Nightwalker

Harrison Investigation #8

by Heather Graham

Jessy Sparhawk has seen firsthand how gambling can ruin people's lives. But one night, desperate for money, she places the bet that will change her life forever. Just as she's collecting her winnings, a man stumbles through the crowd, a knife protruding from his back, and crashes into her, pinning her to the craps table.

Hired to investigate the murder, private detective Dillon Wolf finds himself fascinated by the gorgeous redhead who'd been trapped beneath the victim—and by the single word the dying man had whispered in her ear. Indigo.

What neither of them realizes is that the nightmare is only just beginning. Because bodyguard Tanner Green may have been killed by that knife, but his angry ghost isn't going anywhere—not without vengeance. Now, literally caught between the living and the dead, Dillon and Jessy have no choice but to forge ahead together. Their investigation will take them from the glitz of the Vegas strip into the dealings of casino magnate Emil Landon, the man who signs both their paychecks, and out into the desert to a ghost town called Indigo, where past and present come together in a search for gold.

Years ago, blood was shed on that very ground, and now it looks as if history is about to repeat itself, with the living and the dead facing off for possession of a fortune, and Dillon and Jessy fighting not only to stay alive but for the chance to build a future.

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

320 pages, Hardcover

First published March 31, 2009

About the author

Also published as Heather Graham Pozzessere and Shannon Drake.

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

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

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

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

Reviews

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last of the Harrison Investigations series by Heather Graham. And this was one of the best so far. Maybe it's because it wasn't set in New Orleans.... though, one of the casinos was called the Big Easy. Maybe it's because the ghost story was really good in this one. And, maybe it's just because the main couple's chemistry was just really good. But I liked it a lot.

[Julie (jjmachshev) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed for queuemyreview.com; book release Apr09

“I see dead people.” That line from The Sixth Sense, delivered by that child actor, has become one of the more famous, and infamously parodied, in recent history. It sent chills up my spine when I saw the movie and even now, just remembering gives me the shivers. I’m not sure what the continuing lure is for stories about ghosts, but it’s certainly an enduring part of every society and every generation. Heather Graham’s latest romantic suspense, “Nightwalker”, provides a peek into her take on ghosts and those who can communicate and see them. Luckily for us, they use this power for good.

Jessy is a native of Las Vegas, so she’s well versed on the odds of winning a bit pot at the craps table; and when it happens to her, she’s thrilled…until seconds later a stranger crashes into her and dies…trapping her under his body and the word “indigo” uttered with his dying breath. Now all of a sudden, she’s seeing the dead man everywhere. And the starkly handsome private investigator who dragged the dead body off her is dogging her steps for information…and maybe just a bit more.

Dillon sees dead people, and that’s NOT a joke. For him it began after the death of his parents, and he was lucky enough to meet up with a man who understood and nurtured his talent. Now he works for that man with a group of others like him…the Nightwalkers. They provide assistance for the ghosts, helping them to move on. Dillon is in Vegas working on a case when he spots Jessy at the craps table. Something about her draws him in and it’s not just her gorgeous looks. Both Dillon and his ghostly pal have a baaad feeling that Jessy’s in danger as it looks like whoever killed the dead man is doing a little clean-up since everyone who came in close contact with him is dying…violently.

This story begins in the distant past in a Wild West saloon, and ends a few miles away in Vegas. Most everything in the story has meaning to both the past and the present. I found it fascinating the way Graham’s plotting pulled in descendants of the original story for the spine-tingling finale. The book is really more of a mystery/suspense with a bit of romance than the other way around, so if this is something that bugs you, consider yourself warned! The hints and clues to the mystery are sprinkled throughout the read and I didn’t fully figure out ‘whodunit’ until the author’s dénouement.

My only complaint with “Nightwalker” would be the dearth of back-story development of the main characters. We only get a glimpse into the ‘whys and wherefores’ of the whole ‘seeing ghosts’ ability. Ditto for anything other than the most cursory exploration of the backgrounds of the hero and heroine. I still enjoyed Heather Graham’s latest for what it is…a good mystery, with some action, suspense, and a tinge of romance.

[Linda Prather · Rating 3 out of 5]

A neighbor gave me this book and because I have another neighbor who wants to read it I read it rather quickly. I became a Heather Graham fan a couple of years ago when my sister gave me a triology set for Christmas. I found this book disappointing in one respect: it had several typos and things that just didn't correlate with other parts of the story. With the current ebook explosion readers are becoming more and more incensed by bad editing and poorly written books. Most of this ire has been directed to self-published books. I will sometimes overlook a few problems with self-published books, although perhaps I shouldn't. Ms. Graham is a NYT's best-selling author. Her publisher owes it to the readers who purchase her books, in my opinion, to ensure that these books are not riddled with typos and mistakes. Therefore I have given this book a 3. Some things can be overlooked in a good story, and this was a good story, but some things are so bad that an editor should have spotted them immediately.

