121) Sense of Deception by Victoria Laurie

The Blurb :

A ticked-off judge has tossed Abby in the slammer for contempt of court, and during her brief but unpleasant stay she learns the story of a condemned woman who is facing a far more serious sentence. Skylar Miller has been found guilty of murder and faces the death penalty. Everyone believes she’s guilty, including her own family and her ex-husband—everyone, that is, except Abby, whose finely honed intuition tells her this woman doesn’t belong behind bars.

With the help of her husband Dutch and her friend Candice, Abby launches into her own investigation to clear Skylar and find the real killer. But after a final appeal is denied and Skylar’s attorney scrambles for a stay of execution, time is running short—and the list of suspects keeps growing. There’s no margin for error as the life of an innocent woman hangs in the balance…

My Thoughts :

The Psychic Eye Mystery series has been a little off over the last couple of books.  They were still worth reading but they weren't as good as the earlier installments.  Sense of Deception gets things back on track and shows the 'old' Abby with less FBI involvement and some real good old crime solving skills using her psychic skills.

Of course things will never be the same as they were back at the beginning.  Abby has grown and her life has changed in many ways.  These changes means she uses her psychic skills less and seems to be more cocky in her actions.   After all she has the FBI behind her so she has some big time back-up but she relies too much on her network and the author does too.

Sense of Deception started with Abby ending up in jail which was exactly a lesson she needed to learn.  It made me happy to see her getting to spend the whole night there because she couldn't be rescued by her network of friends in high places.  It brought her back down a little and also showed her a new side of the system that was scary and unfair.

I really enjoyed the plot this time around.  The injustice question, the time limit they were up again and the fact that it was a very cold case all made things very interesting and compelling.  I knew who was the killer from the get go.  I just didn't understand why it was that person.  The reason at the end seems rushed and quite stupid but I guess there is never a logical reason why anyone does something like that.

The little side plots were a nice addition to the story and stopped the pressure and stress of the main case from taking over.  I hope we see more of Oscar and keep Dutch more in the background where cases are concerned.  As I mentioned before, Abby relies on her network too much and I also don't think it is a good idea to have her husband too have such a involvement in her cases all the time.

Despite the forced and quick ending, this thirteenth book made me feel like the books did back in the good old days.  After the last couple of installments making me feel so meh this was a great boost and I hope the series continues to keep on with this style and feeling.  However what I don't hope is that they keep the price...the new release costs the same as three paperbacks.  A harsh price for us long standing fans and a huge reason why I don't pre-order this series anymore.

78) Fatal Fortune by Victoria Laurie

The Blurb :

When police show Abby surveillance video of her best friend and business partner, Candice Fusco, shooting a man in cold blood, she can’t believe her eyes. And when the cops tell her they think the victim has ties to the Mob—and perhaps Candice does too—she can’t believe her ears. Surely there is a logical explanation. But Candice is nowhere to be found.

Abby decides the only way to find out the truth is to go to Vegas herself—which may be the biggest gamble of her life. Once in town she begins to uncover a rigged game of dirty double-dealing where the stakes are no less than life and death. And if she’s not careful, Abby can forget about ever leaving Las Vegas...alive.

My Thoughts :

The Psychic Eye mysteries were one of the first, if not the first, cozy mystery series I started reading with a paranormal twist.  The twist isn't a huge one and there are no things that go bump in the night but a psychic who is the real deal and keeps getting mixed up in all sorts of trouble.  Fatal Fortune is the twelfth book in the series and things have developed a lot of the years.  So much has happened and Abby has gone through some strange and unusual events over the span of the series and things don't ever get boring.

Fatal Fortune is the newest installment and I of course had it on pre-order.  However this is another series that is horribly expensive of late.  With the price being nearly twenty dollars when most other new releases only cost five to six dollars.  So I did have a little battle with myself before pressing the pre-order button over on Amazon.  I was ready to pass this one over and wait for it to get cheaper but I have been following this series/author for so long and I can't resist.  Maybe that is what the people who set the prices are hoping for...

Things start off fast and furious in this new book.  A call in the night has Abby rushing off to do a favour for her best friend.  This leads her to being in possession of not only message from a murder suspect but also a folder of information that obviously has something to do with the murder but Abby can't make heads nor tails of.  Abby has to keep quiet about a lot of things as the story progresses and she finds herself lying to the people she loves and also the FBI.

This is another great mystery filled with twists and turns that keep the reader guessing to the end.  You think you have it figured out and then something comes along and makes you doubt everything.  The psychic angle has always been interesting and I really like the concept even after all this time.  The series has me hooked and it will be staying on my pre-order list despite the cost.  I look forward to reading more in the series and am really excited to see where the author takes Abby and the rest of the characters as the series keeps progressing.  Well worth reading!

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101) Deadly Forecast by Victoria Laurie

The Blurb :

As her wedding day approaches, Abby Cooper has a disturbing premonition of her fiancé’s murder. Her husband-to-be, FBI agent Dutch Rivers, has been assigned to a suicide bombing case, and Abby’s spirit guides warn her of imminent danger. Abby vows to do everything in her power to keep Dutch safe and get him to the altar. But on the morning of the ceremony, she finds herself in a dire situation with time running out...

