Kalte Angst

Bishop/Special Crimes Unit #8

by Kay Hooper

For twenty years FBI agent Quentin Hayes has been haunted by an unsolved murder that took place at a secluded Victorian-era resort in Tennessee when he was little more than a boy. Now part of Noah Bishop's Special Crimes Unit, he's returned to the scene of that long-ago crime to find answers.Diana Brisco has come to The Lodge hoping to unlock the mystery of her own troubled past. Instead she is assailed by nightmares and the disturbing visions of children who vanished from the resort years before. And an FBI agent is trying to convince her that she isn't crazy but that she has a rare gift - a gift that could catch the coldest killer of all.

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

Paperback

First published July 26, 2005

About the author

Kay Hooper (aka Kay Robbins) was born in California, in an air force base hospital since her father was stationed there at the time. The family moved back to North Carolina shortly afterward, so she was raised and went to school there.

The oldest of three children, Kay has a brother two years younger and a sister seven years younger. Her father and brother are builders who own a highly respected construction company, and her mother worked for many years in personnel management before becoming Kay's personal assistant, a position she held until her untimely death in March 2002. Kay's sister Linda works as her Business Manager, Events Coordinator, and is playing a major role in the creation and operation of The Kay Hooper Foundation.

Kay graduated from East Rutherford High School and attended Isothermal Community College — where she quickly discovered that business classes did not in any way enthrall her. Switching to more involving courses such as history and literature, she also began to concentrate on writing, which had been a longtime interest. Very quickly hooked, she asked for a Christmas typewriter and began seriously working on her first novel. That book, a Regency romance titled Lady Thief, sold to Dell Publishing in 1980. She has since published more than 60 novels and four novellas.

Kay is single and lives in a very small town in North Carolina, not far from her father and siblings. Deigning to live with her are a flock of cats — Bonnie, Ginger, Oscar, Tuffy, Felix, Renny, and Isabel — of various personalities who all like sleeping on manuscripts and whatever research happens to be spread across Kay's desk. And living amongst the many felines are two cheerfully tolerant dogs, a shelter rescue, Bandit, who looks rather like a small sheepdog, and a Sheltie named Lizzie.

Reviews

[Paul Weiss · Rating 3 out of 5]

Suspend your disbelief ... sit back and enjoy!

CHILL OF FEAR, the second installment in Hooper's new series of mysteries with a paranormal twist, details the continuing adventures of Noah Bishop's FBI Special Crimes Unit (SCU) - a unique hand-selected team of mediums, seers, clairvoyants, telepaths, empaths and others with an abnormally high ability in the psychic arts willing to devote their abilities to police work. Quentin Hayes is a member of the team. His abilities received a kick start at age 12 with the abduction and murder of his young friend, Missy, as they both vacationed with their parents at a mountain lodge in Tennessee. Haunted by the experience and driven by a persistent unreasonable feeling of guilt that he ought to have done something as a 12 year old youngster to prevent the murder, he has returned to the lodge every few years during his tenure with the SCU to have another crack at solving the now 25 year old case.

His latest stay at "The Lodge" crosses paths with Diana Brisco, a soft-spoken, introverted lady with an apparent life long history of mental illness, who is attending a therapeutic art class. Hayes quickly realizes that Brisco's periodic episodes - misdiagnosed and misunderstood throughout her life by her family and doctors - have actually been manifestations of a powerful psychic ability. When Brisco weans herself from a chronic blurry haze of sedatives and drugs, her abilities flourish and she blossoms into a medium of astonishing strength and ability. Hayes' long foiled search for Missy's elusive killer finds new legs as Brisco provides clues and guidance through her ability to communicate with the victims as they await final peace in "the gray time".

