On Serial Murders: A Review of Haunted by Kelley Armstron

It's impossible for me to talk about this book without mentioning how I felt about the previous books in the series. Bitten is my all-time favorite werewolf book, and may rank in my top ten books of all time in general. I liked Stolen just fine. Dime Store Magic and Industrial Magic, on the other hand, were both insanely slow for me. I was able to get through Dime Store Magic and see the good in the story, but I really struggled with Industrial Magic. The simplest explanation I can offer is this: Paige does not work as a narrator for me. She's a nice enough character, likeable enough, but does not possess enough edge or personality to keep me engaged. Eve, on the other hand...

Eve is the narrator of Haunted, and her story was so much more compelling to me, it's hard to describe. This is the point where I have to warn you that I may spoil a few minor points from books 1-4. Click to read at your own peril.

Eve is a ghost, stuck in the after life. She's spent her entire death obsessing about finding away to affect things in the real world, so that she can protect her teenage daughter, Savannah. Then the Fates give her a job to do--recapture a murderous demon spirit that has been unleashed on the world. This spirit, referred to as the Nix, invades the minds of unstable women and encourages them to kill people.

Positive Comments

As states above, Eve is a compelling protagonist. She's not all pure and good. The ends justify the means in her mind, and she's done some questionable things. She still has her own moral code, it's just a flexible one. Seeing a story like this from her eyes is a dark, scary, and oddly fun ride. Her emotional journey and character development were believable and fascinating. 

I like the interaction between Eve and Kristof. The second-chance love story really worked for me (though it's a small part of the story).

Th larger plot is pants-pissingly scary. I liked the fact that the Nix could only work through influence--she could encourage evil, but not force anyone to do anything. The idea of real life, every day women, being murderers in the making, is incredibly eerie.

Critical Comments

The biggest downside of this book, for me, is the length. Nearly five hundred pages is a bit more than the story really calls for. I wouldn't say that I was ever bored, exactly, but...Did we really need the visit to the pirate world, or the extended stay in serial killer hell? Interesting, entertaining, but unnecessary.

Recommendation

Every series has its ups and downs. For me, this one was an up. I would encourage anyone who has tried and enjoyed Kelley Armstrong's books to continue on to this one. And if you haven't tried her yet, you really should! 4 stars.