Stealing Shadows

August 28, 2000
Even though psychic Cassie Neill has traveled more than 3,000 miles away from Los Angeles, she finds that she cannot escape her destiny, any more than victims can escape the serial killer stalking the small town of Ryan's Bluff, N.C. Having retreated to an isolated home left to her by an aunt she never met, Cassie thinks she may have found peace at last. Her psychic ability to connect with the minds of killers and to see through their eyes has allowed Cassie to save lives, while all but destroying her own. Ryan's Bluff seems like the perfect hideaway, but it is not long before Cassie is plagued by visions once again. Cassie knows that local officials will be skeptical of her abilities, particularly since her aunt, also a psychic, was considered the town eccentric. So she goes to Judge Ben Ryan for help. When her claims that a murder is about to take place prove true, cynical town sheriff Matt Dunbar grudgingly accepts her help. In spite of occasional stiff dialogue and some clich d language, Hooper (Haunting Rachel) constructs a fast-paced, suspenseful plot in this first book of her new series. She does a skillful job of making Cassie's psychic abilities seem like fact rather than fiction, explaining carefully how it is that Cassie can enter the mind of a serial killer and how she might get trapped there. And while the budding romance between Cassie and Ben is awkward and their dialogue seems forced, the story's complicated and intriguing twists and turns keep the reader guessing until the chilling ending.

Stealing into the mind of a serial killer leads psychic Cassie Neill into dark shadows indeed. Thwarting the skepticism of the sheriff who sees his small North Carolina town gripped with fear, she is persistent in her search for clues that can be used to achieve justice. Cristine McMurdo-Wallis's performance draws out the complexity of the plot. As she develops her characters with care and distinction, she plays upon mood as a critical component of the drama and suspense, keeping it all in balance and playing out the tension without letting it run rampant. This compelling story holds many surprises. J.E.M. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine