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Amy Larson & Hunter Forrest FBI #3
Shadow of Death
You can cut off the head of the snake, but another will emerge.
When two hikers go missing within a series of daunting caves outside of Denver, Colorado, FDLE special agent Amy Larson and her partner, FBI special agent Hunter Forrest, have good reason to suspect foul play. The pair of hikers are only the latest to vanish after a rash of disappearances that’s left local law enforcement stumped. But in searching the dank caverns near the Arkansas River, the agents aren’t prepared for the horror they a muddy pit littered with corpses. Covered in bite marks. Made by human teeth.
When a tiny toy horse is found on the scene, Amy and Hunter recognize the calling card. They’ll have to move quickly before the already sizable body count grows. Their investigation soon draws them down the rabbit hole of a dangerous cult with a sinister mandate—one that involves human sacrifices. Anything to further their twisted cause. But when more people go missing, it becomes clear the cult’s reach extends beyond state lines, leading Amy and Hunter deep into the Florida Everglades to set a perilous trap, one that stands to risk everything they hold dear, including their lives.
When two hikers go missing within a series of daunting caves outside of Denver, Colorado, FDLE special agent Amy Larson and her partner, FBI special agent Hunter Forrest, have good reason to suspect foul play. The pair of hikers are only the latest to vanish after a rash of disappearances that’s left local law enforcement stumped. But in searching the dank caverns near the Arkansas River, the agents aren’t prepared for the horror they a muddy pit littered with corpses. Covered in bite marks. Made by human teeth.
When a tiny toy horse is found on the scene, Amy and Hunter recognize the calling card. They’ll have to move quickly before the already sizable body count grows. Their investigation soon draws them down the rabbit hole of a dangerous cult with a sinister mandate—one that involves human sacrifices. Anything to further their twisted cause. But when more people go missing, it becomes clear the cult’s reach extends beyond state lines, leading Amy and Hunter deep into the Florida Everglades to set a perilous trap, one that stands to risk everything they hold dear, including their lives.
293 pages, Hardcover
First published April 18, 2023
457 people are currently reading
1180 people want to read
About the author
Heather Graham
583 books6,895 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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Displaying 1 - 30 of 235 reviews
December 14, 2024
I’m giving this 4.5 ⭐️ rounded up to 5 of course.
There are 2 books prior to this one in the series. I have not read those but didn’t feel lost in the least. The author did an exceptional job of explaining things and where we were in the story without making the story drag on or become boring by constant repetition.
As it’s a Mystery/Murder/Thriller/ Serial Killer type book I don’t want to spoil anything. I will say that I enjoy Heather Graham’s writing style, her imagination and the way she tells the story. I hope to continue to read her books for many more years.
UPDATED REVIEW:
🌟4/5
❤️🩹4/5
🥰4/5
🌶️3/5
🔎4/5
😰4/5
🎭😂0/5
🎭😭0/5
👻0/5
🔬0/5
🔫3/5
🏥0/5
✍🏼5/5
🥱0/5
🏃🏻♀️5/5
🌎5/5
💁🏻♀️5/5
🙅🏻♀️
⚠️⛔️TRIGGERS:⛔️⚠️
Courtesy of StoryGraph
Violence
Murder
Death
Blood
Gore
Torture
Kidnapping
Injury/Injury Detail
🤔🧐🤯MY THOUGHTS:🤯🧐🤔
The heat has definitely turned up for Hunter and Amy both in the field and in the bedroom. They cut off one snake’s head only to find another one in its place. Dealing with the black horse in this book.
🗯️💬BOOK BLURB:💬🗯️
You can cut off the head of the snake, but another will emerge.
When two hikers go missing within a series of daunting caves outside of Denver, Colorado, FDLE special agent Amy Larson and her partner, FBI special agent Hunter Forrest, have good reason to suspect foul play. The pair of hikers are only the latest to vanish after a rash of disappearances that’s left local law enforcement stumped. But in searching the dank caverns near the Arkansas River, the agents aren’t prepared for the horror they a muddy pit littered with corpses. Covered in bite marks. Made by human teeth.
