I think this book was super interesting! From a slight romance to paranormal with ghosts and mystery all set in Scotland? Amazing. Would definitely recommend.

Death Behind Every Door is a spin off of sorts for the Krewe of Hunters series. I have always enjoyed the Krewe books, so I was really excited to try this!

Set in Scotland, these agents are an international branch connected to the Krewe. They are chasing a group of killers emulating H.H. Holmes. The premise is fascinating for sure, and because they are copying Holmes, it is bloody and violent. Luke and Carly are traveling through Scotland to find the people behind some disappearances. Luke is not used to working with such a cheery partner, but that doesn't deter Carly. She knows he needs her to be positive and upbeat so he doesn't wallow. I struggled with the pace of the book. It starts off with a gruesome murder, but then it dissolves into Luke and Carly telling each other every possible historical detail about Scotland. Like dozens of pages of just the characters telling each other historical information in great detail. Once they get back to the case, I had just about given up, and even after that, I really struggled with the pacing. It felt uneven at best, which was unfortunate because the premise and the actual plot was fantastic!

Death Behind Every Door will pull in Krewe fans for sure, and if you love true crime like me, the story about a society recreating H.H. Holmes will be too tempting to pass up.-if you can get past the very dry history lessons that seem to dominate the story.

Death Behind Every Door has a little bit of everything: ghosts, murder, dark web, police, romance, as well as a lot of Scottish history!
I found it very interesting and it was constantly moving at a good speed.
A group from the dark web have been murdering tourists that stay in ancient castles. But they all mimicke a historical murderer that has since died. So who is doing it?

Great story line, and maybe a little less history would make it okay still. I almost feel like the author was trying to get too much into the book. I still enjoyed it though!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this arc in return for my honest review.

Pub date: 21 May 2024

The Krewe continues abroad. The Krewe are "specialized" FBI Agents that handles special cases, occult, etc. Every member has a unique talent. This is a light paranormal encased in a mystery, police procedural with romance and suspense. Entertainment that pulls from history and also shows some of what can transpire on the dark web. Absolutely thrilled that Special Agent Carly MacDonald can hold her own. The characters were engaging, the slow burn romance real, the creepy serial killers and the light paranormal on point. I confess I googled .H.H. Holmes after reading this! I am looking forward to the rest of the series. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review! I freely volunteer my thoughts and opinions. #DeathBehindEveryDoor #TheBlackBirdFiles #HeatherGraham #ThomasandMercer #NetGalley

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The beginning of a trilogy with Luke and Carly. Well-written and full of suspense. The ending was excellent making me excited to read the next novel. Intriguing plot and characters.This is the first book in a series and it was great!

This is the first book in a series and it was great! Looking forward to reading more with Luke and Carly.
A romantic mystery thriller set in Scotland that is full of suspense and history.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Krewe makes everything much easier

The Krewe of Hunters is expanding internationally and in the Blackbird Files book 1 we meet two of the agents assigned to take down a copy cat H.H. Holmes and his invisible army that works off the dark web. As people disappear throughout Scotland Carly and Luke take down multiple killers in their search for the head of the snake with the help of a friendly ghost or two along the way. To me this was a Krewe book, on steroids and that’s a good thing! Stayed tuned, they’re already on the hunt for the next villain...

