Status
Available
Series
Genres
Collection
Publication
MIRA (2011), Edition: Original, 384 pages
Description
Fantasy. Fiction. HTML: Emerging from the bayou like an apparition, Donegal Plantation is known for its unsurpassed dining, captivating atmosphere, haunting legends...and now a corpse swinging from the marble angel that marks its cemetery's most majestic vault. A corpse discovered in nearly the same situation as that of Marshall Donegal, the patriarch killed in a skirmish just before the Civil War. Desperate for help traditional criminologists could never provide, plantation heiress Ashley Donegal turns to an elite team of paranormal investigators who blend hard forensics with rare--often inexplicable--intuition. Among the "Krewe of Hunters" is an old flame, Jake Mallory, a gifted musician with talent stretching far beyond the realm of the physical, and a few dark ghosts of his own. The evil the team unveils has the power to shake the plantation to its very core. Jake and Ashley are forced to risk everything to unravel secrets that will not stay buried--even in death....… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member BookDivasReads
What do an old Louisiana plantation, a civil war re-enactment and things that go bump in the night have in common? These are all elements in the second Krewe of Hunters book Heart of Evil by Heather Graham. (Yes I know I read the books out of sequence, but it didn't seem to make that much of a
Ashley Donegal is the co-owner/operator of a hotel in her family's plantation home. During a Civil War re-enactment a man is murdered. It just so happens that this particular man was portraying her forefather, Marshall Donegal, and the body is left in the family cemetery. Ashley's grandfather is concerned, seeks some favors from old friends, and before you know the Krewe of Hunters is on the scene to help with the investigation. The first to arrive on the scene is Jake Mallory, an old Donegal family friend and ex-lover to Ashley. What follows is an investigation into the past and present with a little help from some family ghosts.
I rather liked the incorporation of past with the present in terms of the Donegal family history. Sorry to say but that was about all I really liked from this particular story. The characters seemed to be a bit flat, most of the action was expected, and even the romance seemed forced. I sadly found the ghosts to be more entertaining than anyone else. This particular series seems to be a hit-or-miss combo for me, as I found book one - Phantom Evil to be an okay read, book three - Sacred Evil to be a good read, and now book two - Heart of Evil back to being an okay read.
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difference.)Ashley Donegal is the co-owner/operator of a hotel in her family's plantation home. During a Civil War re-enactment a man is murdered. It just so happens that this particular man was portraying her forefather, Marshall Donegal, and the body is left in the family cemetery. Ashley's grandfather is concerned, seeks some favors from old friends, and before you know the Krewe of Hunters is on the scene to help with the investigation. The first to arrive on the scene is Jake Mallory, an old Donegal family friend and ex-lover to Ashley. What follows is an investigation into the past and present with a little help from some family ghosts.
I rather liked the incorporation of past with the present in terms of the Donegal family history. Sorry to say but that was about all I really liked from this particular story. The characters seemed to be a bit flat, most of the action was expected, and even the romance seemed forced. I sadly found the ghosts to be more entertaining than anyone else. This particular series seems to be a hit-or-miss combo for me, as I found book one - Phantom Evil to be an okay read, book three - Sacred Evil to be a good read, and now book two - Heart of Evil back to being an okay read.
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LibraryThing member dhaupt
Ashley Donegal is used to history, her family home and history are a big part of the Civil War, but when a re-enactment turns deadly and it looks like the perpetrator is targeting the Donegal family Ashley and her grandfather turn to the pros- Adam Harrison’s crack FBI team dubbed “Krew of
Fans of Ms. Graham will recognize Adam Harrison from some of her previous paranormal novels and those of us who read the first in the series “Phantom Evil” will see the new FBI team on the case once again. The storyline could be read in any newspaper or TV headline in the Big Easy where woo-woo rules and is more normal than normal. Her dialogue is easy to read and will pull you right into the tale and keep your there. Her characters are all compelling and an integral part of the story. Her hero Jake is decisive and a take action kind of guy who’s not afraid to let his emotions come to the surface regarding his feelings for his leading lady. The heroine is a true Southern Belle, with all the strength and moxi it takes to fit that role. The romance is a fan favorite and mine too of second chances, do they get it right, stay tuned to find out. The love scenes are hot, sensual and sexy.
Spend sometime in the Big Easy, slow down the pace but turn up the heat with a romantic suspense with just a touch of the otherworldly. If you like ghost stories, Civil War Stories or a mystery that’s a bit macabre you’ve come to the right tale.