When a tiny toy horse is found on the scene, Amy and Hunter recognize the calling card. They’ll have to move quickly before the already sizable body count grows. Their investigation soon draws them down the rabbit hole of a dangerous cult with a sinister mandate—one that involves human sacrifices. Anything to further their twisted cause. But when more people go missing, it becomes clear the cult’s reach extends beyond state lines, leading Amy and Hunter deep into the Florida Everglades to set a perilous trap, one that stands to risk everything they hold dear, including their lives.
🌎📖OVERALL REVIEWS📖🌎
Courtesy of Storygraph
COMMUNITY REVIEWS
SUMMARY OF 74 REVIEWS
Moods
mysterious 66%
tense 55%
dark 50%
adventurous 44%
emotional 22%
challenging 11%
informative 11%
Pace
medium 45%
fast 30%
slow 25%
Plot- or character-driven?
Plot: 85% | Character: 7% | A mix: 7%
Strong character development?
No: 78% | It's complicated: 14% | N/A: 7%
Loveable characters?
No: 41% | Yes: 33% | It's complicated: 16% | N/A: 8%
Diverse cast of characters?
No: 61% | Yes: 23% | It's complicated: 7% | N/A: 7%
Flaws of characters a main focus?
No: 100%
Average rating
3.08 ⭐️
RATING KEY:
🌟 Stars - based on the overall plot and theme or idea of the book
❤️🩹 Emotions - based on how emotional I got while reading
🥰 Romance - based on how well I got invested in the love story aspect
🌶️ Spice - based on how the sex scenes were portrayed and written as well as the number of sex scenes
🔎 Mystery - based on how well it kept me guessing who, how and why
😰 Scared🫣/Anxious😱 - based on how scared or anxious the book made me while reading
🎭 Comedy😂/Tragedy😭
-based on if I laughed or if there was a tragic event and how it affected me. I will mark the Masks with either a C or T to indicate Comedy or Tragedy
👻 Spooky😵💫/Creepy🧟♀️ -based on if this had any occult or paranormal themes and if those elements creeped me out or gave me anxiety!
🔬 Sci-Fi -based on the Science Fiction in the book as well as the Dystopian elements.
🔫 Action/Thriller -based on if I thought this was more of a spy action type of thriller.
🏥 Medical Content -based on the amount and the accuracy of any medical content or if the book is supposed to be a medical style thriller.
✍🏼 Writing Style -based on if I enjoyed the writing style or not and how the author portrayed the world, characters, concept, plot etc.
🥱 Boredom -based on if I was bored if it held my interest or if I’d rather be doing something else 😴.
🏃🏻♀️ Book Pacing -Based on how quickly I thought the book moved.
🌎 World Development -Based on how well I liked the world development of the story.
💁🏻♀️ Character Development -Based on how well the characters were fleshed out and if I hated or loved with a passion.
🙅🏻♀️ DNF -based on if the book is just stupid, boring, chilgdish, overly ridiculous etc.
**rounded up or down based on how the book left me feeling and because Goodreads doesn’t offer half stars.
***Triggers are listed most to least severe.
There are 2 books prior to this one in the series. I have not read those but didn’t feel lost in the least. The author did an exceptional job of explaining things and where we were in the story without making the story drag on or become boring by constant repetition.
As it’s a Mystery/Murder/Thriller/ Serial Killer type book I don’t want to spoil anything. I will say that I enjoy Heather Graham’s writing style, her imagination and the way she tells the story. I hope to continue to read her books for many more years.
UPDATED REVIEW:
🌟4/5
❤️🩹4/5
🥰4/5
🌶️3/5
🔎4/5
😰4/5
🎭😂0/5
🎭😭0/5
👻0/5
🔬0/5
🔫3/5
🏥0/5
✍🏼5/5
🥱0/5
🏃🏻♀️5/5
🌎5/5
💁🏻♀️5/5
🙅🏻♀️
⚠️⛔️TRIGGERS:⛔️⚠️
Courtesy of StoryGraph
Violence
Murder
Death
Blood
Gore
Torture
Kidnapping
Injury/Injury Detail
🤔🧐🤯MY THOUGHTS:🤯🧐🤔
The heat has definitely turned up for Hunter and Amy both in the field and in the bedroom. They cut off one snake’s head only to find another one in its place. Dealing with the black horse in this book.
🗯️💬BOOK BLURB:💬🗯️
You can cut off the head of the snake, but another will emerge.
