2 Bloggers 1 Series - Whispers at Dark

 

Stormi and I are enjoying the Krewe Hunters series so much we couldn't wait to start the spin-off series.  There's only three in this offshoot - well, so far, and they can definitely be read without starting off with the original quite lengthy series.  So read on to see my thoughts on this one and then hop over to Stormi's at Storm Reads to see hers! 

TITLE: Whispers at Dark (Blackbird Trilogy #1)

AUTHOR: Heather Graham

PUBLISHER: MIRA

PUBLISHING DATE: June 27, 2023

PAGES: 345   

SOURCE: Library

FROM GOODREADS: When darkness falls, there’s nowhere to hide. 

Four bodies have been discovered along Europe’s riverbanks, placed with care—and completely drained of blood. Pinpricks on their throats indicate a slender murder weapon, but DNA found in the wounds suggests something far more sinister. Tasked with investigating, the FBI recruits Agents Della Hamilton and Mason Carter to Blackbird, an international offshoot of the Krewe of Hunters. If you want to catch a vampire killer, you need agents who can speak with the dead. 

The pair travel to Norway, where the shadowy forests of Lillehammer reveal a gruesome scene. The killer is thirsty for more victims, and the bloodless trail soon leads Della and Mason to a group that believes drinking blood is the key to immortality. To catch the culprit of such an intimate crime, the agents will have to get close. Mason’s already lost one partner; he’s not ready to risk Della as bait. But sometimes justice requires a sacrifice…

MY THOUGHTS: This trilogy is basically a spin-off of the author's Krewe Hunters series which takes off with an expansion of the Krewe overseas. I also suspect this trilogy completely focuses on one main team hunting a faction of killers obsessed with vampires whereas the main series features a new "mystery" each book.

The two main characters in this one are Della and Mason. Mason has recently lost a partner and is a new recruit for the Krewe and Della has been with them for under a year.  Both have the ability to see and communicate with passed spirits and this book is worth the read just to meet their ghost "partner" Gideon.  A serial killer focused on killing lovely young women and draining them of their blood is running around overseas leaving a trail of bodies behind. This book jumps from New Orleans, Norway, Romania and a few other places as the newly assembled team works to track down the main killer as he keeps recruiting followers to do his dirty deeds, promising them eternal life.

I really enjoyed the vampire elements of this one and even though the killer isn't a REAL vampire, he definitely has the charisma and charm needed to convince some he can promise eternal life.  Della and Mason are both interesting characters with just enough baggage to make the reader want to know more about what makes them tick.  There is also some sexual tension between the two early on and it was nice to see how the author played on that to make the plot even more intense. 

I think this would be a great trilogy to start if you want to a sample of this author's works and want a taste of the Krewe Hunter mysteries without starting and possibly committing to a 25+ book series.  I will definitely be continuing on!

MY RATING: 4 PAWS