Thank you Ms. Graham for another interesting and entertaining trip.
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Hunters”, created to investigate crimes out of the ordinary. Jake Mallory takes a very personal interest in Ashley’s case, he and Ashley go way back and their parting was less than favorable when it became apparent that Jake had a link to the other side and Ashley just couldn’t handle it. But he would do anything to keep Ashley safe, they may not have parted friends but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t still love her.Fans of Ms. Graham will recognize Adam Harrison from some of her previous paranormal novels and those of us who read the first in the series “Phantom Evil” will see the new FBI team on the case once again. The storyline could be read in any newspaper or TV headline in the Big Easy where woo-woo rules and is more normal than normal. Her dialogue is easy to read and will pull you right into the tale and keep your there. Her characters are all compelling and an integral part of the story. Her hero Jake is decisive and a take action kind of guy who’s not afraid to let his emotions come to the surface regarding his feelings for his leading lady. The heroine is a true Southern Belle, with all the strength and moxi it takes to fit that role. The romance is a fan favorite and mine too of second chances, do they get it right, stay tuned to find out. The love scenes are hot, sensual and sexy.
Spend sometime in the Big Easy, slow down the pace but turn up the heat with a romantic suspense with just a touch of the otherworldly. If you like ghost stories, Civil War Stories or a mystery that’s a bit macabre you’ve come to the right tale.
Thank you Ms. Graham for another interesting and entertaining trip.
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LibraryThing member debbieaheaton
In Heather Graham's paranormal romantic suspense novel, plantation heiress Ashley Donegal turns to an elite team of paranormal investigators who blend hard forensics with rare intuition. Among the "Krewe of Hunters" is an old flame, Jake Mallory, a gifted musician with talent stretching far beyond
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the realm of the physical, and a few dark ghosts of his own. The evil the team unveils has the power to shake the plantation to its very foundation. Jake and Ashley are forced to risk everything to unravel secrets that will not stay buried, not even in death. Once again Graham has proven herself the Queen of paranormal romantic suspense. Show Less
LibraryThing member KikiHowell
This story of history, ghosts, and love reunited drew me in quickly and kept my attention throughout. There is nothing like a serial killer doing a vengeful ghost’s bidding to bring back together two people who were separated because of their opposing views on the existence of such paranormal
The characters were strong, each with their own unique personalities, including the unnamed killer. I really like it when you get brief glimpses into the killer’s demented thoughts in these types of novels. I think it takes the suspense up a notch. The dialogue of all of the characters was expertly written, enhancing each character in manner of speech and tone. Graham is one of the best characterization authors I have ever read. Even the secondary characters, including the ghostly ones, were all very well developed.
Of course, I can’t talk about the characters without mentioning the steamy, romantic plotline. I am a sucker for lovers-torn-apart being forced back together again. In this one, as opposed to most, the two past lovers didn’t hate each other. Yet, despite the fact they were willing, so much stood in their way of getting back together again. I found myself really rooting for Jack and Ashley.
The plot while well constructed and suspenseful, took a few scary turns with ghosts to help the investigation along. I loved how the paranormal element helped even when the main character resisted, a nice opposition to the ghost who had a human killing for him.
The setting came through beautifully through rich descriptions of the plantation and cemetery along with the rich history of the place. The setting of a civil war reenactment was very clever especially when you have modern day people playing the ghosts walking among them. Again, the story was so nicely layered, giving it a full plot. I highly recommend this novel, even if you haven’t read the first in the series like me. It has a little something for everyone: history buffs, romance addicts, suspense/mystery readers, etc.
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entities. How is that for an original plotline? The characters were strong, each with their own unique personalities, including the unnamed killer. I really like it when you get brief glimpses into the killer’s demented thoughts in these types of novels. I think it takes the suspense up a notch. The dialogue of all of the characters was expertly written, enhancing each character in manner of speech and tone. Graham is one of the best characterization authors I have ever read. Even the secondary characters, including the ghostly ones, were all very well developed.
Of course, I can’t talk about the characters without mentioning the steamy, romantic plotline. I am a sucker for lovers-torn-apart being forced back together again. In this one, as opposed to most, the two past lovers didn’t hate each other. Yet, despite the fact they were willing, so much stood in their way of getting back together again. I found myself really rooting for Jack and Ashley.
