Tag Archives: paranormal stories

Amy Caudill’s Reviews : Angel of Vengeance

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Angel of Vengeance by Douglas Preston

Angel of Vengeance (Pendergast, #22) by Douglas Preston (Goodreads Author), Lincoln Child

Amy Caudill‘s review

Aug 26, 2025

A desperate plan, a combination of forces by former enemies, and a literal world-bending adventure awaits our heroes as they face off against the ultimate antagonist-Pendergast’s serial killer ancestor, Dr. Enoch Leng.


This latest novel from authors Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child concludes what could be considered another unofficial trilogy in the long-term series. I previously reviewed the first book of this trilogy, Bloodless, on Goodreads and my blog, but have yet to mention the second book on-line. However, since these three are so interrelated, I feel I should discuss the three books together.


In Bloodless, Aloysius Pendergast discovers a machine that creates gateways between dimensions, allowing travelers to move between worlds that are either very different or very similar to our own. Constance Greene uses the machine to travel to a world that is like our own only still in the Victorian era, allowing her to stop Leng from the ghastly experiments that killed her sister and made Constance herself virtually immortal. However, the machine breaks down after her transport and she is stranded there.


Pendergast is devastated at her loss, because he is only now realizing that he feels more for Constance than a ward, and actually could have a relationship with her. The early part of The Cabinet of Dr. Leng focuses on the unconventional steps Pendergast, with the help of D’Agosta and Procter, take to bring the machine back on-line and save Constance from herself.


Long term readers of the series will recognize the name and situation of the second book, The Cabinet of Dr. Leng, from an earlier book in the series , The Cabinet of Curiosities, although the newer book is set mostly in the past and in a slightly alternate dimension.


Despite their best intentions, Pendergast and D’Agosta’s arrival in alternate Victorian era New York creates more harm than good, and Constance quickly points out to them that she did not want or need their help. Whether that was true is academic, because Leng becomes aware of the dimensional travelers’ existence, and in the beginning of Angel of Vengeance he has gained the upper hand by purportedly killing Constance’s older sister and kidnapping the younger version of herself.


The last book continues the story with the arrival of Pendergast’s younger brother, Diogenes, who has a checkered past with the rest of the group but who allies himself with them to bring down Leng. The group of heroes, determined to save Mary Greene and “Binky,” the young Constance, as well as their brother Joe, join forces to concoct a plan that will also prevent Leng from gaining any more knowledge or access to the dimensional gate.


While some of the Pendergast books could be considered stand-alone, I would caution new readers to this series to not start with any of the books I have mentioned here, because while they may enjoy the story there is far too much history, and too many prior situations that would require explanation for complete understanding.


However, this book series is outstanding and the latest offering continues that trend. I award it five stars and recommend the series to fans of detective fiction, actions stories, and those who enjoy stories with Victorian and Gothic and paranormal elements. Considering the next book in the series, which is due out in January, is a flashback to Pendergast’s first case, I only hope that the forward adventures of our heroes are not at an end.

Amy Caudill’s Reviews : Sherlock Holmes and the Highgate Horrors

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Sherlock Holmes and the Highgate Horrors by James Lovegrove

Sherlock Holmes and the Highgate Horrors by James Lovegrove

Amy Caudill‘s review

What a good book to read to start off the spooky season!  This fourth volume in the series by James Lovegrove combines the classic characters of Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes with the monsters of H.P. Lovecraft to weave a tale that brings our heroes into a secret war against alien monstrosities that not only influence our world from afar, but now are found to walk among us.

This novel, presented as sort of an addendum to the three prior, skillfully takes the original characters of Holmes and Watson, as well of some of the original author’s specific cases, and weaves into to them a secret subtext that Watson, as the “author” whose works appeared in The Strand, chose to keep hidden from the public.  Lovegrove, as the “heir” to these secret case notes, has decided the time is right to reveal what really happened behind the scenes.

This particular volume delineates happenings from not only earlier cases, but also particulars at the end of Holmes and Watsons’ careers and lives.  For instance, the “real” reason Holmes retired to the country, and what “really” happened to Irene Adler.  Throughout, the reader is treated to multiple cases where the duo fights against the hordes of the Outer Gods and worshippers of The Great Old Ones, so named from Lovecraft’s work. 

