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Deja Vu
One night, she felt the gifted hands of a handsome lover ignite her body into the throes of ecstasy. Another night, she beheld a gleaming knife and heard screams for help. That was all Alaina Paulsen remembered from her past life and the reason she now investigated FBI serial murders…including her own.
Reclusive writer Trent Baines was her prime suspect. An empath barricaded in a fortresslike home, Trent included details in his books that mirrored the murders…and that no one could possibly know. But one look at Trent, and Alaina recalled their passionate embraces. Then the murders began anew….
Reclusive writer Trent Baines was her prime suspect. An empath barricaded in a fortresslike home, Trent included details in his books that mirrored the murders…and that no one could possibly know. But one look at Trent, and Alaina recalled their passionate embraces. Then the murders began anew….
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 24, 2011
5 people are currently reading
188 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Childs
409 books989 followersBorn one dark and stormy Halloween night, Lisa Childs was predestined to write suspense novels. She loves spinning dark and twisty stories that keep readers awake because they’re either too busy turning pages or too scared to sleep. Lisa Childs is the prolific author of more than seventy published novels. In addition to romantic suspense, she also writes women’s fiction, paranormal and contemporary romance.
Lisa loves to hear from readers who can contact her on Facebook or through her website.
Lisa loves to hear from readers who can contact her on Facebook or through her website.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
September 11, 2021
Interesting and captivating Harlequin Nocturne about a couple (FBI Agent Alaina Paulsen and writer Trent Baines) who have been reincarnated as lovers throughout the years, but a murderer (who has also been reincarnated and obsessed with Alaina) keeps getting in the way.
This was a very fast and easy-to-read paranormal mystery. I liked Trent, who was sexy and mysterious. He was also an empath. He experienced the emotions of others. He also felt the murderer’s feelings and the victims’ feelings, which was taking its toll on him, so he lived far away in his own fortress-like home. Then he and Alaina met in this life and knew it was time to be together, and for them to try to catch the murderer. (Who, throughout the years loved Alaina, but she loved Trent, so the angry villain, knowing he would never win her love or her heart, would cut Alaina’s heart out so he would have it.) I also liked Alaina, who was a good heroine.
An entertaining story by Lisa Childs.
This was a very fast and easy-to-read paranormal mystery. I liked Trent, who was sexy and mysterious. He was also an empath. He experienced the emotions of others. He also felt the murderer’s feelings and the victims’ feelings, which was taking its toll on him, so he lived far away in his own fortress-like home. Then he and Alaina met in this life and knew it was time to be together, and for them to try to catch the murderer. (Who, throughout the years loved Alaina, but she loved Trent, so the angry villain, knowing he would never win her love or her heart, would cut Alaina’s heart out so he would have it.) I also liked Alaina, who was a good heroine.
An entertaining story by Lisa Childs.
June 2, 2011
Thirty years ago, a serial killer was preying on young, red-haired women around Detroit. The case was never solved, and the detective in charge of the investigation disappeared along with his wife. FBI agent Alaina Paulsen has been assigned to the cold case, and the latest suspect is horror writer Trent Baines. Trent's Thief of Hearts series is an exact duplicate of the murders committed decades ago, even specific details that were never released to the public. But at 29 years old, he couldn't possibly be the killer.
Could Trent Baines have been the killer in a past life? Alaina has experienced a sense of deja vu many times over the years. She believes certain memories and the scar she was born with were carried over from her former life. Alaina's gut reaction is that she and Trent were somehow connected when they lived as other people. But how? Was she one of his victims? How else could he know the classified details of a 30-year old cold case?
It's refreshing to find an author who takes a different approach to paranormal romance. In DEJA VU, there are no vampires, demons or shifters. Instead, Lisa Childs uses reincarnation as the paranormal element. This was a clever story about people from a past life being brought together again to solve the mystery of the Thief of Hearts. It was fun trying to figure out who was now occupying who's body. Deja vu is an eerie experience, and I enjoyed it being used in this story. I especially liked how Trent's fiction copied the secret details of the old cold case.