I like Ms. Graham's stories, and I hope that in the future her editors will pay more attention and correct things that result in their authors receiving low ratings.

[Sheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nightwalker (heather Graham)
Suspense/Paranormal/Mystery
Jessy Sparhawk needs money to pay for her grandfather Timothy's home. An entertainer in Vegas, she does the one thing she rarely does. She gambles to keep her grandfather happy. While cashing in her chips a man ends up dead with a knife in his back. An investigation begins and soon a witness to this crime ends up dead as well. Dillon Wolf is hired to investigate. Soon Jessy and Dillon find themselves thrown together in this mystery and team up to try to solve this crime.

An enlightening suspense, with like-able characters, add some ghosts and Native American legends and lore. Blends very and makes a fascinating, page turning all night read. I am a fan of Heather graham, and Nightwalker did not disappoint.

[Shelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always enjoy the Harrison Invesigation books by Heather Graham. They are books I can always rely on to keep me entertained. I liked the plot of this one a lot. I guess the reason it didn't get a slightly higher rating was because I felt the main characters were a little underdeveloped. But overall, still a good read.

2020 Reading Challenge
April Word: Night

[A · Rating 2 out of 5]

I want to start off stating I did not realize this was the 8th book in a series. It didn't feel likeI was missing any previous book information but maybe I was and didn't realize it. Although I finished it, I feel a bit unhappy with the end. I was hoping something greater would be the end. I didn't love or hate any of the characters; they were just there and I sat along for the ride.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good Harrison Investigation read (pre-Krewe of Hunters). The star of the book was definitely Ringo, Dillon Wolf's ghostly side kick. Another where I never saw the killer coming. I am now caught up on pre-Krewe books and I enjoyed the ride!

[Nancy Ellis · Rating 4 out of 5]

My go-to author for relaxation and enjoyment! She does an excellent job of combining mystery, the paranormal, and romance to make a good story. This, the final installment of the Harrison Investigations series, is set in Las Vegas, always a great location for a story!

[Betty Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little different but enjoyed the book.

[Aparna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stars: 3 / 5
Recommendation: An intriguing paranormal plot heavily doused on history filled with murder, mystery, romance and ghosts.

Nightwalker is the ninth book in the Harrison Investigation Series by the paranormal author Heather Graham published in March of 2009. The plot is centered around Jessy Sparhawk - a pirate artist at one of the Las Vegas casino - and Dillon Wolf - a private investigator working for Harrison Investigations who is hired to investigate a murder. The plot is set in Las Vegas, NV.

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

Despite her aversion to gamble, Jessy Sparhawk plays her bet that gives her a winning changing life. However while she was collecting her winnings, a man staggers to her table, falling on her and pinning her down before he dies. Dillon Wolf, so enamored by Jessy, pushes himself into the role of her protector, despite his primary goal to investigate the murder.

Unknowingly Jessy opens a door to the world of ghosts and spirits when she becomes the one to have the dead man fall on her. But there is a past that is being repeated in the present. For what purpose and what end yet to be found, but Dillon knows that now Jessy is in the line of the killer's eye. And he has to do everything in his power to save, even if it means if he has to revisit the past.

The protagonist is introduced to be from Harrison Investigations from the beginning of the plot. We also see Adam Harrison and two more of his agents - Brent and Nikki Blackhawk, whom we had first met in the third book in the series Ghost Walk (https://inspirethoughts.livejournal.c...). Of course we had known Nikki as Nikki DuMonde in that plot, but now she is married to Brent and takes his name.

The plot traversed between past and present and sometimes the same details were repeated again and again. However it was less paraphrasing compared to some of her other books I read.

I had a guess between two people as to who the mastermind behind the whole killings would be by the time I was three-fourths way with the book. However, it still caused a pause for me when the actual killer was revealed at the end. Heather tied up all the inconsequential details in neatly towards the end of the plot as usual.

A very good mingle of murder and mystery; past and present; reenactment and reincarnation; and above all romance and love. Although I am surprised at the number of grammatical and sometimes character errors I see in the books as the series progresses. Clearly who ever edits for Heather Graham isn't doing a good job.

