The Unholy by Heather Graham Series: Krewe of Hunters #6
Published by Harlequin MIRA on June 26, 2012
Genres: Paranormal romantic suspense
Pages: 366
Format: Kindle or ebook
Source: the library
Purchase: Amazon | Bookshop | Barnes & Noble | Audible
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Also in this series: Phantom Evil, The Hidden, Heart of Evil, Haunted Destiny, Deadly Fate, Darkest Journey, Dying Breath, Echoes of Evil, The Summoning, The Seekers, The Dead Heat of Summer, The Unforgiven, The Forbidden
Also by this author: Phantom Evil, The Hidden, Flawless, Heart of Evil, Haunted Destiny, Deadly Fate, Darkest Journey, A Perfect Obsession, Dying Breath, Echoes of Evil, The Summoning, The Seekers, The Dead Heat of Summer, The Unforgiven, The Forbidden
The 1940s: Hard-boiled detectives and femmes fatale are box-office gold. In one iconic scene, set in a deserted museum, the private eye arrives too late, and the buxom beauty is throttled by an ominous Egyptian priest.
Now: The Black Box Cinema immortalizes Hollywood's Golden Age in its gallery of film noir tributes. But the mannequin of that Egyptian priest is hardly lifeless. He walks — and a young starlet dies a terrifying death. Movie mogul Eddie Archer's son Alistair is charged with the grisly murder. Eddie calls agent Sean Cameron, who specializes in irregular investigations. As part of an FBI paranormal forensics team, Cameron knows that nightmares aren't limited to the silver screen. Working with special-effects artist Madison Darvil, who has her own otherworldly gifts, Cameron delves into the malevolent force animating more than one movie monster.
Review
The Unholy is the sixth book in Heather Graham’s Krewe of Hunters series, and the second to feature the second Krewe (or team) of agents. Like all the books in this series, it focuses on the relationship of two main characters as they solve a mystery that may have paranormal elements… and as usual, they are aided by one or more helpful ghosts.
In this particular novel, the romantic pairing works pretty well. Sean and Madison are well matched, and they have good chemistry together. The Hollywood special-effects studio, its basement film-noir museum, and the adjacent cemetery contribute to a slightly creepy atmosphere, while the collegiality of the Krewe and of Madison’s studio coworkers and the grief and worry of studio owner Eddy Archer keep things grounded in the real world. And I love the ghost of a certain Hollywood star!
It’s interesting to see this Krewe, which was put together in the last book (The Unseen), continuing to jell as they interact in a completely new setting. Sean is the only one with extensive experience in LA; they have been called in precisely because of his friendship with Eddie, his former employer and mentor. Unfortunately for my overall rating, some elements of the plot, including the killer’s logic (even allowing for mental imbalance), really didn’t hold together. And as any fan of locked-room mysteries will realize, the Krewe should have paid more attention to the killer from the beginning.
That said, these books are fun, and I can go through them like candy despite their flaws. I’m a wimp when it comes to graphic gore or spending much time inside a sick and twisted killer’s head, but with a few exceptions, this series usually entertains me for a few hours without creeping me out. So if you like ghost stories and romantic suspense, but avoid dark psychological thrillers and scary horror novels, the Krewe of Hunters series is worth checking out. And no, you don’t have to read them in order; each one can usually stand alone despite the links between them.
About Heather Graham
NY Times 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 has been published in approximately twenty languages, and her books have won awards from Georgia Romance Writers, Affaire de Coeur, and Romantic Times, as well as major bookstore chains.
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.
Heather is also published as Heather Graham Pozzessere and Shannon Drake.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- Library Love Challenge 2019
- The Backlist Reader Challenge 2019
Katherine @ I Wish I Lived in a Library
I’m very slowly working my way up from the beginning and also reading the new ones so I’m hoping at some point I’ll meet in the middle. This does sound like a fun read though they frequently should pay more attention to certain suspects. One would think they’d learn! Luckily I never mind because I usually enjoy them so much.
Lark_Bookwyrm
That’s basically what I did — started mid-series, and continued reading them while going back for the older ones. I’m all caught up now!
Anne - Books of My Heart
Gah! This is where I am at in the series. I have it loaded up from the library and hope I get to it soon.
Anne – Books of My Heart recently posted…Audio: A Fatal Accusation by Marie Force
Lark_Bookwyrm
You’ve got some good ones coming up, then! Enjoy.