As much as I loved the premise of DEJA VU, I was not able to connect with the characters liked I'd hoped. At the end, I still didn't feel like I *knew* them, and I was left with some unanswered questions. For example, in this life Trent was an empath who kept himself secluded from society because he couldn't handle the painful emotions of others. This is a significant ability to have, but not a lot of detail was given about how and why he was an empath in this life. This certainly works as a stand alone story, but I'm wondering if the author will go further with these characters in future books.
DEJA VU was an enjoyable and unique combination of paranormal romance and suspense. I'd recommed it to romance fans looking for something a little different.
Could Trent Baines have been the killer in a past life? Alaina has experienced a sense of deja vu many times over the years. She believes certain memories and the scar she was born with were carried over from her former life. Alaina's gut reaction is that she and Trent were somehow connected when they lived as other people. But how? Was she one of his victims? How else could he know the classified details of a 30-year old cold case?
It's refreshing to find an author who takes a different approach to paranormal romance. In DEJA VU, there are no vampires, demons or shifters. Instead, Lisa Childs uses reincarnation as the paranormal element. This was a clever story about people from a past life being brought together again to solve the mystery of the Thief of Hearts. It was fun trying to figure out who was now occupying who's body. Deja vu is an eerie experience, and I enjoyed it being used in this story. I especially liked how Trent's fiction copied the secret details of the old cold case.
As much as I loved the premise of DEJA VU, I was not able to connect with the characters liked I'd hoped. At the end, I still didn't feel like I *knew* them, and I was left with some unanswered questions. For example, in this life Trent was an empath who kept himself secluded from society because he couldn't handle the painful emotions of others. This is a significant ability to have, but not a lot of detail was given about how and why he was an empath in this life. This certainly works as a stand alone story, but I'm wondering if the author will go further with these characters in future books.
DEJA VU was an enjoyable and unique combination of paranormal romance and suspense. I'd recommed it to romance fans looking for something a little different.
August 5, 2011
A wonderful story of reincarnation, mystery, and suspense.
Agent Alaina Paulsen remembers being brutally murdered in her past live. With images of her being killed by the man she cheated on her husband with, she's spent her entire career looking for her murderer. With her new partner, Vonner, she sets her sights and suspicions on horror writer, Trent Baines, whose Best-Selling series describes details of real murders no civilian should know.
Although at first Trent isn't aware that the images that he's been writing in his books were real, nor did he know he had a past life, he knew the minute Alaina stepped foot on his secluded fortress that they had a connection.
When the murders start up again after 30 years, Alaina is sure and soon convinces Trent that he's apart of her past. What they don't know is if he was the husband or the killer.
On top of that, Vonner begins to get suspicious of the two of them together and soon her career with the FBI is over, but not her search.
Just as they realize who Trent was the husband and who wasn't the killer, the real killer has already grabbed Alaina and taken her to the barn on Trent's property where their deaths took place in their last lifetime.
But this time Trent isn't going to lose the love of his life and with some help is able to save them all before its too late. While they both discover the son they lost so many years ago.
* At first I thought the killer was so obviously portrayed that I was shocked when it wasn't him. Then I went on to my suspect number two, and when that didn't pan out, I was lost. When the killer was relieved, I liked how you wouldn't have thought of him at first, but I also wouldn't have thought he would have been able to hide who he was for as long as he did.
I really loved the love between Trent and Alaina. It's sometimes nice to think that you never lose the one you love.
Agent Alaina Paulsen remembers being brutally murdered in her past live. With images of her being killed by the man she cheated on her husband with, she's spent her entire career looking for her murderer. With her new partner, Vonner, she sets her sights and suspicions on horror writer, Trent Baines, whose Best-Selling series describes details of real murders no civilian should know.
Although at first Trent isn't aware that the images that he's been writing in his books were real, nor did he know he had a past life, he knew the minute Alaina stepped foot on his secluded fortress that they had a connection.
When the murders start up again after 30 years, Alaina is sure and soon convinces Trent that he's apart of her past. What they don't know is if he was the husband or the killer.
On top of that, Vonner begins to get suspicious of the two of them together and soon her career with the FBI is over, but not her search.
Just as they realize who Trent was the husband and who wasn't the killer, the real killer has already grabbed Alaina and taken her to the barn on Trent's property where their deaths took place in their last lifetime.
But this time Trent isn't going to lose the love of his life and with some help is able to save them all before its too late. While they both discover the son they lost so many years ago.
