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Krewe of Hunters #21
Dying Breath
Buried alive...
As a teenager, Vickie Preston survived an attack by a serial killer. That was the first time she saw a ghost. Now the city of Boston is being terrorized--someone is kidnapping women and burying them alive, but cruelly leaving a glimmer of hope for the authorities by sending a clue about their location. Vickie is pulled into the investigation when her name is mentioned in one of the notes. And as a historian, she has the knowledge to help uncover the graves the killer known as the Undertaker is choosing. But she also has another, unique lead: the spirit of one of the victims is appearing to her in dreams.
Special Agent Griffin Price is on the case for the Krewe of Hunters, the FBI's special unit for paranormal investigators. He feels particularly protective of Vickie, since their shared past is connected to the threat that currently surrounds them. With the killer accelerating his plans, time is running out for more victims hidden around the city. Vickie is becoming closer with Griffin, but she's getting too close to the danger, and every breath could be her last.
As a teenager, Vickie Preston survived an attack by a serial killer. That was the first time she saw a ghost. Now the city of Boston is being terrorized--someone is kidnapping women and burying them alive, but cruelly leaving a glimmer of hope for the authorities by sending a clue about their location. Vickie is pulled into the investigation when her name is mentioned in one of the notes. And as a historian, she has the knowledge to help uncover the graves the killer known as the Undertaker is choosing. But she also has another, unique lead: the spirit of one of the victims is appearing to her in dreams.
Special Agent Griffin Price is on the case for the Krewe of Hunters, the FBI's special unit for paranormal investigators. He feels particularly protective of Vickie, since their shared past is connected to the threat that currently surrounds them. With the killer accelerating his plans, time is running out for more victims hidden around the city. Vickie is becoming closer with Griffin, but she's getting too close to the danger, and every breath could be her last.
378 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 30, 2017
878 people are currently reading
2251 people want to read
About the author
Heather Graham
583 books6,889 followersAlso 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.
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.
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February 9, 2025
Dying Breath by Heather Graham
Krewe of Hunters series #21. Paranormal romantic suspense, serial killer. Can be read as a stand-alone.
Vickie Preston saw her first ghost as a teenager. It’s also the first time she met Griffin Price. He’s back in Boston to help with a serial killer who has buried his victims alive, leaving clues for the police or victims family to figure out. Vickie is pulled into the investigation by ghosts but she doesn’t admit that to anyone until Griffin talks to her ghost too. Vickie and Griffin need to work fast to figure out who the killer is before the next victim dies.
Read like a race to the next victim, win or lose. Suspenseful. And what a nightmare - to be buried alive.
Krewe of Hunters series #21. Paranormal romantic suspense, serial killer. Can be read as a stand-alone.
Vickie Preston saw her first ghost as a teenager. It’s also the first time she met Griffin Price. He’s back in Boston to help with a serial killer who has buried his victims alive, leaving clues for the police or victims family to figure out. Vickie is pulled into the investigation by ghosts but she doesn’t admit that to anyone until Griffin talks to her ghost too. Vickie and Griffin need to work fast to figure out who the killer is before the next victim dies.
Read like a race to the next victim, win or lose. Suspenseful. And what a nightmare - to be buried alive.
March 1, 2017
Genre: Paranormal Romantic Suspense Available 5/30/17
The first time Vickie Preston saw a ghost was when she was 17. She was babysitting for her neighbors and a killer broke in with the intention of killing them both. The neighbors oldest son, Dylan, had died a year or so previously. He appeared and told her to get out ... actually saving their lives.
The man who tried to kill her was shot by a street cop and now resides behind bars for the rest of his life.
Seven years have passed and Special Agent Griffin Price and his partner Special Agent Jackson Crow are looking for a man the news media have dubbed the Undertaker. He takes young women and hides them away. If the police don't find them in a short time, they will suffocate and die.
The Undertaker has started leaving messages ... messages that mention Vickie. Price and Crow approach Vickie and ask for her help. As a historian, she has the knowledge to help uncover the graves the killer is choosing. But she also has another, unique lead: the spirit of one of the victims is appearing to her in dreams.
More women will be taken and it is with Vickie's help that they interpret the clues and find 3 women still alive. Griffin is determined that nothing will happen to Vickie ... but the Undertaker has other ideas.
Heather Graham is well known for her paranormal romantic suspense books ... and I was not disappointed in this one. There are 20 books ahead of this one, but it stands alone on its own merits. The characters are finely developed, some with flaws, some without. Griffin and Jackson work for a special unit of the FBI ... they all have a gift. They can see the dead, hear the dead, or in some way communicate with the dead.
There is a lot of history of Boston from the 1700s forward all intertwined seamlessly that adds so much credibility to the story.
Like a little paranormal? Like a little romance? Like a well crafted mystery? You will definitely like this one.
Many thanks to the author / Harlequin (US & Canada) / Netgalley for the digital copy of DYING BREATH. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
July 6, 2017
Excellent cover for this book. Great representation of the story. Excellent use of graphics. Interesting typography. That said, AGAIN the author's name should not overpower the title on a book cover, and this one does just that. So It loses a star for having one of my biggest pet peeves in cover creation history!
If I have said it once I have said it a million times I just LOVE this author's paranormal mystery books. I love the settings she chooses. I love the history she injects into the stories. The who-done-its always keep me hooked and turning the pages. I just enjoy the hell out of them, and this one was no different.
Now, like above, if I said it once I have said it a million times the weakness in these books is always the romance angle. It always feels forced and underdeveloped, and the sex scenes (very mild) are always overly flowery with a lot of "withering" included. But since I don't read these books for the romance aspect I simply tend to overlook that and focus on the rest of the story.
So with that in mind, this one gets two thumbs up from yours truly.
October 22, 2020
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I love this author and I can't believe I've gotten so behind on her books. Dying Breath brought so much suspense and intrigue to the pages (to my ears?) and I was captivated from the very start. I love how much history was involved and all the clues that had me second guessing myself at every turn, it really made this book an enjoyable read.
Amazon US * Amazon UK
Audio listen.
I love this author and I can't believe I've gotten so behind on her books. Dying Breath brought so much suspense and intrigue to the pages (to my ears?) and I was captivated from the very start. I love how much history was involved and all the clues that had me second guessing myself at every turn, it really made this book an enjoyable read.
May 30, 2017
Almost eight years ago, then teen Vickie Preston was almost killed by a serial killer. It was the first time she saw a ghost. Vickie is a historian and author who also spends time with troubled youth. Special Agent Griffin Price is working the Undertaker case along with Andrew Jackson. Dubbed the Undertaker this serial killer buries his female victims alive and then leaves cryptic clues tied to the cities history to find them. Their newest clue directly mentions Vickie. Price immediately recognizes her name. He was the cop who wounded the serial killer on that fateful day eight years ago.
I loved the cryptic clues and piecing together the mystery to save each victim. Graham delightfully tied in historical tidbits bringing Boston and its history to life. The case was a particularly good one tying in the past and present. The race against time, the links to Vickie and cast of suspects kept me engaged.
