Deadly Night - Review

Deadly Night (The Flynn Brothers Trilogy Book #1) by Heather Graham
Rating: Very Good
Source: Library (audio)
Description:  The Flynn brothers have inherited more than a New Orleans plantation.  They've inherited a ghostly presence - and a long kept secret, Aidan Flynn, a private investigator and eldest of the Flynn brothers, scoffs at the haunted house rumors - especially since Kendall Montgomery, a tarot card reader who has been living in the mansion, is the one to tell him the tale of a woman in white.  But when he finds a human bone on the grounds and another by the river, Aidan delves into the dark history of the Flynn plantation.  Forced together to uncover the truth, Aidan and Kendall realize that a serial killer whose victims seem to vanish into thin air have long been at work - and their own fates are about to be sealed forever unless they believe in the unbelievable.  (from Goodreads)

Genre: Romantic Suspense - Paranormal

Why I Picked This Book:  Ghosts, an old plantation home, and murder.  What more could I want?

My Impression:  This is the first book in the Flynn brother series from 2008.  I'm glad we got Aidan's story first because he's the brother that would be the hardest to get to know if he was a secondary character and I really don't think I'd be all that interested in reading his book.  He can be a bit standoffish and brusque and at the beginning isn't particularly likable.  But I liked Kendall from the beginning and I really wanted to find out what was going on at the old Flynn Plantation.  I wasn't very far in before Aidan started to grow on me as well.  He's a good guy but very cautious and not as outgoing as his two younger brothers.
I liked Aidan and Kendall's relationship.  It wasn't insta-love and while they were strongly attracted to each other early on it took them a bit longer to really begin to like each other.  It's still pretty quick but it is romantic suspense so I expect some speed and it felt thought out.  Graham creates a really strong community feel.  I loved the talk about how New Orleans was faring after Katrina and seeing characters in different settings - at work, at Kendall's shop, and in the bar.  I did guess the "who" part of the mystery but was unsure of the "why" and "how" and I couldn't wait to see how the story unraveled.
Phil Gigante did a good job with the narration though it did take a little time for me to get used to his version of Kendall's voice.  His accents weren't over the top and most were pretty accurate.  The beginning was a little choppy in audio format because you're in 1863 for a few pages, then modern day, then back to 1863, then back to modern day but the choppiness only lasted a few minutes and I suspect it wouldn't be a problem at all in print form.
This was everything I have come to expect from a Heather Graham book - likable characters, a beautiful setting, a fascinating historical twist, and just the right amount of paranormal.  I felt like this was one of her better mysteries in terms of everything making sense and a good dash of misdirection. This is a good listen or read and perfect for when you're in the mood for a little bit of spooky fun.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?: Absolutely!  I'm looking forward to reading more about the Flynn brothers and I can never pass up a Heather Graham book!

Would I Recommend this Book?: Definitely!  If you enjoy romantic suspense with some paranormal I think you would really enjoy this book.