It seems likely that Hooper's FEAR novels will only be enjoyed by either those with a solid belief in the paranormal or those willing to suspend their disbelief and simply sit back and enjoy the ride. Members of either of these two groups will be rewarded with a solid, thoroughly enjoyable novel that is a compelling combination of mystery, police procedural and paranormal horror thriller. The identity of the real killer will come as a pleasant surprise in a climax and dénouement that is well disguised with a suitable collection of red herrings and false trails. The relationship between Hayes and Brisco is nicely developed and the care that Hayes takes in nurturing Brisco's newly found psychic abilities is warmly tinged with just the merest soupçon of romance.

With a significantly heavier focus on the paranormal than its predecessor, CHILL OF FEAR threatened at times to lapse into melodrama but, I think, on balance managed to avoid that failing. A somewhat weaker novel than HUNTING FOR FEAR, Hooper's second in the series can still be recommended as a pleasurable way to while away a few of the wee hours reading by candlelight in a cozy, dark corner of your favourite reading room.

Paul Weiss

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I love the psychic angle that goes with this special FBI unit. And the subtle romance is believable and doesn’t take away from the story. Happy to see the healing this young woman finally got after so many years of being drugged and thinking she was crazy. A great ending to an entertaining story.

[denudatio_pulpae · Rating 1 out of 5]

Lubię czytać zarówno horrory jak i thrillery, ale nie przepadam za próbami połączenia tych dwóch gatunków na siłę, a "Dreszcz strachu" wydał mi się właśnie taką próbą. Nawet osadzenie akcji w wiktoriańskim domu wczasowym nie uratowało tej książki w moich oczach. Koszmary senne, straszne wizje, wróżenie z fusów i inne czary mary to nie moja bajka.

Pierwsza połowa książki to przedstawienie starań agenta FBI Quentina Hayesa (posiadającego pewne "specjalne zdolności") aby przekonać Dianę Brisco (odbywająca terapię w Hotelu), że wcale nie jest chora psychicznie tylko również ma owe "specjalne zdolności".

W moim odczuciu wypadło to trochę tak, jakby autorka starała się łopatologicznie przekonać czytelnika, że parapsychologia to bardzo powszechna i normalna rzecz (przecież zdolności te są wykorzystywane nawet w FBI!), a do tego świetnie pasuje do rozwiązania zagadek z książkowego thrillera. Bo horrorem tej pozycji nazwać nie można, poza elementami parapsychologicznymi (jasnowidztwo, bycie medium) nie było w niej prawie wcale elementów mogących wzbudzić strach.
Motyw Hotelu jako odosobnionego, nawiedzonego miejsca zupełnie nie został wykorzystany. Do tego beznadziejne zakończenie, rozwiązanie całej zagadki zajęło może jedną stronę, a nawet to nie było godne uwagi.

Jeżeli ktoś lubi takie parapsychologiczne motywy to ta książka może mu się spodobać. Jednak jeżeli ma się ochotę na prawdziwy thriller z ciekawą, zagmatwaną (ale wiarygodną) fabułą - nie tędy droga! :)
3/10

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chill of Fear
3.5 Stars

I had put this series on the back burner for a while, but dusted it off for a challenge.

This installment focuses on an exclusive resort known only as The Lodge, which has a long history of unexplained disappearances and strange deaths. For several years, SCU agent Quentin Hayes has been investigating the unsolved murder of Missy Turner, who died at the hotel when they were children. Now, he joins forces with Diana Brisco, a medium with the rare ability to walk with the dead. Can the two stop the malevolent force stalking The Lodge before it strikes again?

To begin with, unlike some of the earlier SCU books, Chill of Fear is a paranormal mystery with some very minor (virtually non-existent) romance elements. Readers looking for romantic suspense will be disappointed.

The mystery itself is very good with strong overtones of Stephen King's It and Dean Koontz's Phantoms, but without the gruesome descriptions. It is relatively easy to figure out the culprit although the investigative process is engaging.

Despite some overly descriptive sections, the narrative flows and the characters are very appealing.

