Review & Giveaway - - The Shop on Hidden Lane

The Shop on Hidden Lane

by Jayne Ann Krentz

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: January 6, 2026

Reviewed by PJ

The Harper and the Wells families have regarded each other with deep suspicion for four generations. The Harpers have been known to offer their psychic talents for less-than-legal purposes, and the powerful Wells clan has a reputation for playing both sides of the street. But for all the years of history and distrust between them, there is a mysterious pact binding the two. They share the responsibility for protecting a long-buried and very dangerous secret.

Sophy Harper and Luke Wells are shocked to learn that her aunt and his uncle have been sleeping together—and now they are both missing. Not only that, but the last traces of them are at the scene of a murder soaked in negative paranormal energy. Clearly, someone is willing to kill to obtain the secret their families have been charged with protecting. Despite their mutual distrust, which, as far as Sophy is concerned extends to Luke’s hellhound of a dog, they both know that the terms of the pact must be honored.

Their investigation uncovers a psychic trail leading to a bizarre desert art colony where nothing is as it seems. But Luke and Sophy are concealing a few secrets, too. By a strange twist of fate, a Harper and a Wells have no choice but to trust each other and the fierce attraction that is binding them as surely as the pact between the families.

PJ's Thoughts:

Jayne Ann Krentz is one of those authors who plunges me into her stories from the opening pages and never lets up until I turn the final page. The tightly-crafted, action-packed suspense, fully developed characters, and eerily realistic psychic obstacles and abilities all send me straight down the rabbit hole of Krentz's high-stakes stories.

In The Shop on Hidden Lane, Krentz pairs two unlikely characters in a race against time to find and rescue missing family members. Luke and Sophy are from enemy families forced to honor a long-standing pact that originated in the disaster of dangerous experiments, experiments that are now - two generations later- in the hands of very bad people. They don't know each other, or trust one another, but to protect his uncle and her aunt, they will travel to a secluded arts colony in the middle of the desert and work together to figure out what's really going on while trying not to blame each other's families for the predicament they are in. The twisty suspense portion of this book keeps the story flowing and the reader guessing. At least, it kept me guessing for most of the book. I love being surprised while also being on the edge of my seat. Krentz is superb at both. 

The banter in the book is top notch. Initially rooted in mistrust and snark, it gradually softens a bit as Luke and Sophy begin to peel back layers and get to know one another. Of course, once they begin to feel more comfortable, their true personalities begin to surface and that makes their interactions even more fun. Sophy, in particular, is not shy about sharing her unfiltered opinions. Krentz really does excel at writing sharp, witty banter. Even Luke's dog (who, no, does not speak) has no trouble showing his feelings of humor, disdain, mistrust, and love. I adore him and am so happy to learn that there are more books planned with dogs like Bruce who gained special abilities from the mysterious Fogg Lake.

If you're a Krentz fan, you will no doubt enjoy the references and story tie-ins to Bluestone, Fogg Lake, Mirror Lake, The Foundation, and more. However, if you're new to Krentz's psychic universe, you can easily step into it with The Shop on Hidden Lane without missing a beat. Fair warning, though: once you've immersed yourself in a Jayne Ann Krentz story, you're likely to slide right down that back list rabbit hole. It's a fascinating, 5-star place to visit! 

Do you enjoy animals in the books you read?

What books are you looking forward to reading this month? Is The Shop on Hidden Lane on your list? 

One person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, January 13 will receive a hard cover copy of The Shop on Hidden Lane.

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

Review & Giveaway - - Shattering Dawn

Shattering Dawn

by Jayne Ann Krentz

The Lost Night Files - Book 3

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: January 7, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

 

Amelia Rivers, a member of the Lost Night Files podcast team, hires private investigator Gideon Sweetwater to catch the stalker who has been watching her. Amelia suspects the stalker may be connected to the shadowy organization responsible for the night that she and her two friends lost to amnesia—a night that upended their lives and left them with paranormal talents.

Gideon suspects that Amelia is either paranoid or an outright con artist, but he can’t resist the chemistry between them. He takes the case despite his skepticism. For her part, Amelia has second thoughts about the wisdom of employing the mysterious Mr. Sweetwater. She is wary of the powerful attraction between them, and deeply uneasy about the nightmarish paintings on the walls of his home. She senses they were inspired by his own dreamscapes.

