Sacred Evil (Krewe of Hunters, Book 3)

by Heather Graham

2011

Status

Checked out

Publication

MIRA (2011), Edition: Original, 384 pages

Description

Fantasy. Fiction. HTML: A terror born of Jack the Ripper The details of the crime scene are no coincidence. The body--a promising starlet--has been battered, bloodied and then discarded between two of Manhattan's oldest graveyards. One look and Detective Jude Crosby recognizes the tableau: a re-creation of Jack the Ripper's gruesome work. But he also sees something beyond the actions of a mere copycat. Something more dangerous...and unexplainable. As the city seethes with suspicion, Jude calls on Whitney Tremont, a member of the country's preeminent paranormal investigating team, to put the speculation to rest. Yet when Whitney and Jude delve deeper, what they discover is more shocking than either could have predicted, and twice as sinister...… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member thehistorychic
Read for Fun
Overall Rating 4.00
Story Rating 3.75
Character Rating 4.25

Audio Rating: 4.50 (not part of the overall rating)

First Thought When Finished: I am really enjoying the Krewe of Hunters!

What I Loved: The Team! I know each of them so well by now that it is always a joy when I hit half way
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through the book and they all show up! I wait for the moments where they are talking, working out the case, and in general offering support to each other. It seems silly but the team work is just part of what makes them shine! I love when authors can make you fall in love with the friends not just the romances in a story.

What I Liked: Whitney and Jude's romance was sweet and not overwhelming to the story. I would have liked for there to be a little more with the romance but that seems to be secondary in the Krewe stories. I am actually ok with this.

Audio Review: I love Luke Daniels and I think this was the best of audio of the series so far. Now I do recognize that he "reuses" voices from other series that he has narrated but that is only distracting for a few minutes in this entry.

Final Thought: If you like Paranormal Mystery/Thrillers I would say pick up this series.
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LibraryThing member BookDivasReads
The Krewe of Hunters is at it again in Sacred Evil by Heather Graham. This time the Krewe is in New York working with the NYC Police Department on a series of Ripperesque style murders. The question arises is this work of a homicidal, possibly crazy, Jack the Ripper fan or are there supernatural
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elements at work? Whitney Tremont, one of the Krewe, is working beside Jude Crosby to make this determination. Whitney, as a Krewe member, has some paranormal abilities but will this help her in this particular investigation? Jude Crosby is a talented investigator but he is stumped by these murders because of the lack of evidence. The only thing on their side is that the police department has initiated a task force and given Jude carte blanche and the assistance of the FBI team, referred to as the Krewe of Hunters, to help solve these crimes.

Ms. Graham has provided a great backdrop with New York City. The murky history of the city at the end of the 1800s adds to the overall mystique. The story is aided with theories that Jack the Ripper migrated to the US as Jonathan "Jack" Black at the turn of the century. This migration is the reason why the murders ended in London, but appeared to begin in New York. All of the present day murders are exact copies of each of the Ripper's murders. Everyone becomes a suspect: a movie director, an actor, another detective, the medical examiner and even Jude's father.

While I enjoyed reading Sacred Evil, it seemed almost formulaic at times. The romance was expected and the mystery and suspense just weren't as mysterious or suspenseful as other books by this author. There were some surprises with the plot and this, ultimately, saved the overall reading experience. If you're looking for a quick romantic suspense read with some dark, paranormal elements, then add Sacred Evil to your summer reading list.
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LibraryThing member debbieaheaton
In Heather Graham's paranormal romantic suspense novel, Detective Jude Crosby recognizes the signs: a re-creation of Jack the Ripper's work. He also sees more than just a copycat. As the city seethes with suspicion and fear, Jude calls on Whitney Tremont, a member of the country's preeminent
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paranormal investigating team, to help him put the pieces together. Teaming both professionally and personally, Whitney and Jude discover something more shocking than they ever thought possible. Once again, Graham illustrates why she's at the top of the genre.
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LibraryThing member dd196406
I love this series of books, but I admit that this one was not my favorite. I never really believed the chemistry between the two leads. However, the hunt for the Jack the Ripper killer was thrilling and I was guessing until the end. A very exciting read.
LibraryThing member thehistorychic
Read for Fun
Overall Rating 4.00
Story Rating 3.75
Character Rating 4.25

Audio Rating: 4.50 (not part of the overall rating)

First Thought When Finished: I am really enjoying the Krewe of Hunters!

What I Loved: The Team! I know each of them so well by now that it is always a joy when I hit half way
Show More
through the book and they all show up! I wait for the moments where they are talking, working out the case, and in general offering support to each other. It seems silly but the team work is just part of what makes them shine! I love when authors can make you fall in love with the friends not just the romances in a story.

What I Liked: Whitney and Jude's romance was sweet and not overwhelming to the story. I would have liked for there to be a little more with the romance but that seems to be secondary in the Krewe stories. I am actually ok with this.

Audio Review: I love Luke Daniels and I think this was the best of audio of the series so far. Now I do recognize that he "reuses" voices from other series that he has narrated but that is only distracting for a few minutes in this entry.

