This is my first time reading Lisa Kessler, and it made me eager to read more of her work. Lure of Obsession is the first book in the Muse Chronicles and I consider it a great start to the series.What the story is aboutLure of Obsession tells the story of Melanie Jacoby and Detective Nate Malone. Melanie a high school English teacher is the reborn muse of tragic poetry. She sees the tragic side of things, but the one tragedy she was not prepared for was finding her roommate and fellow Muse dead. She knows her friend was murdered, but she is unable to convince the detectives in charge of the investigation, as the evidence points to an accidental death.Detective Nate Morgan is convinced that the death was accidental, but then he had visions, which led him to believe the death of Melanie’s friend was no accident. Now, not only does he have to solve a murder, he has to protect Mel who is the killer’s next target.The StoryThe story began on a sad but intense note. From that moment, the story pulled me in and I had a hard time putting it down. The theme of inspiration was well presented throughout the story. The idea of the rebirth of nine muses and the role they played in inspiring humanity to be their better selves made for a riveting read. However, there are persons who would rather see this inspiration snuffed out, and the Muses had to die.I enjoyed the mystery/suspense thread, which I thought was thoroughly fleshed out. It had me turning the pages as I was eager to see the direction the story would follow. One thing I appreciate about romantic thrillers/suspense is the events unfold not only through the eyes of the protagonists but also that of the antagonists. This story delivered just that, which made me privy to his plans.The title aptly describes Nate’s fascination with Mel. From the moment, he met her he felt a connection, which he could not explain and he wanted to protect her. The romance moved at an acceptable pace, given the circumstances surrounding the guardian/muse. In spite of his attraction for Mel, he did not trust his feelings, which I found to be a reasonable reaction given the issues from his past.I was pleased with the ending. The threat, however, is still imminent, which I am sure will be explored in the upcoming books.The CharactersMel being the muse of tragic poetry is used to seeing the tragic side of things. She is what one would consider an eternal pessimist. Meeting Nate proved to be a blessing as he encouraged her to view things in a positive light. I admired her strength and fortitude. She is willing to take a chance on having a relationship with Nate in spite of the risk of having her heart shattered.Nate avoids relationships at all costs. He does not feel he is capable of love, however, the more time he spent with Mel he discovered that his past did not determine his ability to love. Mel saw beyond his physical and emotional scars. Never once did she view him as a victim. What she saw when she looked at him was a survivor. I found it amusing that he being her Guardian was responsible for protecting her, but instead, she wanted to be the one who did the protecting.protecting.I enjoyed watching their interaction, which was funny, passionate and sweet. I loved that they learned to trust each other, which was a pivotal moment for Nate.Conclusion/RecommendationLure of Obsession is a well-written story with likeable characters. It was a fantastic read from start to finish and I cannot wait to find out what is in store for the other muses.
