Warning Note: I never read the last page of a mystery.What would be the point? This being mentioned, my review might not be to your tastes. I BELIEVE you can guess the basic concept of the book from what is found above or on the back of the book. Maybe you’ll even look at the other reviews on here & it will tell you what happens in the book. Personally, I think if you know what is going to happen in a book why bother reading it? It’s much like movie trailers sometimes. When I actually go to see a movie because the trailer was bloody amazing, I am sometimes saddened when the trailer actually showed the WHOLE movie. Point being, listen to River - “SPOILERS.” Do not read the blue diary!So, my review won’t tell you the plot of the story, but it will show you the list I compiled as a guide while reading mysteries. And my answers. The rest is up to you.Scale 1[why did I read this bloody thing]-5[OMBG! I love this book, it's a go to FAVORITE] what is your opinion on this book: 3.5, it's on the border between [I liked it] and [I really liked/loved this book].Were there the usual suspects?: yes.Did you figure out the killer before the big reveal? & If so, did this distract you from wanting to finish the book or was there enough in the book to keep you entertained?: yes & no - on the killer. I figured out a part of the puzzle, but not the complete. & To be honest, I actually did consider it a little dragging.Was there an unexpected twist? & Was the twist shocking to you?: I guess there were 2 twists, but only 1 kind of surprised me.Subplots, did they pull you in & keep you interested even if you DID figure out who the murderer was?: There are subplots, but they didn't really pull me in.Was there a character [MAIN or otherwise] which captured your interest and made the book more interesting?: yes, Bishop & with him another twist if you read closely, but I only mention it because I read all three in the Shadow series.Was the mystery sound/logical? & Did you have trouble following along?: I think it was quite easy to follow & made sense if you looked at the clues and plot development.Was there something that made this mystery/book memorable, wherein you can distinguish it from other books you have read?: Not when you first read it for me, but after I completed the series, I thought back to this one.Would you read this book again?: Yes, when re-reading the series, I would.Would you recommend it to other people?: mmmmm. Series, yes.Is this part of a series? & if so, would you continue reading the other books in the series?: Yes. Series Rating: 4 STARS; Also part of the Bishop/Special Crime Unit Series.Is there anything else you would say about this book?: I like Kay Hooper's take on psychics & although these could be classified as romantic suspense, the romance part is only an 1/8 of the book I would say. The mystery and understanding, development of the characters, & the mind of the killer is prominent.
I think to much of the paranormal for me, but will read the next one,THIS SUMMARY/REVIEW WAS COPIED FROM OTHER SOURCES AND IS USED ONLY AS A REMINDER OF WHAT THE BOOK WAS ABOUT FOR MY PERSONAL INTEREST. ANY PERSONAL NOTATIONS ARE FOR MY RECOLLECTION ONLYCassie Neill has the psychic ability to get into other people's head and know what they are doing, thinking and seeing. She uses this ability to help the LA police catch madmen serial killers. Things go horribly wrong in one case and the victim dies. Feeling guilty Cassie flees for Ryan's Bluff, North Carolina to live in a house her aunt left her in her will.Yet in North Carolina she is seeing bad things happening to the local females. She goes to the County Prosecutor, Ben and wants to help. He takes her to the Sheriff Mike Dunbar who is quite skeptical. The rest of the story deals with Cassie being inside the killer and the victims heads as the murders and torture are taking place.I thought this was a pretty ho hum book till the end when the simple ending I expected was spiced up a bit. Noah Bishop is from a special section of the FBI dealing with paranormal issues and he gets involved towards the end. This is the first of many books dealing with Noah Bishop and paranormal crimes. ************The book is actually about a young lady, Cassie Neil, who is a clairvoyant psychic. After having failed to help the police find a teenage child in time to prevent her from being murdered, Cassie withdraws — moving 3000 miles away to a small town in North Carolina, where she has inherited the home of an aunt she had never met. This does not turn off her psychic abilities, however, and she soon finds it necessary to try to get the local police chief to believe her claims that a murder is about to happen; failing in that, she takes her story to the district attorney, who turns out to be much more receptive. The murder occurs, of course, beginning a series of serial murders that rattles the inhabitants of the town and puts Cassie in a continuing struggle between the police chief and the district attorney, who are lifelong friends and rivals. So far, as you can tell from this description, it is simply a relatively good thriller with a psychic twist in the little romance — a little more than 50 pages from the end, however, the whole story is turned completely around, and everyone goes chasing off after a different murderer … and then that is followed by an unusually long epilogue, which changes the plot again! I liked this book.
