The Hexed by Heather Graham

The Hexed (Krewe of Hunters #13) by Heather Graham

Published: July 29, 2014

Publisher: Harlequin MIRA

Pages: 400

Received: for honest review as part of a book tour

Find it online: Amazon | Goodreads 

A place of history, secrets...and witchcraft.

Devin Lyle has recently returned to the Salem area, but her timing couldn't be worse. Soon after she moved into the eighteenth-century cabin she inherited from her great-aunt Mina—her "crazy" great-aunt, who spoke to the dead—a woman was murdered nearby.

Craig Rockwell—known as Rocky—is a new member of the Krewe of Hunters, the FBI's team of paranormal investigators. He never got over finding a friend dead in the woods. Now another body's been found in those same woods, not far from the home of Devin Lyle. And Devin's been led to a third body—by...a ghost?

Her discovery draws them both deeper into the case and Salem's rich and disturbing history. Even as the danger mounts, Devin and Rocky begin to fall for each other, something the ghosts of Mina and past witches seem to approve of. But the two of them need every skill they possess to learn the truth—or Devin's might be the next body in the woods...

This is my first Heather Graham novel and I think I need to go back and start at the beginning of this series. This book can be read as a standalone, so don't let that deter you from picking it up and giving it a go. 

I think my favourite part of the book was that it was set in the surrounding area of Salem, Massachusetts. I've always loved reading about the witch trials and this has a dash of the history in it. Also, the fact that this was book 13 combined with the paranormal and witch trials history was a major win for me.

Devin's character is very likable and I think that she suits Rocky well. She's a children's book author coming back home to her roots with the ability to see ghosts (even though she doesn't really know that at first). I was constantly worried that something would happen to Devin given that she has been brought into this murder mystery and ghostly world, so it kept me on the edge of my seat. 

Rocky was a good FBI agent and I felt that his yearning for an answer to the murders gave him the drive to keep at it until he found an answer. I felt that he was drawn to all of this from the very beginning when his friend was murdered 13 years ago and that it made sense for him to be the one to work on the case.

Together they make a great team and their touch of romance was perfect. It wasn't too much of a quick fling or unnatural. It just seemed to work. 

And lastly, the mystery to the novel was good. I thought it was heading somewhere else, but to my surprise the killer was not who I had guessed it would be. I love when a book does that - has you guessing and you are sure you are right and BAM, you are blindsided by something you didn't really consider.

I'm looking forward to reading more of this series and learning more about the Krewe members.

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About the Author: 

New York Times and USA TODAY  bestselling author Heather Graham has written more than a hundred novels and has been published in more than 20 languages. An avid scuba diver, ballroom dancer and the mother of five, she enjoys her south Florida home, but loves to travel as well, from locations such as Cairo, Egypt, to her own backyard, the Florida Keys. Reading is still the pastime she still loves best, and she is a member of many writing groups. She’s a winner of the Romance Writers of America’s Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Thriller Writers’ Silver Bullet. She is an active member of International Thriller Writers and Mystery Writers of America, and also the founder of The Slush Pile Players, an author band and theatrical group.

Heather annually hosts the Writers for New Orleans conference to benefit both the city, which is near and dear to her heart, and various other causes, and she hosts a ball each year at the RT Booklovers Convention to benefit pediatric AIDS foundations.

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