Review: The Spirit Chaser by Kat Mayor

by MK French

August 2016; 978-1535246583; ebook & print
(436 pages); horror
a free egalley was provided for this review

The show "The Spirit Chaser" is fantastically popular, largely because of its lead, Austin Cole. He's handsome and driven, but sometimes that leads to terrible consequences. The lead psychic on his team is possessed and retires after he recovers. His old friend Casey takes his place, and she doesn't get along with Austin at first. They connect, physically at first and then emotionally. The entire team is tight knit, and they're poised to have a successful season of the show. However, Austin angered as many spirits as he helped cross over, and there is one in particular that has decided that he belongs to her.

This book is incredibly vivid and drew me in right away. The characters feel so incredibly real, in part because they're flawed and breathe on the page. Austin has his moments where he lashes out, and others where he's caring and gentle. Casey is proud of her psychic skill but self-conscious in other ways. The romance feels a little rushed in the middle third of the book, but it's more of a connection on Austin's side first. The warm fuzzies of the middle third are wonderful to read, and I was so caught up in it that I didn't realize the other shoe was about to drop for the last third. When it hit, it hit hard. The first signs of the possession seemed abrupt, but once Austin's anchors were undone, one after another, it went downhill fast. This is where the horror picks up again with a vengeance, and it's an emotional horror as well as a visual one. The ending was heartbreaking, and I had no idea it was going to end that way. The Amazon site says that this is the first book in a series, and I'm holding Kat to it!

Born and raised in New York City, M.K. French started writing stories when very young, dreaming of different worlds and places to visit. She always had an interest in folklore, fairy tales, and the macabre, which has definitely influenced her work. She currently lives in the Midwest with her husband, three young children, and golden retriever.

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