Review: Deadly Harvest

After enjoying the first book in this set, Deadly Night, I figured I would dive right into the second and hear the story of the second Flynn brother, Jeremy. Although I did not enjoy Deadly Harvest quite as much as the first book, I did find it to be a fun story, filled with stories of witches, ghosties, and things that go bump in the night.

Synopsis from Amazon:

A dark legend comes to life

When a young woman is found dead in a field, dressed up as a scarecrow with a slashed grin and a broken neck, the residents of Salem, Massachusetts, begin to fear that the infamous Harvest Man is more than just a rumor. But out-of-town cop Jeremy Flynn doesn't have time for ghost stories. He's in town on another investigation, looking for a friend's wife, who mysteriously vanished in a cemetery.

Complicating his efforts is local occult expert Rowenna Cavanaugh, who launches her own investigation, convinced that a horror from the past has crept into the present and is seducing women to their deaths. Jeremy uses logic and solid police work. Rowenna depends on intuition. But they both have the same goal: to stop the abductions and locate the missing women before Rowenna herself falls prey to the Harvest Man's dark seduction.

My Review:

In this second story, we have a murder mystery with supernatural elements. Set primarily in Salem, MA, I was intrigued with the legend of the Harvest Man as I had never heard of it before and I was glad they gave background on this legend. The story also takes place near Halloween, which adds to the overall spookiness of the plot.

Our two main characters, Jeremy and Rowenna, were both interesting and irritating. They get together too quickly and all of a sudden, Jeremy is fiercely overprotective and a bit bossy.  Rowenna, of course, consistently finds herself in dangerous situations because she can't follow simple directions.  I just didn't feel connected to them as a couple.  The spark just wasn't there as it was for Aidan and Kendall.

The story itself however, was quite engaging.  I always admire the way the author keeps me guessing, adding a few twists and turns which make it difficult to figure out the true killer until almost the very end.  The way the murder victims were found was truly horrific and described with enough detail that the reader can get a clear picture in their mind, and the picture isn't pretty. There are several suspenseful moments that kept me on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next.

All in all, I would give this one three stars.  I liked it but not as much as the first book and I am hoping that the final book in this trilogy, which I just purchased, is of higher quality.