* At first I thought the killer was so obviously portrayed that I was shocked when it wasn't him. Then I went on to my suspect number two, and when that didn't pan out, I was lost. When the killer was relieved, I liked how you wouldn't have thought of him at first, but I also wouldn't have thought he would have been able to hide who he was for as long as he did.
I really loved the love between Trent and Alaina. It's sometimes nice to think that you never lose the one you love.
June 15, 2011
One night, she felt the erotic touch of a handsome lover ignite her body into throes of passion and ecstasy. On another night, she saw a gleaming knife and heard terrified screams for help. That was all Alaina Paulsen remembered from her past life and the reason she became and FBI agent--so that she could investigate serial murders that included her own.
Recluse Trent Baines was an accomplished writer and her prime suspect. An empathy barricaded in a fortress of a home, Trent included details in his books that mirrored the murders--details that no one else could possibly know except the killer. But one look at Trent, and Alaina recalled their passionate embraces. And before long, the murders began all over again.
This is a wonderful and stunning tale of past lives and Lisa Childs takes her readers along for a wild ride of passion and murder. Excellent!
Recluse Trent Baines was an accomplished writer and her prime suspect. An empathy barricaded in a fortress of a home, Trent included details in his books that mirrored the murders--details that no one else could possibly know except the killer. But one look at Trent, and Alaina recalled their passionate embraces. And before long, the murders began all over again.
This is a wonderful and stunning tale of past lives and Lisa Childs takes her readers along for a wild ride of passion and murder. Excellent!
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December 24, 2014"Nice book with a fairly unique storyline. I loved how the old blended pretty seamlessly into the present. The mystery from both times was interesting and I never did figure out who the actual bad guy was until the hero figured it out himself. As the author really kept it cloaked well you kept guessing until the end." From a review posted by a Harlequin.com member, to read more go here.
March 5, 2018
NCT #114 = 3.5 stars
March 7, 2013
Setting: Trent’s secluded castle; FBI office; Alaina’s apartment; murder crime scenes;
Theme: past life resolution in next life; love;
Characters:
Trent Baines previous life Detective Elijah Kooiyer: Kooiyer passionately in love with his wife, but started to put the job first and neglect family – could not see the evil in his friend; in this life, Trent is empathetic, feels the emotions of those around him; drawn to Benjamin’s old house because it keeps him away from people and the pull of their emotions; starts to have visions of murders, and begins to write about them, making him a successful author; the serial murderer in his books is called the Thief of Hearts, because he cuts the heart out of each victim;
Agent Alaina Paulsen previous life Audra Kooiyer: Audra passionately in love with her husband, they have a 3 year old son, and when her husband neglects them, she turns to his friend’s seduction; born with a scar over her heart, and snippets of visions of fantastic sex… or being murdered; became an FBI agent, primarily motivated by wanting to solve the mystery of her own death – and is in cold cases, and is compiling a list of women with the same MO as her own murder; becomes aware of Trent’s books that have the details withheld from the public, and decides to interview Trent… and then ther is a new murder with the same MO.
Vonner born Benjamin Kooiyer: Benjamin is their son, who lived in an orphanage set in a church from age 3 – 13 – then adopted and took a new name – he seems to have gotten some sort of super powers, because not hurt at end of book when shot; as vonner, is assigned as Paulsen’s partner;
Dietrich previous life Benjamin Lee: Benjamin first to meet Audra, but she married his friend Kooiyer; a newspaper report; angry that Audra does not love him, so he kidnaps women who look like her, has sex with them, chokes them, allows them to wake up and then cuts out their heart while they watch; he ends with killing Audra, telling her that since she will not him her heart, he will take it; as Dietrich, he is Trent’s assistant/body guard; when joins him at the castle (his former home), he also starts to remember his life as a murderer; when fbi agent Alaina calls to meet Trent, he knows she is the one… and he begins to murder other women, in anticipation of getting her again.
Summary:
A bit too much angst for me as they try to solve who the murderer is – what really happened in their previous life, Trent wondering if he’s the murderer, or if he’s the ineffective Detective – telling himself to keep away from Alaina… Alaina just knows the passion she feels for Trent is unique, and cannot be denied – though has moments of fear also not knowing if he is the murderer.