When two hikers go missing within a series of daunting caves outside of Denver, Colorado, FDLE special agent Amy Larson and her partner, FBI special agent Hunter Forrest, have good reason to suspect foul play. The pair of hikers are only the latest to vanish after a rash of disappearances that’s left local law enforcement stumped. But in searching the dank caverns near the Arkansas River, the agents aren’t prepared for the horror they a muddy pit littered with corpses. Covered in bite marks. Made by human teeth.
When a tiny toy horse is found on the scene, Amy and Hunter recognize the calling card. They’ll have to move quickly before the already sizable body count grows. Their investigation soon draws them down the rabbit hole of a dangerous cult with a sinister mandate—one that involves human sacrifices. Anything to further their twisted cause. But when more people go missing, it becomes clear the cult’s reach extends beyond state lines, leading Amy and Hunter deep into the Florida Everglades to set a perilous trap, one that stands to risk everything they hold dear, including their lives.
🌎📖OVERALL REVIEWS📖🌎
Courtesy of Storygraph
COMMUNITY REVIEWS
SUMMARY OF 74 REVIEWS
Moods
mysterious 66%
tense 55%
dark 50%
adventurous 44%
emotional 22%
challenging 11%
informative 11%
Pace
medium 45%
fast 30%
slow 25%
Plot- or character-driven?
Plot: 85% | Character: 7% | A mix: 7%
Strong character development?
No: 78% | It's complicated: 14% | N/A: 7%
Loveable characters?
No: 41% | Yes: 33% | It's complicated: 16% | N/A: 8%
Diverse cast of characters?
No: 61% | Yes: 23% | It's complicated: 7% | N/A: 7%
Flaws of characters a main focus?
No: 100%
Average rating
3.08 ⭐️
RATING KEY:
🌟 Stars - based on the overall plot and theme or idea of the book
❤️🩹 Emotions - based on how emotional I got while reading
🥰 Romance - based on how well I got invested in the love story aspect
🌶️ Spice - based on how the sex scenes were portrayed and written as well as the number of sex scenes
🔎 Mystery - based on how well it kept me guessing who, how and why
😰 Scared🫣/Anxious😱 - based on how scared or anxious the book made me while reading
🎭 Comedy😂/Tragedy😭
-based on if I laughed or if there was a tragic event and how it affected me. I will mark the Masks with either a C or T to indicate Comedy or Tragedy
👻 Spooky😵💫/Creepy🧟♀️ -based on if this had any occult or paranormal themes and if those elements creeped me out or gave me anxiety!
🔬 Sci-Fi -based on the Science Fiction in the book as well as the Dystopian elements.
🔫 Action/Thriller -based on if I thought this was more of a spy action type of thriller.
🏥 Medical Content -based on the amount and the accuracy of any medical content or if the book is supposed to be a medical style thriller.
✍🏼 Writing Style -based on if I enjoyed the writing style or not and how the author portrayed the world, characters, concept, plot etc.
🥱 Boredom -based on if I was bored if it held my interest or if I’d rather be doing something else 😴.
🏃🏻♀️ Book Pacing -Based on how quickly I thought the book moved.
🌎 World Development -Based on how well I liked the world development of the story.
💁🏻♀️ Character Development -Based on how well the characters were fleshed out and if I hated or loved with a passion.
🙅🏻♀️ DNF -based on if the book is just stupid, boring, chilgdish, overly ridiculous etc.
**rounded up or down based on how the book left me feeling and because Goodreads doesn’t offer half stars.
***Triggers are listed most to least severe.
April 22, 2023
Not as good as others
I usually like Heather Graham but this ebook was not as good as her others. She needs first a new proofreader as there were several misspellings. Secondly, she needs a new editor as there were at least two inconsistencies. The directions the main characters were to go changed and a name was switched. There was also an over abundance of exclamation points. These problems were distracting from the story. The plot did not track as well and did not have substance. Overall this ebook was not up to the usual standards.
I usually like Heather Graham but this ebook was not as good as her others. She needs first a new proofreader as there were several misspellings. Secondly, she needs a new editor as there were at least two inconsistencies. The directions the main characters were to go changed and a name was switched. There was also an over abundance of exclamation points. These problems were distracting from the story. The plot did not track as well and did not have substance. Overall this ebook was not up to the usual standards.
