Reviewed by Amanda on
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.
Reading updates
- Started reading
- 18 July, 2012: Finished reading
- 18 July, 2012: Reviewed