“Moonlight filled our bedroom with windblown tree shadows and uncertain light that gathered in pools on the carpet. Gabe still slept peacefully next to me, one hand splayed on his chest and unaware anything was amiss. I envied him that. Nocturnal visitors seldom summoned my husband from dreams. A ghost, a tiny girl of no more than four or five, stood in one puddle of light.”
Barricade in Hell
By Jaime Lee Moyer
In the follow up to Delia’s Shadow, a couple of years have passed by and Delia continues to use her special gift of seeing ghosts to help her husband Police Captain Gabe Ryan solve crimes. The couple has faced some difficult personal situations but overall has settled into a tranquil life.
Unfortunately that peace is threatened by the appearance of a new ghost. While it may be the ghost of a small child, it is proving to be very difficult to make disappear and the little girl is attached to Gabe. Delia fears for Gabe and brings in her friend Dora, who is a medium, to help her understand what this spirit wants and get rid of it.
Meanwhile Gabe is facing another difficult case this one involving the murder of the commissioner’s son-in-law. Gabe’s leads take him to a charismatic evangelist who preaches peace but it is clear there is something evil that is taking hold of the people who follow this evangelist.
This is an enjoyable mystery series with a paranormal twist. I found the first in the series to be a bit bogged down by the introduction of so many characters, the special circumstances and by the romance aspect but I feel like the author is now comfortable in that she’s established the premise and can move into a more substantial mystery.
I think the writer did a great job especially in the first part of the book with setting the scene and really going for a creepy, spooky atmosphere. Which you would expect when dealing with ghosts, right? I’m looking forward to the next Delia and Gabe adventure.
Source: Advance review copy
This one sounds interesting, with the mystery and the paranormal elements. I may want to check this out. Thanks for the lovely review, Iliana! 🙂
This is not an author or series that I’m familiar with. Interesting. I might take a look at #1 and see what I think. I don’t mind a few ghosts in my mysteries. 🙂
The cover caught my eye for this one. I will have to add this author to my wish list!
I found the murders in the first one to be unnecessarily grisly, but I liked the characters and look forward to this new installment. Is Theodora in this one? I loved her role as the psychic in the first book.
Melody – I feel like this has a bit of a cozy feel which I don’t mind and the characters are nice so I can imagine following the series. I hope you’ll get a chance to check it out!
Kay – I know, I don’t mind some ghosts too 🙂 It’s a fun series.
Kailana – The first book also has a pretty cover and I would say I’d start with the first one. It could be read as a standalone but I think you’d get a better picture of the series starting off with the first book.
Jenclair – That is true! I just felt like the first one was kind of rushed in getting the characters together. I don’t mind romance but it seemed a bit forced. Here that’s all out of the way and it’s just nice to visit with Delia and Gabe. I do like them a lot. And, yes, Dora is back in this one too! She’s got an interesting story line.
I can’t tell you the number of times I meant to start Delia’s Shadow and then didn’t. It sounds like this was a better book than the first, but well worth getting to.