My Thoughts :

Deadly Forecast is the 11th book in the Psychic Eye series and one of those ones you will never forget! I will actually say it was the best so far!  From the beginning to the very end there is a race against time where the bride to be, the groom and all their friends, rush to save a life and a wedding.  The is never a dull moment and this book is even more special because it features M.J and Gilly from Victoria's other Paranormal Cozy Mystery books, The Ghost Hunter Mysteries.

Where to start?  If you already know the series then you know the characters and what they have been through to get to the places they are today.  If you don't know the characters then you need to start at the beginning.  The series must be read from the first book and in order.  Otherwise you will ruin the surprises.  As it is the main characters are ready to marry and as the day grows closer the tension rises.  Not because of cold feet or doubts but due to a big case that already made itself know of in the previous book.

The story itself is fast and furious and slightly different to the previous installments.  Firstly this time around the chapters flash back and forward to the past (days before the wedding) and the present (the wedding day).  The author has managed to use this technique to make the story even more interesting and exciting.  Thrilling even.  I was on the edge of my seat (on an airplane...) while reading this and couldn't wait to see how the case got solved.  It stumped me to the last minute and despite so many clues being available to me as the past and present investigations opened up, I still felt as frustrated as the characters.

Secondly, this story mixes in with the Ghost Hunter Mysteries.  If you are a fan of this author then you have to know both of these amazing Paranormal mysteries.  M.J and Giley are invited to the wedding and end up helping save the case.  It was great to have some other well know Laurie characters in the book and even though they were only on 'loan' they fit in so well.  Actually they fit in so well that I wondered if I missed a cross over episode somewhere else?  I can't seem to remember all these characters from both series knowing each other but it seems they do!

This case was a little too close for comfort.  In previous books we have seen Abby and Dutch get themselves in and out of some very nasty situations and they have been hurt on more than one occasion.  However nothing can beat the emotional and physical torture the pair go through in this lastest edition.  Abby's instincts and abilities tried to warn her that something was happening but I don't think they was anyway they could have kept her out of this one.  Even her attempts to do something psychic about it all wasn't always helpful.

This was a wonderful installment and very addictive reading wise.  I would have happily stayed up all night to finish this one.  Now in retrospect I wonder if this was the last in the series.  The ending was nice and everything was tied up.  It could be time to say goodbye or maybe it is just the start of something new in the Psychic Eye life?  Whatever the case I am happy I was there for the ride and I welcome any more Paranormal delights this author offers up for her readers.  She writes a great mystery and I can't get enough of them.






  

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108) Lethal Outlook by Victoria Laurie

The Blurb :

When a mysterious client approaches Abby with a cryptic message about a young mother who has vanished, Abby is more than willing to get involved. After all, it's the perfect distraction from dealing with the headache of her sister Cat - who has flown into town and turned Abby and Dutch's impending nuptials into Weddingpalooza.

After Abby recruits her business partner and BFF, Candice, to assist, they meet with the parents of the missing woman. But the parents refuse to put their faith in a psychic. What's worse, due to a grave misunderstanding, the family suspects Abby has a connection to their daughter's husband - the man they believe to be responsible for her disappearance.

So while the family may be blind to the truth, with a potential killer in her sights, Abby is determined to keep her eyes wide open.

My Thoughts :

I have been a huge fan of the Psychic Eye Mysteries since I started reading them. Victoria Laurie does a great job of mixing something a little paranormal into a mystery and keeping you hooked till the very end of the book. Lethal Outlook is no exception and I couldn't wait to find out who did it and why. The Psychic help Abby gets in between is interesting and adds excitement to what would be your ordinary case of a missing person. This is always a series worth reading.

However we are on book 10 in the series and now that we have come this far there are a few slight problems popping up. The last book with the CIA involvement was way off track and in this new release it is great to see Abby back on track and seeing normal clients. Despite this turn back to the 'real' Abby there was no tie up of loose ends from book nine. Abby seems to be still in pain, suffering with a can and physical therapy but can still get into trouble and run off to bed with her guy. Broken pelvis in three places is either bad or not bad make up your mind!

Then there is Dutch. Wasn't he dying? Why is he suddenly healed with no problems? Oh and the wedding and house!! Gah the storyline was quiet annoying in this book and I was fed up of hearing the moaning and groaning about it! If you don't want to plan a wedding then elope or don't get married. If you don't want to make decisions on stuff for your house then stay in the one you are in! The childlike behaviour of this top FBI guy and Psychic were over the top this time around.

On saying all that this is still a great series and you can get around these little pieces of the continuing storyline because the series is soooo good. Especially after ten books I have to say the author is doing a really super job of coming up with new and exciting plots. I love them. It is just a shame that she is trying too hard with Abby's private life.

This series continues to be a must read and must buy. Although I have to ask...wasn't this tenth book, while worth it, a little pricey compared to the previous ones?