May 20, 2023
Have you ever read a book that has the right details, but just didn’t flow together. That is how I felt about this one . It is book three out of four, and deals with the idea of killing, and consuming the blood, flesh, and heart of its victims to remove their sins. It takes the book of revelations , and turns it on its head ,plus it went over each detail, or place of the murders to the point , I could draw them from memory. I know it was done in satire to prove the absurdity of such beliefs, and how easily one could be swept in, after all it was all sweet and kindness at the first, but soon many of the members feared for their lives as well . It was gruesome, and evil, with very disturbing details , done all for the sake of heaven. The ending was also a cliffhanger, but you saw some of the evil people you had figured out in your head. , I normally like her books, but I’ll stick to the Kewe of hunters series. To wordy, and a bit out there for me. I know their are cults, but even an eleven year old child knew it did not make any sense. Barely a three.
May 11, 2023
The writing is very repetitive and basic, leading to a banal presentation of the main detective / romance characters. There is an entertaining story here which is buried in repeated sentences about what activities are to happen next. And then there is the numerous, inappropriate and just plain aggravating use of exclamation marks ! For this reader, this book will be the last one by Heather Graham to be read. Wishing I could recommend it a little, but really I can’t.
May 24, 2023
Rounded up, I really didn't enjoy this story at all! So much repetition, so many insignificant characters to try to keep up with, and so much of the two main characters bragging on how great the other is!
May 2, 2023
Someone out there wanted the Apocalypse. Or they were in it for power, money or both.
A mystery thriller on the Apocalypse loosely based on the book of Revelation. FDLE special agent Amy Larson and her partner, FBI special agent Hunter Forrest are working the case. The clues come in as the horseman in Revelation. The latest is the red Horse which signifies famine and death. The latest horse brings them to Colorado where a hiker has been missing. In fact they are told a significant amount of people of been missing in the Denver area. Larson and Forrest are partners in their personal lives as well and seem to work well together. That is part of the appeal. They compliment each other with the victims and perps.
With finding the hiker alive among dead bodies, they take each clue to discover a cult that preaches the end is coming with deadly consequences. There is a monologue of social justice with this so what ever political leaning you take, may appeal to you or not. In my opinion, it did nothing for the narration.
Will the their be an ending? Will they be closer to the truth? Will they know the who and why? There is a hook and the hook being, if you are the type that needs to know. So I am hooked.
A special thank you to Harlequin and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
A mystery thriller on the Apocalypse loosely based on the book of Revelation. FDLE special agent Amy Larson and her partner, FBI special agent Hunter Forrest are working the case. The clues come in as the horseman in Revelation. The latest is the red Horse which signifies famine and death. The latest horse brings them to Colorado where a hiker has been missing. In fact they are told a significant amount of people of been missing in the Denver area. Larson and Forrest are partners in their personal lives as well and seem to work well together. That is part of the appeal. They compliment each other with the victims and perps.
With finding the hiker alive among dead bodies, they take each clue to discover a cult that preaches the end is coming with deadly consequences. There is a monologue of social justice with this so what ever political leaning you take, may appeal to you or not. In my opinion, it did nothing for the narration.
Will the their be an ending? Will they be closer to the truth? Will they know the who and why? There is a hook and the hook being, if you are the type that needs to know. So I am hooked.
A special thank you to Harlequin and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
May 21, 2023
This book was not as good as I had hoped it would be. I didn’t even finish it because I could not stand the shoddy writing. Typos, name switching, sentences that were not grammatically sound, way too much repetition and too many exclamation points. The plot itself had a lot of potential, but sadly, did not reach up to it.
August 24, 2023
This romantic suspense falls heavier on the crime thriller aspect, with the same romantic couple throughout the series. I find cults fascinating and freaky from their leaders to those who blindly follow. All the books in the Amy Larson & Hunter Forrest series follow a cult committed murder surrounding the four horsemen of the apocalypse. In this story, a black horse that symbolizes famine is found in Denver, and soon bodies are discovered. Which ultimately sends them back to the Florida Everglades, where it all began.
Graham writes a compelling, dark case that keeps our detectives on edge as they work to find victims and the leader who is pulling all the strings. They collaborate with the police and question people close to the victim to gather information that may help catch the killer..