Amelia knows she doesn’t have time to find another investigator, and Gideon is forced to reckon with the truth when he disrupts what was intended to be Amelia’s kidnapping. Now the pair is on the run, with no choice but to return to the haunting ruins of the old hotel where Amelia’s lost night occurred. They are desperate to stop a killer and the people who are conducting illegal experiments with a dangerous drug that is designed to enhance psychic abilities. If they are to survive, they will have to trust each other and the passion that bonds them.

PJ's Thoughts:

The conclusion to Krentz's Lost Night Files trilogy is another high-intensity story brimming with danger, action, edge-of-the-seat suspense, and plenty of twists, psychic and otherwise. 

This book pulled me into the story from the opening pages and held my interest right through to the end. I love Krentz's psychic world. While logically I can tell myself that many of the events and abilities that inhabit her fictional world are just that - fiction - I still find myself wondering, what if? She immerses me in her imagination and makes it all seem so real.

Her characters have depths that make them relatable and layers that slowly reveal themselves throughout the story, both to the reader as well as one another. I was fascinated by both Amelia and Gideon, especially as those layers fell away and I learned more about who they were at their core. The romance is not the heart of the book but it definitely is a facet. 

You could enjoy Gideon and Amelia's story as a standalone but I'm happy I read the three books in order. There is an overarching mystery that runs through the trilogy, as well as twists in Shattering Dawn that had a greater impact because of things that happened in the first two books. 

I don't know what Jayne Ann Krentz has planned for her next book but I'm already looking forward to it. 

Have you read any of the books in The Lost Night Files trilogy?

Do you enjoy psychic elements in novels, suspense or otherwise?

Do you remember your dreams?

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, January 10 will receive a hardcover copy of Shattering Dawn. 

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

Tour Review - - The Night Island

The Night Island

by Jayne Ann Krentz

The Lost Night Files - Book 2

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: January 9, 2024

Reviewed by PJ

Talia March, Pallas Llewellyn, and Amelia Rivers, bonded by a night none of them can remember, are dedicated to uncovering the mystery of what really happened to them months ago—an experience that amplified innate psychic abilities in each of them. The women suspect they were test subjects years earlier, and that there are more people like them—all they have to do is find the list of others who took that same test. When Talia follows up on a lead from Phoebe, a fan of the trio’s podcast, she discovers that the informant has vanished.
 
Talia isn’t the only one looking for Phoebe, however. Luke Rand, a hunted and haunted man who is chasing the same list that Talia is after, also shows up at the meeting place. It’s clear he has his own agenda, and they are instantly suspicious of each other. But when a killer begins to stalk them, they realize they have to join forces to find Phoebe and the list.

PJ's Thoughts:

Yes, I know this is fiction but I can't be the only reader who on some subconscious level feels like there are echoes of actual government parapsychic experiments on remote islands in the Pacific Northwest. That's how vivid - and realistic - Jayne Ann Krentz's imagination is. 

This second book in Krentz's The Lost Night Files trilogy hits the ground running and never lets up. The characters, both primary and secondary, are intriguing, with hidden layers that kept me guessing through a number of twists and turns. The sense of place that Krentz creates on the island is a character in itself: immersive, evocative, highly suspenseful, and vital to the overall storyline. 

The slow-growing romantic relationship between Luke and Talia is forged in their unlikely partnership as they race against time to find and free Phoebe, try to uncover what happened to Luke during his lost night, and stop the bad guys who are determined to take them out. I was with them every step of the way, frequently on the edge of my seat, gasping out loud more than a few times, always eager - though sometimes apprehensive - to discover what was lurking around the next corner. Set aside plenty of time before you turn the first page. This is another Krentz story that is impossible to put down. 

