As the best friend of a psychic, Will Buchanan can’t help but believe in the dead. It’s the living that he finds to be problematic. However, after a spate of betrayals, he finally has the chance of a new life within his grasp, and he’s not going to risk it for anyone or anything. Staying safe is the name of Will’s game.
Jem Dawson defines the word temporary. A talented cameraman, he’s here today and will undoubtedly be gone tomorrow chasing adventure and danger. But, while he’s in York, he’s made it clear he wants Will, and Will can’t help liking the charming daredevil.
This inconvenient attraction results in Will accompanying Jem to the site of a notorious poltergeist outbreak. A malevolent spirit has targeted a family, and now the ghost hunting team for whom Jem does camerawork are going to be locked down in the house for three days.
The house is strange and filled with sinister and violent undercurrents. One by one, the group experiences threatening incidents, and as events escalate, Will has to ask himself if he’s risking not just his heart but also his life with this impulsive gesture.
This is the first book in the Arcana Books series featuring characters from the bestselling Black and Blue series.
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“It’s the big thing at the moment. Ghost hunting groups get locked into haunted places for a few days. Apparently, it gives them a better chance of recording psychic phenomenon.”
“And you do that along with Exspiravit?”
“Fuck no. I go to a bed and breakfast nearby at night, and they film themselves. Psychic phenomenon doesn’t have a comfy bed and a tea tray. It just isn’t as crucial to me as filming wildlife would be.”
I bite my lip to stop a smile breaking free. “I can understand that because of the baby penguins.”
“You do know they’re not the only thing I film?”
“Would your attitude change if they were ghost baby penguins?”
He points his fingers at me in a gun shape. “That’s the motherlode right there.”
I laugh. “So basically, they all get their sleeping bags out, and you’re down the road eating a three-course meal.”
“Did I happen to mention that I’m an award-wining natural-world photographer?” he says in a haughty voice that’s slightly spoilt by the laughter in his eyes.
“Only a few thousand times.” He gasps and loses the battle against laughter. When he’s calmed down, I fasten him with a gaze. “So, what’s got you worried, Jem? You’ve done a few ghost hunts with this group and never seemed bothered before.”
He bites his lip. “We visited the house last week to do a run-through. It’s common practice. The group get to meet the family and then Ben interviews them while I sit back, cynically wondering what they’re getting out of it. Then I get to do a walkthrough to see what kit we need and map out the house in my head.”
“What possible kit could you want?”
“You have no idea. Heat-sensing thermal cameras, spirit boxes, motion sensors—and that’s just the immediate stuff.”
I blink. “I usually just take Blue.”
“I wish I could.”
“Why?”
His brow is furrowed, his nervous fingers pleating the serving mat on the counter in front of him. I wait him out and finally he looks up at me. “Because, unlike the other places they’ve visited, there’s actually something wrong with this house.”
“In what way?”
“I don’t know.” He shoves his chair back, looking exasperated. “I honestly don’t know, Will. It’s an ordinary thirties semi on an ordinary street. There’s no history of any violent death there at all or any record of ghostly activity until the Preston family moved in but—”
He pauses, and I stare at him. “What?”
“It felt wrong.” He leans forward, talking quickly as if he thinks I’m going to laugh at him. I’m not. “I always rely on my intuition. After all these years of working in some rather dangerous countries with unpredictable climates and animals, I have fucking good instincts. When I feel uncomfortable, I know there’s usually a reason for it. And I felt it there. When I walked through, it was sunny and warm. There’s kids’ artwork on the walls and family photos, and it’s nicely messy, but—” He spreads his hands. “I wanted out of there so badly, I could feel it in my belly. I was shaking by the time we left.”
If you read the Black and Blue series (ok, 2 books) you know Will already. Best friend of Blue Billings. Big, quiet, stoic. Takes care of what is his. A teddy bear in a grizzly bear suit.
We met Jem in the second B&B book as a cameraman working for some ghost hunters after he is hurt and can’t go on a big job he had been hired for. Still in recovery mode, he kind of shows up off and on in Will’s life. Until he is hired by another set of ghost hunters and he wants Will to be the sceptic. The guy who explains away different things instead of thinking it is ghosts. I’ll say I was a sceptic of Will being a sceptic because just be being Blue’s best friend, he has seen some things. But, who knows.
Well, based on the fact that whatever otherworldly thing is happening is showing itself to Will immediately, he isn’t much of a sceptic.
But the story of what is happening in the house is a fun read. Maybe scary for people who get scared with that kind of thing. Some pretty creepy things too. Maybe read it with the lights on if you are easily spooked. But it was creative and fun to read about, what went on.
There were 4 others who were the “ghost hunters” and while it was their ghost hunt, we were really focused on Will and Jem. They made it hard not to be.
In my no spoiler way, I kind of feel like one character made a big concession toward the end. It had to be done I’m sure, but still.
I still loved Will and Jem getting their HEA and I particularly loved Will getting HIS own happily ever after and going from homeless to where he ends up.
4 pieces of eye candy
Lily is a bestselling gay romance author. She writes love stories filled with heat and humour.
She lives in sunny England with her husband and two children, all of whom claim that they haven’t had a proper conversation with her since she got her Kindle.
Lily has spent her life with her head full of daydreams, and decided one day to just sit down and start writing about them. In the process she discovered that she actually loved writing, because how else would she get to spend her time with hot and funny men?
She loves chocolate and Baileys and the best of all creations – Chocolate Baileys.
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