The plot while well constructed and suspenseful, took a few scary turns with ghosts to help the investigation along. I loved how the paranormal element helped even when the main character resisted, a nice opposition to the ghost who had a human killing for him.
The setting came through beautifully through rich descriptions of the plantation and cemetery along with the rich history of the place. The setting of a civil war reenactment was very clever especially when you have modern day people playing the ghosts walking among them. Again, the story was so nicely layered, giving it a full plot. I highly recommend this novel, even if you haven’t read the first in the series like me. It has a little something for everyone: history buffs, romance addicts, suspense/mystery readers, etc.
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LibraryThing member jjnaaucoin
I tried to like this book, maybe I didn't give it a chance. I couldn't get into it, maybe it was her writing? I love the idea of the book but I just couldn't get through the first 30+ pages. I think I will try another book of hers and then come back to this one...The other reviews make me think I
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didn't give it a chance. Show Less
LibraryThing member dd196406
Loved it! Great mix of ghosts and murder and romance. Made me feel like I was on a Louisiana plantation, walking along the bayou. Great book!
LibraryThing member thehistorychic
Read for Fun/June is Audiobook Month/June 2012 Series Read!
Overall Rating: 4.25
Story Rating: 4.00
Character Rating: 4.50
Audio Rating(Not part of the overall rating): 4.50
First thought when finished: I am really enjoying the Krewe of Hunters! Plus, this one is set in New Orleans!
What I Loved: Anytime
What I Liked: The Donegal Plantation was a great setting for Heart of Evil. It had ghosts, graveyard, swamp, and a vastness that made you feel like you had stepped back in time. I felt like the plantation itself was a character in the story. I loved Grandpa and M. Donegal--both were strong men and great characters.
Audio Specific Review: Luke Daniels hit it out of the park. I think I am officially a fan girl!
Final Thought: I recommend this series to Paranormal Mystery Readers--it only has a bit of romance (that is not the focus).
Overall Rating: 4.25
Story Rating: 4.00
Character Rating: 4.50
Audio Rating(Not part of the overall rating): 4.50
First thought when finished: I am really enjoying the Krewe of Hunters! Plus, this one is set in New Orleans!
What I Loved: Anytime
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you even hint that you are going to have historic re-enactments tied in with a murder mystery--you pretty much have me interested. I love that Heart of Evil weaves in historic events with a present day murder investigation. Throw in the hot chemistry between Jake and Ashley and a very fun cast of characters, this was just a downright good read!!What I Liked: The Donegal Plantation was a great setting for Heart of Evil. It had ghosts, graveyard, swamp, and a vastness that made you feel like you had stepped back in time. I felt like the plantation itself was a character in the story. I loved Grandpa and M. Donegal--both were strong men and great characters.
Audio Specific Review: Luke Daniels hit it out of the park. I think I am officially a fan girl!
Final Thought: I recommend this series to Paranormal Mystery Readers--it only has a bit of romance (that is not the focus).
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LibraryThing member CLDunn
I couldn't wait to start the second book in the Krewe of Hunters series. This was Jake's story and took place on plantation. I didn't think the story was that interesting. All the team was back but there wasn't any scary interactions with ghosts, no drama, just a story and a lot of history.
LibraryThing member hazysaffron
Cardboard characters, predictable plot line, gore for the sake of gore, utter and complete rubbish. If you want a good horror book look elsewhere.
LibraryThing member Carl_Alves
Set in modern times, Heart of Evil is a paranormal murder mystery that stretches back to the Civil War. Set at Donegal Plantation, Ashley Donegal is trying to make ends meet and keep the plantation alive by converting it to a bed and breakfast and having an annual Civil War reenactment. During the
I liked how this novel incorporated historical events, both with the Civil War reenactment, and how the events of the past tied in to the present day murders. It was cleverly done with a supernatural component mixed into it. As for the mystery aspect, the unveiling of the killer surprised me yet remained logical and well thought out. I was less impressed with the romance element between Ashley and Jake, which seemed generic and didn’t do too much to move me. The Krewe of Hunters team was interesting, and I thought more could be done with this cast of characters. All in all, this was a fun read that I would recommend.
