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Wicks Hollow #3
Sinister Shadows
An uptight lawyer.
A carefree palm-reader.
A haunted antiques shop.
And a very mortal villain...
Welcome to Wicks Hollow: a cozy town near Lake Michigan filled with quaint houses, eccentric residents, and more than its share of ghosts, murders, and sexy romance.
When Fiona Murphy inherits a small antiques shop from an old man she met only once, she’s filled with surprise, confusion and delight—and a little bit of terror at having a new responsibility in a life she prefers to be free and easy.
As she takes over ownership of the quaint shop, odd things begin to happen. Lights come on and off by themselves, even when they are unplugged…and there is a chilly breeze accompanied by the scent of roses even when the windows are closed.
H. Gideon Nath, III, is the stuffy and oh-so-proper attorney who helps settle Fiona’s inheritance, and against his better judgment, he finds himself attracted to her, despite her fascination with all things New Age.
After she finds an unpleasant surprise in one of the shop’s closets, scares off an intruder in the store, and uses her skill at palmistry to read Gideon’s future—of which she seems to be a part—Fiona begins to realize that her free and easy life is about to change…whether she wants it to or not.
A ghost story romance set in a small town, featuring a cozy mystery about a ghost that just won’t rest until justice is served. The perfect blend of romance, suspense, and ghosts.
“Like Nancy Drew for grown-ups!” —New York Times bestselling author Mara Jacobs
Each book in the Wicks Hollow series is a romantic suspense novel with all the quirks of a small town setting—the perfect blend of humorous contemporary romance with cozy mystery and supernatural suspense.
The Wicks Hollow series does not have to be read in order.
It includes the following titles:
Sinister Summer
Sinister Secrets
Sinister Shadows
Sinister Sanctuary (summer 2018)
"When I want to scratch my paranormal itch, there's nothing better than a book by Colleen Gleason!" -- #1 New York Times bestselling author Robyn Carr
A carefree palm-reader.
A haunted antiques shop.
And a very mortal villain...
Welcome to Wicks Hollow: a cozy town near Lake Michigan filled with quaint houses, eccentric residents, and more than its share of ghosts, murders, and sexy romance.
When Fiona Murphy inherits a small antiques shop from an old man she met only once, she’s filled with surprise, confusion and delight—and a little bit of terror at having a new responsibility in a life she prefers to be free and easy.
As she takes over ownership of the quaint shop, odd things begin to happen. Lights come on and off by themselves, even when they are unplugged…and there is a chilly breeze accompanied by the scent of roses even when the windows are closed.
H. Gideon Nath, III, is the stuffy and oh-so-proper attorney who helps settle Fiona’s inheritance, and against his better judgment, he finds himself attracted to her, despite her fascination with all things New Age.
After she finds an unpleasant surprise in one of the shop’s closets, scares off an intruder in the store, and uses her skill at palmistry to read Gideon’s future—of which she seems to be a part—Fiona begins to realize that her free and easy life is about to change…whether she wants it to or not.
A ghost story romance set in a small town, featuring a cozy mystery about a ghost that just won’t rest until justice is served. The perfect blend of romance, suspense, and ghosts.
“Like Nancy Drew for grown-ups!” —New York Times bestselling author Mara Jacobs
Each book in the Wicks Hollow series is a romantic suspense novel with all the quirks of a small town setting—the perfect blend of humorous contemporary romance with cozy mystery and supernatural suspense.
The Wicks Hollow series does not have to be read in order.
It includes the following titles:
Sinister Summer
Sinister Secrets
Sinister Shadows
Sinister Sanctuary (summer 2018)
"When I want to scratch my paranormal itch, there's nothing better than a book by Colleen Gleason!" -- #1 New York Times bestselling author Robyn Carr
337 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 31, 2018
250 people are currently reading
135 people want to read
About the author
Colleen Gleason
105 books1,688 followersAward-winning, NEW YORK TIMES and USA Today bestselling author Colleen Gleason (who also writes as Colleen Cambridge) has written more than fifty novels in a variety of genres…but always feature smart, strong women determined to right wrongs and get shit done.