While The Night Island can be enjoyed as a standalone, there's an overarching storyline that continues through the three books. I enjoyed this second book much more for having read book one, Sleep No More, first (click the title to read my review). For maximum enjoyment and understanding, I recommend reading the series in order. 

~~~~~~~~~

Excerpt

The Night Island

 There would be nightmares again tonight.

She'd always had a knack for finding misplaced keys, glasses, and pets. She was fine with that. But her new psychic ability for tracking down the bodies of those who had died by violence was not only depressing but frequently led to anxiety attacks and disturbing dreams.

Why couldn't it have been a talent for something more positive-like, say, picking winning lottery numbers? Why did it have to be dead bodies?

Talia March clenched the dead man's gold cuff link in one hand, gathered her nerve, and flattened her other hand against the metal side of the industrial-sized trash bin. She was braced mentally and physically, her core Pilates-tight; nevertheless, the jolt of psychic lightning rattled her nerves and her senses. In the past few months she had learned that the energy laid down by violence always came as a shock.

She had finally figured out that what she detected with her new ability was the psychic stain of the killer's emotions-or lack thereof-and the pain and fear of the victim. It made for a toxic brew that seeped into the crime scene and, to her, was as obvious as a pool of blood.

She was aware of a weak frisson emanating from the cuff link. The owner was dead but the item that he had worn frequently in life was still infused with the hollow echo of his vibe.

She could work with almost any object that had belonged to the missing or the deceased, but over the course of the past several months she had learned that some materials absorbed and reflected paranormal energy more efficiently than others. Gold was a particularly strong conductor, almost as good as crystal.

"Shit," she whispered. She took a quick step back. "He's in there."

Roger Gossard, the head of Gossard Consulting, a crime scene consulting company, studied the trash bin with a pained expression. "Are you sure?"

"You hired me for my best guess," she said. "This is it."

Roger grunted but he did not argue or demand more details. He knew better than to ask her to explain her conclusion. He looked at the unhappy man wearing a security guard uniform emblazoned with the logo of the company that controlled the loading dock.

"Okay if we take a look?" Roger said. "We need to find out for sure if there's a body inside before we call the police."

The security guard shrugged. "Boss says I'm supposed to cooperate but I'm telling you right now I'm not going into that bin to look for a dead body. You're on your own."

"Right." Roger switched his attention to the two members of his team who were waiting for instructions. "Bailey and Thomas, take a look. We need to make sure."

Grim but resigned, the pair pulled on heavy gloves, climbed into the bin, and went to work sorting through the trash generated by the several hundred office workers employed in the building.

Talia retreated to the front of the loading dock and contemplated the view of the alley. The rain was coming down in the steady way that was typical of Seattle in the late fall. The heavy skies indicated the weather was not going to change anytime soon. The Big Gray was just getting started.

In the past she had been comfortable with the drama of the city's dark season. But the night she had lost to amnesia had changed a lot of things. Now she was aware of a relentless sense of urgency simmering just beneath the surface, a sensation that was intensified by the late dawns and early twilights.

She tuned out the noise of the trash bin excavation process and opened her phone. There was no new text from her mysterious informant. She was starting to lose hope. Maybe she had been conned. It was a discouraging thought because the lead had appeared so promising.

"Looks like we found Clayton, boss," Bailey called. "Wrapped in plastic sheeting. Not a pretty sight."

 

Excerpted from The Night Island by Jayne Ann Krentz Copyright © 2024 by Jayne Ann Krentz. Excerpted by permission of Berkley. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

Jayne Ann Krentz is the author of more than fifty New York Times bestsellers. She has written contemporary romantic suspense novels under that name and futuristic and historical romance novels under the pseudonyms Jayne Castle and Amanda Quick, respectively. Learn more online at www.jayneannkrentz.com.

 

Photo credit: Marc von Borstel

Review & Giveaway - - Sleep No More

Sleep No More

by Jayne Ann Krentz

The Lost Night Files - Book 1

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: January 3, 2022

Reviewed by PJ

Seven months ago, Pallas Llewellyn, Talia March, and Amelia Rivers were strangers, until their fateful stay at the Lucent Springs Hotel. An earthquake and a fire partially destroyed the hotel, but the women have no memory of their time there. Now close friends, the three women co-host a podcast called the Lost Night Files, where they investigate cold cases and hope to connect with others who may have had a similar experience to theirs—an experience that has somehow enhanced the psychic abilities already present in each woman.
 
After receiving a tip for their podcast, Pallas travels to the small college town of Carnelian, California, to explore an abandoned asylum. Shaken by the dark energy she feels in the building, she is rushing out when she’s stopped by a dark figure—who turns out to be the women's mysterious tipster.
 
Ambrose Drake is certain he’s a witness to a murder, but without a body, everyone thinks he’s having delusions caused by extreme sleep deprivation. But Ambrose is positive something terrible happened at the Carnelian Sleep Institute the night he was there. Unable to find proof on his own, he approaches Pallas for help, only for her to realize that Ambrose, too, has a lost night that he can’t remember—one that may be connected to Pallas. Pallas and Ambrose conduct their investigation using the podcast as a cover, and while the townsfolk are eager to share what they know, it turns out there are others who are not so happy about their questions—and someone is willing to kill to keep the truth from coming out.