While each case works on its own, I recommend reading this series in order. You’ll find spoilers and the romance has built from the first book and is strengthened throughout the series. Secondary characters add to the story and multiple agencies add them.
Fans of suspenseful, dark crime thrillers will appreciate the series and its strong characters. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
Graham writes a compelling, dark case that keeps our detectives on edge as they work to find victims and the leader who is pulling all the strings. They collaborate with the police and question people close to the victim to gather information that may help catch the killer..
While each case works on its own, I recommend reading this series in order. You’ll find spoilers and the romance has built from the first book and is strengthened throughout the series. Secondary characters add to the story and multiple agencies add them.
Fans of suspenseful, dark crime thrillers will appreciate the series and its strong characters. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
August 20, 2023
4 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐🎧
Definitely getting better with each one. This book had me sucked right in from the beginning. I will say them teasing out Hunter's background about the cult his parents and he were in is a little old.
But this story and how they came to find all the bodies broke my heart, to say the least. I can't wait till they find all the people involved.
I will be seeking out book 4 when it comes out.
Again, the narration was great.
Definitely getting better with each one. This book had me sucked right in from the beginning. I will say them teasing out Hunter's background about the cult his parents and he were in is a little old.
But this story and how they came to find all the bodies broke my heart, to say the least. I can't wait till they find all the people involved.
I will be seeking out book 4 when it comes out.
Again, the narration was great.
Read
May 8, 2023I don't know why I bother with a Heather Graham novel. This one was the worst yet, I think.
I am finished with her.....not wasting my time.
I am finished with her.....not wasting my time.
May 16, 2023
FDLE special agent Amy Larson and her partner, FBI special agent Hunter Forrest, search the dank caverns near the Arkansas River for two missing hikers. The agents aren't prepared to find the numerous corpses covered in human bite marks in the bottom of a muddy pit. This won't be the only pit they discover in the dank caverns. It soon becomes evident that these murders are connected with another case they worked on in the Florida Everglades when a small, black plastic horse is found in one of the victim's hands. The cases are tied to a cult loosely based on the Book of Revelation and the four horsemen of the Apocalypse; nicknamed "The Horsemen." Amy and Hunter soon find themselves back in the Everglades setting a trap for the cult and its leaders.
This is the third novel in the Amy Larson and Hunter Forrest FBI series. I will let the reader know upfront the book does end in a cliffhanger. I also felt the novel slowed down a tad in the middle but picked up speed nicely near the last third of the book. I will admit I haven't read the first two novels, but I didn't feel lost while reading because Heather Graham did a fantastic job of giving just enough backstory without stopping the plot's forward movement. I do plan to read the first two novels -- Danger in Numbers and Crimson Summer. Adult language and implied adult situations.
This is the third novel in the Amy Larson and Hunter Forrest FBI series. I will let the reader know upfront the book does end in a cliffhanger. I also felt the novel slowed down a tad in the middle but picked up speed nicely near the last third of the book. I will admit I haven't read the first two novels, but I didn't feel lost while reading because Heather Graham did a fantastic job of giving just enough backstory without stopping the plot's forward movement. I do plan to read the first two novels -- Danger in Numbers and Crimson Summer. Adult language and implied adult situations.
February 24, 2024
I'll be honest, I didn't really enjoy this one. I found it unfocused with too many characters to keep straight. I had a hard time keeping engaged with the audiobook and had to re-listen to parts a few times because I kept zoning out. I found the story repetitive. The romance boring. The whole cult story line was weird and I'm still not sure how it fits into the serial killer arc. The story also just kind of ended abruptly. The other thing that made this book really drag for me were the history lessons. I know this author likes to add in history of the featured areas into her stories, but they just felt like info dumps here. I didn't need to know any of the information for the story to really be enjoyable. I would have preferred they not be included. Despite this one being kind of "meh". I will finish out the quartet with the next book.
August 20, 2023
I don’t even have the energy to write a full review of this poorly written, boring, predictable, and ridiculous conclusion jumping book. But I’m ocd about finishing a book so I skimmed through the end and officially lost it when a suspect pulls his IV out and stabs himself in the heart to kill himself 🤣🫠. Anyways, lesson learned, random available now murder mystery books on the library app are not my cup of tea
February 19, 2024
I thought the story had so much potential, but I just wasn’t a big fan of this book. The dialogue felt way too simple and left nothing to the imagination. It also took over 100 pages to get a little interesting. It took me forever to read because it didn’t grasp my attention. I thought the ending was the most interesting, but even then the twists were almost expected.
