The Evil Inside review

The Evil Inside by Heather Graham is the fourth in the Krewe of Hunters series and this one takes us to Salem, MA - where better to find ghosts, right?

While I loved the location and Graham's always vivid details that give a sense of place, there was a little too much emphasis on the history - reading this almost felt like getting a lecture in history class. It just wasn't as organic to the story as I'd have liked.

The Evil Inside was an excellent mystery - it kept me guessing right until the reveal but once that reveal happened, it made perfect sense. Unfortunately, the romance part of The Evil Inside didn't really work for me but I'd still recommend it for the mystery alone.

Jenna, the Irish import on the Krewe of Hunters, is very sweet but with a bit of a temper. I'd actually like if she let that temper loose a bit more but that's probably just me :) Jenna is also very loyal and quite intuitive. Her willingness to help is what led her to Salem in the first place. Her uncle called because he doesn't believe the boy accused of murder actually did it.

Sam is arrogant, condescending, smart, and a good lawyer. I'd want him to represent me if I was accused of murder but otherwise, wouldn't want him around at all. He was, for the most part, a complete jerk.

Graham always writes incredibly interesting and believable secondary characters and this was no exception. I often think (and say!) that secondary characters make or break a story and it's Graham's strong secondary characters that make her novels so fun to read. In The Evil Inside these characters include Salem Wiccans, the quintessential politician and cop, obnoxious teenage jocks, and helicopter parents.

If you enjoy a solid mystery that keeps you guessing until the end, definitely read The Evil Inside - though you might want to start at the beginning of the Krewe of Hunters series and work your way through.

Synopsis

For as long as it has stood overlooking New England's jagged coastline, Lexington House has been the witness to madness...and murder. But in recent years the inexplicable malice that once tormented so many has lain as silent as its victims. Until now. A member of the nation's foremost paranormal forensic team, Jenna Duffy has made a career out of investigating the inexplicable. Yet nothing could prepare her for the string of slayings once again plaguing Lexington House, or for the chief suspect ? a boy barely old enough to drive, much less kill. With the young man's life on the line, Jenna must team up with attorney Samuel Hall to pinpoint who - or what - is taking the lives of those who get too close to the past. But everything they learn brings them closer to the forces of evil stalking this tortured ground.