PJ's Thoughts:

Sleep No More may be the title of this newest Jayne Ann Krentz novel but it was also what happened to me once I turned to the first page and began reading. Krentz plunged me straight into the heart of the pulse-pounding action of this story and had me completely hooked before I reached page ten. And then she kept me hooked, guessing how it would all turn out, through unexpected twists and turns right up until the final scene. There would be no sleep for me until all of my questions were answered!

There are many things I enjoy about a Jayne Ann Krentz book. Her characters are complex and multi-layered; it usually takes me an entire book to figure them out. Her plots are twisty and, again, rarely do I guess the final outcome before the reveal. Her attention to detail is superb, creating an atmosphere that highlights both the suspense and romance. But what I find most fascinating about these novels is the fine line the author navigates between fact and fiction, between reality and possibility. The psychic/paranormal elements of these romantic suspense novels, while clearly fiction (Are they, though? Really?), walk that line, leaving me swinging between thoughts of "This could never happen" and "Whoa, what do I really know about that sleep clinic I made an appointment with?" She creates an immersive reading experience where it's all too easy to place myself in the positions of Pallas and Ambrose, thereby heightening both my enjoyment and my reader anxiety as I navigate the murky, murderous waters of Sleep No More. 

Sleep No More is the first book in Krentz's new trilogy and a great place to begin if you're new to her writing. The romantic (and mystery) portion of Pallas and Ambrose's story is completed with this first book though there is an overarching mystery which will continue through the next two books in the series. I can't wait to find out how it will all play out. 

Have you read Jayne Ann Krentz?

Do you enjoy romantic-suspense books with a paranormal/psychic twist?

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, January 14 will receive a hardback copy of Sleep No More.

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

*Void where prohibited

 

Tour Review, Excerpt & Giveaway - - Lightning in a Mirror

Lightning in a Mirror

by Jayne Ann Krentz

Fogg Lake Trilogy - Book 3

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: January 18, 2022

Reviewed by PJ

Olivia LeClair's experiment with speed dating is not going well. First there was the nasty encounter with the date from hell who tried to murder her and now the mysterious Harlan Rancourt—long believed dead—sits down at her table and tells her she's the only one who can help him locate the legendary Vortex lab.
 
This is not what Olivia had in mind when she signed up for the Four Event Success Guaranteed package offered by the dating agency.  She doesn't have much choice, though, because her psychic investigation firm works for the mysterious Foundation and Victor Arganbright, the director, is adamant that she assist Harlan. There's just one problem—no one knows Harlan's real agenda. His father once ran the Foundation like a mob organization, and Harlan was destined to be his heir.  There's a real possibility Harlan has returned to claim his inheritance. 
 
For now, however, it's a case of the enemy of my enemy is my friend because others are after the secrets of the long-lost lab. Unfortunately for Olivia, the one thing friend and foe have in common is that everyone is convinced she is the key. Her unique psychic talent is required to defuse the ticking time bomb that is Vortex.
 
Neither trusts the other but Olivia and Harlan soon realize they must work together to survive and unlock the Bluestone Project's most dangerous secrets before more innocent people die.

PJ's Thoughts:

Immersive. Compelling. Addictive. Those are the first three words that came to mind as I sat down to record my thoughts about Lightning in a Mirror, the third and final book in Jayne Ann Krentz's Fogg Lake Trilogy. 

As with the first two books in the trilogy, Lightning in a Mirror engaged my interest right from the start and then quickly engaged my emotions as well. Krentz's characters are complex, intriguing, and fully developed. They could be anyone you meet on the street except, of course, for their finely-tuned psychic talents. It's those talents that make them unique, highly sought after, and in some cases, very, very dangerous. 

What makes this story so addictive is the same thing that also makes it so compelling: the author's ability to create a world where paranormal talent is plausible. When I read a vampire story, I'm fully aware that what I'm reading is fiction. But when I spend time with Krentz's characters, the prevailing thought in my mind is that their abilities, and the dangerous situations they could lead to, are within the realm of possibility. At least, possibilities that I'm willing to be open to. The world within our present world that she has created is so vividly and realistically portrayed that I become completely immersed in it, watching it unfold across my mind as if I was sitting in a darkened theater, seeing it play out on a huge screen. I believe in that world. 

Once I began reading, there was no way I was going to be able to put this book down until I reached the end. I had to know what was going to happen on the next page...and the next...and the next. I cared about Olivia, her search for her mother's killer, and her stubborn resistance to her psychic destiny. I cared about Harlan and, believe me, after reading the entire trilogy, that came as a big surprise. And that wasn't the only surprise Krentz had in store for readers. I love it when an author keeps me on my toes with a variety of twists, turns, and unexpected detours. From start to finish, I was excited to discover what would happen next. This thrilling conclusion to the Fogg Lake Trilogy was all I could have asked for. I can't wait to find out what Krentz has in store for readers next. 

Each of the books in this trilogy can stand on its own but there is an overarching story that runs through all three books. For maximum enjoyment, I recommend reading the three books in order: The Vanishing, All the Colors of Night, and Lightning in a Mirror. 