It takes a few more murders, Alaina hosting a blog of others that have memories - and inadvertently leads Dietrich to the others he murdered in their previous life, and he murders them again… and Dietrich takes Alaina to the castle (telling her Trent is there) and to the barn where he killed her the first time… and Trent and Vonner come to the rescue (Vonner taking a bullet without anything happening to him)…and where first time around Benjamin and Elijah killed each other in the barn; Trent shoots Dietrich in the leg, and allows Vonner to arrest him.
Theme: past life resolution in next life; love;
Characters:
Trent Baines previous life Detective Elijah Kooiyer: Kooiyer passionately in love with his wife, but started to put the job first and neglect family – could not see the evil in his friend; in this life, Trent is empathetic, feels the emotions of those around him; drawn to Benjamin’s old house because it keeps him away from people and the pull of their emotions; starts to have visions of murders, and begins to write about them, making him a successful author; the serial murderer in his books is called the Thief of Hearts, because he cuts the heart out of each victim;
Agent Alaina Paulsen previous life Audra Kooiyer: Audra passionately in love with her husband, they have a 3 year old son, and when her husband neglects them, she turns to his friend’s seduction; born with a scar over her heart, and snippets of visions of fantastic sex… or being murdered; became an FBI agent, primarily motivated by wanting to solve the mystery of her own death – and is in cold cases, and is compiling a list of women with the same MO as her own murder; becomes aware of Trent’s books that have the details withheld from the public, and decides to interview Trent… and then ther is a new murder with the same MO.
Vonner born Benjamin Kooiyer: Benjamin is their son, who lived in an orphanage set in a church from age 3 – 13 – then adopted and took a new name – he seems to have gotten some sort of super powers, because not hurt at end of book when shot; as vonner, is assigned as Paulsen’s partner;
Dietrich previous life Benjamin Lee: Benjamin first to meet Audra, but she married his friend Kooiyer; a newspaper report; angry that Audra does not love him, so he kidnaps women who look like her, has sex with them, chokes them, allows them to wake up and then cuts out their heart while they watch; he ends with killing Audra, telling her that since she will not him her heart, he will take it; as Dietrich, he is Trent’s assistant/body guard; when joins him at the castle (his former home), he also starts to remember his life as a murderer; when fbi agent Alaina calls to meet Trent, he knows she is the one… and he begins to murder other women, in anticipation of getting her again.
Summary:
A bit too much angst for me as they try to solve who the murderer is – what really happened in their previous life, Trent wondering if he’s the murderer, or if he’s the ineffective Detective – telling himself to keep away from Alaina… Alaina just knows the passion she feels for Trent is unique, and cannot be denied – though has moments of fear also not knowing if he is the murderer.
It takes a few more murders, Alaina hosting a blog of others that have memories - and inadvertently leads Dietrich to the others he murdered in their previous life, and he murders them again… and Dietrich takes Alaina to the castle (telling her Trent is there) and to the barn where he killed her the first time… and Trent and Vonner come to the rescue (Vonner taking a bullet without anything happening to him)…and where first time around Benjamin and Elijah killed each other in the barn; Trent shoots Dietrich in the leg, and allows Vonner to arrest him.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 18, 2011
I enjoyed this bk it was a page turner...Trent and Alaina's attraction was palpable. I loved the twist to the murder mystery Childs set that up very well! In the bk Trent is a famous author of murder mysteries. His bk murders start to happen n real life and can also b linked to a murder of serial kills that happened 30 yrs ago. When details of the kills are known that were not previously known to the public Trent comes under target by FBI agent Alaina and when they meet sparks fly. It's a short read but a goody!!
June 2, 2011
Read this book fo construct a review for the company. Will see what happens.
October 27, 2011
I had a hard time getting started in this book...but once I did I enjoyed it.
November 5, 2012
Fantastic book, I enjoyed reading Deja Vu, the characters felt real, and the ending had a good twist at the end! I would highly recommend this book and the author!
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October 21, 2012The person who wrote the blurb should've written the entire book.
March 12, 2014
I was going through my bookshelf and trying to make more space for books when I stumbled upon this one. It's been awhile since I've read it but even so I remember shockingly little about it.
July 7, 2011
Good book to read when it is too hot outside. Lots guessing on who done it.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews