Giveaway: The Betrayed

Today I have the pleasure of giving away The Betrayed, the fourteenth installment of Heather Graham's Krewe of Hunters series. I know some of you are going to see the word "fourteenth" and decide you'll never be able to get caught up on this series, but FEAR NOT, each book works as a standalone. I read the previous book, The Hexed, having not read the prior twelve, and absolutely adored it. I never once felt lost or out of sorts, and Ms. Graham writes some outstanding paranormal romantic suspense stories!

I'm lucky enough to have a copy of The Betrayed to give away on the blog today, but before you guys scroll down to the Rafflecopter, find out what's in store for you in this newest installment (it's oh-so perfect for Halloween)!

THE BETRAYED

Sleepy Hollow isn't so sleepy anymore...

One night, New York FBI agent Aiden Mahoney receives a visitor in a dream–an old friend named Richard Highsmith. The very next day he's sent to Sleepy Hollow because Richard's gone missing there.

Maureen--Mo--Deauville now lives in the historic town and works with her dog, Rollo, to search for missing people. She's actually the one to find Richard... or more precisely his head, stuck on a statue of the legendary Headless Horseman.

Mo and Aiden, a new member of the Krewe of Hunters, the FBI's unit of paranormal investigators, explore both past and present events to figure out who betrayed Richard, who killed him and now wants to kill them, too. As they work together, they discover that they share an unusual trait–the ability to communicate with the dead. They also share an attraction that's as intense as it is unexpected...if they live long enough to enjoy it!

Amazon • Goodreads

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HEATHER GRAHAM

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.

Website • Twitter • Facebook

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GIVEAWAY

Thanks to TLC Book Tours, Harlequin and Heather Graham, I have one copy of The Betrayed to give away. A reminder that despite being a part of the Krewe of Hunters series, this book is its own story and can be read as such. Please enter via the Rafflecopter form below. Giveaway is open to US/Can only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don't forget to check out all the remaining stops on the tour for more reviews, interviews, and chances to win!

Monday, September 15th: From the TBR Pile
Monday, September 15th: Books a la Mode – Spotlight and giveaway
Tuesday, September 16th: Bewithced Bookworms
Wednesday, September 17th: Snowdrop Dreams of Books
Thursday, September 18th: Ladybug Literature
Friday, September 19th: Supernatural Snark – Spotlight and giveaway

Monday, September 22nd: Read – Love – Blog
Tuesday, September 23rd: A Chick Who Reads
Wednesday, September 24th:  Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile
Thursday, September 25th: Queen of All She Reads

Monday, September 29th: Saints and Sinners Books
Tuesday, September 30th:  Mom in Love with Fiction
Thursday, October 2nd: Musings of a Bookish Kitty

Monday, October 6th:  Bibliophilia, Please
Wednesday, October 8th: Sara’s Organized Chaos
Thursday, October 9th:  No More Grumpy Bookseller

Monday, October 13th: Peeking Between the Pages
Wednesday, October 15th:  Bibliotica

Monday, October 20th:  Tiffany’s Bookshelf
Tuesday, October 21st: My Shelf Confessions – Wonderfully Wicked Read-A-Thon Giveaway
Thursday, October 23rd: Harlie’s Books

Review + Giveaway: The Hexed

THE HEXED
Krewe of Hunters #13
Heather Graham
Adult Paranormal Romantic Suspense
400 pages
Harlequin MIRA
Available Now
Source: from TLC Book Tours for review

THE STORY (from 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...

MY THOUGHTS
The Hexed, despite being book thirteen in the Krewe of Hunters series, reads beautifully as a stand-alone murder mystery, blurring past and present as the horrors of the witch trials find life and death once again in modern-day Salem. Many times with paranormal mysteries that involve law enforcement, we as readers are subjected to a somewhat tedious progression from doubt to true belief with regards to the supernatural, either the hero or heroine taking a great deal of time to come to terms with the less scientifically explainable aspects of their case. With The Hexed however, we find zero hesitation from both Rocky and Devin, the two of them fully accepting the role of the paranormal in their lives despite not having an inordinate amount of experience with it; thereby allowing us to settle into the story quickly and easily, free as we are of their supernatural reservations.

Devin and Rocky are both smart and savvy individuals, methodical in their approach to finding the killer and thankfully not prone to any type of horror-movie stunts or antics to draw the killer out. Devin is a writer of children's books, and while she is a vital part of the investigation throughout, she never sticks her nose where it doesn't belong or isn't invited in an attempt to play detective. Instead, she listens to those with a badge and volunteers information when it seems relevant, always aiding them rather than hindering them with her presence.

Rocky is as intelligent and easily likable as Devin, and though his personal connection to the murders is a driving force behind his desire to see the killer come to justice, he's not so obsessed with the case that he can't see the forest for the trees. Like Devin, he listens to those around him and doesn't try to run roughshod over anyone on his team, instead valuing the different angles and approaches to the case each of them provides. When it comes to the romance between he and Devin, he's clearly attracted (as is she), but it's a very subtle aspect of the story, the tension between them just enough to make the romantic in us sit up and take notice.

Ms. Graham thoroughly entertains with the murder mystery element, her research on the Salem Witch Trials clearly extensive and perfectly integrated into the story so that we learn things we never knew without enduring the tedium of a full-on history lesson. With a large suspect pool to choose from, we're constantly kept on our toes, red herrings popping up chapter after chapter before being removed from the suspect list, only to find their way back on it a while later. The revolving door of plausible killers causes the gears in our minds to constantly turn, our guesses as to who the murderer could possibly be a running commentary even as we move through our day to day lives. Overall, The Hexed is quick and action-packed with a strong cast of characters and a fascinating look at Salem past and present, and I thoroughly look forward to going back and starting this series from the beginning.

Rating: 4/5
 

Buy The Hexed:

Amazon • Books-A-Million • Barnes & Noble

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HEATHER GRAHAM

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.

Website • Twitter • Facebook

• • • • • • • • • • •

GIVEAWAY

One lucky winner will have their choice of The Cursed, The Hexed and The Betrayed. A reminder that despite being a part of the Krewe of Hunters series, each book is its own story and can be read as a stand-alone. Please enter via the Rafflecopter form below. Giveaway is open to US/Can only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don't forget to check out all the remaining stops on the tour for more reviews, interviews, and chances to win!

Monday, August 11th: Supernatural Snark
Wednesday, August 13th:  Tiffany’s Bookshelf
Thursday, August 14th:  Reading Reality

Monday, August 18th: Sara’s Organized Chaos
Tuesday, August 19th: Saints and Sinners Books
Wednesday, August 20th: From the TBR Pile
Thursday, August 21st: Musings of a Bookish Kitty

Monday, August 25th: Read-Love-Blog
Tuesday, August 26th: Snowdrop Dreams of Books
Wednesday, August 27th: Queen of All She Reads
Friday, August 29th: Peeking Between the Pages

Tuesday, September 2nd: Bewitched Bookworms
Tuesday September 2nd: Books a la Mode – guest post/giveaway
Wednesday, September 3rd: Ladybug Literature
Thursday, September 4th:  No More Grumpy Bookseller

Monday, September 8th: A Chick Who Reads
Wednesday, September 10th:  Bibliophilia, Please
Friday, September 12th:  Bibliotica

Monday, September 15th:  Mom in Love with Fiction
Thursday, September 18th: Harlie’s Books