Want to read
May 26, 2023Did not rate this book because I didn't finish it. Did not like the subject matter - a cult and human sacrifice!!
July 17, 2023
My Review 🫧
📖 Shadow of Death by Heather Graham
Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
➡️ SWIPE FOR SYNOPSIS ➡️
The 3rd book in the Amy Larson/ Hunter Forrest series and I loved it just like I loved the first 3!
Graham does a wonderful job of not just making this a total police procedural, but also making us get to know and relate to the characters.
What I liked: That the story went well with the first 2 books, the writing and the plot.
What didn’t work for me: Okay, first things first Graham over did it with the exclamation points.
- The reasoning behind the murders wasn’t really explained well
- Amy and Hunter took a sexual shower like every chapter.
Overall, great book. Will read #4
Book 133 of 2023
#bookstagram #instabook #bookphotography #bookporn #igbooks #ilovereading #bookhaul #bookhoarder #bookaddiction #bookstoread #whattoread #fortheloveofbooks #bookblogging #bookpics #weekendreads #bookrecs #booknerdproblems #bookpictures #bookstagram #amreading #booksbooksbooks #instablog #booknerds #bookphotos #bibliophile
📖 Shadow of Death by Heather Graham
Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
➡️ SWIPE FOR SYNOPSIS ➡️
The 3rd book in the Amy Larson/ Hunter Forrest series and I loved it just like I loved the first 3!
Graham does a wonderful job of not just making this a total police procedural, but also making us get to know and relate to the characters.
What I liked: That the story went well with the first 2 books, the writing and the plot.
What didn’t work for me: Okay, first things first Graham over did it with the exclamation points.
- The reasoning behind the murders wasn’t really explained well
- Amy and Hunter took a sexual shower like every chapter.
Overall, great book. Will read #4
Book 133 of 2023
#bookstagram #instabook #bookphotography #bookporn #igbooks #ilovereading #bookhaul #bookhoarder #bookaddiction #bookstoread #whattoread #fortheloveofbooks #bookblogging #bookpics #weekendreads #bookrecs #booknerdproblems #bookpictures #bookstagram #amreading #booksbooksbooks #instablog #booknerds #bookphotos #bibliophile
November 28, 2023
Third time, but still surprising
Amy and Hunter are back and facing another confusing and horrifying horseman case. This is the third book and the third horseman. The story has them traveling to Colorado and back to Florida, meeting new law enforcements, seeing new horrible acts, and making new friends. The realm of history, religion and cults are greatly discussed and an important aspect of solving these cases. Their romance is still going well and they make a great couple. The ending was somewhat predictable, but still captivating. I am excited for the next book to find out who is the fourth horseman, what they solve, if there are answers regarding the sinners and the actions the members take, etc.!
Amy and Hunter are back and facing another confusing and horrifying horseman case. This is the third book and the third horseman. The story has them traveling to Colorado and back to Florida, meeting new law enforcements, seeing new horrible acts, and making new friends. The realm of history, religion and cults are greatly discussed and an important aspect of solving these cases. Their romance is still going well and they make a great couple. The ending was somewhat predictable, but still captivating. I am excited for the next book to find out who is the fourth horseman, what they solve, if there are answers regarding the sinners and the actions the members take, etc.!
May 11, 2023
It’s clever how Graham connects caves outside of Denver with the swamps of Florida’s Everglades. Cults have always interested me because I try to understand how they can be appealing to anyone or how they buy in to the message.
I couldn’t figure out who then villains were until they were revealed.
It’s a fast paced, packed full of action sort of book.
Thanks to NetGalley and HTP for the early copy.
I couldn’t figure out who then villains were until they were revealed.
It’s a fast paced, packed full of action sort of book.
Thanks to NetGalley and HTP for the early copy.
July 28, 2025
I got this from the clearance box at hannaford “bargain books”. I am no grammar queen, but there were so many spelling/grammar/he/his errors and at one point even the wrong character name (Carey was missing and Amy was confronting the kidnapper, “Carey looked at him”, no Carey is missing! It had to have been Amy. After finishing the book, I feel we’re at the same place we were in the beginning still not knowing what happens.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 14, 2025
Wish I knew it was part of a series. I seemed a little lost in the story. It was hard to keep track of all the characters being introduced. It was worth the read, but it wasn't a wow.