Colleen lives in the Midwest United States where she is fortunate enough to be working on her next book.
She loves to hear from readers via her website, Facebook, or GoodReads.
Colleen lives in the Midwest United States where she is fortunate enough to be working on her next book.
She loves to hear from readers via her website, Facebook, or GoodReads.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
August 16, 2024
I read this entire series years ago and this was my favorite simply because I LOVED Fiona and i thought the mystery/ghost story was very compelling. Anyway, I decided to reread it because I’m in a terrible book slump and all I’m thinking while reading it this time is what at absolute horrible hero Gideon is. WARNING—this is going to be a rant.
SPOILERS AHEAD
I usually love arrogant heroes, especially if they redeem themselves in the end. Gideon only made himself worse and worse.
He initially feels like he’s too good for Fiona because he thinks she’s flakey and like a gypsy, even though he’s insanely attracted to her. (They did have AWESOME chemistry together— the tension between them was so well done).
He kisses her very early on and he can’t believe she has the gall to not chase after him.
He refuses to give up his “friend/w benefits” (OW) yet he gets insanely jealous and angry when she talks to any guy.
She tells him she doesn’t sleep with men who are sleeping with other women and his thoughts are “well it’s her loss”. (He did not actually sleep with his FWB once he met Fiona though)
Now at this point I would have expected him to miss her and chase after her. But NO!! She finds a dead body in her shop and instead of calling the police, she runs straight to him. I wanted her to walk away from this guy and never look back.
But it only gets much much worse. He ends his FWB relationship but he feels kind of bad about it. Him and Fiona began this very intense love affair. They fall deeply in love. He tells himself that she’s “the one”. But guess what? He had committed himself to going to one last event with his FWB. She tells him that she’s PREGNANT!!! And it’s definitely his. So he doesn’t know what to do. He gives Fiona mixed signals until he finally tells her. Because he’s been so cold to her (his mixed signals ) and her heart is broken from the news, Fiona breaks it off with him so he can do the right thing. But does he fight for Fiona??? NOPE. He proposes to the OW!!!!!!!
Now ultimately, after some drama, the OW lets him off the hook because she realizes that he’s in love with Fiona. But he was still willing to marry her even after this revelation. God I was so mad. I wanted Fiona to find some gorgeous hunk who would fight to the death for her. Not this smarmy guy. Fiona takes him back immediately even though he’s having a baby with someone else. I HATED THAT!!!
SPOILERS AHEAD
I usually love arrogant heroes, especially if they redeem themselves in the end. Gideon only made himself worse and worse.
He initially feels like he’s too good for Fiona because he thinks she’s flakey and like a gypsy, even though he’s insanely attracted to her. (They did have AWESOME chemistry together— the tension between them was so well done).
He kisses her very early on and he can’t believe she has the gall to not chase after him.
He refuses to give up his “friend/w benefits” (OW) yet he gets insanely jealous and angry when she talks to any guy.
She tells him she doesn’t sleep with men who are sleeping with other women and his thoughts are “well it’s her loss”. (He did not actually sleep with his FWB once he met Fiona though)
Now at this point I would have expected him to miss her and chase after her. But NO!! She finds a dead body in her shop and instead of calling the police, she runs straight to him. I wanted her to walk away from this guy and never look back.
But it only gets much much worse. He ends his FWB relationship but he feels kind of bad about it. Him and Fiona began this very intense love affair. They fall deeply in love. He tells himself that she’s “the one”. But guess what? He had committed himself to going to one last event with his FWB. She tells him that she’s PREGNANT!!! And it’s definitely his. So he doesn’t know what to do. He gives Fiona mixed signals until he finally tells her. Because he’s been so cold to her (his mixed signals ) and her heart is broken from the news, Fiona breaks it off with him so he can do the right thing. But does he fight for Fiona??? NOPE. He proposes to the OW!!!!!!!