We have two ghosts interact with Vickie and the special agents. The first has ties with Vickie's past and the second is the first victim in the new murders. I always love this aspect of ghostly entities assisting in solving the crime.
Secondary characters added interest, offered red herrings and helped further the investigation. The who took me by surprise. It was clever and only after did I pick up subtle hints.
While Vickie and Griffin share a connection from the past I found the romance to be the weakest thread in this tale. Both characters are intelligent, and Vickie impressed me with her knowledge and ability to piece together clues, but I didn't feel the chemistry. The romance is served on the side, which for me isn't a problem, but I would have enjoyed it if they were just friends. Since the next two books will feature them, I am hoping I get a chance to connect more.
Copy provided by the publisher. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer
I loved the cryptic clues and piecing together the mystery to save each victim. Graham delightfully tied in historical tidbits bringing Boston and its history to life. The case was a particularly good one tying in the past and present. The race against time, the links to Vickie and cast of suspects kept me engaged.
We have two ghosts interact with Vickie and the special agents. The first has ties with Vickie's past and the second is the first victim in the new murders. I always love this aspect of ghostly entities assisting in solving the crime.
Secondary characters added interest, offered red herrings and helped further the investigation. The who took me by surprise. It was clever and only after did I pick up subtle hints.
While Vickie and Griffin share a connection from the past I found the romance to be the weakest thread in this tale. Both characters are intelligent, and Vickie impressed me with her knowledge and ability to piece together clues, but I didn't feel the chemistry. The romance is served on the side, which for me isn't a problem, but I would have enjoyed it if they were just friends. Since the next two books will feature them, I am hoping I get a chance to connect more.
Copy provided by the publisher. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer
June 25, 2017
I believe this is the first book I’ve read by Heather Graham. This is not my normal type of book I read but I did find myself enjoying the story line and wanting to find out who committed these crimes throughout. It started off pretty intense just from the first few pages so it peaked my interest right away! All the way until the end, I had no idea who did all the killings! Pretty good suspense throughout!
March 16, 2020
OK, it is a fact that I love ghosts, vampires and witches. Of course, what more can be expected from someone who can read and watch Harry Potter any number of times, I wonder?? In fact, I really have lost count of the no. of times I have watched all the 8 movies. Well, with view of that fact, it is surprising that I have not read many books by Heather Graham who has quite an impressive collection in this genre! I have probably only read a couple by the author and so when got a chance to check out Dying Breath, I did grab it.
Dying Breath is book # 24 in the Krew of Hunters series. (😲😲, goes to show that I have much catching up to do). She was 17 when Vickie first encountered a ghost. The ghost was Dylan Ballantine, brother to baby Noah whom she was babysitting, urging her to escape from the house coz the serial killer Bertram Aldridge was hiding there and about to attack. With the help of an officer patrolling nearby, the killer is apprehended and jailed. 9 years later Griffin Price, the officer instrumental in catching Betrtam is back in Boston as part of FBI special team as a set of kidnapping has rocked the area. The kidnapper or kidnappers dumped as Undertaker by the press leaves the women in historically important areas in Boston and sends clues of their whereabouts to the media. Griffin and Jackson belongs to the Krew of Hunters using their special gifts of communicating with dead to help solve the crimes when they find out the latest victim of the Undertaker is Chrissy Ballantine, mother to Noah and Dylan.
Is it Bertram who is still in prison playing the puppeteer organizing everything even behind bars or is there something else in play? Why are the Ballantine family targeted again? And why does the clue contain Vickie’s name? Answers to myriad questions need to be found as more women gets kidnapped but Vickie is up to the task with the help of Dylan.
I loved the romantic paring of Griffin and Vickie and the lovely relationship of Dylan with Vickie and Noah. It had such a sweet feeling to it. The surprising element of the story was how the history of old Boston was interwoven magically thru it. The historical part added an additional mystery to the women being kidnapped and left to smother. I would surely look forward to read more books in the series as it kept me entertained thru out.
Dying Breath is book # 24 in the Krew of Hunters series. (😲😲, goes to show that I have much catching up to do). She was 17 when Vickie first encountered a ghost. The ghost was Dylan Ballantine, brother to baby Noah whom she was babysitting, urging her to escape from the house coz the serial killer Bertram Aldridge was hiding there and about to attack. With the help of an officer patrolling nearby, the killer is apprehended and jailed. 9 years later Griffin Price, the officer instrumental in catching Betrtam is back in Boston as part of FBI special team as a set of kidnapping has rocked the area. The kidnapper or kidnappers dumped as Undertaker by the press leaves the women in historically important areas in Boston and sends clues of their whereabouts to the media. Griffin and Jackson belongs to the Krew of Hunters using their special gifts of communicating with dead to help solve the crimes when they find out the latest victim of the Undertaker is Chrissy Ballantine, mother to Noah and Dylan.
Is it Bertram who is still in prison playing the puppeteer organizing everything even behind bars or is there something else in play? Why are the Ballantine family targeted again? And why does the clue contain Vickie’s name? Answers to myriad questions need to be found as more women gets kidnapped but Vickie is up to the task with the help of Dylan.
I loved the romantic paring of Griffin and Vickie and the lovely relationship of Dylan with Vickie and Noah. It had such a sweet feeling to it. The surprising element of the story was how the history of old Boston was interwoven magically thru it. The historical part added an additional mystery to the women being kidnapped and left to smother. I would surely look forward to read more books in the series as it kept me entertained thru out.
March 6, 2017
When she was seventeen years old, Vickie Preston survived an attack by a serial killer who had broken into the home where she was babysitting. She kept hearing noises in the house and chalked them up to her "nerves" and viewing too many horror films. Then a ghost (Dylan- the family's dead son)appeared and told her to get out of the house. She grabs Noah, the toddler she is babysitting, and runs out of the house and up to officer Price who saves their lives.
Years later she is drawn into a police investigation when the killer uses her name as one of the clues in a note left for police. A killer (or killers) known as the Undertaker has been kidnapping women and burying them alive, leaving notes with clues as to where their victims might be buried. She comes back in contact with Griffin Price who was the police officer who saved her when she was Seventeen years old.
Special Agent Griffin Price left the Boston police department to work with the Krewe of Hunters, FBI's special unit of paranormal investigators. He has been seeing ghosts all of his life. He also saw the ghost of Dylan the night he saved Vickie and the child she was babysitting from a serial killer. He has always felt a bond to Vickie after that night and knows that somehow everything is all related to what brought them together years ago.
As women keep getting taken, Vickie helps Griffin and his partner attempt to find the missing women in time to save their lives while trying to learn the identity of the killer or killers. Vickie has vast knowledge of Boston and with her insights they are able to find some victims before they suffocate. She begins to have "dreams" of an angel who gives her clues. Dylan is also around to help whenever he can. All together they are on a hunt for the killers and it is clear that the killers are also on the hunt- for who? Vickie?
I really enjoyed this book. It was a fast read with great pacing. I love putting on my detective hat and trying to figure out the identity of the killer/killers. I did think I had things figured out. I thought I knew without a doubt who one of the killers was -and I was WRONG! I kinda like when that happens. I like that there were a few plot twists and turns. Some aha moments.
