen Poe stories. While they look for clues they each experience contact with ghosts and have to work through the realization that the ghosts are real and helping them to survive the killer(s).

[Paraphrodite · Rating 3 out of 5]

I consider this as a sequel to The Dead Room. The protagonists are all back in New York, this time the murder is linked to Edgar Allan Poe and his books.

After that totally unexpected ending in The Dead Room, I was ambivalent about this one. Still, it was a good read.

[Aparna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stars: 3 / 5
Recommendation: A neat blend of history and paranormal folded with romance and murder is what we see with this plot

The Death Dealer is the seventh book in the Harrison Investigation Series by the paranormal author Heather Graham published in March of 2008. The plot forms a sequel to the previous book Dead Room with the story centering on Joseph "Joe" Connolly - Ex-cop turned PI - and Genevieve "Gen" O'Brien - rich socialite who is also a social worker and who was saved by Joe and Leslie in the previous plot. The plot is set a year after the events of The Dead Room (https://inspirethoughts.livejournal.c...).

Long before her Krewe of Hunters series (My review of the books I have read in that series so far are here (https://inspirethoughts.livejournal.c...)), she had her Harrison Investigation Series headed by Adam Harrison. She credits him for starting the FBI special division called the Krewe of Hunters. While I was reading those books I was curious to read about Adam Harrison and books that came under his series. And so the book reviews continue in this series.

At the end of the previous book, The Dead Room, Heather had left the lead character Joe Connolly's love life in a limbo. I so much wanted him to have that plot end with Joe pairing up with the lead female character Leslie MacIntyre. But Leslie's true love was Matt Connolly, Joe's cousin, and in the end joins him in the other world. In the end of that plot, Joe is seen walking away from Matt and Leslie's graves with Genevieve O'Brien, the rich socialite he and Leslie had saved from the clutches of a psychopath.

I had wondered if Heather would write a plot for Joe Connolly because it felt too incomplete for his character to be left like that. So it was a pleasant surprise for me when I picked up the next book in the series. Yes sir indeed, it is centrally focused on Joe Connolly and Genevieve O'Brien.

They are teamed together in this plot to find out who killed Thorne Bigelow - one of the Ravens, a New York Poe Society. Gen hires Joe to investigate the death as she was worried about her mother, Eileen O'Brien, who might be a target too. Gen feels strong attraction towards Joe, not just because he had saved her a year ago from a monster. But she fears he is still in love with Leslie, a ghost.

As a sequel one would expect the story and characters from the previous plot flow through. As expected we see a lot of Matt Connolly and Leslie MacIntyre too. And your guess is right - they are ghosts now. And Joe Connolly sees them too. To keep the plots continuous, the members from Harrison Investigations are the same as those in previous plot, except with one more addition - Adam Harrison, Nikki Blackhawk and Brent Blackhawk whom we first met in the third book in the series Ghost Walk (https://inspirethoughts.livejournal.c...).

As the plot proceeds we get historical paranormal stories and facts of various area in Manhattan, NY including the areas where Edgar Allan Poe had resided while he was in New York, Richmond and Balrimore. And some cool hangout spots are listed, that I definitely want to visit when I am back in NYC again.

Gen O'Brien is a strong female character and a total complement to Joe Connolly. But what bugged about her was the way she was manipulating Joe into making him do what she wants. I mean, I get it that she wants him to investigate the case even though no one else see what she is thinks is a serial killer. I also get that she wants to prove that she is strong again, not a fragile doll. But, if she wants Joe to do what she wants, they why doesn’t she do what Joe asks her to do either? Why does she go off on her own and fall into danger?

In fact, I see this happening with most of the lead female characters of Heather Graham. They want their male counterparts to do what they want, stand by them. But then when the male lead asks them to do something, as simple as staying inside safe, they go off on their own to find the truth. I agree that it proves that the female leads are also as strong as the male. But it makes me feel that Heather shows them as not trusting their male leads as much as they should. Oh well, it's just my opinion.

In any case, two damaged souls are brought together under the shadows of murder, mystery and ghosts. And they do love each other so what's to complain.