Now, though, it appears a cabal of humans is assisting the otherworldly creatures in conquering a much nearer and dearer target, Earth itself.  Why have the invaders come to Earth, despite their different physiology and inability to survive under Earth’s atmosphere and gravity?  The reason is not revealed till deep in the text and is shocking in its insidiousness and desperation.  The culmination of the final story shows links between all the cases and reveals the ultimate plot of the aliens, who are no longer united in their goals.

This book is a treat for fans of the original works of classic authors, Conan Doyle, and Lovecraft, and combines their characters in a plausible way that can delight a whole new generation of readers.  Fans of the series’ will easily recognize specifics, but can also enjoy the new stories, like that rare well-written piece of fan fiction with an original plot.  I award Lovegrove four stars and recommend this volume to fans of Holmes, Cthulhu, classic mystery and horror books.

Amy Caudill’s Reviews : Skin Game

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Skin Game by Jim Butcher

Skin Game (The Dresden Files, #15) by Jim Butcher (Goodreads Author)
Amy Caudill‘s review

This latest addition to the Dresden Files Series shows Harry dealing with the consequences of the last book.  Harry has been marooned on Demonreach Island with a parasite in his head, one that will supposedly kill him without the shielding provided by the guardian spirit of the island.  He’s been isolated from his friends and family for the better part of a year, leaving them to deal with the consequences of a world in chaos after the supernatural community takes advantage of the void left by the destruction of the Vampires of the Red Court, literally at Harry’s hand.

Naturally, when Mab comes to call, she immediately orders him off the island, her only concession to Harry’s survival an earring that prevents the parasite from incapacitating him, at least for the next three days.  After that, unless Harry has successfully completed his assigned mission, is the probable end of Harry’s life.

And what does Mab want Harry to do?  Just join forces with a group of old enemies on a suicide mission into Hades’ domain, yes that Hades, to pull off a daring theft from the Underworld.  Harry is forced to work with the Knights of the Blackened Denarius, those fallen angels who have survived on greed and evil, with only Karrin and later Michael Carpenter, the former Knight of the Cross, on his side, as they break into an impenetrable stronghold to steal the Holy Grail.

This latest book is as exciting as a heist movie, but carries much higher stakes than a mountain of treasure-for inside Hades’ treasure trove are the weapons Mab needs to fight the enemy Outsiders, nightmarish creatures from another dimension.  Who will end up on which side of the conflict?  Who will betray the party, and who will be redeemed in the end?

While several elements of this novel remind me of Ocean’s Eleven and other similar stories, the style and the characters are clearly Butcher’s own, with villains and situations that dovetail nicely into the Dresden chronology.  Some have said the Harry Dresden stories have lost some of their magic over time, but I find the direction the author has taken has given new life to his ever-expanding universe. 

I have only a couple more books to read in the series (for now) and will be sorry to see its end.  Still, I’m sure there are a lot more excitement and world-changing moments to look forward to in the next volume, as soon as I get my hands on a copy.  I award this novel five stars, and recommend it to fans of paranormal stories, epic adventure, and romantic urban fantasy.

Amy Caudill’s Reviews : Cold Days

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Cold Days by Jim Butcher

Cold Days (The Dresden Files, #14) by Jim Butcher (Goodreads Author)
Amy Caudill‘s review

Having survived his own murder and then a trip through the afterlife (or a reasonable facsimile,) Harry now is somewhat ready to face his sworn duty to the Queen of Winter, Mab. 

At least, he better be.  After all, it appears the whole world is going crazy.  There is a conspiracy among the fae, and Harry will have enough trouble sorting out exactly who is on which side.  He also has to kill Mab’s daughter, the Winter Lady, because either Mab or Maeve, or both are crazy, and may be under the mind control of the Outsiders.  Not to mention, none of his friends or family know he’s actually alive.  It’s just another day in Chicago for Harry Dresden.

In a way, this book feels like it’s tying up loose ends of the series, though I know there are already three more books written to date.  Harry has a chance to revisit places he’s been and fought before, as well as come to terms with and forge new relationships with both old allies and adversaries.  He seems to finally be coming into his maturity, and is just realizing, with the help of some very austere advisors just exactly how much power he has at his disposal thanks to events of previous novels.

Harry is a wizard, the New Winter Knight, and now the Warden of an island that officially doesn’t exist but holds a terrifying secret that forces from outside the universe are scrambling to unleash.  He even edges closer to starting a romance with Karrin.  Not bad for his first day on the job as the servant of a Queen the Sidhe.

As always I greatly enjoyed Butcher’s trademark style: his protagonist is as well known for his wisecracks as his courage, heroism, and enormous power.  While Harry may finally be growing up from the immature lone wolf he was in the beginning of the series, the stories remain fresh as the author provides new plots, new situations, and new villains to torture him with. 

I award Cold Days five stars, and am sad I am actually catching up to the end of the series.  I recommend this book to fans of urban fantasy, paranormal adventure, and epic universes that would satisfy both science fiction and fantasy enthusiasts.

Amy Caudill’s Reviews : A Horribly Haunted Halloween

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A Horribly Haunted Halloween by Heather Graham

A Horribly Haunted Halloween
by Heather Graham (Goodreads Author)
Amy Caudill‘s review

I picked up this short e-book from one of my favorite authors because I wanted to something a little lighter between the 500-600 page tomes I have been reading of late, and since I have read many of the previous series, I thought it would be enjoyable.

I was both right and wrong.  This novella takes place in the Krewe of Hunters series about a group of FBI agents who have the ability to see and interact with ghosts which assists them on their cases.  Since I have read several other books in this series, I had no problem with the continuity, even though I have not read several of the intervening stories. 

I was pleased to see the development of the characters of Angela Hawkins and Jackson Crow, series regulars who have been around since the early days of the series, and who have married, and now have two children, one through adoption, and one by birth, as they continue their work.

I also enjoyed the premise of the story, that of a serial killer who disguises the bodies of his victims as Halloween decorations, and even enjoyed the mentions the author made about the current crisis facing the world, as characters are noted to be wearing masks in public.

However, the story was really not well-developed.  There were a couple of inconsistencies in the plot, revolving around the antagonist’s motivation and endgame, as well as errors in spelling that seemed as though the book was rushed to publication.  The ending of the story also presented a problem to me, because though the climax was good, the falling action was “told” and not “shown,” something I would not expect in a well-developed story by a very successful author. 

As I don’t consider this book up to the usual standards, I am only giving it three stars.  It still is a fun read for those looking for a quick, spooky Halloween story for the season, but it is definitely not the best example of this author’s work.

Amy Caudill’s Reviews : Suddenly Psychic

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Suddenly Psychic by Elizabeth Hunter

Suddenly Psychic (Glimmer Lake, #1)
by Elizabeth Hunter (Goodreads Author)
Amy Caudill‘s review

From Elizabeth Hunter, the author who made elemental vampires cool and believable, comes a new series featuring three women who, having survived a near-death experience, discover they have developed paranormal abilities.

One of the trio sees ghosts, one has prophetic dreams, and the third receives visions when she touches objects or people.  The three women, all in their mid-forties, that’s right, they’re not following the usual teenage trope, have to cope with the sudden onset of powers while dealing with ordinary, normal life things.

Robin is a mother of teenagers whose life and marriage is in a rut, and cannot imagine telling her husband about her new gift.  Monica, the receptor of dreams, is grieving over the recent death of her husband, and coping with children of her own. Val, a divorcee and single mom, runs a business but cannot touch her customers without triggering a vision.

When Robin begins to suspect there is a link from one of her “spectral visitors” to her elderly grandmother, the three women come together to solve a seventy-year old murder mystery.  Along the way, they work on their issues, personally and as a group.  They also explore their gifts in an attempt to understand and control them.

I have to say I love the premise of this series. The fact that three middle-aged women are dealing with this gives this series a different slant than if these books were designed for young adults.  That being said, after some initial disbelief/denial, the three seem to accept their plight fairly easily.  Okay, Val struggles the most, but none of them consult any experts-medical, theological, etc., to try and figure out why this is happening to them.  By the end of the story, they manage to cast out an evil ghost with only information found on the Internet. 

I would have liked to see them struggle a little more, have a steeper learning curve maybe?  Perhaps that will occur in later books, because as I mentioned, this is the first of series, the second, My Semi-Psychic Life, having just been released a few months ago.