This book had a lot of things going for it: there is the paranormal element, a romance element, a mystery, suspense and a lot of history of Boston. The Author really did her research. I lived in the Boston area for years and I learned some more about Boston's history in this book! I liked how the Author blended all of the above elements - nothing was ever over the top. I think that fans of various genres can enjoy this book.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
See more of my reviews at www.openbookpost.com
Years later she is drawn into a police investigation when the killer uses her name as one of the clues in a note left for police. A killer (or killers) known as the Undertaker has been kidnapping women and burying them alive, leaving notes with clues as to where their victims might be buried. She comes back in contact with Griffin Price who was the police officer who saved her when she was Seventeen years old.
Special Agent Griffin Price left the Boston police department to work with the Krewe of Hunters, FBI's special unit of paranormal investigators. He has been seeing ghosts all of his life. He also saw the ghost of Dylan the night he saved Vickie and the child she was babysitting from a serial killer. He has always felt a bond to Vickie after that night and knows that somehow everything is all related to what brought them together years ago.
As women keep getting taken, Vickie helps Griffin and his partner attempt to find the missing women in time to save their lives while trying to learn the identity of the killer or killers. Vickie has vast knowledge of Boston and with her insights they are able to find some victims before they suffocate. She begins to have "dreams" of an angel who gives her clues. Dylan is also around to help whenever he can. All together they are on a hunt for the killers and it is clear that the killers are also on the hunt- for who? Vickie?
I really enjoyed this book. It was a fast read with great pacing. I love putting on my detective hat and trying to figure out the identity of the killer/killers. I did think I had things figured out. I thought I knew without a doubt who one of the killers was -and I was WRONG! I kinda like when that happens. I like that there were a few plot twists and turns. Some aha moments.
This book had a lot of things going for it: there is the paranormal element, a romance element, a mystery, suspense and a lot of history of Boston. The Author really did her research. I lived in the Boston area for years and I learned some more about Boston's history in this book! I liked how the Author blended all of the above elements - nothing was ever over the top. I think that fans of various genres can enjoy this book.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
See more of my reviews at www.openbookpost.com
June 3, 2017
Probably my last Heather Graham book. If I were really ambitious, I would count the number of exclamation marks this book contained.
July 16, 2017
3.5 stars.
This time we are treated to the history of Boston. I guess it makes sense to ask the heroine Vickie for assistance as she knows Boston's history and she sees dead people. But I did find her a bit too pragmatic about everything.
Quite a few missed editing errors, but overall, another good installment for the series.
This time we are treated to the history of Boston. I guess it makes sense to ask the heroine Vickie for assistance as she knows Boston's history and she sees dead people. But I did find her a bit too pragmatic about everything.
Quite a few missed editing errors, but overall, another good installment for the series.
August 29, 2017
I just love this author, and the books get more suspenseful, with each new one.This.book begins with Vickie babysitting for a neighbor, when she hears a noise in a locked house, but hadn't she,seen a side door open before the parents left, Something wasn't right, she could feel it; then a voice,said loud, and clear grab the baby and run now. Now !! ,She did with the killer behind her, next thing she dropped like the policeman said ,and she hear several shots. This book grabs you from page one, and keeps you. She has gone on to university to study history, especially the stories, and history of where she lives, The heroes of Boston, and that voice has been a constant companion . Dylan, who was Noah' s older brother believed to die in a car accident. He has become a shadow friend to Vickie. There is another killer at loose, and Vickie who knows the area well is called on to de-code the messages, especially since the last one had her name in it. The murder is called the undertaker, since he like to bury people, then leave,a clue to find the victim in time. Griffin, has gone on to FB I, and the special unit called the Krewe of Hunters. They all have,special abilities. She is able to help with the notes, and find the next few ladies alive, then she is visited by a young ghost named Darlene. Her body has never been found, and so the hunt goes on, but the end game is Vickie. Is there one , or two killers ? Could one of them be a female? Why does the,sketch look so. familiar ? The story takes you into her teen, and college relationships, and her friends now. Right turn, or left turn, some one wants her dead. Little Noah could be at risk too, if so why does his father keep disappearing? It , like all her books have you holding your breath. I was surprised at who it was, and why . I love Epilogues as well, since they tie up loose ends, but although not a cliffhanger, you know Vickie and Griffin will be back. I will be right there to read it. Great book, and suspense.....
.
.
November 22, 2017
Read this out of order for the Krewe of Hunter series.That’s because I stopped reading the series after a few books in, It seemed like all individual book plots were just repeats of one of the previous books with some supernatural stuff thrown in.
Perhaps because I’ve been away from this series, I could be more objective again. This book starts with a great hook: a babysitter, a baby that seems to see and hear something or someone that’s not visible, strange noises, and then a ghostly apparition that appears and screams GRAB THE BABY AND RUN! (Paraphrasing.)
Skip ahead 15 years to two members of the Krewe of Hunters in a Boston graveyard, trying to thwart a serial killer nicknamed the Undertaker, because s/he buries victims alive with just enough air to be found (possibly) based on the clue left with police. One of the Krewe (Griffin Price) is the same policeman who shot and killed the escaped convict that was in the house with the babysitter and intended to torture and kill her and the baby. Except that the ghost of the baby’s dead sibling intervened to tell the babysitter to leave and then tripped the killer, allowing time for the escape and eventual shooting. The ghost has hung around the babysitter, Vickie Preston, now all grown up and an Historian in Boston.
When the Undertaker starts using Vickie’s name in clues, Vickie and Griffin are reacquainted. The 8 or so year age difference between them when she was a teen no longer matters. So, of course, in the midst of hunting a serial killer and seeing dead people, Vickie and Griffin fall in love.
This book fell flat for me. There was some excitement and suspense, but it didn’t last long. It was too easy to figure out Whodunnit. And the chemistry between Vickie and Griffin was only hot when they were thinking about the other - not so much when they were together. I appreciated that they had history to build on, and that they were in the middle of an investigation. But the usual “can’t keep our hands off one another” just wasn’t there.
Not bad, but not my cuppa.
Perhaps because I’ve been away from this series, I could be more objective again. This book starts with a great hook: a babysitter, a baby that seems to see and hear something or someone that’s not visible, strange noises, and then a ghostly apparition that appears and screams GRAB THE BABY AND RUN! (Paraphrasing.)
Skip ahead 15 years to two members of the Krewe of Hunters in a Boston graveyard, trying to thwart a serial killer nicknamed the Undertaker, because s/he buries victims alive with just enough air to be found (possibly) based on the clue left with police. One of the Krewe (Griffin Price) is the same policeman who shot and killed the escaped convict that was in the house with the babysitter and intended to torture and kill her and the baby. Except that the ghost of the baby’s dead sibling intervened to tell the babysitter to leave and then tripped the killer, allowing time for the escape and eventual shooting. The ghost has hung around the babysitter, Vickie Preston, now all grown up and an Historian in Boston.
When the Undertaker starts using Vickie’s name in clues, Vickie and Griffin are reacquainted. The 8 or so year age difference between them when she was a teen no longer matters. So, of course, in the midst of hunting a serial killer and seeing dead people, Vickie and Griffin fall in love.