Carl Alves – author of Conjesero
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reenactment, the actor playing the role of her ancestor Marshall Donegal is killed in a gruesome manner. A paranormal investigation team that includes her old flame, Jake Mallory, is brought in to investigate. Also helping to investigate are the ghosts of Marshall Donegal and his wife. The murder turns out to be a series of murders all centering around what happened over 150 years earlier.I liked how this novel incorporated historical events, both with the Civil War reenactment, and how the events of the past tied in to the present day murders. It was cleverly done with a supernatural component mixed into it. As for the mystery aspect, the unveiling of the killer surprised me yet remained logical and well thought out. I was less impressed with the romance element between Ashley and Jake, which seemed generic and didn’t do too much to move me. The Krewe of Hunters team was interesting, and I thought more could be done with this cast of characters. All in all, this was a fun read that I would recommend.
Carl Alves – author of Conjesero
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LibraryThing member Carol420
This story of history, ghosts, and love reunited drew me in quickly and kept my attention throughout. There is nothing like a serial killer doing a vengeful ghost's bidding to bring back together two people who were separated because of their opposing views on the existence of such paranormal
The setting came through beautifully through rich descriptions of the plantation and cemetery along with the rich history of the place. The setting of a civil war reenactment was very clever especially when you have modern day people playing the ghosts walking among them. Again, the story was so nicely layered, giving it a full plot. I highly recommend this novel, even if you haven't read the first in the series. It has a little something for everyone: history buffs, romance addicts,
Show More
entities. How is that for an original plotline? The setting came through beautifully through rich descriptions of the plantation and cemetery along with the rich history of the place. The setting of a civil war reenactment was very clever especially when you have modern day people playing the ghosts walking among them. Again, the story was so nicely layered, giving it a full plot. I highly recommend this novel, even if you haven't read the first in the series. It has a little something for everyone: history buffs, romance addicts,
Show Less
LibraryThing member lrobe190
Outside of New Orleans, Donegal Plantation is known for its unsurpassed dining, captivating atmosphere, haunting legends
and now a corpse swinging from the marble angel that marks the Donegal vault. The corpse is discovered in nearly the same position as that of Marshall Donegal, the patriarch
Desperate for help traditional criminologists could never provide, plantation heiress Ashley Donegal turns to an elite team of paranormal investigators who blend hard forensics with rare, often inexplicable, intuition. Among the "Krewe of Hunters" is an old flame, Jake Mallory, a gifted musician with talent stretching far beyond the realm of the physical.The evil the team unveils has the power to shake the plantation to its very core. Jake and Ashley are forced to risk everything to unravel secrets that will not stay buried even in death (desc. by Amazon.com) .
This is a great series if you like romance, murder, and ghosts. Very entertaining and suspenseful.
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killed in a skirmish just before the Civil War.Desperate for help traditional criminologists could never provide, plantation heiress Ashley Donegal turns to an elite team of paranormal investigators who blend hard forensics with rare, often inexplicable, intuition. Among the "Krewe of Hunters" is an old flame, Jake Mallory, a gifted musician with talent stretching far beyond the realm of the physical.The evil the team unveils has the power to shake the plantation to its very core. Jake and Ashley are forced to risk everything to unravel secrets that will not stay buried even in death (desc. by Amazon.com) .
This is a great series if you like romance, murder, and ghosts. Very entertaining and suspenseful.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Lauren2013
Heart of Evil
Rating: 3 Stars
Synopsis:
When a man is found murdered following a civil war reenactment, Ashley Donegal seeks the help of an old flame, Jake Mallory, a member of the FBI's paranormal investigative unit. It soon becomes clear that a madman with a grudge is on the rampage and Ashley and
Review:
The idea of a killer with a historic score to settle is interesting and constitutes a strong foundation for the story. Nevertheless, the plot is poorly executed. The prologue provides no preliminary information and could easily have been another chapter. The division into chapters is problematic in the sense that the narrative begins from the POV of one character and switches to another in the same chapter with no warning, which can be confusing at times.
The characters are like cardboard cutouts and their characterization lacks substance. Even though the romantic couple has more of a connection than the pair in the first book; there is still a serious absence of chemistry in their relationship. The secondary characters are not sufficiently developed and the suspects are merely candidates for a police line-up. Very few clues are provided for the reader to follow, and the villain is ultimately revealed after everyone else is either killed or has an alibi. I would like to point out that I enjoyed the plot in this book more than in the first.
Ms. Graham has many fans out there. Unfortunately, I am not one of them. Her writing does not appeal to me as I do not enjoy having the story spoon fed to me as if I am unable to follow a narrative thread.
I can only recommend this for Graham devotees but I will not be continuing with the series.