Heather does have a slew of characters supporting the plot again. With so many characters, there would be repeat paraphrasing of having to explain a particular scene to the remaining characters. However, it was lesser compared to some of her other books I read. She tied up all the inconsequential details in neatly towards the end of the plot as usual.

On a side note, in the copy of the book that I have, hard card inserts that gives reader an opportunity to either join a book club and win books, or buy a book and get a few free, are torn by someone who owned this book prior to me. Finally I found a book where someone used those cards for real.

Another intriguing paranormal plot heavily doused on history filled with murder, mystery, romance and ghosts. A tale that captured one easily till the end.

Spoiler Alerts:

1. Plot Reveals:
a. Joe Connolly watches the 1963 horror film The Raven based on the references to Edgar Allan Poe's poem The Raven. According to Joe, the movie turned the poem into a silly battle between magicians. I havent watched it, but it is intriguing enough to want me to watch.
b. Several references to Edgar Allan Poe's works is mentioned in the book - The Raven (Joe quotes from the poem, and the society of Ravens the plot is centered on); The Black Cat (A short story); The Cask of Amontillado (A short story); The Mystery of Marie Roget (A short story based on true crime, Heather also includes the details of the original crime the story was based on); The Murders in the Rue Morgue (A short story); Annabel Lee (last complete poem); The Masque of the Red Death (A short story); MS. Found in a Bottle (A short story); The Tell-Tale Heart (A short story)
c. Another author that I follow the books she writes is Ellen Byerrum. Her latest book in the Crime of Fashion Series is titled The Masque of the Red Dress. It is so close to The Masque of Red Death title of Poe's story. I havent read Ellen's book yet. But I am curious to see if she has any parallels in the plot as well.

2. Sub-Plots:
a. Another one of Adam Harrison's team is introduced in conversations - John, in the first book Hanuted. Will he become a main character in a future book is something we have to wait and see.
b. In Haunted, Adam Harrison mentions that the case in London is complex and would be solved another time, hence he has come to Stoneyville to aid Darcy Tremayne. I wonder if Heather Graham would make this little tidbit into a plot for a future book in this series or the Krewe of Hunters series.
c. In Haunted, Randy Newton, an FBI agent and friend of Matt's, is introduced in the plot as a contact and friend of Matt from a serial killer case that they had worked together on the outskirts of D.C. I wonder if he was a main character in a previous book that of Heather Graham's that I hadnt read yet.
d. In The Vision, Heather Graham has one of her characters, Jack, mention about a guy killing prostitutes around Eighth Street in Miami. I don’t remember any of Heather Graham's so far read plots that has this certain plot. Perhaps it is from one of the books I didn’t read or maybe it was just an off-hand instead mentioned for the sake of the plot.
e. In the Dead Room, Brent Blackhawk is shown to be out in Los Angeles on a case. Adam Harrison is scheduled to head to London from Manhattan the following day for a case. I wonder if Heather's next plot would be in Los Angeles or London.

3. Grammatical / Historical / Location / Character Errors:
a. On Pg. 10, it is seen that Joe Connolly after making a call drops his phone and then heads out to help the accident victims. On Pg. 16, after helping the victims, Joe doesn’t go back to his car but takes a cab back to his home. But on Pg. 23, when Gen calls him, he picks up his cell. Where did he get his car and pick the cell again, I didn’t get it.
b. On Pg. 34, Line 20, it should be "I saw a car…"
c. On Pg. 156, Line 3 from bottom, it should be "…read from "Annabel Lee." Then Don…"
d. On Pg. 321, Line 13, it should be "…lived there with his aunt…"

[Gina · Rating 2 out of 5]

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.

[Puti · Rating 5 out of 5]