This book fell flat for me. There was some excitement and suspense, but it didn’t last long. It was too easy to figure out Whodunnit. And the chemistry between Vickie and Griffin was only hot when they were thinking about the other - not so much when they were together. I appreciated that they had history to build on, and that they were in the middle of an investigation. But the usual “can’t keep our hands off one another” just wasn’t there.
Not bad, but not my cuppa.
June 10, 2017
Strong plot, interesting characters and fast action (and you learn about Boston history along the way).
June 5, 2017
Rich in history and intriguing puzzles the Krewe of Hunters have a new case in their hands where the past collide with the present and changes the future of the main characters.
The murders and the kidnapped women's perplexing disappearances without any clues or evidence left behind can only be solved with the help of the ghosts and the knowledge of the history Vickie Preston has.
The prologue of the story had my heart pumping fast, and I was excited to see what the Krewe would have to face this time around. And the mysteries, the clues, and the fear in Boston are all intriguing and difficult to handle, yet I didn't get that intense, palpable tension from the danger with this story. It is a well-told tale, interesting, and baffling, however, the constant long references to the history of the town, to the people of the past, and the events hundreds of years ago, it took the edge off the action, the intensity from kidnapped women's case to be solved.
The romance in the story was rather adorable. The two people, Vickie Preston and Griffin Price obviously have a connection, affection, and attraction towards each other. It was like serendipity for these two to meet again, and to be able to work together, to complete each other as their solve the riddles. I felt like the romance had more attention and room in this story than the previous Krewe books, and I liked it immensely. It felt believable, it was authentic, and the passion between Vickie and Griffin was a beautiful thing to observe.
Vickie's parents were a bit overprotective, yet their humorous interferences were understandable. All the secondary characters enhanced the story. At first, I felt like there were things left unwrapped with some of the secondary cast, but the story ends in a surprising cliffhanger, so there might be answers to those questions coming up later on.
I enjoyed the story, the characters, the mysteries, and the interactions between the characters. The story is well written with that touch of paranormal that all the Krewe stories have, as the special unit from the FBI who can communicate with the ghosts around them. With the plentiful information and the ample amount of history as part of the tale, this was a story that took me longer to read as normally. Instead of a race to find the culprits and the solution in my mind, I felt like it was more of a cozy mystery to be enjoyed at my leisure. Still pleasing and gratifying, even jittery at times, with that delightful romance of two obvious soulmates having a chance to meet again.
~ Four Spoons
The murders and the kidnapped women's perplexing disappearances without any clues or evidence left behind can only be solved with the help of the ghosts and the knowledge of the history Vickie Preston has.
The prologue of the story had my heart pumping fast, and I was excited to see what the Krewe would have to face this time around. And the mysteries, the clues, and the fear in Boston are all intriguing and difficult to handle, yet I didn't get that intense, palpable tension from the danger with this story. It is a well-told tale, interesting, and baffling, however, the constant long references to the history of the town, to the people of the past, and the events hundreds of years ago, it took the edge off the action, the intensity from kidnapped women's case to be solved.
The romance in the story was rather adorable. The two people, Vickie Preston and Griffin Price obviously have a connection, affection, and attraction towards each other. It was like serendipity for these two to meet again, and to be able to work together, to complete each other as their solve the riddles. I felt like the romance had more attention and room in this story than the previous Krewe books, and I liked it immensely. It felt believable, it was authentic, and the passion between Vickie and Griffin was a beautiful thing to observe.
Vickie's parents were a bit overprotective, yet their humorous interferences were understandable. All the secondary characters enhanced the story. At first, I felt like there were things left unwrapped with some of the secondary cast, but the story ends in a surprising cliffhanger, so there might be answers to those questions coming up later on.
I enjoyed the story, the characters, the mysteries, and the interactions between the characters. The story is well written with that touch of paranormal that all the Krewe stories have, as the special unit from the FBI who can communicate with the ghosts around them. With the plentiful information and the ample amount of history as part of the tale, this was a story that took me longer to read as normally. Instead of a race to find the culprits and the solution in my mind, I felt like it was more of a cozy mystery to be enjoyed at my leisure. Still pleasing and gratifying, even jittery at times, with that delightful romance of two obvious soulmates having a chance to meet again.
~ Four Spoons
September 22, 2019
I took a break from this series for a couple of years because I really didn't enjoy the book that came before this one. However, I have been trying to read some of my older TBR books and this came up on the list. I'm glad I gave this series another chance. Dying Breath is the 21st book in the Krewe of Hunters series. I feel like it could definitely be read as a stand alone. Looking ahead, it also looks like this couple, Vickie and Griffin, feature prominently in the next two books as well. That kind of breaks the pattern of the series because usually it's a different couple every time.
I really liked this story. As a paranormal mystery, it actually was heavier on the mystery part and lighter on the paranormal part. Don't get me wrong, there are still ghosts, but it felt more like a good serial killer mystery. It was a refreshing change. Vickie and Griffin's relationship made a lot of sense. They had a bit of a history. I loved them together and can't wait to read the next two books. The one thing I did miss in this book was the appearance of other team members. The only one who shows up here is Jackson Crowe.
As a whole, I have enjoyed the Krewe of Huinter series. There have been a couple of books that I didn't love, but I think you will find that with any long running series. Overall, I do recommend this one as well as the series.
June 6, 2017
3.5 stars. About 7 years ago, Vickie Prescott was babysitting Noah Ballantine when an escaped convict broke into the home and almost killed her. She felt Noah's dead brother Dylan telling her to run out of the house and a policeman shot and captured the convict. That was her first time seeing a ghost but he visits her frequently over the years. Now, a killer named the Undertaker is kidnapping women and leaving them around the city of Boston in coffin like containers. The Undertaker leaves the police clues and the clues start mentioning Vickie's name. She's a historian now so she works with the Krewe unit of the FBI in tracking the women and trying to find out how she is linked to the killer.
This book was a good romantic suspense and typical of the Krewe series. If you are reader who likes ghosts as part of the mystery, you should enjoy this book.
This book was a good romantic suspense and typical of the Krewe series. If you are reader who likes ghosts as part of the mystery, you should enjoy this book.
July 16, 2017
Seventeen-year-old Vickie Preston had survived an escaped serial killer from killing her and the toddler she was babysitting, Noah Ballantine, from bolting from the Ballantine house and running into policeman Griffin Price who shot the man. Now, years later, Griffin Price is now Special Agent for the FBI's special unit for paranormal investigators, the Krewe of Hunters. Vickie (now a historian and writer) and he shared past is connected to the threat that currently surrounds Boston. They are drawn together because of the current trouble and a ghost of the first son of the Ballantines who died way before Noah had been born, plus also due to their attraction, too.
I love how the history is interwoven into solving the crimes. There is suspense and trying to figure out who is doing the murders and burying the women. If you enjoy history, suspense, romance and the paranormal, this book will fit the bill for you.
I love how the history is interwoven into solving the crimes. There is suspense and trying to figure out who is doing the murders and burying the women. If you enjoy history, suspense, romance and the paranormal, this book will fit the bill for you.