The dark web is enabling killers to connect and form deadly alliances

At the end of the 19th century, a man named Herman Mudgett lived in Chicago during what would become known as the World’s Fair. He lived under the name H. H. Holmes and began a crime spree that included killing, corpse selling and defrauding insurance companies. He turned his home into a “Murder Castle” where he could subdue his victims with gas, then torture, dismember, and cremate them. He would eventually be captured by Pinkerton agents and executed for his crimes (his story was featured in Erik Larsen’s book The Devil In the White City). Flash forward to the present day, where someone has pulled together like-minded people to form an H. H. Holmes Society, emulating many of the original criminal’s atrocities. They have attracted the attention of the Krewe of Hunters, a special group of federal agents who use their paranormal skills to investigate murders that have supernatural overtones. The first of the Society’s crimes discovered took place in the US, but have apparently spread to Europe, and the newly formed Blackbird division of the Krewe are hot on the trail of the criminals. From a locale in South London where bone fragments and other human remains have been found, agent Luke Kendrick is sent by his field director to Edinburgh where people have been disappearing. There Luke will work with new partner Carly MacDonald to not only find the missing people, with any luck still alive, but also to identify the person or persons who are organizing and directing this band of serial killers in order to put an end to the H. H. Holmes Society. The two agents form a strong partnership, and working with local law enforcement personnel as well as with the occasional spirit they are working against the clock to save lives and round up the killers without losing their own lives.
Those who have read any of Ms Graham’s Krewe of Hunters books know the backstory of how the group came to be, and how they operate, and this is the first in a proposed trilogy known as The Blackbird Files where the paranormal agents tackle crime on an international level. (The novel can be read as a standalone, however, as details are interspersed in the narrative to bring the reader up to speed on what led up to the current tale). The heroine Carly is smart, capable, and has come to grips with her paranormal abilities;; she’s also upbeat and good at charming people, which helps to counterbalance the more brusque Luke, who has been involved in breaking up some of the Society’s cells and struggles with not having saved as many lives as he feels he should have. An attraction between the two develops, as is generally the case between Krewe partners, but they need to keep their wits about them as they play whack-a-mole with pairs of killers who seem to be everywhere. It’s a quick paced thriller, easy to read, with just a bit of the romantic in the background. Perfect for fans of Ms Graham’s previous books, as well as those who enjoy Jayne Ann Krentz, Sharon Sala, and Carla Neggers. My thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/Mira Books for allowing me early access to the novel.

While overall I enjoyed this book, it did fall a bit flat for me and I didn't enjoy it as much as I usually enjoy Graham's books. The history of the H.H. Holmes and Scotland itself are interesting but it was a bit heavy handed - especially at the beginning. As well, there were so many references to a previous event that I ended up going and checking that this was in fact the first book in the series and that I wasn't missing anything. While the action got started pretty quickly it took me a bit to get involved in the story and to feel at all connected to Carly and Luke.

This book did have all the aspects I enjoy in Graham's books - a suspenseful mystery, a fantastic creepy setting, and two capable and tough main characters. Once I got into the story it proved to be a quick read that I did enjoy but getting there was just took a bit longer than expected. I will read the next Blackbird Files book as I do love the international setting but this was definitely a weaker start.

Another great read by Heather Graham! I was sucked in from the beginning. It kept me guessing. Luke and Carly are great characters and I was invested in them and their case. There were plenty of surprises to keep me guessing. I didn't see the end coming. Highly recommend!

Thank you Netgalley & MIRA Publishing for an eARC ♥️

I'm still trying to shake off the chills as I write this review. The Blackbird Files: Death Behind Every Door is a masterclass in suspense and terror that has left me sleeping with the lights on. Luke Kendrick's investigation into the H.H. Holmes Society's sinister activities in a Scottish castle turned B&B felt all too real, like I was dodging danger in the dark corridors with him😳

Heather Graham’s writing is akin to a spider weaving a web, expertly crafting a sense of tension and fear that ensnares you from the start. I felt like I was trapped in the castle, with its labyrinthine passages and secrets lurking in every shadow. The thought of the society's twisted members, inspired by the notorious H.H. Holmes, sent shivers down my spine. Their obsession with recreating his heinous crimes is a stark reminder that evil still lurks in the darkest corners of our world.

As Luke and Carly raced against time to unravel the mystery, I was on the edge of my seat, my heart pounding in my chest. The atmosphere was oppressive, the sense of foreboding palpable. I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched, that the killers were lurking just out of sight, waiting to strike. The author's use of setting and imagery is nothing short of genius, transporting me to the eerie and isolated world of Graystone Castle.

Another great Heather Graham book with a side of history on true crime H.H. Holmes. I love learning more history and discovering new places I haven’t been… Scotland is now on my “must see” list. It’s helpful being able to look up real castles and locations on kindle… but also distracting and leading me down rabbit holes forgetting I was reading… but also helps me get more into that story. I enjoy her Krewe story lines but paranormal/ghosts!

Thank you Netgalley and Mira for the chance to read Death behind every door by Heather Graham. I have been reading Heather's books for years, so when I saw she had a new series The blackbird files, I decided to request it. I enjoyed the story but it felt like I was missing the first half of the story. It seems to be connected to the Krewe of Hunters series, which I started but fell behind on reading them. It also seemed like you were supposed to know the main characters already. I think if you like books about historical serial killers like Jack the Ripper, you may enjoy this.