In sum, Chill of Fear is a solid addition to Hooper's series and I'm glad that I've returned to it.

[Eve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chill of Fear by Kay Hooper
Series: Bishop/Special Crimes Unit #8
The "Fear" Trilogy, #2
Mystery, Thriller & Suspense / Psychological Thrillers / Paranormal

FBI agent Quentin Hayes always knew he had an unusual talent, even before he was recruited by Noah Bishop for the controversial Special Crimes Unit. But, as gifted as he is, for more than twenty years he’s been haunted by a heartbreaking unsolved murder that took place at The Lodge, a secluded Victorian-era resort in Tennessee. Now he’s returned one final time, determined to put the mystery finally to rest.
Diana Brisco has come there hoping to unlock the mystery of her troubled past. Instead, she is assailed by nightmares and the vision of a child who was killed in The Lodge years ago. And an FBI agent is trying to convince her that she isn’t crazy but that she has a rare gift, a gift that could catch a killer.

I really enjoyed this story. I kept guessing and wondering what is going on and who was behind all those crimes and disappearances. I liked that there was no "romance" in the traditional sense, no long sex scenes to break the storyline. Because of this I found the romance between Quentin and Diana more satisfying: they could build a strong, true relationship, and you can feel how and why they fall in love. It was interesting to read the heroine acknowledging her psychic abilities and accepting them, so that she was finally ready to face her past, herself, and discover who she is.

I recommend this book to everyone who love spooky stories with twists and turns. This story was sad (ghosts of young children) but it didn't feel too depressing or hopeless.
Although Chill of Fear is part of the series (actually book #8), I think it can be read as standalone.

[Karen Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second in the Bishop/Special Crimes Unit Series by Kay Hooper. I really liked this one, but probably not as much as the first one.

This novel is based on another member of the SCU. You get to know Quentin who was introduced briefly in the first novel of the series, Hunting Fear.

The story line goes in a different direction from Hunting Fear. There's still the paranormal, but the crimes being investigated are weird. I don't want to divulge any more than that. It could spoil it for someone.

I like the new characters introduced in this novel. Hooper has a way of showing her character's personalities without beating the reader over the head with them. She doesn't just flat out describe them and give you snippets of background stories so you know why they do what they do, feel what they feel, and say what they say. I like getting to know people in books the same way I get to know people in life. I "hear" what they say, "see" what they do and from those things I learn what they're like.

The book was fairly fast-paced, like Hunting Fear. I did feel like things were wrapped up a little too neatly in the end. Like, "Oh, wait. I was going somewhere with this. Okay, I'll have one of the characters fill everybody in on how that happened." I don't like for things to get all wrapped up quickly and neatly just because the writer got to the number of pages required for their contract. That's how it felt a little. But, just a little.

So, basically a good read. I enjoyed it a lot and I'd recommend it to others. It even managed to be creepy at times.

[Rowena Hoseason · Rating 4 out of 5]

How has this series of 18 or 19 books stayed hidden from me for so long? It’s exactly up my street – a Special Crimes Unit of the FBI which is staffed by psychics, who investigate the oddest events across the USA. It deals with the matter of ‘enhanced senses’ in an entirely practical fashion – a matter of science to be discovered, not anything otherworldly.

The series is cleverly arranged in separate trilogies which focus on key characters from the SCU. I came in part-way through a trilogy with this book, but was so wrapped up in the scenario – a series of killings that span decades and directly affect one of the investigators – that it worked as a standalone. At times it veered a little bit too close to ‘romance’ and away from ‘thriller’, but the procedural aspects of the story were excellent. Enjoyable if fairly lightweight entertainment: I immediately bought three more in the series.
8/10

There are many more reviews of mystery / thrillers over at http://www.murdermayhemandmore.net

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read one other book by Kay Hooper and it was also 3 stars. I didn't love this one. I also didn't hate it. I liked the way this one started, but somewhere in the middle it started to drag a bit. Then again at the end, I was pulled back in. I liked Quentin. He was a solid character. Diana and the other characters were neatly packaged in. Sometimes I like that, and sometimes I don't. So 3 stars.