What do You think about Stealing Shadows (2000)?
This book dealt with a topic that turns away from the current fad in mysteries, bringing us a psychic on the run from a failed attempt to find a murderer, now located in a small town setting. Once there, she glimpses shadows of a murderer, and tries to convince the provincials that she is truly able to see this happen. Unfortunately, the killer leaves her with little to go on, and with tension in the town building, she has to work harder to convince the town leadership that not only is her ability real, but that only she can find the true killer, before he destroys more of the people. There were two sticky points in the story to me: the relationship between Cassie and Ben seemed a little forced, as if for some reason there had to be a romance, and the music was never fully explained. It would have been nice to know more about the music connection.
—Doris
Great Paranormal Suspense FictionSTEALING SHADOWS is the first of Hooper's Bishop series. The series tells the story of people with paranormal talents. The early books in the series are focused not only on the suspense but also on romance between the characters. The early books are my favorites including this one.THE STORY: Cassie Neill is a psychic who sees the minds of killers. She has helped police with murders until a mistake she made resulted in the death of a little girl and Cassie fled L.A. to come to North Carolina to try and find some peace. Unfortunately, another serial killer is on the prowl and Cassie is once again dreaming of the killer's actions.When the local police dismisses her visions, Cassie goes to Ben Ryan, the local prosecutor who even though he doesn't believe in psychic abilities, agrees to consider her story. Cassie and Ben end up in the middle of a serious case where Cassie is in danger and Ben is trying to protect her and solve the crime. OPINION: This is one of my favorite of the series. Cassie at first seems fragile, but she is actually extremely strong. She is haunted by her visions, but she keeps helping because he is compelled to use her talent if she can. The relationship she builds with Ben is very prominent in this book. I like all the details of how the two of them have to break down the barriers between them in order for the happy ending to occur. The suspense story about the killer is well executed and kept me guessing until the end.WORTH MENTIONING: Special Agent Noah Bishop makes his first appearance about one-third of the way through this book. Bishop is my favorite character in the series and I like how Hooper slowly introduces him in preparation for his story in OUT OF THE SHADOWS.FINAL DECISION: I recommend this book especially for those who like paranormal romantic suspense. Later books in the series lean more on the paranormal suspense, but this book is definitely a romance.CONNECTED BOOKS: This is the first book in the Bishop/Special Crimes Unit series. The books are only loosely connected and do not need to be read in order. STAR RATING: I give this book a 5 star rating. I've read it several times over the years and will be reading it again.
—Sheila Melo
I don't even know if I can say I enjoyed reading this. I enjoyed the idea of it, this could have been an incredible story! But the writing was flat and simple. It read more as a script for television. No emotions it was the equivalent of watching Nicholas Cage act, for hell's sake i just realized it was even monotone like his voice is! Really had zero emotional pulls for me. Could be because I am going from a Colleen Freaking Hoover book to this but the relationship development here was lacking in just about every way imaginable. At one point it went from, I'm staying away from you, to oh I kind of like this to post virgin taking we are lying in bed so happy in one Single Page. If you find yourself confused by what you just read, good. Because so was I. So I do not even feel bad about explaining it in a nonsense sentence. The psychic deal could have been awesome but it was too restricted. She could only see when it was too late and even then... blah blah. Just missed opportunities left and right. She spelled imagination wrong at one point. That one was literally painful. I am proud to say, I am actually able to walk away from the series with just one book down. It is rare. And it took some will power but I just do not see the appeal of these books, I am just happy it was a really quick short read.
—Tiffanicl
