Not as entertaining as the first two books in this series, it reads like an old Nancy Drew mystery. The plot is very simplistic and the FBI details are far from real. Patrons looking for books that are more entertaining than true to life will love this series. If people love Lifetime and Hallmark movies they will love Heather Graham.
When I want a fun book to read that is an escape from the stress of my life I always pick up a Graham book. You are taking away and know that none of your favorite characters will die and there will be a love story.

Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com

I am not sure why Graham is staying with these two characters. I enjoyed them in the first book but this is #3 of their relationship/journey and Vickie and Griffin are just not that interesting to carry three books in my opinion.

I have also never been a fan of Edgar Allen Poe. Other than having to read The Raven in school (which I did not really enjoy) I have not read anything by him so the novelty of him being in the story is lost on me.

I have always enjoyed Graham’s Krewe of Hunters and would never miss one but I really hope she moves on from Vickie and Griffin because I am ready for the next couple and hope they are back to individual stories and no more mini-series inside the main series.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Up to now, my only acquaintance with this author has come by way of "Infernal Night," a short story co-written with F. Paul Wilson for the David Baldacci-edited "FaceOff" in 2014. That's my bad; after reading this one - courtesy of an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review - I'll make that mistake nevermore. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, which adeptly mixes mystery and history and sprinkles it with the paranormal.

The plot also centers around one of my favorite story-tellers and poets, the late, great Edgar Allan Poe, who makes several ghostly appearances. The book is, you see, the latest in the "Krewe of Hunters" series, featuring historian Vickie Preston and FBI Special Agent Griffin Pryce. Members have been recruited to this unique paranormal FBI team not only because of their investigative skills, but also because they are able to communicate with the dead. On their way to their new home in Virginia - which will serve as home base as Vickie enters the rigorous FBI training academy in Quantico - they opt for a quiet, romantic visit in historic Baltimore.

Peaceful stopover? Fuhgettaboutit. Griffin gets a call from the FBI powers that be informing him that they're needed to help with a "bizarre" case; horror writer Franklin Verne has been found dead in the wine cellar of a the Black Bird, a Poe-themed Baltimore restaurant (for the record, Poe is buried in the city). It appears the death is a suicide - a recovering alcoholic who went off the wagon and on a drinking binge - but his widow, Monica, insists otherwise. The case is complicated by the fact that not a single soul saw him enter the restaurant - nor did they see any of the three dead blackbirds that now surround his body.

As they begin to assist local police with the investigation, Vickie and Griffin get their first visit from Poe, who claims to want to help solve the murder because it might provide clues to his own death way back when (although several theories abound, exactly how he died remains a mystery). In fact, a chunk of the story is a history lesson; it's all put together quite interestingly, woven in and around the investigation and the ghostly dreams and sightings by the main characters.

But wait, there's more: It comes in the form of a second dead body, which turns up during a seance led by a very kooky and almost totally unlikable character who believes she's got a direct connection to the dead (Vickie and Griffin, though, aren't quick to agree). Now, the FBI is called in officially, and the race is on to find the killer before he, or she, targets someone else and possibly puts the future life of Vickie and Griffin in jeopardy as well.

Once I got going, I found it hard to stop reading, and I apologize to "my" Ohio State Buckeyes for keeping one eye on my Kindle and the other on their game with Army (admittedly made a bit easier during the second half, when the Buckeyes pretty much ran rampant up and down the field). My only suggestion, for what it's worth, is to put the brakes on exclamation points at the ends of sentences. In my mind, they're like laugh tracks on TV comedy shows; if you have to tell me when to laugh, it's probably not very funny (and in any case, I prefer to make up my own mind). That said, this may be my first "Krewe" book, but it certainly won't be my last. Well done!

Vickie Preston and Griffin Pryce are on their way to Virginia for Vickie to enter the FBI Academy. They stop in Baltimore for a pleasant, romantic few days, but alas that's not in the cards for them.

The body of a popular writer is found in the basement of the Edgar Allan Poe themed restaurant that the couple ate at the night before. His wife calls on the Krewe of Hunters to help prove that it was murder and not suicide and to catch the murderer. It could be any one of the staff or a member of the Edgar Allan Poe appreciation society that has met there. More Poe related crimes occur and more of the Krewe come for backup.

At the same time, Vickie begins to have vivid dreams about Edgar Allan Poe and his demise in Baltimore. Nightmares. Are her dreams somehow connected to the events in present day Baltimore?

Vickie and Griffin were introduced in Krewe of Hunters #21- Dying Breath. They appeared again in #22 - Dark Rites. This is their third outing. While this could be read as a stand alone, I think you get more out of it and the characters if you've read the previous 2 books as well.

The action grabs you early on. There aren't many lulls. It's pretty much a fast-paced mystery with a touch of romance.

One of the things I enjoyed the most about this book was the background on Poe and how the author used it in the crimes. You get information on his biography and a few of his relevant works. This is mostly courtesy of the character Vickie as she is a historian. There are other contributors as well. And Vickie poses an interesting explanation for Poe's death in Baltimore.

Overall, I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. It's well written. The characters are enjoyable. The mystery is fast-paced. And the information shared on Poe makes it all the more interesting.

Wicked Deeds is #23 in the Krewe of Hunters series by Heather Graham. It's due to be published September 19, 2017 from MIRA Books.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley All opinions herein are my own and freely given.

3 1\2 stars out of 5
I struggled though this book and yest I finished it there was something lacking. I wasn't able to connect to the endless characters as well as the ghost story. I love reading Edgar Allan Poe but something didn't quite connect.
Heather Graham uses a lot of Poe type of writing creating misdirection that the detectives follow. The story has history that will consume readers as the author gives readers another idea of what might have happened to Poe.
The story does pose most paranormal with a mystery but I found the it just lacking something. The story and chacaters didn't connect and many times the story would slow down only to rush though other parts that could have used a little more time and understanding.
This is considered a Stand Alone but honestly I was lost several times between the different characters to why the characters reacted certain ways.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Mira Booiks

I've read several in the series, Krewe of Hunters, this is book 23. Heather Graham has a winner in this series and it changes constantly and never gets stale. That's what makes it possible to enjoy each as a stand alone book. This story is set in Baltimore as Griffin and Vicki are on their way to Virginia for Vicki to start her formal training for the FBI. They are called upon to investigate a series of murder set in a new restaurant that is themed around Edgar Allan Poe. Great mystery for the two to solve.

It was so awesome reading these books! This series has been pretty long lived, with the first series, there's now been about 30 books. And it's interesting, because these two were the first ones to star consecutively, and in full length books, the same couple. So that was different!

We did get to know Vickie and Griffin much better in these books-their relationship deepened, and was more than instant love, like having attempts at seduction being ruined by unexpected guests, multiple times, which was so cute and bonding!

Both of these mysteries focused on two different elements-witches and Satan, and then Edgar Allan Poe. Both were equally interesting to investigate, well, besides the fact that people are in danger! There were the potential suicides in the first because of the group they were with, and the freaky deaths of the second!

There are almost always ghosts that try, and help, during each of these books. Sometimes they're current victims, sometimes they've been ghosts for years. But however short of time we get to meet them, they're important, and I love meeting them, and the help they give to solving and beating the bad guys!

Such great books, and I really enjoyed them, totally can't wait for more!

Wicked Deeds is another in Heather Graham's books featuring VIckie Preston and Griffin members of the Krewe group. They have special mysterious powers that enable to see and talk with ghosts. The Krewe group is a special group within the FBI. Vickie sees Eger Allan Poe while investigating several murders and mysterious incidents in Baltimore. She has vivid dreams about him and is determined to learn the truth about his death. .

**** 3.5 stars: A paranormal romance with more of a thriller-mystery feel, Wicked Deeds immerses you into a clique of southern writers.

hgraham-wicked deeds



Recommended readers:

If you like Heather Graham modern paranormal romances
If you want an action-packed mystery with some romance
Here’s my Rankings:

3/5 for characters
3.5/5 for plot
3.5/5 overall
REVIEW FROM BOOKS FOR HER:

When two newly married, almost-FBI agents go on a honeymoon, they should expect to take a real vacation. Vickie and Griffin, from one of Graham’s previous paranormal romances, have just married but are quickly interupted and fully immersed in a murder, and then another tied somehow to the late poet Edgar Allen Poe – who died himself under mysterious circumstances. A great mix of mystery, suspense and paranormal, Wicked Deeds is easy to get into and a quick read.

Available Sept 19: Wicked Deeds by Heather Graham

Another great addition to the Krewe of Hunters series. Edgar Allan Poe was a nice touch as a ghost. This series never gets old to me.

Review goes live Sept 12 at 00.00 am gmt+2 and will show up on Goodreads sometime later.

In a Flutter: Very fun!
Fluttering Thoughts:
Worldbuilding: Baltimore setting. Imagine my excitement at having freaking Poe and The Raven involved (one of my fav poems)!
Characters: Vickie and Griffin are settling into life as a couple, but of course duty calls just when things get really hot and fun. I enjoyed how well they worked as a team. Vickie became more confident in her investigative skills as Griffin demonstrated absolute faith in her skills. I love how supportive and well-balanced they are as a couple, supporting and encouraging each other. One of the main things I love is loyalty, and they have it in spades.
Plot: This adventure starts with Franklin Verne’s death. The next murder is just as intriguing, and the full mystery is very engaging and provocative for a solver. The theory on Poe’s death and the parallel to these murders was very exciting and kept me on my toes. Loved that ending too, hehe!
Writing: Third person, past tense narrative, his/her POV. What I don’t get and have to mention already is the bones for exclamation point – zounds of them. It got tiring. In my mind, every line with it is shouted and thereby annoying. That was part of what ruined a bit of the reading experience for the previous novel in the series too, tbh. So many! Too many! Jesus! It’s one of those things that becomes a pet peeve due to repetition, sigh. It took effort to ignore them and the scream effect they have in my mind, and that effort often pulled me out of the story.
Curb Appeal: Cool cover, hooking blurb – good candidate for impulsive buy for my paranormal procedural cravings.