[Sheila Melo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tension, Romance and Psychic Murders

CHILL OF FEAR is one of the best of the Bishop/Special Crime Unit series. While I have complained about some of the previous entries because of the short shrift given to the romance in this series of paranormal romantic suspense books, this book is pretty darn good even though it ends with just the beginning of what might be termed the actual romance.

THE STORY: Special Agent Quentin Hayes has been obsessed with a murder that happened twenty-five years ago. He has returned to the scene of the crime, The Lodge, year and year searching for clues. Quentin is a seer, but that talent has not helped him solve the murder. When he returns to the Lodge this time, he meets Diana Brisco. Diana has been treated for mental illness for most of her life. What she doesn't know and Quentin immediately recognizes is that her "mental illness" is actually a psychic talent. Quentin realizes that he and Diana are at the Lodge at the same time for a reason and he struggles to help her accept her talent in order to have her help him solve the series of murders and disappearances that have taken place at the Lodge for a century.

OPINION: I loved this book. The plotting is intricate and complex and the characters are interesting and compelling. There is no "romance" in the traditional sense. The first kiss takes place at the very end of the book, but I found the romance between Quentin and Diana to be more satisfying than several of the previous novels in the series. The two build a strong, true relationship and Quentin purposely holds off on anything more because of the danger the two face. The novel is really about Diana discovering and acknowledging her psychic abilities and accepting them. I thoroughly enjoyed Diana facing herself and discovering who she truly is.

WORTH MENTIONING: There are a bunch of characters that made previous appearances in the series who make cameos. Beau Rafferty, the artist makes an important contribution.

FINAL DECISION: I loved this book and was one of the best at working out the psychic element as Diana struggles with accepting her talent.

CONNECTED BOOKS: CHILL OF FEAR is the eighth book in the Bishop/Special Crimes Unit series. It is also the second book in the Fear Trilogy that is internal to the series. I think, however, this book is truly a sequel to TOUCHING EVIL because many of the characters in that book make an appearance or are mentioned in this book, including Quentin. CHILL OF FEAR can be read completely on its own, however.

STAR RATING: I give this book a 4.5 because I was compelled to turn page after page and I was satisfied at the end of it.

[Darcia Helle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been a fan of Kay Hooper's writing since I picked up her first book many years ago. Chill of Fear has a little less action than some of her others but, for me, it was just as good. The story centers around Diana, a woman coming to terms with her ability as a medium. There's mystery, an emerging romance and, of course, the paranormal world of ghosts and extrasensory abilities.

This is part of the ongoing Bishop/Special Crimes Unit series, though it is also broken down into the separate 'Fear' series using specific characters. Chill of Fear could be read as a stand-alone, though I would suggest reading Hunting Fear, the first in this particular subseries.

[Kerry Stewart · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first book I've downloaded from my public library to Kindle....too cool

[Anita · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars


Haunted hotels with long histories and lots of secrets, paranormal murder mysteries with psychic FBI agents, and a woman who can see ghosts and walk with the dead...

Chill of Fear pretty much has Ani-bait written all over it… despite the fact that the summary doesn’t really do much justice for the depth of story that this book covers. Then again, having so much plot going on in the background as well as so much plot going on in the forefront only tends to make one a little confused. Even though all the side stories converged at the very end, I still felt like some things could have been left out.

But no matter, Chill of Fear was very enjoyable. And although there was a lot of tacky dialogue and a lot of convenient “fated to be” placements of events, I chose to go with the flow and enjoy the book.