This was ok - I probably should have investigated this author a bit more. I felt like it had a lot of unnecessary historical mentionings that really didn't add anything to the story. If this were supposed to be primarily a romance, it did not succeed. If it were primarily paranormal, I didn't see that as the main component either. I got through it and enjoyed a good deal of the storyline, but most likely it will be a one and done for me with "The Blackbird Files".

This first in the Blackbird series, an offshoot of Krewe of Hunters took place in Scotland and brought in the story of the 19th US serial killer Mudgett. The newly established Blackbird group were sent to investigate a group that kidnapped, tortured and killed unsuspecting tourists to Scotland. A ghost from the days of William Wallace aids in the investigation and the takedown, eventually taking down this cell of the H.H. Holmes Society who were dedicated to the life and "work" of Mudgett. As the book ends, a new case begins and the agents get a call on a new emergency. Those who like the Krewe of Hunters series will enjoy this expansion to Europe.

Death Behind Every Door, book 1 of The Blackbird Files series, by Heather Graham @heathergrahamauthor. First off, I am a fan of Heather’s older romance/romantic suspense books & I am hoping this book was no different!

Well. The first 75% of the book is slow. Good storyline & minimal spice. This is more of a mystery with a tiny bit of spice. Not what I was expecting. Oops? 😂

Overall, it was a good book. If you like mystery, ghosts, MF, & lots of Scottish history, (which was awesome), this is a good book for you.

Heather Graham’s Death Behind Every Door is the first in a new Krewe of Hunters-based series, set predominantly in Scotland. Luke Kendrick and Carly MacDonald are teamed up to help bring down cells of the HH Holmes Society.

The modern-day HH Holmes Society is based on the original serial killer with hidden hotel chambers that he used to torture and kill so many prior to his arrest in 1894. This new society had been increasing recruitment on the dark web, with things like sharing pointers on selecting victims and building hidden torture chambers in walls, basements, and other places also discussed.

Luke and Carly start to try to unravel any clues that they might find in order to discover any active members of the HH Holmes Society. As they continue to work together, they find themselves having so many things in common. Will this help them to bond closer and find suspects faster?

Can they find the “reincarnated” HH Holmes before they are found and killed instead?

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this ARC!!

Way over the top and implausible- but I suspect I'll be the odd one out because Graham has a lot of fans for her paranormal police procedurals featuring the Krewe, a team that investigates odd things. This time out FBI SAs Luke Mckendrick and Carly MacDonald find themselves in Scotland fighting the forces of the HH Holmes society, which evidently has been killing tourists for many years, Graham knows how to amp up tension and get you to turn the pages. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC, While it wasn't for me, I'm sure others will like it.

Death Behind Every Door by Heather Graham is a recommended paranormal procedural following the European group of FBI agents from the special Krewe of Hunters group.

FBI special agent Luke Kendrick discovers evidence at a crime scene in London that members/acolytes of the H. H. Holmes Society are active in Great Britain. (Holmes, aka Herman Mudgett, was America's first serial killer from the eighteenth-century.) It seems that the network of killers are active in Scotland where Luke quickly travels to join Special Agent Carly MacDonald to investigate Graystone Castle. Now a B and B, it seems that several guests have been disappearing after staying at the castle. Luke and Carly quickly solve this outbreak and move on to others.

This novel rushes from one investigation to another where they quickly catch the guilty, pass them on to local authorities, and run off to the next suspected location with barely time to inhale between scenes. The investigations are not very nuanced with careful research, planning, and field work as one would find in most procedurals. Once the guilty are caught, the two gallop off to the next suspected area of activity.

There is plenty of talk about historical events in Scotland, which was interesting, and several ghost who help them in their stings, which wasn't so interesting and actually a minus for me. Grahams Krewe of Hunters series, which this is a spin off from, is not something that I've been following so this novel does just jump into action assuming the reader has background from the original series.

The characters are rather lightly developed. The romance between them seemed rather hasty and pointless. Personally, I would have preferred the professionals, you know, act professionally. The one thing this has going for it is that the entertainment and action moves quickly for those who just want to get to the arrests/captures quickly. Thanks to MIRA Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

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I thought this was really well written and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future. I think it will find readers at our library, so we will definitely be purchasing for the collection.