December 17, 2025
I found this book difficult to get through. Typos and some odd sentence structure in places were distracting. The writing was too simple. Disappointing read.
April 21, 2023
Seemed a little rushed compared to her previous books. Also a number of typos and character mixups which I haven’t noticed before from HG.
November 22, 2023
I’m really enjoying this series, especially the deep questions that come with cults.
August 21, 2023
I didn’t bother to finish this book. Not a great read and way! Too! Many! Exclamation! Marks! Seriously.
April 18, 2023
Shadow of Death is the third book in this series and as always with Ms. Graham's books, it's filled with good and evil, twists and turns, and great characters. If you haven't started the series, you might want to start with the first book, but I doubt you'd feel lost if you jumped in with the second or third book.
This book continues the story of the Amy Hunter (FDLE Special Agent) and Hunter Forrest (FBI) in their quest to solve the murders that are related to the horsemen of the apocalypse.
The setting is one I was familiar with and that really drove the story home further for me. Reading about the caves and hiking areas outside Denver felt like coming home and I realized how very easy it would be to utilize those caves for evil purposes.
Pick up this book or the entire series because it's going to keep you reading all night.
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and author for an ARC at my request. All thoughts are my own.
This book continues the story of the Amy Hunter (FDLE Special Agent) and Hunter Forrest (FBI) in their quest to solve the murders that are related to the horsemen of the apocalypse.
The setting is one I was familiar with and that really drove the story home further for me. Reading about the caves and hiking areas outside Denver felt like coming home and I realized how very easy it would be to utilize those caves for evil purposes.
Pick up this book or the entire series because it's going to keep you reading all night.
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and author for an ARC at my request. All thoughts are my own.
March 26, 2023
Shadow of Death, by Heather Graham, is yet another masterpiece to add to her repertoire for this prolific and popular writer. When first choosing this novel, I did not realize it was number 3 in a series. Sometimes leaping into the third book in a series is not always an easy accomplishment, as it leads to questions about the characters and plots of the previous novels in the series, which to some extent this one did.
In Shadow of Death the prologue reaches through the pages to instantly grab the reader’s attention. A young couple Carey Allen and Don Blake are hiking in the beauty of the Colorado mountains and decide to go cave exploring. Unfortunately, Carey slides and falls into a horrifying situation. She has landed in a pit of skeletal remains and many corpses. Absolutely terrified at this point, she begins screaming for Don, yet there is no answer. One of the first questions to form in the reader’s mind is what has happened to Don and where is he?
Enter Amy Larson from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement on loan to the FBI and Hunter Forrest a FBI agent. Called to the beautiful mountains of Colorado to investigate a case, which just so happens to be associated with a previous case they are investigating, nick-named “The Horseman.” Amy and Hunter enter the gruesome Colorado crime scene with its grisly discoveries. From there, it’s not long before Larson and Forrest are called to the Florida Everglades with new and alarming evidence that pertains to both cases. In the Florida Everglades there appears to be a cult at work, with a bizarre need to sacrifice young women.
Having never read the previous novels Graham does an excellent job of weaving these novels together with just enough information to keep the reader’s constant attention without too much confusion.
The ending of this excellent and chilling novel leaves a giant cliffhanger as an excellent lead into the next novel in this series. I have read many novels by Heather Graham and this was one of the best! Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this wonderful novel as I provide an honest and voluntary review. I rate this novel a 4 out of 5 rating.
In Shadow of Death the prologue reaches through the pages to instantly grab the reader’s attention. A young couple Carey Allen and Don Blake are hiking in the beauty of the Colorado mountains and decide to go cave exploring. Unfortunately, Carey slides and falls into a horrifying situation. She has landed in a pit of skeletal remains and many corpses. Absolutely terrified at this point, she begins screaming for Don, yet there is no answer. One of the first questions to form in the reader’s mind is what has happened to Don and where is he?