November 18, 2021
What a creepy thriller with Poe Lore. All Griffin and Vickie want to do is enjoy some time together on a romantic weekend getaway before loving into their new home in Virginia. What they get instead is a dead body (did I mention it's an author) in an interestingly themed Poe Restaurant.
Emulation of Poe threads throughout the murders in this Krew of Hunters novel and Poe himself makes an appearance of sorts. Great read, especially if you are a Krewe fan.
Emulation of Poe threads throughout the murders in this Krew of Hunters novel and Poe himself makes an appearance of sorts. Great read, especially if you are a Krewe fan.
October 7, 2022
Obviously, I’m not reading these books in order, but they’re great as standalone books or in sequence for the series. I love history, so this story based in Boston, with clues to the location of the kidnapped victims, who’ve been buried alive in a wooden coffin, are riddles incorporating key locations taken from historic/old locations. I really didn’t peg the murderer in this one until the very end. If you enjoy the paranormal, history, and murder mysteries, you should love it! 😍
January 14, 2018
Another great book from Heather Graham. Her books get more suspenseful with each one. I really loved learning the history of Boston and of course the intriguing puzzles. The romance in the story was rather adorable. I felt like the romance had more attention and room in this story than the previous Krewe books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 27, 2018
Excellent book, love her stories especially the Krewe of Hunters series. Being a true believer in ghost and loving history her stories are a great combination of both. I always look forward to he books.
July 1, 2017
Excellent. Exactly what I wanted. No surprise villains. Not obvious. Fun
January 17, 2018
Excellent
February 16, 2019
Stars: 3 / 5
Recommendation: Yes, pick it up for a mystery involving paranormal elements, historical flair and the romantic side of the plot.
Dying Breath is the twenty first book in the Krewe of Hunters series by Heather Graham and published in May of 2017. The plot centers around Victoria "Vicki" Preston - working with a private charity called Grown Ups helping kids in foster care system - and Griffin Pryce - FBI Special Agent from The Krewe of Hunters. The plot is set in Boston, MA.
This book forms the first book in the fifth trilogy within the series. In the beginning Heather had plots for each of the Krewe of Hunters as team members were introduced. But from the 9th book onwards, she has made those plots into trilogies within the series, that either revolve around the same set of characters or characters flowing from one book to next in the trilogy with new lead characters added.
Her First trilogy consisted of the ninth book The Night is Watching; the tenth book The Night is Alive; the eleventh book The Night is Forever. Second trilogy consisted of the 12th book The Cursed, 13th book the Hexed and 14th book The Betrayed. Third Trilogy consisted of the 15th book The Silenced, 16th book The Forgotten and the 17th book The Hidden. Fourth Trilogy consisted of three books set on Celtic American Cruise-Line ships - 18th book Haunted Destiny on Destiny, 19th book Deadly Fate on Fate and 20th book Darkest Journey on Journey.
Krewe are a secret FBI unit with each member of the unit honing a particular psychic talent of their own, making them the paranormal investigating team. This unit was created to deal with murders having supernatural undertones and paranormal activities. Headed by paranormal investigator Adam Harrison, this elite unit is called on to solve cases linked to historical and paranormal mystery involving legendary crime and serial killings, war events and hauntings. The Krewe are divided into three distinct groups. The first group is led by Jackson Crow, who is also the Assistant Director of the Krewe, and called as the original Krewe of Hunters; the second group is led by Texas Ranger Logan Raintree and called as the Texas Krewe; the third group is Yankee Krewe, based in NYC, overseen by Jackson Crow. A possibility of a fourth group in Miami, FL is touched upon in the 17th book The Hidden.
Griffin Pryce along with Jackson Crow, the field director for the Krewe of Hunters, are hot on the trail of a serial killer who likes to bury his victims alive and leave cryptic clues. One of the clue takes them to Victoria "Vicki" Preston who could help them in solving the riddle and save the latest victim.
And now Vicki might just be the next target. Despite their shared history, Griffin hadn't seen Vickie in a while. Now he is determined to keep her safe, catch a killer and at the same time get his girl this time.
The Krewe of Hunters team who aid Griffin Pryce are Jackson Crow and his wife and a Krewe agent, Angela Hawkins. Although, Heather Graham again has the list of cast and characters of her plot in the beginning of the book. From past three books she has been doing this, perhaps will be making it an ongoing occurrence with her plots.
The characters are as usual fun and loving even though there is terror on every corner of the page. I marvel at how Heather brings the history and paranormal elements together with a seamless string that makes it a phenomenal plot. She gives the readers a view into the past through artifacts, tours, researches and just plain history. In this plot, they revolve around Boston, Puritans and Witch Trials.
Heather leaves the plot open ended giving the reader a confirmation that this is indeed the first book in another of her trilogies within the series.
There is again a page at the end where it gives readers an opportunity to either join a book club and win books, or buy a book and get a few free. Again there are a few grammatical or character or location errors in this book. Definitely a strong editing needed.
I see a pattern to Heather Graham's stories in the Harrison Investigations and Krewe of Hunters series, apart from the presence of ghosts and spirits. Usually the stories revolve around historical inferences, somehow connecting the past to the present either by way of characters or incidents and they involve hidden tunnels be it in cemetery or old houses or mortuaries. Always has one new pair of Krewe of Hunters or Harrison Investigations investigators. I wonder if Heather will add a third twist to the plot. And could she please have her heroines be more smarter than just running to the bad guys alone, when she has so much of help around from FBI and her friends.
However since Deadly Fate, she has added another element to her plots. Adam Harrison buys an old theater in Alexandria, VA. And slowly he has been adding talented partners of his Krewe of Hunters into that theater work. He started with Clara Avery, whom we met in Deadly Fate and fiancée to Thor Erikson, to be the artistic director of that theater. And in Darkets Journey, we had seen that Charlene "Charlie" Moreau fiancée to Ethan Delaney and Alexi Cromwell, whom we met in Haunted Destiny and Jude McCoy's fiancée, join Clara in the theater.
A very good mingle of murder and mystery; past and present; Puritans and Witch Trials; and above all romance and love. Although for most part a successful thriller in the series of books under Krewe of Hunters by Heather Graham that is an easy ready and still enjoyable.
Spoiler Alerts:
1. Plot Reveals:
a. Alex Maple - introduced as a history major at Harvard, a good friend of Vicki Preston, but is attacked and left for dead at the end of the plot.
b. Griffin and Vicki decide to move to Virginia where Griffin's team is based and Vicki could work with Grown Ups in Virginia. But at the end of the plot, due to the case related to attach on Alex Maple, they decide to stay and help Detective David Barnes from Boston PD in solving the crime.
