This time, I have in my possession all three books in Heather Graham’s latest Krewe of Hunters trilogy. This series features three brothers, Bryan, Bruce, and Brodie McFadden, and the women they grow to love in the course of a paranormal crime investigation.Fade to Black, the first in the series, features the oldest brother, Bryan McFadden.

Fade to Black opens in dramatic style. The cast of a popular older show, now in syndication, Dark Harbor, is participating in a Comic Con in West Hollywood. Four of the five stars desperately need the convention appearances. Marnie Davante, who had been the show’s star, has moved on. Her true love is theater, but she appears at the conventions to help her former co-workers. But, Marnie’s appearance doesn’t exactly help this time when someone dressed as a popular comic villain confronts Marnie and slices her former TV mother, Cara Barton, to death.

How does Bryan McFadden become involved in an LA case, when he’s based in Virginia? His mother, once a theater diva herself, pesters him into it. After a tragic accident that killed Maeve and her husband, Hamish, they’re both ghosts who appear to their adult sons. The men, all former military, are talking about forming their own PI firm. At the same time, Bryan has worked on a kidnapping case with the FBI’s Krewe of Hunters. He’s been invited to join, but hasn’t discussed it yet with Bruce and Brodie. Bryan’s mother knows he’s at loose ends, and she asks him to go to LA and protect Marnie. Cara has met with her old friend, and convinced her that Marnie was the original target at Comic Con.

Marnie wants nothing to do with Bryan McFadden when he shows up at Cara’s funeral. She’s had a horrifying week, watching her friend sliced to death. Then, Cara died in her arms. Marnie’s answered questions from the police, arranged a funeral and reception. And, at the cemetery, she’s seen the ghost of the dead woman, who now talks to her. No, she’s not ready to believe in ghosts. She’s not ready to trust McFadden. And, she’s certainly not ready to believe she’s the target of a killer.

A shattered window, a shooting, and another murder prove to Marnie that she might be in trouble. The fast-paced romantic thriller brings together two strong-willed people who are attracted to each other. As always, Graham gives readers plenty of action, suspense and romance. She creates intriguing characters, and often surprises readers with the villain.

Pale as Death might not be the next book I read. But, I’m looking forward to returning to LA with the second brother, Bruce McFadden.

Heather Graham’s website is theoriginalheathergraham.com

Fade to Black by Heather Graham. MIRA Books, 2018. ISBN 9780778312802 (hardcover), 319p.

*****
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