01.17 pagi. Masih terbilang belum cocok untuk dikatakan 'pagi', atau lebih tepatnya dikatakan dini hari. Ya, aku baru saja menyelesaikan novel yang membuatku hampir sangat bergidik. Awalnya aku sempat membaca ini 5 atau 6 hari sebelumnya dan itu hanya beberapa lembar. Rasa malas mulai menghantuiku hingga akhirnya aku mulai melanjutkannya kemarin siang. Ini novel karangan Heather Graham yang pertama kali ku baca. Novel misteri yang terselipkan kisah horor serta romansa cinta di dalamnya. Kisah pembunuhan yang sederhana dan meniru adegan pembunuhan yang terjadi di kisah-kisah Detective yang mendunia yaitu Edgar Allan Poe. Dapat dikatakan kisah yang berada di dalam novel ini terinspirasi dari Bapak 'detective' yang menginspirasi para sastrawan & pembuat film. Daei novel ini lah aku mengetahui sedikit tentang Poe. Setidaknya aku pernah membaca karangan Poe sebelum membaca novel ini, sehingga aku dapat mengetahui sedikit tentang kisah kisah pembunuhan Poe yang ada di novel ini. Untuk nuansa horor, ini bukan kisah yang sangat menyeramkan. Aku bahkan sempat merasakan kecemburuan Gen kepada Joe terhadap seseorang yang ia sukai, namun mustahil untuk bersama. Ini novel dewasa yang sudah pasti tidak cocok untuk usia di bawah 18thn

[BJ Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm glad I read The Dead Room first, or I might have gotten too frustrated to continue. So I can understand the low ratings from people who read this as a stand-alone. I didn't like this quite as much as The Dead Room, but was glad I continued what was really an unfinished story. There are definitely times when the reader needs to be alerted to the fact that this story really started in the previous book.

[Heidi]

This was not my favorite Heather Graham book. I gave the book almost 150 pages but I couldn't get into it. The male lead seemed like a ... there's no other word for it but ... milktoast... rather he doesn't really have a personality. He apparently lost the woman he loved in a previous book or situation that is followed up in this novel. I was disappointed since I really like her civil war books and what not this one was... disappointing.

[Lori (on hiatus, life is crazy busy)) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book to start off my Halloween reading! I love Heather Graham! This book is part of the Harrison investigation series. Murder's are happening in New York and they seem to have a Poe theme to them. Genevieve was a victim of a madman and now she's determined to find out who exactly is committing these murders. She hires her good friend Joe who is an ex cop turned private investigator to help her try to solve this case. Another surprise ending that this author is well known for writing!

[TR · Rating 3 out of 5]

So for those that know what's going on in my life right now, I needed a paperback that I could carry around while I supervised the work, so I pulled something out of my TBR pile at random and this was it. On one hand it was good, I finished it in about 2 days. Although part of that is circumstances right now. However, it was very obvious that this was part of a series and NOT the first book. I wasn't very far into it when I started thinking it was part of a series. Just the way the characters knew each other shared experiences. That being said, you could read it and follow along with what was happening if you didn't have that prior experience of the previous books. Nor am I an expert on Poe so I have no idea if it was accurate or not. I usually give the author the benefit of the doubt that he or she did their research. I would read the series a) because I like series and b) because this book does a good job of crisscrossing genres. There's mystery in it, paranormal, history, romance. Something for everybody and I'm curious if the others in the series have this too. That being said, I don't feel the need to rush out and get the rest of the series. Too many TBR books right now, but if I come across another in the series...sure, why not.

[Holly Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

OK...This book is sooo good...It left me guessing up until almost the end and the person I thought did the killings didn't. Lol I love books like this. The Poe Killings people are being killed is the manner of Edgar Allen Poe's stories and poems. First in New York Thorne Bigelow poisoned with wine, then Sam Latham hospitalized from an accident on the FDR, then Lori Star a hooker/actress/psychic lured out by the thought of fame and strangled and thrown in the river...Joe Connelly is hired to keep Genevieve O'Brien's Mother Eileen safe since all but Lori were members of "The Ravens" a Poe society group that Gen's Mother is also a member of...In the course of Joe's investigating he uncovers more deaths in other cities...and the hunt begins in earnest when he is told Genevieve is also on the killer's list as the perfect victim.....

[Danielle Urban · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're a huge fan of Edgar Allan Poe and love suspense as much as I do, you are in for a treat! This novel, The Death Dealer, contains murders based on those from Edgar Allan Poe's books. Then, there's plenty of action, suspense, and ghosts to make this read even more intense. The pages were full of mystery, risks, and spookiness. I loved it! The cast of characters were well-done. They made this book more three-dimensional. Two people from the past meet again, only this time the situation is deadly. A serial killer is on the loose and the woman who has a special talent might be next. A Krewe Hunter agent is sent on the case. Together these two have to be extra steps ahead or both might end up with their dead ghostly friends. Overall, The Death Dealer was a fast-paced thriller.