2. Sub Plots:
a. In Darkest Journey, Heather introduced a photographer, Chance Morgan, who could see ghosts as well. A future plot perhaps.
b. In Haunted Destiny, Heather Graham introduces us to the large family of Alexi Cromwell, albeit only as a conversation - her parents, a brother who is an artist, a sister Sienna who is a doctor. Curiously enough only Sienna's name is mentioned in the plot and none of the other family members. May be we will see Sienna again, hence her mentioned explicitly.
c. In the 16th book The Forgotten, Dr. Phil Kinny seemed have paranormal abilities. Will he be a main character in another book?
d. In eleventh book, The Night Is Forever, Dustin Blake was part of an FBI team consisting of Grant Shelby, Cindy Greenstreet and Jerry Gunter. I am wondering why Heather Graham had mentioned their complete names as well as a brief intro, albeit as part of the conversation. Will they resurface in future plots is something we have to wait and see.
e. Dustin Blake has a sister Rayna Blake who is a Nashville sensation - a country music singer. I wonder if Heather Graham will use her as a lead character in a future book.
f. Katie O'Hara and David Beckett are two characters in The Cursed plot. And a history into their background paused me to think they might be characters from another of Heather Graham book. I was pretty sure they weren't from Krewe of Hunters or Harrison Investigation series. A little dig on google pointed me to Ghost Shadow, the first book in Bone Island Series by Heather Graham published in 2010. Having not yet read that series, I am curious if Hannah O'Brien or Liam Beckett, David's brother, appear in that book as well.
g. Jane Everett and Sloan Trent were part of Team Two: Texas Krewe. But in The Betrayed, Heather mentions that they were going to be permanent members of the Yankee Krewe. Have to read the rest of the books to know if that is where she sends them.
3. Grammatical / Historical / Location / Character Errors:
a. In several cases Heather refers to Adam Harrison as the head of the Krewe of Hunters and Jackson Crow as the Assistant Director. However in Darkest Journey, she refers Adam as the Special Assistant Director and Jackson as Special Agent In Charge. And now on this book, she refers Jackson Crow as Field Director. What are their roles exactly? Pretty confusing when Heather keeps going back and forth.
b. In the book when Heather introduces Griffin Pryce, she spells his last name as "Pryce", however, in the synopsis on the back of the book, it is spelled as "Price".
c. On Pg. 184, Line 5, it should be "…Barbara said"
d. On Pg. 215, Line 1, it should be "…Hawkins in charge…"
e. Heather has a mis-quote on the name of one of the antagonist from past. On Pg. 246, she calls him Jonah Aldridge, when she introduces him, and subsequent pages where this person is referenced. However, on Pg. 353, she calls him Sam Aldridge instead.
f. On Pg. 261, Heather suddenly includes Jackson in the scene without having him arrived in the prior pages.
Recommendation: Yes, pick it up for a mystery involving paranormal elements, historical flair and the romantic side of the plot.
Dying Breath is the twenty first book in the Krewe of Hunters series by Heather Graham and published in May of 2017. The plot centers around Victoria "Vicki" Preston - working with a private charity called Grown Ups helping kids in foster care system - and Griffin Pryce - FBI Special Agent from The Krewe of Hunters. The plot is set in Boston, MA.
This book forms the first book in the fifth trilogy within the series. In the beginning Heather had plots for each of the Krewe of Hunters as team members were introduced. But from the 9th book onwards, she has made those plots into trilogies within the series, that either revolve around the same set of characters or characters flowing from one book to next in the trilogy with new lead characters added.
Her First trilogy consisted of the ninth book The Night is Watching; the tenth book The Night is Alive; the eleventh book The Night is Forever. Second trilogy consisted of the 12th book The Cursed, 13th book the Hexed and 14th book The Betrayed. Third Trilogy consisted of the 15th book The Silenced, 16th book The Forgotten and the 17th book The Hidden. Fourth Trilogy consisted of three books set on Celtic American Cruise-Line ships - 18th book Haunted Destiny on Destiny, 19th book Deadly Fate on Fate and 20th book Darkest Journey on Journey.
Krewe are a secret FBI unit with each member of the unit honing a particular psychic talent of their own, making them the paranormal investigating team. This unit was created to deal with murders having supernatural undertones and paranormal activities. Headed by paranormal investigator Adam Harrison, this elite unit is called on to solve cases linked to historical and paranormal mystery involving legendary crime and serial killings, war events and hauntings. The Krewe are divided into three distinct groups. The first group is led by Jackson Crow, who is also the Assistant Director of the Krewe, and called as the original Krewe of Hunters; the second group is led by Texas Ranger Logan Raintree and called as the Texas Krewe; the third group is Yankee Krewe, based in NYC, overseen by Jackson Crow. A possibility of a fourth group in Miami, FL is touched upon in the 17th book The Hidden.
Griffin Pryce along with Jackson Crow, the field director for the Krewe of Hunters, are hot on the trail of a serial killer who likes to bury his victims alive and leave cryptic clues. One of the clue takes them to Victoria "Vicki" Preston who could help them in solving the riddle and save the latest victim.
And now Vicki might just be the next target. Despite their shared history, Griffin hadn't seen Vickie in a while. Now he is determined to keep her safe, catch a killer and at the same time get his girl this time.
The Krewe of Hunters team who aid Griffin Pryce are Jackson Crow and his wife and a Krewe agent, Angela Hawkins. Although, Heather Graham again has the list of cast and characters of her plot in the beginning of the book. From past three books she has been doing this, perhaps will be making it an ongoing occurrence with her plots.
The characters are as usual fun and loving even though there is terror on every corner of the page. I marvel at how Heather brings the history and paranormal elements together with a seamless string that makes it a phenomenal plot. She gives the readers a view into the past through artifacts, tours, researches and just plain history. In this plot, they revolve around Boston, Puritans and Witch Trials.
Heather leaves the plot open ended giving the reader a confirmation that this is indeed the first book in another of her trilogies within the series.
There is again a page at the end where it gives readers an opportunity to either join a book club and win books, or buy a book and get a few free. Again there are a few grammatical or character or location errors in this book. Definitely a strong editing needed.
I see a pattern to Heather Graham's stories in the Harrison Investigations and Krewe of Hunters series, apart from the presence of ghosts and spirits. Usually the stories revolve around historical inferences, somehow connecting the past to the present either by way of characters or incidents and they involve hidden tunnels be it in cemetery or old houses or mortuaries. Always has one new pair of Krewe of Hunters or Harrison Investigations investigators. I wonder if Heather will add a third twist to the plot. And could she please have her heroines be more smarter than just running to the bad guys alone, when she has so much of help around from FBI and her friends.
However since Deadly Fate, she has added another element to her plots. Adam Harrison buys an old theater in Alexandria, VA. And slowly he has been adding talented partners of his Krewe of Hunters into that theater work. He started with Clara Avery, whom we met in Deadly Fate and fiancée to Thor Erikson, to be the artistic director of that theater. And in Darkets Journey, we had seen that Charlene "Charlie" Moreau fiancée to Ethan Delaney and Alexi Cromwell, whom we met in Haunted Destiny and Jude McCoy's fiancée, join Clara in the theater.
A very good mingle of murder and mystery; past and present; Puritans and Witch Trials; and above all romance and love. Although for most part a successful thriller in the series of books under Krewe of Hunters by Heather Graham that is an easy ready and still enjoyable.
