Phantom Evil (Krewe of Hunters, #1)

by Heather Graham

A secret government unit is formed under the oversight of Adam Harrison, famed paranormal investigator. The six members he's gathered know a little of the otherworldly--each has honed a psychic talent of their own.

Jackson Crow, part English, part Cheyenne, heads the group. Haunted by his experience with an ancestral ghost who saved his life as a child, and the recent murders of two previous teammates, Jackson can't tell if Adam's demoted him or given him an extraordinary opportunity. Despite his link to the realm of spirits, he's well aware that the living commit the most heinous crimes, with spiritualist charlatans existing merely to fool and seduce the unwary.

To counterbalance Jackson's careful skepticism, Adam Harrison has paired him with Angela Hawkins, a young woman who learned the painful lesson of loss at an early age. A police officer utilizing her paranormal intuition in Virginia, she already has her hands full. But Adam's call to New Orleans is strong.

The case: In a historic mansion in New Orleans's French Quarter, a senator's wife falls to her death from a balcony. Most think she jumped, distraught over the loss of her young son. Some say she was pushed. And yet others believe she was beckoned by the ghostly spirits that inhabit the house--once the site of a serial killer's grisly work.

Whether supernatural or all too human, crimes of passion, greed and desire will cast the pair into danger of losing their lives...and their immortal souls.

• ISBN10: 1460804082
• ISBN13: 9781460804087
• Publish Date: 1 January 2012 (first published 1 January 2011)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: AU
• Imprint: Harlequin
• Format: eBook (EPUB)
• Pages: 372
• Language: English

Reviews

[Eve1972]

This one was a pretty good read for me. The mystery part was basically 4 stars, it kept me guessing until the end. It's the romance that really knocked it down a star, it just wasn't very interesting. I didn't feel a romantic connection between them, and the actual sex scenes were boring. Of course this wasn't meant to be erotica.

Overall though I did enjoy it, and will probably continue on with the series! :)

[Stephanie]

This review was originally posted on Once Upon a Chapter



I love a good ghost story. Ghosts are probably my favorite paranormal element. I've had Phantom Evil by Heather Graham in Mt. Read Me forever. I had been organizing my ebook collection one morning and decided I was going to give it a go.

Phantom Evil is a combination of all the things I love. It was fun and spooky. I really enjoyed the entire Krewe of Hunters. Each of them brought something to the table. The best part is that they are so varied. This is the first book in the series so there was a lot of information to sift through. It was never overwhelming though. Graham did a great job doling out all the new information.

Then there is this awesome ghost story surrounding the old New Orleans house the Krewe is investigating. A truly bad serial killer purchased the house shortly after the Civil War and used it as his playground. I really enjoyed the parts where the Krewe could see the paranormal activity.

The only thing keeping this from a 5 star read is the romance. Jackson and Angela are great and they are great together. The problem was me. I was way more invested in the ghost story/mystery aspect and the romance was secondary for me.

The romance may not have done it for me in Phantom Evil but everything else was awesome! I am glad that the second book has also been in Mt. Read Me for awhile. I can't wait to continue this series!

[Amanda]

Original review: http://onabookbender.com/2012/08/25/review-phantom-evil-by-heather-graham/

3.5

I think what I liked most about Phantom Evil is that it is a mystery that completely straddles the line between normal and paranormal. The paranormal in this sense is otherworldly presences, or ghosts. Phantom Evil skirts the edge of what evil is and who can accomplish what. Can lingering evil spirits cause the death of a living person? Or is evil doing strictly a human thing? What I have always found chilling and eerie is that if you’re haunted by a ghost, how do you get rid of it? It’s not a tangible thing. At least with a person, you can lock them up. With ghosts and spirits, you lose the control aspect.

The mystery Heather Graham has set up here is one that seems relatively straightforward. But it’s one that with enough loose ends that once the crew (krewe?) begins pulling on these ends, everything begins to unravel. Beyond the mystery of what really happened to the senator’s wife, there is also some exploration into and mystery surrounding the house and its murderous past. The house, its past, and what happened with senator’s wife are all linked, but perhaps not in the way one might expect. I liked that.

There was also a romantic element to Phantom Evil. Though it is not a slow romance by any means, it is not an all-consuming one, either, which leaves the developing relationship between Jackson and Angela seem sweet and natural. And, of course, a six member team clearly leave room for more romantic pairings in future books. I can’t say that the romance was my favorite part about the book, but I did like the characters and look forward to seeing more.

[kimbacaffeinate]

loved the first in this trilogy. I am looking forward to reading more about this team.