Spirit of Prophecy - the Psychic Detective #1
by J.J. Hughes
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Pub Date Apr 14 2018 | Archive Date Mar 25 2019
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Description
Are you a believer?
Psychic Detective Rosetta Barrett has the highest security clearance with the Elite Paranormal Intelligence Services.
But Rosetta can’t tell anyone what she does, not even her family. Her divorce from her ruthless husband was sheer hell. He’s a top Russian diplomat, and she lost a custody battle for her children Edward and Alice, because of her paranormal beliefs and supernormal abilities.
For weeks Rosetta has been having sleepless nights, haunted by a horrific premonition. Suspecting what it might mean she tries to warn Juliet, a top Olympic event rider.
But will her warning come too late?
Readers who love a captivating mystery, with a taste of what's to come, will love this book.
Advance Praise
Reviewed by Lit Amri for Readers' Favorite
Rider
Juliet Jermaine lost her Olympic horse, Gothic, and his rider, Isabella Levine,
in a horrific unprovoked road rage attack. Isabella’s murder is
investigated by psychic detective Rosetta Barrett, whose earlier warning about
the attack was ignored by Juliet. She discovers that the murder is only a small
part of a cycle of revenge and retribution born from a terrible atrocity
that occurred in an Apache Indian territory centuries ago.
The concept of Spirit of Prophecy by J.J. Hughes is a familiar one, but the
combination of paranormal, crime, and sci-fi genres with an intriguing premise
will hook any readers who really appreciate a healthy fusion of themes. Set in
the near future of 2021, there’s an interesting proposal regarding the role of
AI in our lives, which I think is easily plausible. The characters are complex
and well developed. It’s easy to empathize with Rosetta’s situation. Her
otherworldly ability doesn’t compensate for her failed marriage and her
separation from her children. That said, I do question her judgment in some
situations. Juliet is also easy to root for, especially when she is betrayed by
people that are closest to her.
The prose is clear cut and the transitions between different characters’ POVs
as well as the timeline are deftly handled. Even though I feel some events
could be developed faster, the overall pacing is good. The plot is well thought
out, and much more intricate and extensive than I had anticipated. The story
line is mainly crime-based but there’s a good dose of well-timed humor and
light moments. Overall, Spirit of Prophecy is a roller-coaster journey of
intrigue and suspense, a solid read from Hughes.
KIRKUS REVIEW
Hughes delivers a complex case of weighty history, violent trauma, and untold mystery in this debut paranormal thriller.
The supernatural has long been a part of Rosetta Barrett’s life, but that doesn’t make the burden easier to bear. It’s 2021, and she’s a psychic detective who’s found gainful employment and validation with the Elite Paranormal Intelligence Service, but she’s lost plenty to the demands of the job. The secrecy required led to the collapse of her marriage and the loss of custody of her kids, Alice and Edward. That would be more than enough to deal with, but recently, she’s also been having psychic visions that have been keeping her from a good night’s sleep. Although what she sees—a car accident involving a horse—wouldn’t normally be serious enough for Rosetta to commit any real resources to an investigation, she nonetheless pieces together the deadly truth of the visions. Soon, she’s racing to stop a predicted tragedy from occurring. She’s too late to save the victims, but as she investigates and talks to the horse’s owner and event rider, Juliet Jermaine, it becomes clear that the tragedy was no accident. After Rosetta and her team dig deeper, they discover a cycle of violence and revenge that poses a major threat. The novel’s short chapters and tight pacing are its greatest assets, keeping the pages turning and allowing for rapid shifts between characters’ points of view without becoming confusing. The prose never neglects description but tackles it efficiently, couching it in the characters’ natural voices. The very beginning of the novel is somewhat disorienting, as its briskness makes it somewhat difficult to take in the paranormal aspect of this near-future world. Nevertheless, the prose grounds the action quickly, and Rosetta, as a character, connects with readers powerfully and immediately; her anger and sense of duty ring true from the outset. Her struggles with career and family further elevate this exciting, unusual story.
An engrossing tale with nuanced themes and a genuinely complex heroine.
5 Star Review from Amazon Customer
If you're looking for the paranormal, Southwestern mythology, Gothic narrative, and murder mystery fun to come together, all with a splash of Steven King, you've come to the right place.
The summary starts out asking how one would feel engaged to a murderous psychopath. Of course, once you open the book and start reading, you see it gets a lot more involved, with many unexpected twists and turns.
The writing of the book is also good. I really did find that it pulled me in right way, with a certain suspense, grit, and psychological narrative worthy of the Steven King reference I made earlier. Great read!
Available Editions
| ISBN | 9781999586799 |
| PRICE | $2.99 (USD) |
Featured Reviews
Margaret H, Reviewer
This was an intriguing book set in the near future with a psychic detective who isn't allowed to let her family or anyone else know what she truly does for a living. She is caught in a recurring precognitive dream and attempts to warn one of the victims. The twist and turns this well written mystery takes you on kept me hooked throughout. Enjoyed the paranormal aspect and Native American cultural reading. In the end we are once again reminded that greed and karma rarely take a back seat.
Marija L, Reviewer
A little bit different reading material for me, but it was nice change. It is a brilliant story and pretty entertaining that kept me turning pages.
It is paranormal mystery novel about a Rosetta - psychic detective that is fighting to stop a cycle of revenge on the Indian territory.
All the plots, twists and turns in the story were brilliant and the main character was so good built with all her imperfections that was just perfect.
I really enjoyed reading and I this is definitely not my last book by J.J.Hughes
Wendy R, Reviewer
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion.
I immediately fell in love with this book in the first chapter. Just the characters and the descriptions of the scenes are amazing. You cannot but become irate and just want to find justice for the victims of the road rage incident. We have all heard of or been a witness to a case of road rage but nothing like this.
I love the fact that Det. Rosetta is bringing in the spirit side to this story because we are here because of another lifetime. It is especially nice to see that the horses are involved.
Juliet is a spoiled and pampered rider that is involved with Matt and he is no good for her but will she realize that before it is too late? Where is here parents and why aren't they protecting her from the evils of the world? Will Det. Rosetta be able to become a friend to Juliet and vice versa? Just ask Sweetpea!!!
Sue B, Reviewer
Thankyou to NetGalley, BooksGoSocial and the author, JJ Hughes, for the opportunity to read a digital copy of Spirit Of Prophecy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
I was so excited to receive a copy of this book to review. From the premise of the story, I knew it would be a book that I would really enjoy. And I most certainly did.
I loved everything about this book. From the well written storyline and characters to the descriptive scenery, I was enthralled. I cannot wait to read more. 4.5 stars.
Well worth a read.
Anna S, Reviewer
Spirit of Prophecy is a wondefully complex and intriguing story. I’ve watched the trailer too and it gave me some idea what I can expect but it gave me so much more. The start was a little confusing but after the first few chapters I got the hang of it.
The story revolves around a police investigation and told from the POV of two of the investigators Rosetta and Rav and than from the POV of Juliet. I’ve grown quite fond of them. Rosetta is definitely my kind of woman, she is a very bullheaded, strong, purposeful character with a heart full of love and faith. She is also a mother and I respect her singlemindedness when it comes to protecting them.
Juliet is all about horses, they are her life. She wants to go the Olympics and she does everything in her power to achieve the goal. But s**t happens and her life takes a turn.
What I like the most in this book is these two strong female protagonist. They know what they want anf they are going to get it no matter what.
I highly recommend it to everyone who want to read about strong female lead characters, horses and soul mates.
Thank you to NetGalley, BooksGoSocial and J.J. Hughes for this ARC.
Megan F, Educator
I really wasn't sure what to expect with this book, but wow! I cannot even define what the novel is - it is such an eclectic mix of different genres that it makes a whole new one of its own. Hughes combines a Dick Francis style horse related mystery/crime with a spiritual/psychic aspect and international intrigue. It is such a combination of elements that it seems unlikely to work, but Hughes is a master crafter and writes a spellbinding mystery. The characters are wonderfully real, with flaws and all included. The different points of view allow different insights into the various characters and the world of the paranormal agency that is interwoven with our own world. A wonderful set up for the series. I am very much looking forward to the next one in the series. It is really refreshing to see a truly modern novel which does allow itself to be forced into a single genre.
Susan M, Reviewer
Rosetta Barrett has had the supernatural in her whole life. She is now a psychic detective in the year 2021. She works for the Elite Paranormal Intelligence Service. Working for this agency has cause a divorce with the husband who has custody of the two children. Her ex-husband has caused her children to think their mother is “crazy.” She has been having psychic visions of accident that keeps her from sleeping at night. She tries to stop the accident but it’s too late. Rosetta discovers it wasn’t an accident but done on purpose. Why?
A novel that includes the paranormal in this mystery is done differently than others that I have read. The author did surprise me when she introduced reincarnation in this mystery. I found myself intrigued with the twists and turns of the novel. It kept my interest throughout the story.
Ily R, Media/Journalist
Description
Are you a believer? Psychic Detective Rosetta Barrett has the highest security clearance with the Elite Paranormal Intelligence Services. But Rosetta can’t tell anyone what she does, not even her family. Her divorce from her ruthless husband was sheer hell. He’s a top Russian diplomat, and she lost a custody battle for her children Edward and Alice, because of her paranormal beliefs and supernormal abilities. For weeks Rosetta has been having sleepless nights, haunted by a horrific premonition. Suspecting what it might mean she tries to warn Juliet, a top Olympic event rider. But will her warning come too late?
My Review
WOW - Spirit of Prophecy is one of the best novels I have read recently. It is engrossing, captivating and thought provoking. The characters are complex and very well-written.
The story starts with a quote "Magic is just science that we don't understand yet." by Arthur C. Clarke. Then you read about Rosetta in her room in the dark being spooked. You know already this is going to be one of those novels that grabs you from the beginning and does not let you go until the very end.
I thoroughly enjoyed enjoyed the fact that the author suggest in the end you listen to your intuition and trust that you can develop your psychic skills, your healing abilities and manifest your gifts.
This ARC was provided in exchange for my honest opinion. I give this a definitely 5 star!!
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