Final Thought: If you like Paranormal Mystery/Thrillers I would say pick up this series.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Carol420
Has Jack the Ripper risen from the grave and continued his reign of terror but this time instead of the East End of London it is the East End of New York. Or has someone researched very meticulously and is now exacting his carefully laid plans to strike fear into the hearts of woman and show the
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NYPD what fools they are.

Jude Crosby, detective for the NYPD, is baffled by the latest murders and knows they need help solving this case. They seem to be linked and they don't. The only thing in common right now that he can see is that it is all centering around the myth that Jack the Ripper came to America and reincarnated himself into a man named Jonathan Black and became head of the House of Spiritualism, a satanic church, continuing his murder spree. The director of the movie O'Leary believes that because they were filming on the site of the House of Spiritualism it has awakened the spirit of Jack the Ripper.

I figured out who the killer potentially was a little over half way through the book, but that didn't stop me from reading until the end to see if I was right. Another great one from Heather Graham.
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LibraryThing member lrobe190
The details of the crime scene are no coincidence. The body—a promising starlet—has been battered, bloodied and then discarded between two of Manhattan's oldest graveyards.

One look and Detective Jude Crosby recognizes the tableau:

A re–creation of Jack the Ripper's gruesome work. But he also
Show More
sees something beyond the actions of a mere copycat. Something more dangerous…and unexplainable.

As the city seethes with suspicion, Jude calls on Whitney Tremont, a member of the country's preeminent paranormal investigating team, to put the speculation to rest. Yet when Whitney and Jude delve deeper, what they discover is more shocking than either could have predicted, and twice as sinister…(retrieved from Amazon.com).

While an enjoyable read, this 3rd book in the Krewe of Hunters series gets bogged down by the amount of historical information provided about Jack the Ripper. It's still very suspenseful and keeps you guessing until the very end of the book.
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LibraryThing member Lauren2013
Sacred Evil
4 Stars

Synopsis
Following the discovery of a mutilated corpse, NYPD detective Jude Crosby is forced to admit that this murder and two previous deaths may be the work of a Jack the Ripper copycat. When a unique FBI unit specializing in the unexplained is called in, Jude must work with
Show More
Agent Whitney Tremont and accept that their are some things fact and logic cannot explain including his undeniable attraction to the spunky special agent.

Review
I originally decided to discontinue the series after the first two lackluster installments, but decided to give this one a go upon learning that it revolved around Jack the Ripper, and I am glad that I did.

The historical background and research into Jack the Ripper's original crimes and the possibility that he continued his murderous spree in NYC is detailed and interesting. The descriptions of the crimes both past and present is realistic but not overwhelming and the mystery is compelling with several plausible suspects that keep you guessing right up until the end. The X-File like paranormal elements merge well into the story, and although the climax is a little rushed it is ultimately satisfying and the epilogue left me smiling.

Jude and Whitney have an intense and palpable attraction and their opposites attract romance is the best in the series. Jude is a "just the facts ma'am" investigator - logical, honorable and sexy in his diligence. Whitney is fierce and insightful but wary of accepting her gift. Together they make an excellent team both in and out of the bedroom.

The secondary characters are another highlight. Jude's father, the enigmatic ME, the down and out Vietnam Vet and the ghost dog all contribute to the overall story as do the other Krewe members who make their appearance halfway through and remain in the background.

The writing is good although there are some annoying editorial errors that detract from the flow but nothing too drastic.

Overall, the solid mystery and captivating romance has convinced me to give the series another try.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Lauren2013
Sacred Evil
4 Stars

Following the discovery of a mutilated corpse, NYPD detective Jude Crosby is forced to admit that this murder and two previous deaths may be the work of a Jack the Ripper copycat. When a unique FBI unit specializing in the unexplained is called in, Jude must work with Agent
Show More
Whitney Tremont and accept that their are some things fact and logic cannot explain including his undeniable attraction to the spunky special agent.

I originally decided to discontinue the series after the first two lackluster installments, but decided to give this one a go upon learning that it revolved around Jack the Ripper, and I am glad that I did.

The historical background and research into Jack the Ripper's original crimes and the possibility that he continued his murderous spree in NYC is detailed and interesting. The descriptions of the crimes both past and present is realistic but not overwhelming and the mystery is compelling with several plausible suspects that keep you guessing right up until the end. The X-File like paranormal elements merge well into the story, and although the climax is a little rushed it is ultimately satisfying and the epilogue left me smiling.

Jude and Whitney have an intense and palpable attraction and their opposites attract romance is the best in the series. Jude is a "just the facts ma'am" investigator - logical, honorable and sexy in his diligence. Whitney is fierce and insightful but wary of accepting her gift. Together they make an excellent team both in and out of the bedroom.

The secondary characters are another highlight. Jude's father, the enigmatic ME, the down and out Vietnam Vet and the ghost dog all contribute to the overall story as do the other Krewe members who make their appearance halfway through and remain in the background.

The writing is good although there are some annoying editorial errors that detract from the flow but nothing too drastic.

Overall, the solid mystery and captivating romance has convinced me to give the series another try.
Show Less

Language

Original language

English

Original publication date

2011

Physical description

384 p.; 4.21 inches

ISBN

0778312429 / 9780778312420

Barcode

1600503
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