I recommend Wicked Deeds to fans of ghosts, of course, famous deaths theories, and supernatural procedurals with twisty and elaborate plots for the win!

Wicked Deeds is part of the Krewe Hunter series written by Heather Graham for Harlequin's Intrigue books. The continuation of this series includes the characters: Victoria, Griffin, Jackson, Angela and Adam. The book is similar to Catherine Coulter's FBI series in that you're following the lives of the FBI members in the Krewe department. They solve cases while trying to live their everyday lives. In this case, a famous author is murdered in what appears to be a suicide. Could the ghost of Edgar Allen Poe help Vickie and Griffin solve the mystery or is Poe a victim too?

The case in this story did not catch my attention at first. I started the book and felt, okay this is somewhat interesting. However, the way the conversations were carried out left me wanting more. I put the book down and then picked it back up a couple days later and finished it. Surprisingly, when I got further into the book, I really started to get a feel for the characters . Heather Graham was able to elicit an emotional response from me towards her characters toward the middle and end of the book. This may be due to fact that I haven't read the previous books in the series and felt no attachment before. Therefore, it took me a while to engage with the book. I was able to get caught up in the suspense and feel some sort of anticipation and excitement in finding out who the bad guy is and why he/she was doing what they were doing.

This book combines the paranormal with the normal but in this series, the members of the FBI have the gift.and it helps them solve the cases. While that is a nice twist, there were a plethora of mentions and reminders of how valuable their gifts was to the characters and how it impacted their lives. Lots of recaps and mentions about events that happened in previous books or is part of the backstory is repeated throughout the book. At one point, I was frustrated. I love when book contains information from previous stories (or at least mentions it) that way, new readers can at least get a gist of what is happening but, it doesn't need to be on repeat for the whole story. Mention it once or twice (if more than once, add a bit more of different perspective on it) and then be done with it.

This book does not contain any graphic material and is quite simple an easy read for those who love mystery but prefer the less gruesome kind. There are mentions of kisses and allusions to more but nothing is explicitly stated. This is a light read and it definitely won't keep you up at night. Enjoy.

Heather Graham has been a go-to author for me longer than the phrase has been in vogue and I especially love her Krewe of Hunters series. The history of each location woven into a paranormal whodunit with just the perfect accompaniment of romance—I'm not sure what could be better. While each story is self-contained, the inclusion of past characters gives an added layer of depth in the continuing series.

This time Vickie and Griff are back and looking to kick off their future together with a little romantic trip to Baltimore before she heads off to the FBI Academy. An all too-real and unwelcome dream kicks off the book and soon the couple is embroiled in a murder mystery mimicking Edgar Allan's Poe's stories. Their vacation alone turns into an effort not only to find the modern day killer but also to finally solve the mystery of Poe's own demise.

Beyond that...anything would be a spoiler and I wouldn't want to ruin the mystery for you. Another thoroughly enjoyable, entertaining read from start to finish.

All Vickie and Griffin wanted was a little stop on the way to what would now be both of their homes, before Vickie enters the FBI Academy as part of the Krewe of Hunters, a paranormal group inside the FBI. 

But that isn't going to happen. When Mr. Poe himself puts in an appearance in Vickie's dreams and in public, she is drawn in to helping him figure out how he died and who did it! But with bodies turning up badly staged like Poe's works of fiction, they have more current crimes to figure out. Or are they all tied together in some bizarre way?

Always a fan of Graham and especially this paranormal series of characters, this one did not disappoint. Fans of history and fans of Poe will be thrilled with the outcome!

Netgalley/Mira Books   September 19, 2017

Another excellent book in the Krewe of Hunters series. This time we are in Baltimore and the storyline involves Edgar Allan Poe.
I love the way Heather Graham incorporates history with the paranormal. Her technique was successful once again. I would definitely recommend this book to others.

Abandoned. I think I'm not the target audience for this one. I loved the idea of a mystery set in Baltimore involving Edgar Allan Poe, but when the detective spent more time talking to his ghost than detecting, it was too strange for me. I read over half the book and simply could not get into it. I have not read earlier installments. I received an advance e-galley from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

An enjoyable blend of fantasy, mystery, and history. The 23rd book in the Krewe of Hunters, this is another example of the imagination and skill of the author.

I have very much been enjoying following Vickie's path to joining the Krewe, and it's always nice to check in with previous Krewe members. Another well told story that sucks you in.

Heather Graham does not disappoint. I sure do enjoy this Krewe of Hunters series.

I getting tired of Vickie and Griffin. Actually, not so much Griffin. How Vickie talks is so outdated. I understand when she's talking to a ghost from another era but when they talk to other contemporaries it gets so boring. I liked when the Crewe would change it up and bring in new members along the way. I really miss that a lot.