Books & Spoons Review for DYING BREATH by Heather Graham

4/6/2017

Buried alive…

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.

Rich in history and intriguing puzzles the Krewe of Hunters have a new case in their hands where the past collide with the present and changes the future of the main characters.
The murders and the kidnapped women's perplexing disappearances without any clues or evidence left behind can only be solved with the help of the ghosts and the knowledge of the history Vickie Preston has.
The prologue of the story had my heart pumping fast, and I was excited to see what the Krewe would have to face this time around. And the mysteries, the clues, and the fear in Boston are all intriguing and difficult to handle, yet I didn't get that intense, palpable tension from the danger with this story. It is a well-told tale, interesting, and baffling, however, the constant long references to the history of the town, to the people of the past, and the events hundreds of years ago, it took the edge off the action, the intensity from kidnapped women's case to be solved.
The romance in the story was rather adorable. The two people, Vickie Preston and Griffin Price obviously have a connection, affection, and attraction towards each other. It was like serendipity for these two to meet again, and to be able to work together, to complete each other as their solve the riddles. I felt like the romance had more attention and room in this story than the previous Krewe books, and I liked it immensely. It felt believable, it was authentic, and the passion between Vickie and Griffin was a beautiful thing to observe.
Vickie's parents were a bit overprotective, yet their humorous interferences were understandable. All the secondary characters enhanced the story. At first, I felt like there were things left unwrapped with some of the secondary cast, but the story ends in a surprising cliffhanger, so there might be answers to those questions coming up later on.
I enjoyed the story, the characters, the mysteries, and the interactions between the characters. The story is well written with that touch of paranormal that all the Krewe stories have, as the special unit from the FBI who can communicate with the ghosts around them. With the plentiful information and the ample amount of history as part of the tale, this was a story that took me longer to read as normally. Instead of a race to find the culprits and the solution in my mind, I felt like it was more of a cozy mystery to be enjoyed at my leisure. Still pleasing and gratifying, even jittery at times, with that delightful romance of two obvious soulmates having a chance to meet again.
~ Four Spoons