Now ultimately, after some drama, the OW lets him off the hook because she realizes that he’s in love with Fiona. But he was still willing to marry her even after this revelation. God I was so mad. I wanted Fiona to find some gorgeous hunk who would fight to the death for her. Not this smarmy guy. Fiona takes him back immediately even though he’s having a baby with someone else. I HATED THAT!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 6, 2024
The series in Wicks Hollow only get ls better. Fiona Murphy is gifted a store. And that is where it all changes! So good!
May 25, 2018
Okay, Fiona's a hoot. Her determination to figure out what that H stood for in H. Gideon Nath, III's name gave me a giggle. Poor Gideon was thrown all out of sorts by her. Which, as it turns out, was another thing that gave me a giggle.
There's something about a tightly wound man learning to loosen up a bit that makes be happy. Gideon was REALLY wound up when he first met Fiona. Frankly, she was his exact opposite on every level. She can read palms and believes in the supernatural. She's bright and vivacious and he's not. At least not on the surface.
It takes a lot for him to mentally reach a place where he was ready to commit himself to Fiona and her exuberant ways. Naturally, a big, nasty speed bump gets thrown up once he does reach that place. And I'm not even talking about the ghost or the other things having to do with Fiona's new shop.
I like Wicks Hollow. It's got a little quirk, a dash of sass, and a WHOLE lot of supernatural shenanigans.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
There's something about a tightly wound man learning to loosen up a bit that makes be happy. Gideon was REALLY wound up when he first met Fiona. Frankly, she was his exact opposite on every level. She can read palms and believes in the supernatural. She's bright and vivacious and he's not. At least not on the surface.
It takes a lot for him to mentally reach a place where he was ready to commit himself to Fiona and her exuberant ways. Naturally, a big, nasty speed bump gets thrown up once he does reach that place. And I'm not even talking about the ghost or the other things having to do with Fiona's new shop.
I like Wicks Hollow. It's got a little quirk, a dash of sass, and a WHOLE lot of supernatural shenanigans.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
December 19, 2019
Sinister Shadows was a great read. Fiona and Gideon were so much fun together. Add in some spooky ghosts and a mystery to solve and I really enjoyed this one.
Fiona was so much fun to read. She is a free spirit and is trying to make the best of her sudden inheritance from someone she didn't even know. She is all about the new age stuff and was a sweetheart.
Gideon is a buttoned-up, straight-laced guy who doesn't really believe in all that mumbo jumbo, but even though Fiona is his exact opposite he can't seem to stop thinking about her. Or stay away from her. There is just something about her that draws him in and I loved that. I loved watching him relax a bit and take things a little easier. They were super fun together.
Then the spooky story that Fiona inherited was interesting. I enjoyed trying to figure out what was going on and why. Overall this was a great read and now I want to read more about Wicks Hollow.
Fiona was so much fun to read. She is a free spirit and is trying to make the best of her sudden inheritance from someone she didn't even know. She is all about the new age stuff and was a sweetheart.
Gideon is a buttoned-up, straight-laced guy who doesn't really believe in all that mumbo jumbo, but even though Fiona is his exact opposite he can't seem to stop thinking about her. Or stay away from her. There is just something about her that draws him in and I loved that. I loved watching him relax a bit and take things a little easier. They were super fun together.
Then the spooky story that Fiona inherited was interesting. I enjoyed trying to figure out what was going on and why. Overall this was a great read and now I want to read more about Wicks Hollow.
September 18, 2024
I liked the ghost though Fiona's response seems a little odd. I'd have thought she would have accepted the ghost much more readily. And the love story was cute.
What did bother me is the descriptions of the older people in the stories, especially Iva. At mid 60s, she come across as closer to late 70s with her white fluffy hair and apple cheeks. Also authors need to know readers do "do the math". If Hollis is in his early 70s and Gid is 58, then "responsible lawyer" Hollis was in his teens when Gid was born and in his early 40s when he became a grandfather. All possible but doesn't seem to go with his personality and the fact he became a successful lawyer. I would have thought law school would be hard for such a young father.
