Edition 7: Book Review: The Vision by Heather Graham

Reviewed by Mysti Parker

I met paranormal romance author Heather Graham quite by accident at an author reception the night before the 2012 Southern KY Book Fair. I’d heard of her, of course, but had never read her work. The plethora of spooky titles on her table the next day intrigued me, so I decided to dive (you’ll appreciate this choice of word) into her bibliography with a very recent work–The Vision.

This book is actually listed as #3 in the Harrison Investigation series. Thankfully, the books are written as stand-alone works in their own right, so I had no issues feeling connected to and drawn into the story from the start.

The plot centers on a couple of diving groups, who are collaborating on a project in Key West to find treasures and artifacts from a long-sunk ship, the Marie Josephine. It should be like any other dive for this experienced bunch, until a sad specter appears next to the ship’s remains, mouthing a warning: Beware!

One problem—the only person to see this ghost is Genevieve Wallace, a real pro, but after her frantic ranting at the surface, followed by an extensive search for a body that no one can see, even her colleagues suspect she could be crazy. No one more so than Thor Thompson, leader of the other dive team.

Now, Thor has a problem—not only does he think she might be certifiable, but he grows more attracted to Genevieve by the hour. Why not? She’s everything he wanted in a woman—shares a love of the water, smart, witty, and beautiful.

Except she keeps seeing ghosts.

Perhaps fortunately for them, but not for the victim, a woman’s body is found in the water a few days later. And then another. It becomes apparent that they’ve got more than potential mental issues and ghosts on their hands. A serial killer is at large somewhere in their midst.

Thor is determined to protect Genevieve whether she’s crazy or not, while Genevieve is determined to discover just exactly what these apparitions are trying to tell her. With some help from the Harrison Paranormal Investigators (hence the series name), the answers they find are both surprising and deadly.

I have to say, this book kept me hooked from the start. Besides the compelling love story interwoven with delicious bits of history and suspense, I admired Heather Graham’s writing style. She writes with confidence, gets down to the story with straightforward, easy language that doesn’t shift into purple prose or long-winded description.

What others might find as “passive” in the wording, I had no issues with whatsoever. Not once did “was” make me feel disconnected from the story. I found it not only a fine seaside yarn, but a perfect example of how an experienced author can bend the “rules” and make it work.

The ending proved to be both surprising and a little predictable, but satisfying for the most part. The motive, I thought, could have been a little stronger and bordered on cliché.

However, the story as a whole proved to be balanced in all aspects of romance, suspense, and horror. I fell in love with the main characters and felt well-acquainted with the supporting ones. The story kept me reading, kept me guessing, had me protesting, cheering, or laughing out loud in several parts. And, because of that, I am now a self-proclaimed Heather Graham fan.

I recommend The Vision to adult paranormal fans, especially those who love romance and mystery.

The Vision, by Heather Graham
Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Harlequin, 2013
ISBN: 9780778314165

Mysti Parker is a full time wife, mother of three, and a writer. Her first novel, A Ranger’s Tale was published in January, 2011 by Melange Books, and the second in the fantasy romance series, Serenya’s Song, was published in April 2012. She is also the proud writer of Unwritten, a blog recently voted #3 for eCollegeFinder’s Top Writing Blogs award.

You can find her at Unwritten Blog, on Twitter as @MystiParker, on her Facebook Page or at A Ranger’s Tale