~~~~~~~~~~~

 Excerpt

Lightning in a Mirror

“If I disappeared tomorrow would you walk into hell to find me?” Olivia asked.

She did not look up from her phone. She wasn’t supposed to be on it. The rules of the speed dating event were quite specific about that. All phones, watches and assorted tech were to be powered down for the evening. But she had concluded the event was a waste of time, so she had palmed her phone from her handbag. She was now holding it under the edge of the cocktail table, where the event coordinator could not see it.

The knee-length burnt orange wool coat she was examining was stunning, but, sadly, the color was over-the-top for Seattle. Most of the outerwear on the city’s streets came in shades of gray, black, navy and forest green. If she were to stroll down Pine Street in a burnt orange coat, she might as well carry a sign that shouted tourist.

The man who had just sat down on the other side of the small, round table did not respond to the question. With a sigh, she looked up. It was obvious from his uncertain expression that he thought she was texting.

“I said, if I disappeared tomorrow would you walk into hell to find me?” she said.

“Excuse me?” He looked around and then leaned forward. He lowered his voice. “I think they said that we should turn off our phones.”

“Sorry.” She dropped the phone into her large handbag, wedging it between her turmeric-yellow wallet and the vintage camera. She took a closer look at her new date. The name tag stuck on his shirt identified him as Nathan.

“Hi, Nathan. I’m Olivia,” she said, going for bright and sparkly. “I’ll repeat my question. If I disappeared tomorrow would you walk into hell to find me?”

“Uh.” Nathan got a deer-in-the-headlights look.

She recognized the expression. Nathan was rapidly coming to the conclusion that she was weird. Within the next thirty seconds he would do what the previous dates had done—excuse himself and take off to find the restroom, where he would hide out until the bell rang.

It was not Nathan’s fault she had signed up for the Four Event Success Guaranteed package offered by the speed dating agency. So far most of the people she had met had been nice. A bit boring—but nice. The experiment had been a disaster for her, however.

She had purchased the package because it was 20 percent off. The first event had been a washout, but she had told herself to be optimistic. You couldn’t expect immediate success. But now she was midway through the second event and the prospects were looking even more dismal.

“I’m not sure exactly what you mean,” Nathan said.

He did a quick, furtive glance around the room. It didn’t take any psychic talent to know he was searching for the restrooms

She gave him another shiny smile. “The matchmaker said we are supposed to ask each other questions. That’s my question.”

“Oh.” Nathan cleared his throat. “Well, uh, I guess it would, you know, depend.”

At least Nathan was considering his answer, not running for the restroom. That was promising.

“What would it depend on?” she asked.

“How well I knew you. Whether or not you and I were, you know, close.”

“And if we were close?” she pressed. “Then would you walk into hell to find me?”

Panic sparked in Nathan’s eyes. He glanced at the table where the event coordinator sat. When he realized there was no salvation coming from that direction, he made a heroic effort to move forward.

“My turn,” he said, bubbling with artificial enthusiasm. “My question is, where do you like to go on vacation?”

“Hawaii. My turn. If I went missing would you walk into—”

“I guess I’d call your friends first,” Nathan said. He sat back in the booth, putting a little more distance between them. “See if they knew where you were. Then, uh, maybe call the cops. Hey, I like Hawaii, too. Do you snorkel?”

“No.” She leaned forward, closing the space he had just made. “How hard would you look for me?”

“Well, uh, I’m not an expert when it comes to search and rescue work. Don’t you need a dog for that?” Nathan shot to his feet. “Excuse me. Gotta hit the restroom. Be right back.”

And another one bites the dust. No, that wasn’t right, Olivia thought. I’m the one who just bit the dust. Again. She realized she didn’t care. The speed dating experiment was a failure. If she hadn’t bought the Four Event Success Guaranteed package she would leave right now. But she had made an investment, and the fine print was firm—no refunds.

From LIGHTNING IN A MIRROR published by arrangement with Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. Copyright © 2021 by Jayne Ann Krentz.

Have you read any Jayne Ann Krentz books?

Are you reading the Fogg Lake Trilogy?

Have you ever had any psychic experiences?

One person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, January 23 will receive a hardback copy of Lightning in a Mirror.

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

*Void where prohibited