Heart of Evil is scheduled for release on June 28, 2011. An advance copy of the book was provided to me for review by the publisher and NetGalley.com.
Rating: 3 Stars
Synopsis:
When a man is found murdered following a civil war reenactment, Ashley Donegal seeks the help of an old flame, Jake Mallory, a member of the FBI's paranormal investigative unit. It soon becomes clear that a madman with a grudge is on the rampage and Ashley and
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her family are his target.Review:
The idea of a killer with a historic score to settle is interesting and constitutes a strong foundation for the story. Nevertheless, the plot is poorly executed. The prologue provides no preliminary information and could easily have been another chapter. The division into chapters is problematic in the sense that the narrative begins from the POV of one character and switches to another in the same chapter with no warning, which can be confusing at times.
The characters are like cardboard cutouts and their characterization lacks substance. Even though the romantic couple has more of a connection than the pair in the first book; there is still a serious absence of chemistry in their relationship. The secondary characters are not sufficiently developed and the suspects are merely candidates for a police line-up. Very few clues are provided for the reader to follow, and the villain is ultimately revealed after everyone else is either killed or has an alibi. I would like to point out that I enjoyed the plot in this book more than in the first.
Ms. Graham has many fans out there. Unfortunately, I am not one of them. Her writing does not appeal to me as I do not enjoy having the story spoon fed to me as if I am unable to follow a narrative thread.
I can only recommend this for Graham devotees but I will not be continuing with the series.
Heart of Evil is scheduled for release on June 28, 2011. An advance copy of the book was provided to me for review by the publisher and NetGalley.com.
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LibraryThing member Lauren2013
Heart of Evil
Rating: 3 Stars
When a man is found murdered following a civil war reenactment, Ashley Donegal seeks the help of an old flame, Jake Mallory, a member of the FBI's paranormal investigative unit. It soon becomes clear that a madman with a grudge is on the rampage and Ashley and her family
The idea of a killer with a historic score to settle is interesting and constitutes a strong foundation for the story. Nevertheless, the plot is poorly executed. The prologue provides no preliminary information and could easily have been another chapter. The division into chapters is problematic in the sense that the narrative begins from the POV of one character and switches to another in the same chapter with no warning, which can be confusing at times.
The characters are like cardboard cutouts and their characterization lacks substance. Even though the romantic couple has more of a connection than the pair in the first book; there is still a serious absence of chemistry in their relationship. The secondary characters are not sufficiently developed and the suspects are merely candidates for a police line-up. Very few clues are provided for the reader to follow, and the villain is ultimately revealed after everyone else is either killed or has an alibi. I would like to point out that I enjoyed the plot in this book more than in the first.
Ms. Graham has many fans out there. Unfortunately, I am beginning to suspect that her writing is not for me as I do not enjoy having the story spoon-fed to me as if I am unable to follow a narrative thread.
Heart of Evil is scheduled for release on June 28, 2011. An advance copy of the book was provided to me for review by the publisher and NetGalley.com.
Rating: 3 Stars
When a man is found murdered following a civil war reenactment, Ashley Donegal seeks the help of an old flame, Jake Mallory, a member of the FBI's paranormal investigative unit. It soon becomes clear that a madman with a grudge is on the rampage and Ashley and her family
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are his target.The idea of a killer with a historic score to settle is interesting and constitutes a strong foundation for the story. Nevertheless, the plot is poorly executed. The prologue provides no preliminary information and could easily have been another chapter. The division into chapters is problematic in the sense that the narrative begins from the POV of one character and switches to another in the same chapter with no warning, which can be confusing at times.
The characters are like cardboard cutouts and their characterization lacks substance. Even though the romantic couple has more of a connection than the pair in the first book; there is still a serious absence of chemistry in their relationship. The secondary characters are not sufficiently developed and the suspects are merely candidates for a police line-up. Very few clues are provided for the reader to follow, and the villain is ultimately revealed after everyone else is either killed or has an alibi. I would like to point out that I enjoyed the plot in this book more than in the first.
Ms. Graham has many fans out there. Unfortunately, I am beginning to suspect that her writing is not for me as I do not enjoy having the story spoon-fed to me as if I am unable to follow a narrative thread.
Heart of Evil is scheduled for release on June 28, 2011. An advance copy of the book was provided to me for review by the publisher and NetGalley.com.
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Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2011
Physical description
6.61 inches
ISBN
0778329984 / 9780778329985