The truth hides in dark places . . .
Recently settled in Hode’s Hill, Pennsylvania, Maya Sinclair is enthralled by the town’s folklore, especially the legend about a centuries-old monster. A devil-like creature with uncanny abilities responsible for several horrific murders, the Fiend has evolved into the stuff of urban myth. But the past lives again when Maya witnesses an assault during the annual “Fiend Fest.” The victim is developer Leland Hode, patriarch of the town’s most powerful family, and he was attacked by someone dressed like the Fiend.
Compelled to discover who is behind the attack and why, Maya uncovers a shortlist of enemies of the Hode clan. The mystery deepens when she finds the journal of a late nineteenth-century spiritualist who once lived in Maya’s house—a woman whose ghost may still linger. Known as the Blue Lady of Hode’s Hill due to a genetic condition, Lucinda Glass vanished without a trace and was believed to be one of the Fiend’s tragic victims. The disappearance of a young couple, combined with more sightings of the monster, trigger Maya to join forces with Leland’s son Collin. But the closer she gets to the truth, the closer she comes to a hidden world of twisted secrets, insanity, and evil that refuses to die . . .
This story has everything that intrigues me – ghosts, mediums, seances, buried secrets. And that cover! I’ve read several other books by this author, and couldn’t wait to dive into this new series.
The timelines blend seamlessly in this intricately plotted supernatural mystery, and the gradual reveal of Lucinda’s life is both fascinating and heartbreaking. Maya is also a compelling protagonist, and I enjoyed her reaction upon realizing she wasn’t the only resident in her house – entirely believable. A well-drawn supporting cast rounds out the character list, but don’t go making assumptions while reading – not everything is what it appears on the surface, and characters may surprise you.
There are a few chilling moments in the novel that gave this horror lover warm fuzzies. I also loved that one of the characters was reading Salem’s Lot (one of my fav King books) at 2 am in the morning while waiting for a supernatural event to occur or not occur. I could totally be friends with this person.
If you’re a fan of supernatural mystery/suspense, you can’t go wrong with this series, and I’m excited to see what the next book brings.
Books and Such 
I loved this book and will be reading the rest of the series. Just wanted to leave a small testimonial in the comments in case anyone is on the fence.
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Thanks, Craig! I’ll definitely be continuing with this series also.
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Teri, what a wonderful surprise to find. I’ve been away on vacation and just now discovered this blog post. Thank you for that wonderful review! I’m so glad you enjoyed the story and thrilled that you shared your thoughts on your blog. I’m doing a Snoopy dance 🙂
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Loved it, Mae – I’ll join in the dance with you!
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Thanks, Craig. I really appreciate the testimonial!
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This is one of my all-time favorite books and is by one of my all-time favorite authors. I hope readers take a chance on this one; it’s brilliant.
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Agreed. I’d take a chance on it based on the cover alone.
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That might just be my favorite cover of all time. I absolutely LOVED it. I can’t imagine how they’ll do books 2 and 3.
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Thank you, Staci! I so appreciate your support, and am thrilled by your testimonial for Cusp! 🙂
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Always glad to tell people about a great book and a great author.
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🙂
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Excellent review Teri. I can’t wait to get started on this one. My TBR is a mile high.
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Thanks, John! When I was in the clouds perusing through my TBR, thought I spotted yours in the distance. Aren’t you supposed to be recuperating?
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I am. No blog writing, just visits.
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Recuperating? Oh, my. I’ve been out of touch for the last nine days. I hope all is okay, John!
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All is good. Thanks, Mae. I’m breaking in a new knee.
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Ah! Take care and no dancing! 😉
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Nope. That is next week. 😀
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I’m glad you’re looking forward to it, John. And I fully understand the towering TBR. I was able to make a small dent in mine while on vacation. If only I could read that way all the time, LOL!
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Sleep, eat, read. Ahhhhhhhh
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🙂
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Pingback: Smorgasbord Blogger Daily #Reviews- Thursday August 16th, 2018 – Lucinda E. Clarke, Amy Reade and Teri Polen with Mae Clair | Smorgasbord – Variety is the spice of life
Reblogged this on anita dawes and jaye marie.
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Thank you!! 🙂
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This was a terrific book, looking forward to the next one!
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Me too! Sure would be a nice Christmas surprise if it came out early, right?
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Definitely…
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How about an after Christmas surprise to kick off the new year? The release is going to be in January, then the third (Eventide) next August. I need to get busy on that one, LOL!
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Thank you! I’m thrilled to hear that! 🙂
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I’m reading Cusp of Night now and completely agree, it’s fantastic!
Great review, Teri, I’m sure Mae’s going to come back from vacation and be thrilled 🙂
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Thanks, Jacquie! I loved those chilling supernatural moments – could make a reader look over their shoulder more than once.
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You hit that one, Jacquie. I just found Teri’s wonderful review and it was a great after-vacation treat. And I’m glad to hear you’re enjoying Cusp. I put a small dent in my TBR while on vacay and read your delightful Sweetheart Cove among other books. Reviews are up on Amazon and GR!
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Oh, wow! Thank you, Mae 🙂
I hope you had a lovely break!
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It was wonderful. And catching up a bit with my TBR was part of it. Oh, to be able to read like that all of the time! 🙂
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Horror love warm fuzzies? You are kidding right? LOL Excellent review but it’s so not for me! 😉
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Not kidding – a horror lover since the age of 8, lol. You could handle this one, Sophie – not the ‘in your face’ or gore horror, more like eerie and creepy.
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Thank you for checking out the review even though it doesn’t fit with what you read. I appreciate it! 🙂
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I do love doing eerie and creepy 🙂
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I must bump this book up my TBR, Teri. It sounds fascinating and I like the supernatural element.
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I strongly recommend you bump, Robbie – you’ll love it!
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That’s great to hear, Robbie. I look forward to hearing your thoughts after you’ve read it. It was intriguing layering in the supernatural element. I hope you enjoy!
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