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Poltergeist (Greywalker #2)

by Kat Richardson (Goodreads Author)

3.66 of 5 stars 3.66 · rating details · 3,502 ratings · 283 reviews

Harper Blaine is a Greywalker-walking the thin line between the living world and the paranormal realm. She's been hired by a university research group that's attempting to create an artificial poltergeist. But when one of the group's members is found killed, Harper must determine whether the killer is the ghost itself, or someone all too human...

Paperback, 349 pages

Published July 7th 2009 by Roc (first published August 7th 2007)

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Nov 21, 2012 Petra Sýkorová rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: czech, rc-review, urban-fantasy, supernatural

Kat Richardson do povědomí čtenářů vynesla její knižní série Šerochodec, v níž spojuje paranormální prvky, urban fantasy a detektivní žánr. Kat byla už od dětství vášnivým čtenářem. Začínala knihami a světy C. S. Lewise, Lloyda Alexandra, I. Asimova, A. C. Clarka, R. Heinleina, C. J. Cherryh nebo M. Lackey. Později jejímu srdci učaroval detektivní žánr. Vystudovala novinařinu, což jí dalo potřebný základ pro rozvoj coby spisovatelky.

Zajímavé ovšem je, že s prací začínala v herním průmyslu. Nejso...more Kat Richardson do povědomí čtenářů vynesla její knižní série Šerochodec, v níž spojuje paranormální prvky, urban fantasy a detektivní žánr. Kat byla už od dětství vášnivým čtenářem. Začínala knihami a světy C. S. Lewise, Lloyda Alexandra, I. Asimova, A. C. Clarka, R. Heinleina, C. J. Cherryh nebo M. Lackey. Později jejímu srdci učaroval detektivní žánr. Vystudovala novinařinu, což jí dalo potřebný základ pro rozvoj coby spisovatelky.

Zajímavé ovšem je, že s prací začínala v herním průmyslu. Nejsou jí tak cizí takové věci jako je RPG (Role Playing Game = Hra na hrdiny), ale také filmová scénaristika, či samotná spolupráce při tvorbě her. Než se vrhla na psaní, získala titul ve zpěvu, pracovala pro rádio a také hrála v divadle. Miluje fretky a žije v Seattlu, kde bydlí i s rodinou na lodi.

Harper má nový případ. Vypadá to, že výzkumná skupina, která má za cíl napodobit Filipův efekt, jej napodobuje tak bravurně, že se jim pomalu začíná vymykat z rukou. Respektive víra v něco nadpřirozeného, v poltergeista stvořeného jen jejich společnou myslí, nejspíš vytvořila něco, co je začíná pronásledovat.

Jenže když je jeden z členů skupiny, který byl do skupiny nastrčen, aby některým paranormálním úkazům napomohl, nalezen mrtvý ve svém bytu, už nejde jen o výzkum. Poltergeist se stává živým a může napadnout kteréhokoliv z nich.

Český překlad byl o poznání lepší než v prvním díle. Věty nebyly těžkopádné, nedocházelo k nesrozumitelnému významu slov či jiným krkolomnostem. Sice jsem se tu a tam zastavila u nějaké přesmyčky nebo malé chybičky, ale jinak byl krásně zachován spád děje.

Nemůžu si pomoct, ale Harper mi opravdu připadá jako ledová královna. Ono je trefné, že ji tak někdo v knize dokonce označí. A já nemůžu nic jiného než souhlasit. Někdy mi od Harper chybí jakýkoliv projev citů. Sice tu jsou náznaky, že úplně marná a bez emocí není, ale i přesto mi přijde po většinu času až příliš chladná a zaměřená jen na práci. Těžko říct, jestli ji takto změnila ona nehoda, díky níž se dostává do Šera, nebo už taková bývala dříve.

Ostatní postavy tohoto dílu se vzájemně s příběhem výborně doplňují. Nikdy tak úplně nemůžete vědět, co vás čeká. Všichni hrají svou hru a trumfy či kostlivce ve škříni odhalují až postupně. Na můj vkus tam bylo málo Quintona. Tak nějak tajně doufám, že by se mezi ním a Harper mohlo dít i něco jiného než jen čistě pracovní vztah. Myslím, že by to příběh celkově oživilo.