Our characters were great, even if Diana was a bit stubborn and her stubbornness carried on for longer than I would have liked. The historical murder mysteries were interesting, the story progression was smooth, and the atmosphere DID manage to get a bit creepy at times. Unfortunately, there was a lot of “the Universe” in play for use as a deux ex machina throughout; even for a book surrounding a psychic with precognitive abilities and another psychic who can communicate with the dead, using “the Universe” as a means to explain all your answers can seem like a bit of a cop-out.

In contrast, however, I still DO enjoy the more “scientific” explanations that the Bishop/SCU world gives for the existence of psychic abilities--that all humans have the latent ability to be psychic, but that others are just more sensitive to the electromagnetic waves generated when we use our brains. This is disregarding the fact that some of the psychic abilities present (such as precognitive abilities) cannot seem to be accounted for by psychics being extra attuned to the electromagnetic pulses generated by other people as well as residual electric stimuli left from extreme emotions.

Because it doesn’t explain how you can see the future.

But whatevs. I still continue to enjoy these books.


Chill of Fear follows Quentin Hayes and Diana Brisco as each finds themselves at a place called The Lodge, a secluded, yet fancy little mountain resort, that has a long history of secrets as well as rumors of hauntings.

Quentin has been returning to The Lodge intermittently the past few years since he became law enforcement. Twenty-five years ago, a young girl had been murdered and there has never been any trace of the killer. For twenty-five years, Quentin has felt that it was his responsibility to bring justice to Missy’s death--he was the one who had found her body, he had unofficially adopted her as a little sister for that summer they’d met, and he blames himself for not listening to Missy when she tried to tell him that there was something at The Lodge that genuinely had her frightened for her life.

Diana Brisco has spent her entire life medicated for what society deems as abnormal mental health problems. Ever since the age of eleven, she has always been experiencing blackouts, seeing and hearing things that shouldn’t be there, and generally making all the people around her nervous with her restlessness. The only problem is that, despite having been conditioned to believe that she has an illness that needs to be fixed, Diana has always felt that she was normal and able to function properly as a normal human being.

At present, Diana is attending a painting therapy course at The Lodge. After her last doctor took her off of all her medications, she actually feels more in control of her life and wants to do what she can to keep from being heavily medicated ever again. And it is at The Lodge that she meets Quentin who recognizes her immediately, not as a person with an illness, but as a fellow psychic who just needs to realize her abilities and learn how to cope with them.

Diana is a medium, it turns out. And “the fates have aligned” at this present time to bring Diana and Quentin together at The Lodge to put to rest questions that have been plaguing their lives for the past many years: Diana’s psychic abilities and her connections to The Lodge, Quentin’s unending search for answers to Missy’s death as well as the deaths and disappearances of many other children that may be associated with The Lodge, and an evil presence that seems intent on remaining at The Lodge forever.


Final Thoughts: There is an awful lot going on in Chill of Fear that probably could have been left out or shortened. And on top of that, the twists and the conclusions relied very heavily upon “the Universe” and how “things must happen the way they happen” and other such reasons to do with fate and pre-ordained events. I’m not sure I know how to feel about that.

Chill of Fear had a lot of potential to blossom into an eerie, spine-tingling murder mystery and haunted hotel type of storyline, but everything hinged on the existence of an evil presence that was really only there in hindsight and as a background player and finally presents nearing the ending when all is said and done.

The creepiest parts of the book were random and were the fairly classic, “I think I see something in my peripheral, but it’s not there when I really look”, with lights turning off and whispers floating in the air, and even a thunderstorm to mess with a psychic’s electromagnetic waves.

Nonetheless, this book managed to keep me hooked and turning the pages to reach the conclusion. I enjoyed the book, I enjoyed the characters, and I still continue to enjoy the world of the Bishop/SCU series.

[Vicky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting.

[Jodi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read some of the other books in this series but not in any special order. These books are mind-candy and keep me turning the pages. I wanted to figure out how all of the pieces fit together!