Overall, the book was very enjoyable and I would recommend it to fans of urban fantasy and paranormal mysteries and award it four stars.

Amy Caudill’s Reviews : white knight

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White Night (The Dresden Files, Book 9) by [Jim Butcher]


white knight
by Jim Butcher (Goodreads Author)
Amy Caudill‘s reviewApr 28, 2020

When the magical inhabitants of Chicago begin dying under mysterious circumstances, Harry Dresden, wizard and warden of the White Council, uncovers links that may prove the deaths are in fact murders and not the suicides under which they are disguised.  At the same time, a shadowy figure is masquerading as a warden to make the magical community believe Harry may be the culprit.  Harry will have to join forces with an old flame, his strangely reluctant brother, a fellow warden Carlos Ramirez, and some old enemies to clear his name and stop the violence.

This latest volume in The Dresden Files features a large group of returning supporting characters from Jim Butcher’s Dresden universe.  We see Molly, the young warlock Harry took as his apprentice in Proven Guilty to save her life, struggle within the confines of her training and desire to prove herself as a magic wielder and adult.  We see Karrin Murphy, who was chastised and demoted within the Chicago P.D. for assisting Harry but still determined to fight supernatural forces at his side. 

There is a very humorous scene where Johnny Marcone, the mafia boss of Chicago, attempts to “handle” Harry when Dresden pays a visit to one of Marcone’s establishments.  There is also a later scene between Dresden and Harry that I believe sets up nicely some foreshadowing to the events revealed in the trailer for the upcoming release of Peace Talks, due out in July.

Harry, by this point in the series, has grown and evolved from where he began in the first book, Storm Front.  He is less impulsive, more likely to plan, and more willing to accept help from others, even those reluctant to offer help.  The amount of aid he is able to command proves crucial in the pivotal scene where he returns to the stronghold of the White Court vampires and faces not only the current enemies, but also the larger force behind the conspiracy, in an epic battle that involves vampires of multiple factions, ghouls, wizards, mercenaries, and a trip into the Nevernever.

This latest book by author Jim Butcher is a multi-level story that not only contains an absorbing mystery for Dresden to solve, but also details major events happening around the larger universe, with political, ethical, and military implications for the wizarding society that lies unseen by most of humanity.  The sense of foreboding that Butcher gives the reader builds an almost irresistible suspense for the next works in the series.

I give this book five stars, and can’t wait to get my hands on the next novel soon.

Amy Caudill’s Reviews : Death Masks

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Death Masks by Jim Butcher
Death Masks (The Dresden Files, #5) by

Jim Butcher (Goodreads Author)
50275498

Amy Caudill‘s review

In an opening scene far-removed from the norm for The Dresden Files book series, Harry is making a guest appearance on a local talk show, discussing paranormal lore.  While for fans of the series it may seem that Harry has lost his mind, he actually is participating in a clandestine meeting with a spiritual consultant, the authentic kind.

However, Harry is blind sighted by another guest on the show, Paola Ortega, posing as a Professor who debunks supernatural “incidents,” though Harry knows this person is in reality far different than what he appears to be.  Ortega is a noble member of the vampire’s Red Court, and his real purpose for the deception is to issue a challenge to a duel with Harry, to end the war between the vampires and the White Council of Wizards.

Adding to this dangerous situation, a Vatican representative is in Chicago to hire Harry to investigate the local occult community for a stolen artifact.  Father Vincent doesn’t seem to believe in the paranormal, but he will go to any lengths to recover the Shroud of Turin, which he sees as only a historical relic.

Harry, however, knows the artifact is far more than just that, and also how dangerous such a thing can be in the wrong hands.  If certain groups, all whom are clamoring for Harry’s attention, get hold of the Shroud, it could mean the end of the world.  Between the impending duel with the vampire, a group of Fallen Angels whose servants can assume the form of monsters and friends alike, and the attentions of the local mafia headed by Marcone, Harry has a full plate.  Luckily he has God’s Knights of the Cross on his side.

Like the opening, the ending of this book leaves Harry in an unusual position, as he becomes just like the Lady of the Lake, holding a sword he is duty-bound to pass onto a worthy individual, as soon as he finds them.

