Possessed

Cassandra Allen sees dead people. Or, more accurately, she hears their voices. Her friend and law enforcement officer, Doug Brody, calls her upon her skills to see if Malcolm McDonough viciously killed his sister. Malcolm instantly suspects Cass is a fraud, but she may be his only link to finding the killer. After all, something horrible is now invading Cass's dreams and thoughts... a monster unlike any she has ever seen. What an absolute thriller! Stephanie Doyle took the plot of POSSESSED in such unexpected ways that simply left me breathless. The Silhouette Bombshell line really excelled at producing books with unpredictable twists and turns and POSSESSED is perhaps one of the best books published in that line. The relationship between Malcolm and Cass is an interesting one. Initially, Malcolm has nothing but scorn for Cass but this quickly changes as her powers manifest. Cass has kept herself distant from others and even her apartment is practically bare. I really liked the inclusion of the cats, Spook and Nosey, as they helped provide some warmth to Cass. POSSESSED is a fantastic paranormal story. In fact, POSSESSED is perhaps the best story involving ghosts that I have ever read. The monster was just flat out eerie! Stephanie Doyle has created a real gem with POSSESSED. COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES

Initially when Cassandra Allen offered her paranormal skills to help the Philadelphia area police solve murder cases, they laughed at her, writing her off as a lunatic. When she proved accurate, the police, especially Center City Philadelphia Detective Doug "don't call me Doggie" Brody, began to use her as a consultant. However, this time when the cops ask for her assistance on a serial murder investigation, she is stunned as the culprit does not seem from this earth, but from beyond. Malcolm McDonough has tried everything to insure this killer, who murdered his twenty years old sister faces justice, but neither the police nor he finds any clues. Instead the cops tell him to see if Cassandra will help him though he is skeptical that she can talk to the dead. He changes his mind about her gift when she tells him things about his sibling that no one but his sister knew. As she learns more about the serial killer, she realizes she is dealing with a monster like nothing she has ever encountered before. POSSESSED is a thrilling paranormal serial killer romance starring an interesting female protagonist and the skeptic who needs her skills to catch a murderer. Cass' chats with ghosts while Malcolm watches and thinks initially she is crazy until she quotes from his sis. These are fascinating to follow and in turn make the male lead pale in comparison as he seems so mundane next to someone who communicates with the dead. Readers will enjoy this blending of fantasy, mystery, some horror, and romance into a solid thriller. Harriet Klausner