I’ve never read any of Gerri Hill’s mysteries. I didn’t even know she wrote them. I requested this book without reading the blurb just because she was the author. And when I did go through the blurb, which was after my request was accepted, I thought I’d made a huge mistake as normally I don’t like paranormal stuff. But when I started reading the book, I realised that with some writers it doesn’t matter what kind of story they tell because they are so good at what they do.

This book was an absolute pleasure to read. The mystery was engaging, the protagonists’ were interesting and the characters were entertaining, especially the ghosts! I also liked how a little bit of the mystery unravelled with each ghost that Grace spoke to and how gradually Mason moved from scared to accepting.

There were just a few niggles I’d like to mention. One, I’d have preferred a more dramatic end to the villain ghost, perhaps a face off with our heroines. Think it would’ve been more satisfying. Two, though the protagonists are said to be soulmates, the chemistry was a bit lacking.
Three, a few things didn’t make sense. <spoiler>For example, how was Rusty able to stop the ghosts from leaving? Or why did the bird not die when Johnny shot it, and only died when Mason did so. </spoiler>

But like I said, these were just niggles. Otherwise, a very entertaining book.

I truly believe that Gillette Park by Gerri Hill is one of her best novels so far. Considering Ms. Hill has thirty-seven published works, several of them award winners, that is saying something.

The story is set in a small town nestled in the Rocky Mountains that has lived under a curse for the last twenty-three years. The town has a serial killer who has been kidnapping and murdering the town’s children since 1997. Sometimes only two children are murdered in a year, though there have been as many as five in one year. During all that time, no one has been able to catch the murderer or stop the killings. Finally the FBI has asked a psychic (Dr. Grace Jennings) to come to the town of Gillette Park to aid in their search for the killer. Mason Cooper, who works in the Sheriff's Department, is tasked with helping Grace as she tries to find the killer. Thus begins a terrifying time for the two of them.

The town’s reactions in the story actually remind me of the characters in “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson. One of the characters in the story even mentions this so it could be a plot device. It makes the tale even more scary. This is one of those novels that seems to have it all. There is action and adventure, mystery, murder and paranormal activity. It has a psychopathic murderer/evil entity that will send chills up your spine as you read. This is also a psychological thriller that will have you riding a roller-coaster of emotions. And on top of all this, there is a slow-burn romance that runs through this tale.

The setting of the book is gorgeous as well as creepy. The characters are well-developed, both main and secondary. The story itself will have you on the edge of your seat, turning pages as quickly as you can. I know it did for me.

I must give a trigger warning here. In this book there is talk of children being murdered, and also talk about some being sexually assaulted. The reader does not see this happening, but it is a part of the story. If this would cause you distress, then I would suggest you read another of Ms. Hill’s novels instead.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bella Books for an honest review.

Back to the supernatural by Gerri Hill. She's had a few books like this, with the Cave and such, so expect the unexpected in this one. You should already know what you're getting into with Grace being a medium/psychic, but it goes even deeper into the realm of evil vs good in this world. It was definetly a fun.

What was most impressive about this book was how Hill was able to have the MCs really get to know each other during this crazy serial killer chase. They spoke about deep events in their lives like their childhood and past relationships, just like they were on dates and not in the middle of the woods hunting a killer. It made the book seem more grounded than it should have been.

It's also a very complete book. When it ended, I didn't feel like anything was left hanging.

Overall, a very different, fun and solid book.

It has been a while since I read a book from Geri Hill but after this one I am seriously wondering why it took me so long. I loved this book, it was a lenghty one, about 300 pages, but I flew through it. It was one of those book where you want to keep reading and I was wondering about next events when I wasn't reading it. It has supernatural elements seeing as it deals with spirits, but don't let that stop you if you are not into it. I'm not normally either, but this was written so well and believable that it actually became a little spooky.
The main characters well fleshed out and even though they were opposites they really fitted well together. At one side you have Mason, a police agent returning to her hometown after living in LA for a few years and there she comes to meet Grace, a "psychic" the FBI has hired to solve the serial killings that have been terrorizing the town for over 20 years.
I liked that Mason held on to not believing but was open to Grace trying to explain the stuff that was happening and in the end she couldn't not believe anymore. Much like the journey the reader went on with her. Although if you do believe in ghosts I think it would be just as easy to relate to Grace's perspective from the beginning.
The secondary characters and their plot added some more depth to the story and the MC's. Overall, if you like fast-paced thrillers with romance mixed in you just have to pick this one up!