Spoiler Alerts:
1. Plot Reveals:
a. Alex Maple - introduced as a history major at Harvard, a good friend of Vicki Preston, but is attacked and left for dead at the end of the plot.
b. Griffin and Vicki decide to move to Virginia where Griffin's team is based and Vicki could work with Grown Ups in Virginia. But at the end of the plot, due to the case related to attach on Alex Maple, they decide to stay and help Detective David Barnes from Boston PD in solving the crime.
2. Sub Plots:
a. In Darkest Journey, Heather introduced a photographer, Chance Morgan, who could see ghosts as well. A future plot perhaps.
b. In Haunted Destiny, Heather Graham introduces us to the large family of Alexi Cromwell, albeit only as a conversation - her parents, a brother who is an artist, a sister Sienna who is a doctor. Curiously enough only Sienna's name is mentioned in the plot and none of the other family members. May be we will see Sienna again, hence her mentioned explicitly.
c. In the 16th book The Forgotten, Dr. Phil Kinny seemed have paranormal abilities. Will he be a main character in another book?
d. In eleventh book, The Night Is Forever, Dustin Blake was part of an FBI team consisting of Grant Shelby, Cindy Greenstreet and Jerry Gunter. I am wondering why Heather Graham had mentioned their complete names as well as a brief intro, albeit as part of the conversation. Will they resurface in future plots is something we have to wait and see.
e. Dustin Blake has a sister Rayna Blake who is a Nashville sensation - a country music singer. I wonder if Heather Graham will use her as a lead character in a future book.
f. Katie O'Hara and David Beckett are two characters in The Cursed plot. And a history into their background paused me to think they might be characters from another of Heather Graham book. I was pretty sure they weren't from Krewe of Hunters or Harrison Investigation series. A little dig on google pointed me to Ghost Shadow, the first book in Bone Island Series by Heather Graham published in 2010. Having not yet read that series, I am curious if Hannah O'Brien or Liam Beckett, David's brother, appear in that book as well.
g. Jane Everett and Sloan Trent were part of Team Two: Texas Krewe. But in The Betrayed, Heather mentions that they were going to be permanent members of the Yankee Krewe. Have to read the rest of the books to know if that is where she sends them.
3. Grammatical / Historical / Location / Character Errors:
a. In several cases Heather refers to Adam Harrison as the head of the Krewe of Hunters and Jackson Crow as the Assistant Director. However in Darkest Journey, she refers Adam as the Special Assistant Director and Jackson as Special Agent In Charge. And now on this book, she refers Jackson Crow as Field Director. What are their roles exactly? Pretty confusing when Heather keeps going back and forth.
b. In the book when Heather introduces Griffin Pryce, she spells his last name as "Pryce", however, in the synopsis on the back of the book, it is spelled as "Price".
c. On Pg. 184, Line 5, it should be "…Barbara said"
d. On Pg. 215, Line 1, it should be "…Hawkins in charge…"
e. Heather has a mis-quote on the name of one of the antagonist from past. On Pg. 246, she calls him Jonah Aldridge, when she introduces him, and subsequent pages where this person is referenced. However, on Pg. 353, she calls him Sam Aldridge instead.
f. On Pg. 261, Heather suddenly includes Jackson in the scene without having him arrived in the prior pages.
July 18, 2017
ebook
B/B-
Good, not great read. I will say that it started out with a bang and I was so scared I had to put the book down for an hour or so before coming back to it. But the intense scariness was very shortlived and settled into the usual mild tension that the Krewe of Hunters usually bring. That's not a total slam against the book since I'm not sure I could have stood a whole book like the first few pages.
A short summary:
The book opens with teenaged babysitter Vickie Preston home alone with her young charge, Noah, when she becomes nervous and thinks she hears things. What she hears is an escaped killer who hid himself in the home while the parents were still there, but now comes out to kill Vickie and Noah. Luckily, V & N escaped, with the help of the ghost N's older brother and a young policeman named Griffin Price.
Years later, Vicki (now an historian/writer/tour guide) and Griffin (now a member of the FBI and Krewe of Hunters) are reunited on a case involving a serial killer called the Undertaker. Vickie is helping the police by using her historical knowledge of the area, as well as her ability to commune with her longtime ghost friend Dylan (N's dead older brother)--and others.
I've ready many, but not all, of the Krewe books--more of the earlier ones than the later--but I think this could easily be read as a standalone. It was pleasant and spooky, but not downright scary. Most of the main characters were likable--especially V, G, N, and D. (What's the deal with the best friend, tho? Or N's parents. Or V's parents, for that matter.) I particularly liked the historical aspect and how V used her knowledge to help solve the case. I was pretty sure I knew who the killer/killers were pretty early on, but wasn't sure of all the details. I'm not sure how memorable this book will be longterm--I suspect not very--but it was a more than decent read and I'll pick up other Krewe books in future.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 28, 2019
Loved this book! The Krewe Of Hunter's on called to help solve another case. This time there is a murderer on the loose who is burying women alive and sending letter's with clues to the police. Vickie Preston was a teenager when a serial killer came after her and was caught. Now years later she is called in to help the police try to figure out the riddles the killer is writing in hopes of saving another victim. Vickie knows her history and she also sees the dead. Special agent Griffin Price is brought in on the case because it takes place in his home town and his special talents are needed on this case. He is also the cop that saved Vickie all those years ago. Great story line, love the history between the two main character's, great character's and Heather Graham still keeps you guessing until the very end!
August 15, 2018
Interesting plot but not well written, especially the dialog. The excessive use of exclamation marks is distracting, and the long historical monologues from the main character does nothing to quicken the pace of the story. I enjoyed learning some Boston history, but overall, this book was not very good.
September 13, 2017
Reviewed at Keeper Bookshelf
It’s true that some of us do see dead people. Or ghosts as these spirits of the once living are more often referred to. Not everyone who can see them really wants to, but the choice is really not up to us but to the ghosts who have something to say. Vickie learned this fact the hard way when the deceased brother of the toddler she was babysitting made his presence known during a frightening, almost deadly event. She and baby Noah had survived a serial killer’s intent by listening to a ghost and the chance passing by of a Boston city cop. Dylan became a companion of sorts from that day onward even though Vickie left Boston for college for a few years. It became simply something she did, this talking to the nonliving. She never expected that it would lead her into more terror or that because of it she would once again come in contact with a former Boston cop who now sought out dead people for the stories they could tell, for the justice they deserved.
Dying Breath is intense. There simply is no other word for the feeling that overpowers the reader. Suspense, a puzzle to solve. a love beginning, and saving lives before madness can complete its mission… all those emotions can be found here as well. I’ve followed the Krewe of Hunters series for years, and I have to say that this story gripped me from the very beginning and never let go. If you love history, there is a lot of Boston’s famous, and infamous, past woven throughout this story as clues, and gathering information to find the stolen before they take their last dying breath. I found the history almost as fascinating as the search for the killer. There are twists and turns that you won’t see coming, there are moments that you’ll hold your own breath as a scene unfolds. But mostly you’ll be caught up in the search to save lives and bring this madness to a stop. I did not see the end coming, and it was right in front of me all the time. That is Heather Graham once again weaving her own brand of magic to give us a chilling, intriguing, fascinating story.