[Maria Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

In realtà ho letto il finale saltando tutto il libro centrale.
E' incredibile, io adoro questa autrice ma questa volta la sua storia non decolla.
A pagina 100 ancora non c'era niente da fare ed il volume non arriva nemmeno a 300 pagine!
Sarà pure che questo è il SESTO episodio di una serie investigativa, ma la HM non lo ha evidenziato, cosi mi sono ritrovata personaggi, relazioni personali e fatti, dati per scontatati. Forse se avessi letto i primi 5 non mi sarei sentita persa e disorientata in più punti.
Davvero una politica NO SENSE per la HM stavolta, mah!

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genevieve O'Brien needed the help of a P.I., Joe Connolly, to protect her Mother who was a member of the Ravens. They were a group who studied Edger Allen Poe and his stories but unfortunately someone was killing members of the group and that needed to be stopped. Neither Genevieve or Joe believed in ghost but all of a sudden, both of them were hearing and seeing ghosts from the past. This is a really good story.

[Cheri Schaefer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fantastic ghostly mystery!

I somehow missed this earlier book and
am so glad I found it now. What a wonderfully
intriguing mystery! I never suspected that
person to be the killer! There were so many
parts to the mystery that it kept me on the
edge of my seat the whole way through. Very
brilliant mystery with fantastic characters!
Story line and plot kept me thinking who
could have been the killer right up to the
reveal. Phenomenal author!!!!!!

[Brigid · Rating 3 out of 5]

I rounded this up to a 3--I might have liked this better if I had read the other books in the series. I picked this up out of a little free library in my neighborhood so the price was right. Overall a competent mystery, but I didn't feel like I knew the characters... again, probably because most of their development was done over several other books. Overall, this was okay, but fans of the series probably loved it more.

[Nancy Ellis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another entertaining episode in the Harrison Investigations series. Even though the stories are not related and new characters are always introduced, I enjoy the thread of previous books woven throughout, with the featuring of some characters from past stories. These are my guilty escapes, full of paranormal elements, mystery, and romance.

[Trevor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heather Graham never disappoints! I Highly recommended it.
Dive in as Joe Connolly and Genevieve O'Brien team up in solving this plot related to a string of homicides linking them to a New York Poe Society. Also known as the Ravens. With Genevieve's mother next on the list, she's determined to stop whoever is behind the murders.

[Marianne Jay · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was a bit slow in the beginning and if you didn't read the 4th book in the series, you will have a hard time following the book.

However, the middle and the ending are good and I am still going to finish the series.

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Love this author. It was a mystery and I didn't know who done it till the end. People were being murdered and they all somehow had a connection to the Poe Society in New York. Some of the investigators saw ghosts that tried to help. Really a fun and exciting read.

[Sandy Barecki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book in the Harrison Investigation series. Enjoyed the direct tie-in with the characters from The Dead Room. I recommend reading that book before this one. Highly recommend to anyone who likes ghostly presence in their mysteries. Have loved the whole series.

[Donna B. Hanson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good

Top notch, as all of Heather Graham 's books are. Characters likeable, strong, exciting, and loyal. Plot flowed well and still had plenty of twists and surprises. Satisfying conclusion.

[Jaime Barfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really good read. I enjoyed the story. When I started reading it I didn't realize it was part of a series but it is set where you can read it stand alone. However I recently picked up the rest of them so I can catch up. Highly recommend.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Famous writer murders

Genivive and Joe reluctantly accept help from The Harrison organization to solve a murder. A killer dresses up as a famous writer and commits murder. They must hurry because Genivive is on the agenda.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

How many more books are we going to get where one or two characters spend most of the book denying the existence of ghosts even though multiple people are seeing them? And those denyers are downright nasty about it.

[Connie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this book not knowing it was in a series. No indication on the book is was part of a series. There were many references to a previous book so I gave it a little lower rating.

[Veronica Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good one for Poe fans with lots of trivia. Ending almost got me.

[Donna Tarver · Rating 5 out of 5]

really enjoyed this one. didn't have the killer figured out completely