***an ARC was provided by the publisher for an honest review***

Mason Cooper, Deputy Sheriff of Gillette Park, CO

Dr. Grace Jennings, a psychic working with the FBI

Mason Cooper left tiny Gillette Park for the bright lights of Los Angeles. Eight years later, she returned to Gillette Park to become Deputy Sheriff Cooper.

Gillette Park has been plagued with unsolved murders, a few each year, for the past 23 years. The killer has escaped notice and has frustrated the Sheriff's department. Mason and her uncle relent and call in Dr. Grace Jennings, a psychic with some renown and success with the FBI. Perhaps Dr. Jennings can help them find the elusive killer.

What no one predicts is that Mason and Grace become attracted to each other. Will their attraction get in the way of the investigation, or will it strengthen them as a team?

I was reading a couple of other books when I started this one, but once I got into it, I wanted to clear the decks so that this book would get all my concentration. I got right into it and didn't climb out until it was all over. And what a ride it was!

I didn't want to stop reading this book, but it ended! I was hoping it would keep going for another 200 pages because it was so good! It was suspenseful and so well written that it was anyone's guess what would happen next! The characters - all of them, as you'll learn, were perfectly written.

I was given an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Loved this story as any other of Gerri! It was a bit spooky, but intense and most of all, I could not figure out what was happening and how till the very end. It actually had to be spelled out....this one is so different. Not scarry, but extremely hands down compared to thriller! Bravo on this one!!

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

Mason had left Gillette Park when she was eighteen. She became a cop in L.A but after years there and painful breakup she felt it was time to go home. She works with her Uncle Alan who is the sheriff of their town. When she finds a young boy she knows the serial killer who haunt their town for twenty three years is back and when their hands are tied they know it’s time for help even though Mason and her colleagues are reluctant to hire a psychic because of bad experience when they use one before and thought she was a hack.

Dr. Grace has what some called a gift some thinks she a freak some are afraid of her. She calls herself medium when she is ask to help the people in Gillette Park at first she said no but then she felt compel to help by a little girl voice.

I love this read. I love the mystery and the characters we meet who helps Grace and Mason I like the growing feelings Mason and Grace has even when Mason doesn’t understand something and doesn’t want to believe it and I like how Grace tries to explain to her. I like that we got to know Grace how strong she is even though she basically became invisible to her family. Mason even though she has estranged relationship with her mother and angry with her father who left her she learns a secret about the real reason her father left and why her mother basically blames her for it even if it’s not her fault.

Grace Jennings, 34, has always been different. She’s a seer and communicates with dead people. Since she worked with the FBI in the past, they asked for her help again to solve murders that have been ongoing for twenty three years in the small town of Gillette Park, in the Rocky Mountains. From late April to October, the young residents of this town were targeted by a serial killer. Mason Cooper, the deputy sheriff was tasked with helping Grace. As the death toll increased, Mason and Grace’s bond needed to grow stronger in order to handle the threats…both from the living and the dead.

This is classified as a mystery/thriller but there is also a paranormal element to it and those combinations worked well together. The combination of the psychic and deputy sheriff also worked well together. Initially, they tolerated each other. Grace knew people thought she was freak and even called herself that to Mason on several occasions. Mason was also initially wary and afraid of her, especially when Grace went into her zone and started talking to several of those young residents that were murdered. They were not visible to Mason, and it freaked her out and rightfully so. At the beginning there’s that frayed connection between the two but as the story progressed the author effectively strengthened that connection with informative dialogue that was both emotional and playful at times.

The interactions with the secondary characters were also interesting. Mason and Grace each had their own family problems that they needed to come to terms with. This added to the depth of the story and gave a better understanding of the characters’ personas.

Overall, this was a fast paced and entertaining read that captured my attention from start to finish. Highly recommended for fans of mystery/thriller/paranormal.
ARC given for an honest review.