[Toni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quentin Hayes always knew he was different, even as a child. Finally, after joining the FBI’s Special Crimes Unit he has a place where he feels he belongs. But, Quentin has another problem besides his psychic abilities. He experienced a horrible tragedy as a child, while staying at The Lodge. This hotel placed in the middle of nowhere Tennessee is quite known for its ability to hide secrets and indiscretions. Quentin has made it a lifelong obsession to solve the mystery of his childhood friend Missy’s brutal murder, and hopefully solve the other mysterious murders and disappearances connected to this place. Can his psychic abilities help him to speak to Missy from beyond the grave? Will Quentin find himself in the path of a horrible evil presence?

Diana Brisco has been in and out of therapy since she was eight years old. Doctors and medications have taken away years of her life, and made her believe she is crazy. No one can speak to the dead, or can they? On her latest doctor’s request, Diana retreats to The Lodge for a new kind of therapy, Artistic painting. Will it help, or is it another dead end? While staying at The Lodge, Diana’s nightmare’s increase, as well as her blackouts, which transport her to the gray time where ghosts walk freely. Will Quentin be able to help Diana realize her gift? Will he be able to convince her she is not crazy? Will Diana become strong enough to help Quentin discover the evil that has been plaguing The Lodge for the last one hundred years?

Chill of Fear is a bone chilling mystery. The act of being able to put this novel down was beyond my control. Kay Hooper grabs you from the very first page, and doesn’t let go till the very end. I have not had the privilege of reading Kay Hoopers other novels, but if this one is any indication I know she’ll grab my attention. Kudos to Ms. Hooper, and I anxiously await her next bone chilling read. I highly recommend this one to anyone interested in the paranormal, mysteries, or psychic phenomenon. Great Job!

[S.D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quentin Hayes and Noah Bishop are part of the FBI’s Special Crimes Unit. Members use there special “talents” to investigate the paranormal. Hayes keeps returning to an aging resort in Tennessee where a child died twenty-five years ago when he and his family were vacationing. Diana Brisco has been haunted by strange nightmares and visions most of her life so her doctor suggests she spend some time at this retreat drawing as a way to relax. Immediately things start happening. She draws a picture of Quentin whom she has never met. She sees people in period clothes. With everything that happens to her she tries to dismiss them. After all, people had told her she had mental problems like her mother which is why she had been medicated most of her life. Now drug free, she is still having nightmares and out of body experiences. Hayes helps her to face the fact that she isn’t crazy. She is a medium. She has a talent that the Special Crimes Unit can use. The ghost of a child leads her to his bones. This helps her to finally realize that maybe her father was wrong. Maybe she does have a talent. This is a creepy tale that moves along at a fast clip. The only thing missing was Diana’s father. She had called to tell him she knew nothing was wrong with her mentally, that she had found a photo with her and one of the ghosts which she now realizes was her sister. Her father tells her to stay put. He is headed to Tennessee to talk to her but there the author ends it. This loose end is never fully explained so the reader is not sure why the father kept the sister a secret, and if he had any involvement in anything that had transpired.

[Peggy Ferrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I bought this book 3 years ago I had placed it on my bookshelf with good intentions of reading it sooner. I am kicking myself now for taking so long. This book is about a Special Crime Unit of the FBI that is composed of psychics. These psychics solve crimes and fall in love and generally help each other to excel with their psychic abilities.

This book is about Quentin Hayes trying to solve a crime that he had the misfortune of witnessing as a child. One of his best friends is murdered and he happens to find her body. For 25 years he has worked hard looking for clues to her killer. Then finally a young woman named Diana Brisco, who also has psychic abilities, comes to The Lodge where the murder took place. While falling in love with Quentin she realizes her psychic abilities are not a sign of mental illness as her father has always told her.

There are many twists and turns. You have no idea who to believe. While Diana is walking between this world and the next she realizes many things about herself and her family. She is stronger than she ever believed possible. This is not a book that would win prizes but it is one to curl up with when you aren’t feeling too well and just want to be entertained.