Poltergeist je rozhodně daleko lepší než předchozí díl. Co se týče samotnému příběhu i překladu. Na knize bylo poznat, že autorka hodně zkoumala problematiku poltergeistů a pokusů. Její nashromážděné poznatky tak navodily dosti reálnou atmosféru, která by i bez zmínek o Šeru fungovala poměrně dobře.

Osobně velice příjemné překvapení. Výborná detektivka s příměsí paranormálna. Škoda jen, že se autorka věnuje hlavně rozuzlení příběhu. Sice někdy nakousne něco z Harpeřina osobního života, ukáže i jinou její stránku, přesto se nějaké romance zase tak nedočkáme. To ale neznamená, že v budoucnu nebude. Uvidíme, necháme se překvapit. Knize tak dávám 4 hvězdičky a těším se na další díl.

----------Reakce po dočtení knihy----------
Rozhodně daleko lepší než předchozí díl. Co se týče samotnému příběhu i překladu. Bylo vidět, že autorka hodně zkoumala problematiku poltergeistů a jistých zkoumání. Překvapivě dobrá detektivka s dávkou paranormálna.(less)

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Sep 27, 2008 Jeffrey rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: urban fantasy fans

Shelves: supernatural, urban-fantasy, read-in-2008

At the start let me say that I liked this book. It has an interesting perspective on the whole supernatural urban fantasy slant as the main character is not a vampire, witch or shapeshifter, which are the common character tropes out there. Instead Harper Blaine, after a near death experience, is able to perceive the Gray, the sub layer filled with people's auras, ghosts and other oddities. Blaine, who is a PI, is hired by Professor Tuchman to investigate a parapsychology experiment in which vari...more

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Jul 17, 2011 Kimba (Caffeinated Book Reviewer) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This series is wonderful. I love the spunky protagonist PI. In this book she is asked to investigate a group of subjects in a control group at the university. An alleged poltergeist has occurred and the DR. fears some of the test subjects are cheating the results. A fantastic group of whodunit characters, a murder, likeable sidekicks and mystery..made this book a real page turner. There are 5 books in this series published thus far. (Greywalker series) If you like PI books with a paranormal twis...more

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Mar 11, 2009 Rachel rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I thought this one was better than _Greywalker_ -- Richardson has the timing down better, and there's less of the awkwardness of trying to introduce the world and characters. And it was definitely scarier.

In this book, Harper is hired to figure out who is sabotaging a university project that is intended to create a poltergeist. The group of people involved in the project have apparently produced some recorded phenomena, but then their "poltergeist" goes berserk. The professor running the project...more

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Oct 14, 2012 Meep rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-paranormal

There's a lot I like about this book and yet I find it very hard to read. There's not enough dialogue and the long discriptions of the area create atmosphere but detract from the momentum.

The basic plot is simple. Harper has to discover if there is a saboteur on a ghost-study; it takes over half the book for her to simply interview each person involved. By this point I'm struggling to distinquish between characters, it's not clear to me how many there are even, I don't care about any of them at...more There's a lot I like about this book and yet I find it very hard to read. There's not enough dialogue and the long discriptions of the area create atmosphere but detract from the momentum.

The basic plot is simple. Harper has to discover if there is a saboteur on a ghost-study; it takes over half the book for her to simply interview each person involved. By this point I'm struggling to distinquish between characters, it's not clear to me how many there are even, I don't care about any of them at a point I should be busy considering their motives. Personalitities are fogged down by The Grey to the point that they all merge.

At one point Harper consults Carlos, a powerful and dangerous vampire; it's a risk and the information just doesn't seem worth it, there are other angles she could have exhausted first and kept that favour for something bigger. That's part of the issue - I never felt any danger or threat, even when there is drama it's strangely fogged!

In this book she finally gets a mobile phone, instead of the pager. I get that mobiles have not always been so provalent in society, but I read this when it first came out and had the same thought then.