It would be so easy to talk about Vickie and Griffin, but I believe it’s best if you meet then and discover their story for yourself. You don’t “have” to have read the entire Krewe of Hunters series to enjoy Dying Breath. Anything you might need to know as background is expertly woven into dialogue… but I would highly recommend this story and the entire series, for they are all that good.
I own an e-book edition of this novel.
It’s true that some of us do see dead people. Or ghosts as these spirits of the once living are more often referred to. Not everyone who can see them really wants to, but the choice is really not up to us but to the ghosts who have something to say. Vickie learned this fact the hard way when the deceased brother of the toddler she was babysitting made his presence known during a frightening, almost deadly event. She and baby Noah had survived a serial killer’s intent by listening to a ghost and the chance passing by of a Boston city cop. Dylan became a companion of sorts from that day onward even though Vickie left Boston for college for a few years. It became simply something she did, this talking to the nonliving. She never expected that it would lead her into more terror or that because of it she would once again come in contact with a former Boston cop who now sought out dead people for the stories they could tell, for the justice they deserved.
Dying Breath is intense. There simply is no other word for the feeling that overpowers the reader. Suspense, a puzzle to solve. a love beginning, and saving lives before madness can complete its mission… all those emotions can be found here as well. I’ve followed the Krewe of Hunters series for years, and I have to say that this story gripped me from the very beginning and never let go. If you love history, there is a lot of Boston’s famous, and infamous, past woven throughout this story as clues, and gathering information to find the stolen before they take their last dying breath. I found the history almost as fascinating as the search for the killer. There are twists and turns that you won’t see coming, there are moments that you’ll hold your own breath as a scene unfolds. But mostly you’ll be caught up in the search to save lives and bring this madness to a stop. I did not see the end coming, and it was right in front of me all the time. That is Heather Graham once again weaving her own brand of magic to give us a chilling, intriguing, fascinating story.
It would be so easy to talk about Vickie and Griffin, but I believe it’s best if you meet then and discover their story for yourself. You don’t “have” to have read the entire Krewe of Hunters series to enjoy Dying Breath. Anything you might need to know as background is expertly woven into dialogue… but I would highly recommend this story and the entire series, for they are all that good.
I own an e-book edition of this novel.
September 7, 2017
“Dying Breath” is a spine-tingling paranormal mystery with a dash of romance that opens when teenager Vickie Preston who’s being stalked by a serial killer while babysitting at the Ballantine’s house is warned by a ghost to flee. Saved by FBI Special Agent Griffin Pryce who was a Boston street cop at the time, years later they’re reunited, searching for the victims of the Undertaker who are abandoned in crypts or mausoleums; a cryptic note giving clues to where they’re buried.
As an historian Vickie has a unique knowledge of Boston, and coupled with her ability to see ghosts proves to be a valuable resource for Special Agent Griffin Pryce who works for the Krewe of Hunters a special unit of paranormal investigators assigned to find the killer. But as their feelings deepen the danger escalates as the messages mention Vickie by name.
Intertwined with the history of Boston, Heather Graham creates a tense and suspense-filled murder mystery with a killer that kidnaps women and buries them alive. The plot heats up when Chrissy Ballantine is kidnapped; former serial killer Bertram Aldridge is implicated from behind bars; the spirit of a victim appears to her in her dreams; and clues point to two killers not one. Fast-paced, the action builds as the Undertaker accelerates his plans naming Vickie in the messages that point to the location of the latest victim. As the intensity of the case increases the chemistry ignites between Vickie and Griffin who can no longer contain their feelings.
Heather Graham develops fine-tuned characters that are strong and often complex like Vickie Preston, an historian and writer who’s easy-going, charming and empathetic especially towards the underprivileged kids she works with in an organization called “Grown Ups”. She has a strong work ethic, is stubborn, and intuitive. Vickie maintains a close tie to deceased, funny, boyish eighteen -year- old Dylan Ballantine who still watches over his family while her love interest is the ruggedly handsome Special Agent Griffin Pryce who’s confident, warm, and trustworthy. It is these characters that bring the plot to life as events unfold and the story progresses quickly and smoothly to a surprising ending with a startling twist.
I liked “Dying Breath” and continue to be a fan of Heather Graham’s paranormal mysteries that keep you on the edge of your seat until the end.
As an historian Vickie has a unique knowledge of Boston, and coupled with her ability to see ghosts proves to be a valuable resource for Special Agent Griffin Pryce who works for the Krewe of Hunters a special unit of paranormal investigators assigned to find the killer. But as their feelings deepen the danger escalates as the messages mention Vickie by name.
Intertwined with the history of Boston, Heather Graham creates a tense and suspense-filled murder mystery with a killer that kidnaps women and buries them alive. The plot heats up when Chrissy Ballantine is kidnapped; former serial killer Bertram Aldridge is implicated from behind bars; the spirit of a victim appears to her in her dreams; and clues point to two killers not one. Fast-paced, the action builds as the Undertaker accelerates his plans naming Vickie in the messages that point to the location of the latest victim. As the intensity of the case increases the chemistry ignites between Vickie and Griffin who can no longer contain their feelings.
Heather Graham develops fine-tuned characters that are strong and often complex like Vickie Preston, an historian and writer who’s easy-going, charming and empathetic especially towards the underprivileged kids she works with in an organization called “Grown Ups”. She has a strong work ethic, is stubborn, and intuitive. Vickie maintains a close tie to deceased, funny, boyish eighteen -year- old Dylan Ballantine who still watches over his family while her love interest is the ruggedly handsome Special Agent Griffin Pryce who’s confident, warm, and trustworthy. It is these characters that bring the plot to life as events unfold and the story progresses quickly and smoothly to a surprising ending with a startling twist.
I liked “Dying Breath” and continue to be a fan of Heather Graham’s paranormal mysteries that keep you on the edge of your seat until the end.
July 7, 2017
I love the Krewe of Hunters series and this was definitely one of the better ones. Teenage Vickie is babysitting Noah when an escaped convict breaks into the house with the intention of killing Vickie and Noah. They are saved by the ghost of Noah's deceased older brother Dylan. He warns Vickie of the danger and gets her out of the house. There is finally a cop around when you need one and young patrol officer, Griffin Pryce, stops the killer (with Dylan's help). This is Vickies first time seeing a ghost but Griffin has always had the ability. Jump forward several years and Vickie is now about 24 and Griffin about 30. I only mention this because a 17 year old girl with a 23 year old cop is creepy but a 24 year old, independent woman with a 30 year old man is fine. When they reconnect due to the current case, they are able to revisit the attraction they felt earlier. The new case is a serial killer who is kidnapping women and burying them alive around Boston. Vickie is a historian and the killer is including her in the clues he's leaving. The history that Graham includes in her stories is always interesting and makes me want to explore the areas further. In this case, it's also a reminder that big cities like Boston are made up of little neighborhoods where everyone does know everyone and families stay for generations. Half the characters can be suspects because they all grew up in the area. The romance is the weakest part of the story, but the mystery is good. You have to at least be open to the idea of ghosts and the paranormal to enjoy this series. Introducing new characters in each book with some older characters returning in various capacities helps keep the series fresh.
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