I am amazed at how author Jim Butcher continues to keep this series fresh, with new ideas, new monsters, and creative new encounters with the supernatural, all while strengthening the relationships between existing and recurring characters.  His battles are vivid scenes that can thrill the reader, while at the same time Harry’s doubts and vulnerabilities make him seem all the more human.

Butcher continues the formula that is one part detective story, one part romance, and one part paranormal adventure, in a tale that will delight readers old and new alike.  I award Death Masks five stars, and look forward to the next book in the series, to see what happens with the continuing arc in the plot, but also for what Butcher comes up with next.

Amy Caudill’s Reviews : Summer Knight

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Summer Knight by Jim Butcher

Summer Knight (The Dresden Files, #4) by

Jim Butcher (Goodreads Author)

50275498

Amy Caudill‘s review

  

Summer Knight opens as Harry Dresden’s life is falling apart.  Reeling from the consequences of the last volume, (Grave Peril, which takes place some nine months before,) Harry is ignoring everything and everyone else in his life in his ill-fated attempt to find a cure for his love.  Susan Rodriquez was infected by a vampire’s venom, and one moment of weakness is all it would take for her to give into the blood lust and turns into a creature of the night.

Unfortunately, the world waits for no wizard, and the events taking place in the Nevernever and spilling out into the mortal world will soon distract Harry from his quest.  The debt Harry owes to his faerie godmother Leanansidhe has been sold to the Winter Queen, Mab, who wants Harry to investigate the murder of the Knight of the Summer Queen.

Meanwhile, the Red Vampire Court is after Harry’s blood and the White Council of Wizards may just be willing to sacrifice him to keep the peace.  Harry has both allies and enemies on the council, and is quickly running out of time to appease them.  The only chance the wizards have of avoiding all-out war with the vampires is for Harry to solve Mab’s case, earning safe passage through the Nevernever into the vampire’s territory, and doing so before Winter and Summer start a war of their own that could literally end the world.

This novel, fourth in the Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher, plunges the reader into a much wider world of paranormal politics and intrigue than is seen in previous volumes.  The epic battle in the clouds above Chicago reminds me of scenes from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, while the camaraderie between Harry and the Alphas, the pack of werewolf-shifters he befriended in Fool Moon, is reminiscent of other epic tales like Lord of the Rings.

I award Summer Knight five stars, and recommend it and the series to any fans of paranormal detective stories, and fans of adventure epics.

Amy Caudill’s Reviews : Grave Peril

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Grave Peril by Jim Butcher
Grave Peril (The Dresden Files, #3)by

Jim Butcher (Goodreads Author)
50275498

Amy Caudill‘s review

Misdirection, a ghost with the power to cause and control nightmares, and attacks from multiple factions in the supernatural world makes this third installment of The Dresden Files the most exciting adventure yet.

Something has stirred up the ghostly denizens of Chicago, leading to frenzied attacks on unsuspecting living residents.  Harry Dresden, modern day wizard, with the help of Michael, one of God’s Knights of the Sword, is working overtime to put out supernatural fires and save innocent lives from assaults the average citizen can’t even see.

When a mysterious entity, dubbed “The Nightmare,” is able to enter homes uninvited and undetected, against all rules of the paranormal, Harry has more suspects than answers.  Something is attacking Harry’s friends, and Harry himself, and the clues lead to a sorcerer named Kravos whom Harry and Co.  defeated months ago.  Only Kravos is locked up by the Chicago PD, or is he?

While all this is happening, Harry is also on the radar of a major player in the vampire court, Bianca, and in trouble with his faerie godmother, Lea, over a bargain he made in a life-or-death situation.  Plus, when the Nightmare attacked him, it stole a large chunk of his magical power and gained the ability to impersonate him.   Harry may be in more trouble than he can handle this time.

I’ve read several of Jim Butcher’s novels and collections in the past, but this is the first time I have read through the series in order.  I was pleasantly surprised to see how the relationships between different characters, especially that of Harry and Susan, have developed, and already am aware of a major upheaval coming for them in future books.  I’m also looking forward to seeing how Harry’s relationships with other characters, friends and enemies, continues to change, as many of the major baddies/allies/rival powers survived to come after Harry again.

Overall, this book is the best of the series to-date, and a good choice for any reader who wants their paranormal detective story with a side of mayhem and romance.  I give Grave Peril five stars and recommend it to anyone looking for a good read.