I am definitely going to get the rest of the books in this series. It was a fun book.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best of the Bishop series, I've read so far.

[Alice Bash · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another Bishop Special Crimes Unit book. I love her books about psychics, both old characters and new. The story keeps you guessing right up to the end.

[Debra Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!!!!!

[Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Of all of the books in the series so far, this one has been my least favorite. While I appreciate when a lengthy series takes twists and turns to keep the story line alive and interesting, this one just felt way out of left field for me.

On the one hand, I really, really enjoyed getting to learn more about Quentin. Throughout the series, he has been one of the most hard-to-read characters and so one of the most intriguing. I really liked getting to know more about his back story in this book.

The story line going backwards to solve a mystery that has troubles on of the unit members' haunting hurts, though, is something that has come up in a couple of the previous books. It makes me wonder if that is what is going to happen in the next few, as well, and - if so - that isn't something that would be especially appealing to me.

Something that Kay Hooper has developed is such a variety of characters and psychic abilities. If the books start leaning too heavily towards resolving old conflicts for the Special Crimes Unit agents, then it starts to come across as though their abilities are tailor-made to resolve their own issues. Maybe that is something that will come up in the future, but I kind of hope not.

Ultimately, the plot of Chill of Fear is a good one, but quieter and a bit slower than many of the other books. It had me a bit less interested, and I started feeling reader's fatigue with the series. I am planning, as a result, to take a break from the series before resuming and reading the rest of the books.


Read this and more of my reviews at:
www.memoirsofabookwyrm.com

[Lizabeth Tucker · Rating 4 out of 5]

For twenty-five years people, mostly children, have disappeared at The Lodge, a few found murdered, others never found. FBI Special Agent Quentin Hayes has been searching for the answer for many years, sacrificing his vacation time to pour over police records in Leisure, Tennessee.

At long last a solution may be at hand. According to Bishop, it's time. All the necessary puzzle pieces are in place. Including Diana Brisco who believes she is mentally ill when she hears voices or sees things that aren't there. She's spent 22 years of her life heavily medicated, only recently being released from that fog. Quentin quickly realizes that she is a medium, but convincing her of that fact is another matter.

But he has to and quickly because he will need Diana's help to not only solve the mysteries surrounding the lodge, but to destroy the evil there.

I loved the alternate designation of "Spooky Crimes Unit" for Bishop's group. It started the story off with a bit of levity that is soon gone. This is an intense story, the humor at a minimum mostly due to the subject matter. The deaths of children at the hands of such evil could be a trigger for some readers, so aware.

Hooper has been exploring the strength of evil in many of these books, as well as the enormous strength it takes to defeat it. As usual, peripheral characters that I've come to like meet bad ends or aren't what they initially seem. I am a bit disappointed that we don't get to see the meeting with Diana's father. That man has a lot to answer for. 4.5 out of 5.

[Patricia (Irishcharmer) Yarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chilling! If you believe in the shadowy para normal -woo howdy are you gonna love this! I found this a bit spine tingling...And then,possibly,could be found to echo a true real story(but it's not!) ..And even believable!! Kay is a great story teller-right out of the gate!! Yes she builds up the meat of the story,but it doesn't crash to where you will lose interest and put it to the back burner and only pick it back up when you need something to read!(can't tell you how many times I have done that😁).. And when a new medium discovers she's new to the realm ,she has to learn how to channel her newfound ability and also to understand why the years were treated as if she was mentally unstable and filled with medications to keep her in a zombie like world..but she finds help with a well-placed "helper" to see her thru the adjustment while at the same time solving a recurring horrific murder spree!! Oh I think you'll enjoy this..oh you should also read "A Touch of Fear too by Kay.. You just may add her to your list of favorite authors..I did!!--P/

