As a teenager, Vickie Preston survived an attack by a serial killer. That was the first time she saw a ghost. Now the city of Boston is being terrorized—someone is kidnapping women and burying them alive, but cruelly leaving a glimmer of hope for the authorities by sending a clue about their location. Vickie is pulled into the investigation when her name is mentioned in one of the notes. And as a historian, she has the knowledge to help uncover the graves the killer known as the Undertaker is choosing. But she also has another, unique lead: the spirit of one of the victims is appearing to her in dreams.
Special Agent Griffin Price is on the case for the Krewe of Hunters, the FBI’s special unit for paranormal investigators. He feels particularly protective of Vickie, since their shared past is connected to the threat that currently surrounds them. With the killer accelerating his plans, time is running out for more victims hidden around the city. Vickie is becoming closer with Griffin, but she’s getting too close to the danger, and every breath could be her last.
Dying Breath is the 21st novel in the Krewe of Hunters series.
Title: Dying Breath
Series: Krewe of Hunters #21
Author: Heather Graham
Genre: Paranormal Mystery
Published: May 20, 2017
Publisher: MIRA
My Rating: 4.5 stars
It’s true that some of us do see dead people. Or ghosts as these spirits of the once living are more often referred to. Not everyone who can see them really wants to, but the choice is really not up to us but to the ghosts who have something to say. Vickie learned this fact the hard way when the deceased brother of the toddler she was babysitting made his presence known during a frightening, almost deadly event. She and baby Noah had survived a serial killer’s intent by listening to a ghost and the chance passing by of a Boston city cop. Dylan became a companion of sorts from that day onward even though Vickie left Boston for college for a few years. It became simply something she did, this talking to the nonliving. She never expected that it would lead her into more terror or that because of it she would once again come in contact with a former Boston cop who now sought out dead people for the stories they could tell, for the justice they deserved.
Dying Breath is intense. There simply is no other word for the feeling that overpowers the reader. Suspense, a puzzle to solve. a love beginning, and saving lives before madness can complete its mission… all those emotions can be found here as well. I’ve followed the Krewe of Hunters series for years, and I have to say that this story gripped me from the very beginning and never let go. If you love history, there is a lot of Boston’s famous, and infamous, past woven throughout this story as clues, and gathering information to find the stolen before they take their last dying breath. I found the history almost as fascinating as the search for the killer. There are twists and turns that you won’t see coming, there are moments that you’ll hold your own breath as a scene unfolds. But mostly you’ll be caught up in the search to save lives and bring this madness to a stop. I did not see the end coming, and it was right in front of me all the time. That is Heather Graham once again weaving her own brand of magic to give us a chilling, intriguing, fascinating story.
It would be so easy to talk about Vickie and Griffin, but I believe it’s best if you meet then and discover their story for yourself. You don’t “have” to have read the entire Krewe of Hunters series to enjoy Dying Breath. Anything you might need to know as background is expertly woven into dialogue… but I would highly recommend this story and the entire series, for they are all that good.
I own an e-book edition of this novel.
Available in a variety of formats including for the Kindle
