Actually, 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 because of originality and potential.

The concept of this new series is both original and intriguing - a special, almost clandestine FBI investigative team of agents who can "see" and interact with ghosts who, in turn, provide historical clues and other assistance that's possible coming from someone who can walk through brick walls. But the finished product reminded me of that TV ad for spaghetti sauce: It's in there. But it could use a little more blending.

What I mean, I guess, is that it just didn't "flow" - and thus really didn't grab me. Having ghosts telling tales is unique, in part because they can provide up-close-and-personal looks into the history of wherever the main characters find themselves - but the history part was repetitive and almost overwhelmed the thrill of the chase.

That chase, though, is one that can't help but draw readers in: Carefully laid-out bodies turn up along rivers devoid of blood, suggesting the impossible: a vampire killer is on a rampage. That's when Blackbird, a subdivision of the Krewe of Hunters, gets called in; all the members are cognizant of, and conversant with, dead folks. Two of the agents called in, Della Hamilton and Mason Carter, haven't met before; as might be expected, there's an attraction that goes beyond respect for each other's investigative skills. As partners - with help from several other police officers and agents from whatever country the leads take them - they work hard to identify the person - or persons - behind the growing number of blood-letting murders.

The trail eventually leads to the New Orleans bayou, where Della and Mason get help from a special, and quite likable, ghost who knows the area well. Things there take a turn for the worse in more ways than one, but readers are left with fodder for the next book in the trilogy. And while I had a few reservations about the book, it's good enough that I'm looking forward to what comes next. Meantime, I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for giving me the opportunity to get in at the beginning of what I think will be a good series.

Whispers at Dusk is structurally well-written. The writing stye is fluid and engaging, and the characters are interesting and believable. If one is willing to suspend belief and accept characters who routinely see and consult with spirits of the dead, the plot is engrossing.

It progresses at a comfortable pace, clearly merging sub-plots into an understandable and intriguing whole. The romantic sub-plot remains in the background throughout the majority of the story, leaving the reader to focus on the mystery.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book. I was excited to read this given the description. Unfortunately, it fell flat for me. The story was ok but I just could not get invested in it or the characters.

The first book of a trilogy and I am looking forward to the next in the series.
Suspense with a bit of paranormal and throw in a bit of romance!
I really enjoyed the story and the characters of Masson and Della.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

I have posted this review on goodreads. I will post to retail sites on date of publication.

This is the first book in the Blackbird Trilogy. I didn't know what to expect going into this book. Special FBI agents are called in for this case ater bodies are found with pinpricks on their necks and totally drained of blood. The agents go to Norway to examine what exactly is going on. The agents are trained in speaking with the dead and that's what they must do to solve this case. The plot of the story was very good. However, there was so much history and repetition in the story, it lost me. The story just didn't seem to flow, meaning I was struggling to make sense of the characters and the story line. It seemed as if the suspense and excitement were missing from this book and it failed to such me in. Perhaps it just was not the book for me. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC. I greatly appreciate it.

I've read Graham's books in the past, and they can be hit or miss. This one was middle of the road for me. The flow seemed a bit off, and the characters weren't as developed as I expected. As a result, I never really connected with them or the storyline. There was a lot of repetition, which grew old. The plot was unique, but there was just something missing. I will consider checking out future other books in the series.

I love the premise for this story, but that's as far as my enjoyment went. I just couldn't connect with Graham's writing style, which felt all tell, no show. I had absolutely no emotional connection, much less immersion in the story. And the dialogue was often ridiculous.

DNF

This book was sent to me electronically by Netgalley for review. This is a thriller that is difficult to read, at times. The characters are not likable and not realistic. The talented author has written a tale if fiction that is difficult to believe. That being said, this is ingenious in the thriller genre.

The Krewe of Hunters is expanding into Europe. They are on the trail of serial killers who drain the victims blood then pose the bodies. This is the first book in a new series of an off shoot of the original Krewe Of Hunters, and I look forward to reading future books. There is a new cast of characters to follow and as usual, plenty of suspense. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

I enjoyed this book for what it is - essentially a procedural investigation novel. The cult idea is what drew me in, so I would have liked to see more investigation of that, but I understand this is a series so that is likely upcoming. The pacing was fine, and the characters fit the plot fine.

I have never read any of Graham’s books dealing with the paranormal before so I was looking forward to reading this one. It seems like a fascinating twist for an FBI agent and it was!

Do you know how you feel the flow of a story and character development just come together? I’m going to have an unpopular opinion here but I have to say I struggled with fully connecting to this story.

I’m not sure what it was but I did not feel overly connected to the two main characters. I like the two of them separately, as co-workers. But the romantic hints here and there were certainly downplayed, which I missed.

The plot was fabulous and totally unique for me, but the flow felt off. Plus, it felt like her normal level of excitement and suspense was missing that extra bit of sparkle that would suck me in.

Graham also included loads of history and repetition that bugged me, frankly. Whispers at Dusk has good potential but it didn’t capture me as some of her other books have.

Will I read more of this trilogy? Absolutely, because I think she has something special going on with this story thread and I can’t wait to see how it develops.

An expansion of the Krewe into Europe with a new team. The European journey adds a new twist but the excitement remains the same. Looking forward to more of this team as they cross boundaries.

International Krewe of Hunters? Sign me up! I really enjoyed book number one of the this new trilogy and happily look forward to the next installment. Will recommend to readers of Beach Reads, Mysteries, and Heather Graham devotees!

great start to a new trilogy,
The story line was unique and interesting because of the different centuries they vist as well as the usage of their history and myths.
The characters themselves was amazing and you could see and feel the forming of a strong bond with the teammates.
Plus each teammate brought something different to the table. Which made it impossible to pick and choose a favorite from them.

I so love Heather Graham books and this one was no exception. I think this was a great start to a new trilogy. I an biting at the bit to get and read the next 2!!
I just reviewed Whispers at Dusk by Heather Graham. #WhispersatDusk #NetGalley
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Della and Mason have been recruited by the Krewe of Hunters, an elite FBI team, to head up a new offshoot that will specialize in joint operations with international partners. Their first case takes them deep into the stories of Dracula, and on a chase across multiple continents as they form a strong bond with their new teammates. Graham has begun a new storyline with strong characters while still building off of her signature wit. This new branch of the Krewe promises to be just as good as the original.

This is the first book where the Krewe Hunters go international. These are paranormal romantic suspense books and I have loved all of them and I’m excited for this trilogy.

Heather Graham is always a quick read. Love that she took the Krewe of Hunters internationally. Great read.

I received this ARC from Netgalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review. This is a beginning of a new series called the Blackbird Trilogy. This series continues with the Krewe of Hunters but this group will deal with international cases. They are called The Euro Special Assistance Team or “Blackbird”. This team will work with officers from different groups throughout the Europe. Della Hamilton and Mason Carter both FBI special agents have been recruited by Adam Harrison and Jackson Crow to head up the Blackbird Team. Mason isn’t sure about this but decides to try it and off they go to work on finding a vampire killer. This was a great start to this series and I enjoyed the relationship between Della and Mason and others in their group. Graham has a way about her that makes you leap right into the story. Pick up this new series and enjoy a spin-off of the Krewe of Hunters.