[Monique Ann-Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kay Hooper is one of favorite authors! This novel doesn’t fail to have strong female characters (not always leading, sometimes supporting roles) which is not often seen on many novels. In this one, Detective Quentin Hayes and Diana Brisco both wind up at The Lodge to come together (unintentionally) to solve an old case that happened over twenty years ago, only to uncover the history and (demons) will extend long past their lifetime. These two will have to rely on the help of the Special Crimes Unit (organized by Bishop, another detective, who built up his reputation and talent to solve very special, supernatural cases) that is lead by a team of gifted officers, usually psychics of various abilities. Bishop, often described as a cryptic psychic believes signposts will happen when they are meant to happen. Amidst reading the novel, you’ll see he brings Diana and Quentin together for a reason, how are they linked to Missy (a young girl who was murdered 25 years ago) and can she help put an end to the murders and mysteries of The Lodge? The secrets who worked so hard to keep quiet….

[Helen Plum · Rating 5 out of 5]

GA: Hooper immediately hooks the reader into her story with an introduction to a young girl, whose murder is an important motivation for one of the protagonists. Throughout her death's investigation, Hooper walks the line between fantasy and horror, with chilling experiences of psychics speaking to ghosts. The mystery doesn't stop there - throughout the novel, the protagonists all learn more about their past than they ever wanted to know, but they can't seem to stop themselves from investigating the murders at the Lodge, the hotel with dozens of suspicious murders and disappearances, even when their lives are in grave danger.

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[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anything by Kay Hooper is a terrific read. She will capture your attention on the first page and about the time you think you know what is going to happen she will throw in a twist that you won't see coming. I started reading Kay's books right after she started being published. She is still my favorite author. I've read all of her books and have never been disappointed in anything that I've read. There is some mild language, almost all of her books have a touch of the paranormal/esp and a special team with the FBI that will keep you in suspense. Kay's books are more on suspense than romance (at least in several years-don't despair, she does have some romance and wonderful, memorable characters you will love.

[VEL · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whispers of psychic visions, a past tangled in secrets, a love that defies eras, and murders that chill to the bone. This book threw me down a rabbit hole I didn't want to escape. The author masterfully wove together historical details, entwining these with the present and the murders weren't just crimes; they were puzzles wrapped in riddles, each clue a breadcrumb leading deeper into the story's labyrinth. The romance wasn't a simple fairytale; it was a slow burn, a connection that transcended time and tested the limits of fate. I devoured this book in one sitting, completely lost in its captivating world. Do you believe in psychic abilities? This book will make you question everything."

[Wendy Olson · Rating 5 out of 5]

SPOILERS,! A special FBI crime unit that deals with the psychic. Quintin is the fbi agent that keeps returning to The Lodge because 25 years ago, a young g friend of his, Missy, was murdered. This particular summer, Diane came but as a patient per se. Her father thought her crazy bit ends up she is a very strong psychic. Quinton helped her realize her potential and saw dead spirits but an everlasting spirit was coming to try to use her to stay “real”. The evil had been killing g for years. Nutshell, th two good guys win the day. The old housekeeper was the last one possessed by this evil spirit and they end up banishing it forever.

[Omaira · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Un hotel que esconde muchos secretos, crímenes sin resolver y unos protagonistas con poderes paranormales son los elementos que dan forma a esta historia que entretiene y que mejora a medida que avanza. Las primeras y las últimas páginas son las que le hacen perder puntos al libro".

Reseña completa: http://entrelalecturayelcine.blogspot...

Si pudiera, le daría un 3,5/5, pero es que darle un 4 me parece demasiado porque creo que no se le sacó el suficiente provecho a algunos detalles de la trama

[Tameka · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know how I would feel if I spent most of my life being told I am crazy only to find out that my father was lying to me regardless of the cause. Instead of showing compassion he would be such a cold hearted butthead.
This definately took to a book of strange. The fact that they both were tied to this one single location where all the pieces came together to solve more than one more murder over the centuries.

I do feel cheated only because we never really got an explanation from the father although we got from the demon.