Enter Amy Larson from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement on loan to the FBI and Hunter Forrest a FBI agent. Called to the beautiful mountains of Colorado to investigate a case, which just so happens to be associated with a previous case they are investigating, nick-named “The Horseman.” Amy and Hunter enter the gruesome Colorado crime scene with its grisly discoveries. From there, it’s not long before Larson and Forrest are called to the Florida Everglades with new and alarming evidence that pertains to both cases. In the Florida Everglades there appears to be a cult at work, with a bizarre need to sacrifice young women.
Having never read the previous novels Graham does an excellent job of weaving these novels together with just enough information to keep the reader’s constant attention without too much confusion.
The ending of this excellent and chilling novel leaves a giant cliffhanger as an excellent lead into the next novel in this series. I have read many novels by Heather Graham and this was one of the best! Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this wonderful novel as I provide an honest and voluntary review. I rate this novel a 4 out of 5 rating.
March 11, 2024
I don’t know what happened here. I'm a big fan of Heather Graham and I really liked the first two books in this quartet but this one was so tedious.
In places it didn’t even feel like Heather Graham’s writing.
- The backstory and recap of the previous two books was conveyed within some really awkward dialog between the MCs at the beginning of the book..
- It had a ton of repetitive dialog.. constantly repeating how people get drawn into cults, constantly going over what would happen next, constantly reassuring victims that they were working the case.. -- it was like a Knight Rider episode on steroids..
- A noticeable over usage of exclamation points!
- And we have to talk about the plot. It was so basic. No misdirection. No false leads. Not even a puzzling clue or two. Like, I kept waiting for the twist because it couldn’t possibly be as obvious as it seemed to be. But it was.
I gave the first book 4.5 stars and 4 stars to the second book but now I’m not even sure I want to read the last installment.
Interesting side note: the first book was 400 pages long.. the second 336.. and although this book technically has 334 pages, 41 of them are a preview of book 4 (and when you consider all the repetitiveness).. I'm left wondering, "What was the point?"
In places it didn’t even feel like Heather Graham’s writing.
- The backstory and recap of the previous two books was conveyed within some really awkward dialog between the MCs at the beginning of the book..
- It had a ton of repetitive dialog.. constantly repeating how people get drawn into cults, constantly going over what would happen next, constantly reassuring victims that they were working the case.. -- it was like a Knight Rider episode on steroids..
- A noticeable over usage of exclamation points!
- And we have to talk about the plot. It was so basic. No misdirection. No false leads. Not even a puzzling clue or two. Like, I kept waiting for the twist because it couldn’t possibly be as obvious as it seemed to be. But it was.
I gave the first book 4.5 stars and 4 stars to the second book but now I’m not even sure I want to read the last installment.
Interesting side note: the first book was 400 pages long.. the second 336.. and although this book technically has 334 pages, 41 of them are a preview of book 4 (and when you consider all the repetitiveness).. I'm left wondering, "What was the point?"
July 7, 2023
I really wish I had never read this book. The overuse of exclamation points was extremely distracting throughout the book. Every other sentence ended with one even when the situation seemed to not call for one. This book clearly wasn’t proofread at all since names changed, scenes changed without notice one minute a character found a body part on the next page zero mention of it. They are supposed to be chasing a serial killer and yet all they seem to care about is the Hardrock Hotel (2 full pages on this topic) and the history of the Everglades. We never get more information on the things that happened in Colorado just more of “she’s dead! Murdered. See sounded so nice! I wish I could’ve met her!” No lie that was actual dialogue in the book. The characters don’t act or sound like real law enforcement the whole thing is just a mess!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 24, 2023
Typically I would not have started with the 3rd in a series, but lately, I haven't liked the first in many series, but they grew on me from there. So I started with the 3rd. I was not impressed. There were way too many trists, when these people were working 16 hours a day and sleeping, if they were lucky 4 hrs, that is not realistic! And for a murder mystery for me, sex does not add to the story, it takes away from it. It also bothered me that one arch angel died and the book continue, but a second died and they solved the problem, that makes no sense.
I will not be reading the others.
I will not be reading the others.
July 22, 2023
This book was not one of my favorite reads. The premise was exciting but, for me, the writing just didn't get there. The conversations seemed contrived and forced. In reading them they struck a note of not being a true conversation between two people but a written conversation as to what someone thought it should sound like. The ending, for me, was flat. It leaves open the opportunity for another book but the author doesn't take the reader to the next novel in a series. This book does not leave me wanting to read more from her.
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