Arousing Suspicions

This was my first book by this author and I was pleasantly surprised. Basically the story revolves around dream psychic Tabitha March and Inspector Nate Darling. Tabitha has a client who has been having violent dreams of murdering random people. After a woman is killed and the whole scenario fits the dream exactly she goes to the skeptical Inspector Darling to give information. The chemistry between the two are great and Tabitha is a funny spunky character who doesn't let Nate get away with anything. We are also introduced to Ethan Darling, Nate's older bitter brother which I'm assuming the author is setting up as book two. I liked the plot of the book and the mystery the characters are trying solve before Tabitha becomes the killers last victim. Good book I recommend it!

I love the humor in Ms. Stillings' books. Highly recommend it.

Tabitha March is a psychic dream interpreter. Nate Darling is a detective. He is meeting with Tabitha undercover to investigate a complaint from one of Tabitha's former clients. When Tabitha sees Nate, she is immediately disturbed because she had dreamt that a man who looks just like Nate attacked her. After touching him, Tabitha is bombarded with images of death, pain, unfamiliar people and sex between her and Nate. When Tabitha approaches Nate with information about a murder that her client has dreamt of, Nate scoffs at first, but then evidence sends him reluctantly back to her. Soon, Nate and Tabitha are working together, but Nate is still hesitant because he doesn't believe in Tabitha's abilities. This doesn't stop him from falling for her though. Now, there's a murderer on the loose, a mystery to solve, and a beautiful psychic falling for a disbelieving detective. I loved Nate and Tabitha in Arousing Suspicions. Nate is a very magnetic character and I missed him when he wasn't in a scene. Tabitha is a sweetheart. She's pretty and smart and was the perfect woman to rock Nate's logical, by-the-book world. Arousing Suspicions is intriguing with dream interpretation, suspenseful with a building mystery and sensual with the sizzling sexual tension and passionate loving between Nate and Tabitha. I'm looking forward to reading more from Marianne Stillings. Nannette Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

In San Francisco respected business man Ed Figueroa complains to authorities that psychic dream interpreter Tabitha March is a con artist and solicitor. SFPD Inspector Nate Darling pretends to be her new client Nathan Damon. When they first meet both are stunned by the immediate attraction. When Nate tries his scam, Tabitha sees through his ruse and gives him insight into his life with his dad in Olympia while his two siblings lived with his divorced mom in San Francisco. After some miscommunication over her professional services to provide legal transcription not sex, he leaves. Another new client Jack Griffin describes scenes of a murder in his dreams, which she "witnesses". Afterward Tabitha informs Nate what she saw in Jack's dreams; the hard evidence sleuth remains a skeptic insisting she don't know Jack until she offers him details that only the killer or an associate would know besides the cops. As she slowly wins him over that she is the real deal especially when she "sees" his last dream, they and his partner try to capture a serial killer, whom Nate assumes is Jack and Tabby thinks otherwise. Meanwhile Nate falls fall in love with Tabby, who recognized him from his first visit as a client as her soulmate. AROUSING SUSPICIONS is a fine paranormal romantic police procedural starring the skeptic and the psychic. Though the theme has been used many times over especially of late, Marianne Stillings writes a brisk entertaining story line filled with wonderful twists that involve Jack's dreams. Fans will appreciate this delightful tale as Nate turns from "I'm Not in Love" skeptic to "I'm a Believer". Harriet Klausner

I wanted to LOVE this book as much as I love the other Marianne Stillings books. But, instead I just liked it. Her trademark laugh-out-loud humor was missing. In its place were a few sarcastic comments or dialog that only brought a grin or small chuckle. The story premise was a good one but it was easy to figure out who the culprit was early on. I didn't get a good feel for the characters' personalities until about 2/3 into the story. (Nate's being angry and insulting to Tabitha one moment and in love with her the next seemed jarring and was difficult to like). This is when the book picked up and seemed more cohesive. It wasnt' until this point that I felt an interest in learning more about the Darling family and especially Nate's brother, Ethan. The romance was ok, but felt rushed. Not Stillings' best, but worth reading. I love her writing and will continue to buy her books the minute they come out.