What did bother me is the descriptions of the older people in the stories, especially Iva. At mid 60s, she come across as closer to late 70s with her white fluffy hair and apple cheeks. Also authors need to know readers do "do the math". If Hollis is in his early 70s and Gid is 58, then "responsible lawyer" Hollis was in his teens when Gid was born and in his early 40s when he became a grandfather. All possible but doesn't seem to go with his personality and the fact he became a successful lawyer. I would have thought law school would be hard for such a young father.
July 6, 2020
Different vibe, Loved the ending
Interestingly different vibe than that of the earlier “sinister” series -the Tuesday Ladies are not as represented and I didn’t like that the heroine was a typical “different than the OTHER girls”-but she READS, and DOESN’T HEEDLESSLY SLEEP AROUND...I would have liked a REAL difference and while the Hero was seemingly nice enough, we didn’t SEE any real growth from the stick up his bu** stiffy box he shoehorned himself into at the age of 16 to curry his Grandfather’s favor...
Interestingly different vibe than that of the earlier “sinister” series -the Tuesday Ladies are not as represented and I didn’t like that the heroine was a typical “different than the OTHER girls”-but she READS, and DOESN’T HEEDLESSLY SLEEP AROUND...I would have liked a REAL difference and while the Hero was seemingly nice enough, we didn’t SEE any real growth from the stick up his bu** stiffy box he shoehorned himself into at the age of 16 to curry his Grandfather’s favor...
April 12, 2018
Wicks Hollow #3
Gideon Hart didn't know that his well ordered life would change some drastically when he met lovely and spirited Fiona. Fiona realizes that she's ready to make a commitment to being a business owner and to being in a relationship but will the angry spirit inhabiting her new antique store or the human breaking into the store ruin all their dreams?
Gideon Hart didn't know that his well ordered life would change some drastically when he met lovely and spirited Fiona. Fiona realizes that she's ready to make a commitment to being a business owner and to being in a relationship but will the angry spirit inhabiting her new antique store or the human breaking into the store ruin all their dreams?
September 20, 2020
Liked the heroine.
Was disappointed with the hero's actions in climax.
I also didnt like the baby angle but was glad that the OW was not a bitch (like it happens in majority of the books) and stood for what was right. The hero totally deserved her slap.
I think this book was more about woman empowerment. Even the villain was taught a lesson by a ghost.Lol
Was disappointed with the hero's actions in climax.
I also didnt like the baby angle but was glad that the OW was not a bitch (like it happens in majority of the books) and stood for what was right. The hero totally deserved her slap.
I think this book was more about woman empowerment. Even the villain was taught a lesson by a ghost.Lol
March 3, 2024
Sinister Shadows (Wicks Hollow Book 3)
This book series is an enjoyable, light and fun read! I do wish these books were not such promoters of all things "mystic". Life's answers can not be found in Tarot cards or Palmistry. We must "look up" for the truth! Other than this, I really do enjoy the character development and the fun mysteries to be solved!
This book series is an enjoyable, light and fun read! I do wish these books were not such promoters of all things "mystic". Life's answers can not be found in Tarot cards or Palmistry. We must "look up" for the truth! Other than this, I really do enjoy the character development and the fun mysteries to be solved!
March 25, 2022
Good story
This book was pretty good but needed editing. The errors were ridiculous. Not worth $4.99. I liked the story about a stranger giving a woman a store when he died but....
This book was pretty good but needed editing. The errors were ridiculous. Not worth $4.99. I liked the story about a stranger giving a woman a store when he died but....
January 7, 2024
Great read
How can I get 20 words here?
Too few!
Awesome addition to the Sinister Wicks Hollow series.
I don't know how shoes it, but each book seems better than the last.
So glad to have found you.
How can I get 20 words here?
Too few!
Awesome addition to the Sinister Wicks Hollow series.
I don't know how shoes it, but each book seems better than the last.
So glad to have found you.
February 26, 2024
You will be happily entertained!!!;
Wonder & curiosity carried me throughout this book. I enjoyed the character. They were well developed. The presence of the spirit directing toward more mystery than strange happenings.....
Wonder & curiosity carried me throughout this book. I enjoyed the character. They were well developed. The presence of the spirit directing toward more mystery than strange happenings.....
June 13, 2024
So good!
What a great job Colleen Gleason died with the story. You never want to end the chapter and are compelled to continue on to the next. Interesting characters just make you continue on.
What a great job Colleen Gleason died with the story. You never want to end the chapter and are compelled to continue on to the next. Interesting characters just make you continue on.
October 29, 2024
I am confused as to the order of this series. I just finished book 2, yet this book takes place BEFORE the events of book 2. In all honesty I didn't continue reading this one as soon as I realized this.
May 16, 2018
Awesome read
I liked the first book, the second was even better and the third one I couldn't put down! I can't wait for the next one in the series!
I liked the first book, the second was even better and the third one I couldn't put down! I can't wait for the next one in the series!
June 17, 2018
Decent summer read
I liked the story despite it moving a bit slow at times. The mystery and the romance struggled to blend in the middle but succeeded in the end.
I liked the story despite it moving a bit slow at times. The mystery and the romance struggled to blend in the middle but succeeded in the end.
March 30, 2021
Enjoyed this book very much! Much better than book 2 with not an overbearing part with the Tuesday Ladies that bothered me in book 2.
October 9, 2021
I really enjoyed this one, had a hard time putting it down
The ghost, the mystery and all the other parts made this a Good Read
The ghost, the mystery and all the other parts made this a Good Read
March 4, 2022
Fun read, interesting characters.
August 15, 2022
Brilliant
Excellent story, love the way the characters turn up in every book. Can't wait to read the next one. X
Excellent story, love the way the characters turn up in every book. Can't wait to read the next one. X
October 18, 2023
Love this series!
The ebb and flow of the story makes for seriously fun reading. Thank you for creating these worlds! I will keep reading.
The ebb and flow of the story makes for seriously fun reading. Thank you for creating these worlds! I will keep reading.
December 23, 2023
Great Read. Guide on and Fiona are great characters and I can envision them in my mind as they went through their up’s and down’s.
June 14, 2024
Wonderful!
I really enjoyed this story. The plot was well written and entertaining, with a few surprises along the way. A great read!
I really enjoyed this story. The plot was well written and entertaining, with a few surprises along the way. A great read!
November 14, 2024
What more?
A Murder, a Ghost, and a hot Romance with some twists and turns. OK? What more can you ask for?
A Murder, a Ghost, and a hot Romance with some twists and turns. OK? What more can you ask for?
January 15, 2025
To much
The first two books were very good. I don't mind the sex. But it came to early and too much for me. It was way to long.
The first two books were very good. I don't mind the sex. But it came to early and too much for me. It was way to long.
November 1, 2021
Wow!
Each book in the series is better than the one before it! Fiona of course was introduced in the first book but her story is amazing! This has been my favorite so far! Ms. Gleason cannot do better than this book. I love that we've met most of the characters in previous books. The story is well written and I absolutely love the writer's style. This is one of those books you just can't put down only now I'm sad I finished it.
Each book in the series is better than the one before it! Fiona of course was introduced in the first book but her story is amazing! This has been my favorite so far! Ms. Gleason cannot do better than this book. I love that we've met most of the characters in previous books. The story is well written and I absolutely love the writer's style. This is one of those books you just can't put down only now I'm sad I finished it.
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April 3, 2018Light mystery/romance
Pleasant read. Third in the series so they are starting to feel a little formulaic. Good for those who like that. I prefer Gleason's other series which have a progressive story arc and steamier sex.
Pleasant read. Third in the series so they are starting to feel a little formulaic. Good for those who like that. I prefer Gleason's other series which have a progressive story arc and steamier sex.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews