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wondernikel's review against another edition
3.0
3! I wanted this book to be good! I mean I started reading it...Salem and witch trial legends...right up my alley BUT it was almost like the other novel in this series...Where the young man was accused of killing his family! I mean even the killers were practically the same, they just had different names...WTH? Total let down for me!
brandilovesbooks's review against another edition
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
thesassybookworm's review against another edition
4.0
Excellent cover on this one. Great use of graphics. Great representation on the story found within. It loses a star for the author's name being more prominent than the title.
Enjoyed this one. Loved the setting. Loved the history. The mystery kept me guessing right until the end. What I wasn't a fan of was how we are left hanging in the romance department. It seemed a little abrupt and with no resolution of whether they were even a couple of just fuck buddies.
That said, I don't read these books for the romance, so c'est la vie.
literaryfeline's review against another edition
4.0
My favorite kind of cozy mysteries are those with a paranormal element. There is just something about adding a bit (okay, sometimes a lot) of supernatural to a story that appeals to me most. Despite The Hexed being the thirteenth book in the Krewe Hunters series, it is my first. Fortunately for me, The Hexed is very much a stand alone novel. There is so little (nothing really) about characters that may have appeared in earlier books, that a reader jumping in now should not feel lost or feel like he or she missed out on a minor continuing story line.
In The Hexed, readers are introduced to Craig "Rocky" Rockwell, an FBI agent who asks to be assigned to the an elite division of the FBI called the Krewe Hunters. The Krewe Hunters, once a private detection agency, was adopted by the FBI because of their special abilities in dealing with the supernatural, namely ghosts. Rocky is haunted by the ritualistic murder of a friend when they were teenagers and when another body is found in the same area and in the same manner over a decade later, he requests to be involved in the investigation.
Devin Lyle, once reporter now children's book author, has only recently returned home to Salem, taking up residence in her deceased aunt's home. One night she hears a cry for help and runs outside into the woods by her house only to find the body of a woman.
Devin is pulled into the investigation of the murders due to her ability to see and talk to ghosts, one of which Rocky and Devin are sure has the key who is behind the murders and why someone would want the women dead. Add in an eccentric great-aunt who is a ghost, a black raven named Poe, and a budding love story, and you have an entertaining novel.
I really liked the character of Rocky. He is such a sweetheart, maybe a little too perfect. I found it interesting how the Krewe team gave him lead upon their arrival to town to help with the murder investigation, especially given how new he was to the unit. It made sense in some ways, I suppose: this was the area he had grown up in, one of his childhood friend's was the local lead on the case, and he was the first on the scene. It wasn't something that bothered me at all, just something I noticed.
Devin was no slouch, that's for sure. She's smart as a whip, especially when it comes to the history of the area. Sometimes when a civilian character gets involved with a police investigation it seems too unbelievable to buy into, but not so in Devin's case. At least I did not think so. In part, keeping her close was to protect her, but she was also the person the ghost from long ago wanted to talk to.
I enjoyed seeing the evolution of Devin and Rocky's relationship, but admit the moment they made their feelings known seemed forced somehow and so sudden. It wasn't how I imagined either character acting except maybe in their heads. Still, it was not a bad thing. Given how stressful the situation was, how dangerous, I should not be completely surprised.
The Hexed was an enjoyable read. I suspected just about everyone in the book at one point or another of being the killer, but it was not until closer to the end that I had it figured out. Somewhat. The investigation was slow going at times, but rightfully so given the amount of research and foot work the characters had to do. There is a bit of a need to suspend one's disbelief (and I'm not referring to the ghosts) in how Rocky came to some of his conclusions, but it was easy to look past as much fun as I was having reading to see what would happen next.
Will I read more by this author? Absolutely. I'm curious to learn more about the other members of the Krewe Hunters team and see what mysteries they encounter.
Copy provided by publisher for an honest review.
In The Hexed, readers are introduced to Craig "Rocky" Rockwell, an FBI agent who asks to be assigned to the an elite division of the FBI called the Krewe Hunters. The Krewe Hunters, once a private detection agency, was adopted by the FBI because of their special abilities in dealing with the supernatural, namely ghosts. Rocky is haunted by the ritualistic murder of a friend when they were teenagers and when another body is found in the same area and in the same manner over a decade later, he requests to be involved in the investigation.
Devin Lyle, once reporter now children's book author, has only recently returned home to Salem, taking up residence in her deceased aunt's home. One night she hears a cry for help and runs outside into the woods by her house only to find the body of a woman.
Devin is pulled into the investigation of the murders due to her ability to see and talk to ghosts, one of which Rocky and Devin are sure has the key who is behind the murders and why someone would want the women dead. Add in an eccentric great-aunt who is a ghost, a black raven named Poe, and a budding love story, and you have an entertaining novel.
I really liked the character of Rocky. He is such a sweetheart, maybe a little too perfect. I found it interesting how the Krewe team gave him lead upon their arrival to town to help with the murder investigation, especially given how new he was to the unit. It made sense in some ways, I suppose: this was the area he had grown up in, one of his childhood friend's was the local lead on the case, and he was the first on the scene. It wasn't something that bothered me at all, just something I noticed.
Devin was no slouch, that's for sure. She's smart as a whip, especially when it comes to the history of the area. Sometimes when a civilian character gets involved with a police investigation it seems too unbelievable to buy into, but not so in Devin's case. At least I did not think so. In part, keeping her close was to protect her, but she was also the person the ghost from long ago wanted to talk to.
I enjoyed seeing the evolution of Devin and Rocky's relationship, but admit the moment they made their feelings known seemed forced somehow and so sudden. It wasn't how I imagined either character acting except maybe in their heads. Still, it was not a bad thing. Given how stressful the situation was, how dangerous, I should not be completely surprised.
The Hexed was an enjoyable read. I suspected just about everyone in the book at one point or another of being the killer, but it was not until closer to the end that I had it figured out. Somewhat. The investigation was slow going at times, but rightfully so given the amount of research and foot work the characters had to do. There is a bit of a need to suspend one's disbelief (and I'm not referring to the ghosts) in how Rocky came to some of his conclusions, but it was easy to look past as much fun as I was having reading to see what would happen next.
Will I read more by this author? Absolutely. I'm curious to learn more about the other members of the Krewe Hunters team and see what mysteries they encounter.
Copy provided by publisher for an honest review.
lpcoolgirl's review against another edition
5.0
Yeah loved this book, it's another fantastic book in this series, and yeah, I can't wait to read more!
dtaylorbooks's review against another edition
4.0
I actually have the first Krewe of Hunters book in my pile waiting to be read and I didn’t realize THE HEXED was part of this series until after the publisher approved me through NetGalley but I said to hell with it. I’ll read it. So it’s the thirteenth book in the series. That’s fine.
And it really was. This seems to be one of those series where each book can be read independently and you won’t lose anything but if you read them in order you’ll be able to string little tidbits throughout that you wouldn’t otherwise get if you just read them piecemeal. I never felt lost or that I was missing out on some integral information. THE HEXED was its own self-contained story and I pretty much swallowed it whole.
First off, it’s set in Salem, Massachusetts. YES. Despite the fact that the whole region is one giant allergy spore for me I do still miss it, especially the woods and the temperatures and the general FEEL of the place. Living in the land of incredibly pre-planned developments everywhere you lose that organic, old feel that places like Salem has. And it also made me happy that Graham went out of her way to accurately portray the saying of Peabody, as in Peabody, Massachusetts. It’s not Pea-Body. It’s Peab’dy. Say it fast, say it right. So needless to say Graham got the setting right for me. I felt home and it made me nostalgic, despite the fact that I’ve never been to Salem. Go figure.
The story itself is much more thriller than PNR which I liked. Don’t get me wrong, I heart sex. But I like the more crime thriller aspect where you’re not reading in anticipation of a pumping sex scene all the time. It’s not about the constant heat between Devin and Rocky and how their loins pulse all the time. Sure, the attraction is mentioned but solving the murders was first and foremost. I really liked that.
There really isn’t a whole ton of character development going on but that doesn’t mean that the characters aren’t endearing. They’re normal people and I think that makes them even more so. No one’s destined to save the day, no one as all the power, although Rocky’s chivalry liked to border on domineering a little too much but he was a relatable character, if not incredibly deep. And neither was Devin, for that matter. They were just kind of playing along, playing with each other (moreso in the ‘let’s solve a murder’ interactive way than ‘let’s bang’ sort of way) and then problem finally solved. But the fact that they were rather static characters didn’t deter me from the story. Devin’s aunt was a hoot, being dead and all. And I think the element of creepy was hanging on pretty good too, what with the old ghost that kept popping up, all the bodies that kept turning up. There was a lot going on to distract me.
The writing was okay. Nothing spectacular or overly amazing. It was just okay. Graham set a good scene, gave me the proper amount of suspense and got me through the story in one piece. I liked what I read, though. It was to the point and without any pretense and I liked that with THE HEXED. Flowery writing wouldn’t fit with something like this. It would have drowned out the suspense and the edge of creepy I was reading. So you can keep that. I’ll keep this series.
I already have THE BETRAYED in my NetGalley account (the next Krewe book, it looks like), ready to read and, like I said, the first one in my pile. I think I found a new crack writer to add to my addiction.
4
And it really was. This seems to be one of those series where each book can be read independently and you won’t lose anything but if you read them in order you’ll be able to string little tidbits throughout that you wouldn’t otherwise get if you just read them piecemeal. I never felt lost or that I was missing out on some integral information. THE HEXED was its own self-contained story and I pretty much swallowed it whole.
First off, it’s set in Salem, Massachusetts. YES. Despite the fact that the whole region is one giant allergy spore for me I do still miss it, especially the woods and the temperatures and the general FEEL of the place. Living in the land of incredibly pre-planned developments everywhere you lose that organic, old feel that places like Salem has. And it also made me happy that Graham went out of her way to accurately portray the saying of Peabody, as in Peabody, Massachusetts. It’s not Pea-Body. It’s Peab’dy. Say it fast, say it right. So needless to say Graham got the setting right for me. I felt home and it made me nostalgic, despite the fact that I’ve never been to Salem. Go figure.
The story itself is much more thriller than PNR which I liked. Don’t get me wrong, I heart sex. But I like the more crime thriller aspect where you’re not reading in anticipation of a pumping sex scene all the time. It’s not about the constant heat between Devin and Rocky and how their loins pulse all the time. Sure, the attraction is mentioned but solving the murders was first and foremost. I really liked that.
There really isn’t a whole ton of character development going on but that doesn’t mean that the characters aren’t endearing. They’re normal people and I think that makes them even more so. No one’s destined to save the day, no one as all the power, although Rocky’s chivalry liked to border on domineering a little too much but he was a relatable character, if not incredibly deep. And neither was Devin, for that matter. They were just kind of playing along, playing with each other (moreso in the ‘let’s solve a murder’ interactive way than ‘let’s bang’ sort of way) and then problem finally solved. But the fact that they were rather static characters didn’t deter me from the story. Devin’s aunt was a hoot, being dead and all. And I think the element of creepy was hanging on pretty good too, what with the old ghost that kept popping up, all the bodies that kept turning up. There was a lot going on to distract me.
The writing was okay. Nothing spectacular or overly amazing. It was just okay. Graham set a good scene, gave me the proper amount of suspense and got me through the story in one piece. I liked what I read, though. It was to the point and without any pretense and I liked that with THE HEXED. Flowery writing wouldn’t fit with something like this. It would have drowned out the suspense and the edge of creepy I was reading. So you can keep that. I’ll keep this series.
I already have THE BETRAYED in my NetGalley account (the next Krewe book, it looks like), ready to read and, like I said, the first one in my pile. I think I found a new crack writer to add to my addiction.
4
katherineep's review against another edition
4.0
This story drew me right in as soon as I opened it. The setting is so wonderfully spooky, the ghosts are just enough to be interesting and Devin and Rocky are interesting and likable. I even liked Poe, the raven Devin inherited from her Aunt Mina. I thought the mix of history was well done and they did research! I love when they do research in books! Rocky was a nice guy. Smart, driven and so relieved to be with other people who could see ghosts it seeped off the pages. The rest of the Krewe is interesting and I'm looking forward to reading their stories. I liked that Rocky's relationships with his old friends isn't all hearts and rainbows. There's some tension and some old resentments and while that's not present all the time they do stumble on the undercurrents sometimes. The look into the behind the scenes of the tourist town was interesting. I liked how the relationship progressed between Devin and Rocky. It didn't feel unnaturally fast and they liked each other from first meeting. It felt real and went with the flow of the book. The pacing for this one was very good and really I just wanted to curl up with a cup of tea and read this one. Perfect rainy day reading!