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

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

Spoiler Alerts:

1. Plot Reveals:
a. Dillon Wolf quotes George Santayana in the plot. His last named resembled a South Indian last name so I assumed he was from India or Indian heritage. Interestingly he was originally from Spain but became an American. More about him here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_....
b.

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

3. Grammatical / Historical / Location / Character Errors:
a. On Pg. 58, Line 10, it should be "…close enough to report to…"
b. On Pg. 63, Line 1, it should be "….right out from under me."
c. On Pg. 86, Line 10, it should be "…as big as he was, went down…"
d. On Pg. 87, Line 7, it should be "…that he would stop banging on…"
e. On Pg. 125, Line 11, it should be "…a heart-shaped face, and, despite…."
f. On Pg. 213, Line 16, it should be "…just dump him in the ….."
g. On Pg. 230, Line 2 from bottom, it should be "…but I do think evil…"
h. On Pg. 264, Line 3 from bottom, it should either be "….Where would he be planning…" or "Where could he be planning…"
i. On Pg. 300, in the scene where Jessy wakes up morning after Brent, Nikki and Adam arrive at Dillon's home, Heather mentions that Jessy and Dillon hadnt slept until around eight thirty and in the same line she mentions that Jessy woke up early. So what was the time actually? 8:30am or earlier than that or later than that? If later, how can it be early in the day?
j. On Pg. 301, Line 3 from bottom, it should be "…just me, no one else…"
k. On Pg. 313, while depicting the past in a newspaper article, Heather mentions that five hired guns working for Frank Varny were killed in the bloodbath that happened in 1876. But the following page when she has Dillon comparing the people in that scene from long ago to players in present day, she talks about three gun slingers could possibly be the three dead men. And that two more hired guns were remaining and she goes to tell that would it be another gun slinger and Davison. But Davison was also mentioned separately on pg. 313 as the one who died. I may not be articulating it well, but there is a clear error in the number of people regarding that scene between both pages.
l. On Pg.321, Line 14, it shows that Adam got Frye talking. But the immediate passages indicate Adam talking to the croupier instead of Frye.
m. On Pg. 330, Line 7, it should be "…he wasn't even sure it was…"

[Lyn (Readinghearts) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The term Nightwalker is a Native American word for people who can see and talk to ghosts. The protagonist in this book, Dillon Wolf, is a Paiute who works for a company that solves mysteries where ghosts are expected to be playing a part. In fact, his sidekick, Ringo Murphy, is a ghost. Dillon and Ringo currently find themselves in Las Vegas, Nevada. They are sent there to work on a case which includes protecting a casino owner. They end up protecting a beautiful single woman who happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, when the casino owner's bodyguard is murdered and dies right on top of her. As the story unfolds, you find that circumstances and characters are more connected than they first seem to be, and Dillon and Ringo are really charged with solving a 100 year old mystery.

This is my first book by Heather Graham, but I will probably be reading more. The story and characters are endearing. Early on I was routing for Jessy and Dillon. I particularly liked the way that Jessy came to terms with her Native American roots, and really enjoyed her grandfather Timothy. Although the story seemed a little formulaic, I was surprised by the ending and never figured out who the actual bad guy was until the author revealed it. That, and the way that the author tied everything together at the end, were great and really added to my enjoyment of the book.

In the end, this book had everything. A good story line, characters that you could get behind, a 100 year old mystery, a little paranormal presence, a little romance, and some surprises at the end.

[Radella · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this book up because the premise looked interesting- Jessy Sparhawk is running on empty. Desperate for some money, she gambles what’s left at a Vegas casino. What she doesn’t expect is the large man who stumbles into her, and dies rather dramatically, with a knife sticking out of his back and a single word whispered in her ear. Suddenly, Jessy finds herself in the middle of murders, ghosts, and the obligatory sexy private detective, Dillon Wolf.
I found all the characters to be rather flat, and frankly a little boring. There was no character development to speak of, and that’s usually my favorite part of a story- watching the characters grow and change. I almost didn’t finish the book, because it seemed just like the other book of Heather Graham’s that I read (Ghost Walk). It felt tired, and even the little surprises didn’t seem all that surprising or unexpected. Nothing really stood out to say “This is a great book!” In fact, it was rather forgettable.

[Eridani · Rating 2 out of 5]

When compared with the other novels in the "Adam Harrison" series, this one is something of a disappointment. No proper back stories were truly given for Timothy's "wall friends", nor Jessy's sudden ability to see the ghosts around her, and only a passing explanation for Dillion's abilities. For me, the best part of the book was the character of Ringo, who was unfortunately already dead.
Definately not what I've come to expect from Heather Graham.

[Marybelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not sure why I gave this book such a low rating the first time I read it. The characters are interesting and the ghosts funny and helpful. Perhaps it was one of those cases where one reads a book too quickly and misses all the nuances. Regardless, I’ve really enjoyed revisiting Indigo and all of te assorted characters.

[Georgiann Hennelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great mystery combines the old west with modern day Las Vegas. Complete with a creepy ghost story. They must solve a mystery from the past to prevent it from happening again now .With the help of some ghosts and indian spirits. Can they solve it before its to late?

[Marybelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another wonderful story where ghosts teach us the lessons of life. Thank you Adam Harrison.

[Michael Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the Ringo character

[Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

I typically love Heather Graham and her paranormal stories. However, this one didn't do it for me. For one, Jessy talks about the kids pirate show she does for infants up to age 21 since they can't gamble. That inaccuracy bugged me a lot.

Then, after Green died on her and she got home, Sandy's daughter Reggie went on and on about how hot Dillion was. All I could picture was Jessy covered in blood of a murdered man while her friends gushed over Dillion. That was the point where I lost interest in the book. I finished it, but what should have been a quick read took forever.

It's apparently a series but I have no desire to read any more.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not want this book to end. It was great reading and a mystery that is not solved until the end. The mystery starts a hundred years before with a shootout in a saloon in a small town of Indigo but ends in Las Vegas in a casino where Jessy Sparhawk is trying to win enough money to pay housing for her Grandfather. Dillon Wolf was called in to try and solve an attempted murder but the plot goes much deeper than that. Wonderful book.

[Holly Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book I love Jessy and her Grandfather Timothy and Dillon Wolf is just the right mix of old world and new. The addition of Adam Harrison, Nikki and Brent Blackhawk, of Ringo and the other ghosts make for an interesting read as well, and because it is basically a romance of course there is marriage and happily happilies too. I hope to read more books with Jessy and Dillon.

[Am · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can tell Graham isn't as familiar with the Vegas area as she is with some of the other locations she writes about. Or maybe because I live in Vegas, I notice it more. I'm not sure. It was just a bit distracting for me. Which sucks, because we all know I'm total trash for Graham and I'll read pretty much anything she writes.
Also, can we talk about how clear it is that Brent and Nikki are her favorites?

[Jennifer Peer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the character development as always from Graham. She never disappoints. The action was fast paced and the secondary characters added to the dynamics well. The romance progressed at a believable pace and the Krewe came into play nicely without detracted from the main characters. Can't get enough of these novels!

[Andrew · Rating 2 out of 5]

Characters are super flat and don’t develop very well. The book has a unique supernatural theme which is kind of fun but still not gripping enough to care. Jessy is suppose to be ‘sexy Af’ (at least the author tries to describe her as such) and honestly it’s so cringe. For some reason the author put way more detail into one really shitty sex scene than any other.

[Jaime Barfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent story. I truly enjoyed the characters and the mystery. One of my favorite characters is the ghost, Ringo Murphy, who is a western cowboy that was gunned down with the main character's ancestor. Such a good storyline and I always love the way the supernatural gets mixed in. Definitely looking forward to next one.

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ability to see ghosts is called nightwalking. A murder in a casino. The dead man falls on Jesse at the craps table. Dillon a P.I. with paranormal talents is on the scene to help. Lots of fun diverse characters. Plenty of romantic sizzle. A few ghosts for the paranormal tingle. What happens in Vegas...I really enjoyed this paranormal, romance, mystery.

[Davia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good story

I loved the legends and all the different ghosts in this book especially Ringo he made the book! Dillon was wonderful and Harrison's team is exceptional as always. I am on to the next. Congrats to Timothy! I will leave it there to avoid spoilers.

[Ida · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heather Graham never fails to captivate you with her writing. Jessy an employee at a Vegas Casino finds herself in all kinds of trouble all beginning because someone literally dies on top of her on her day off. You thought you were having a bad day.

[Alyssa · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s okay. In all fairness, I’m not a huge fan of this author and her writing. It was an okay book that didn’t have me hanging on. I’ve tried reading several of her books and can only do so if I space them out. Maybe 1-2 a year if that.

[Stefanie Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was totally written like a Scooby-Doo mystery. The writing was repetitive and not very interesting. I don't know why I keep reading Heather Graham books when all of her books are essentially the same.

[Lesa Loves Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick, fun and forgettable which was just the ticket after reading a longish hard sci-fi book . The Vegas and ghost town settings are different and cool. Ringo, the gunslinger ghost, is funny and endearing. 🤠

A weak 3 stars on the generic paranormal romance/mystery scale.