Con: I found myself thinking "Okay well how did they reach that conclusion?" a few times. It wasn't that it didn't make sense it was that there were some jumps in logic that were pretty big or that they would all of a sudden turn theory into fact. Granted this is a mystery where ghosts help out so I'm not looking for 100% accuracy but it did puzzle me a few times. Bea at Bea's Book Nook had some issues with some of the accuracy of the facts about Massachusetts and the overuse of the world "wicked". I have never been to Massachusetts and have no connection to the state so none of this bothered me but if you're from there or are familiar with the area be prepared!
Overall: This is a fun book with just enough creep to add atmosphere but not so much to give you nightmares. Though this is book #13 in the series in no way let that stop you from picking this one up. These are only loosely connected and each can be read as stand alone.
Full Review: http://iwishilivedinalibrary.blogspot.com/2015/02/the-hexed-review.html
Con: I found myself thinking "Okay well how did they reach that conclusion?" a few times. It wasn't that it didn't make sense it was that there were some jumps in logic that were pretty big or that they would all of a sudden turn theory into fact. Granted this is a mystery where ghosts help out so I'm not looking for 100% accuracy but it did puzzle me a few times. Bea at Bea's Book Nook had some issues with some of the accuracy of the facts about Massachusetts and the overuse of the world "wicked". I have never been to Massachusetts and have no connection to the state so none of this bothered me but if you're from there or are familiar with the area be prepared!
Overall: This is a fun book with just enough creep to add atmosphere but not so much to give you nightmares. Though this is book #13 in the series in no way let that stop you from picking this one up. These are only loosely connected and each can be read as stand alone.
Full Review: http://iwishilivedinalibrary.blogspot.com/2015/02/the-hexed-review.html
krisrid's review against another edition
3.0
As always, Heather Graham delivers a solid, entertaining fun paranormal mystery read.
I have said before that Graham's books are predictable and formulaic, but I don't say that as a criticism. Sometimes you want a read where you know you'll be entertained, where there will be engaging characters, and where the story will keep you interested to the end even if it isn't high drama, or great literature.
I like the Krewe of Hunters series as audio books, because they are perfect for my daily transit commute, which is about 90 minutes round trip. These books don't require me to pay super-close attention to every word, like non-fiction, or really complex mysteries, but I can follow the story and enjoy the goings on.
This book was set in Salem, and naturally involved a storyline about witches, both present and past, and it was enjoyable and well-done. I enjoyed it - a fun read.
I have said before that Graham's books are predictable and formulaic, but I don't say that as a criticism. Sometimes you want a read where you know you'll be entertained, where there will be engaging characters, and where the story will keep you interested to the end even if it isn't high drama, or great literature.
I like the Krewe of Hunters series as audio books, because they are perfect for my daily transit commute, which is about 90 minutes round trip. These books don't require me to pay super-close attention to every word, like non-fiction, or really complex mysteries, but I can follow the story and enjoy the goings on.
This book was set in Salem, and naturally involved a storyline about witches, both present and past, and it was enjoyable and well-done. I enjoyed it - a fun read.
marinaluna's review
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
I was very much looking forward to this book, because as someone interested in witchcraft and paganism (as well as history in general) Salem is a well known topic to me. I was equally looking forward to and afraid of how it would be portrayed and handled in the story.
I needn't have worried! As always Heather Graham manages to weave factual history with fiction and the outcome is a fascinating and intriguing plot.
As for the murder in this book, I think I suspected every single one of the characters, including for a very short moment the main hero, which of course I immediately cast aside again, but the suspicion was there. I did figure it out before the reveal, but towards the end and it was a fantastic story nevertheless.
Devin and Rocky are fascinating characters and I liked that this time it was Rocky who approached the Krewe directly.
One thing needs to be said, too, Luke Daniels is an AMAZING narrator. You always know exactly who is talking because he gives every character their own voice. I absolutely love it. Since discovering the audiobooks I have only listened to them, just to have it be performed by this amazing narrator!
I needn't have worried! As always Heather Graham manages to weave factual history with fiction and the outcome is a fascinating and intriguing plot.
As for the murder in this book, I think I suspected every single one of the characters, including for a very short moment the main hero, which of course I immediately cast aside again, but the suspicion was there. I did figure it out before the reveal, but towards the end and it was a fantastic story nevertheless.
Devin and Rocky are fascinating characters and I liked that this time it was Rocky who approached the Krewe directly.
One thing needs to be said, too, Luke Daniels is an AMAZING narrator. You always know exactly who is talking because he gives every character their own voice. I absolutely love it. Since discovering the audiobooks I have only listened to them, just to have it be performed by this amazing narrator!