Quinton is still mysterious, oddly obliging and perhaps the most interesting character. The quirky friends are now complete with a quirky toddler, they still don't appeal to me. (view spoiler)

I really want to like this book more, which is why I bought the series originally. Taken seperately The Grey is interesting, the plot is good, I like Harper whose more believable than the standard bubbly wise-cracking heroine. But I want to learn more about her, it's written in first person yet we don't see what she's thinking or feeling (she doesn't feel sick as often in this book!). It's good and so close to being excellant it's a little frustrating, I'm hoping as the series progresses more life is injected.(less)

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May 10, 2012 Sara rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

My Take:
This is the second book in the series, and you can tell that the author is more comfortable with her story line and her characters. However, it is still pretty under-developed. As Harper has developed
her skills in the Grey, it’s a big leap to how she got there – there isn’t any back story on how she got the skills, or what she had gone through to learn about them. I actually thought this was the third or
fourth book in the series because of this jump – it has references that link parts...more

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Dec 05, 2011 Kathy Davie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, urban

Second in the Greywalker urban fantasy series set in Seattle and revolving around a private investigator who can walk between worlds.

My Take
Whoa...the frauds aren't all that surprising especially with what's revealed about his past but the direction that Tuckman's experiment takes and its results are very unexpected.

I like what Richardson is doing with the series as a whole and this particular installment was pretty tense. My only objection is that Richardson hasn't worked her continuing char...more

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Apr 25, 2011 Lesley rated it 4 of 5 stars

Poltergeist is a good second installment in the Greywalker series. The world of the Grey is interesting and unique, yet it has a classic, dark, ghost story feel. The mystery is more complex than the typical urban fantasy, with a complex mixture of clues, motivations, and obstacles that Harper has to deal with. In fact, the plot is more like a crime novel with a strong paranormal flare. (Which reminds me, thank you for the reference to one of my favorite fictional detectives, Ms. Richardson. It m...more

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Jan 11, 2011 Ithlilian rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy

Poltergeist started out interesting. A scientific experiment is being performed to see if people can create a poltergeist. Harper is hired by the person in charge of the experiment to show that the phenomenon is being faked. It's a little confusing, but the scientist is a little strange. Unlike Greywalker, the mystery comprises the entire book. While it was exciting at the beginning, it quickly became stale. Harper interviews the study participants over and over and comes up with unimportant det...more

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Dec 29, 2010 Karissa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is the second book in the Greywalker series. Book 3 "Underground" and book 4 "Vanished" are already out. The fifth book "Labyrinth" is due out in August 2010. Right now there are six books contracted for this series. This book was a great addition to the series. I listened to this on audio book and the audio book was very well done.

Harper Blaine is starting to get better at this Greywalker thing. Then she gets a call from a psychologist who is running a study with a group of people who are...more This is the second book in the Greywalker series. Book 3 "Underground" and book 4 "Vanished" are already out. The fifth book "Labyrinth" is due out in August 2010. Right now there are six books contracted for this series. This book was a great addition to the series. I listened to this on audio book and the audio book was very well done.

Harper Blaine is starting to get better at this Greywalker thing. Then she gets a call from a psychologist who is running a study with a group of people who are supposed to be using their mental energy to create a Poltergeist. Well the group has either created or summoned something and things are starting to get violent during their seances. The psychologist is convinced that someone in the group is faking the effects and wants Harper to find out who it is. When one of the group members either dies or is murdered the stakes are increased and Harper has to figure out if the happenings are paranormal, normal, or a combination of both.

I really like Harper Blaine as a character. She is definitely not a bad-ass but she is smart. She approaches her cases with a very analytical mind, sets up great plans to solve her cases, and is very practical about it all. Mira and Ben as the couple that assist Harper with paranormal knowledge are great, and their little two year old boy Brian had me chuckling at his antics a number of times (maybe this is because I have a three year old son). I liked Brian's crazy two-year old stunts and thought they added some humor to the book.

This book is definitely more of a paranormal mystery than any other genre; Harper doesn't really have a love interest in this book and Harper assumes mundane causes before fantastical causes. A lot of time in this book is spent going into technical details on how ghost phenomena can be faked. Another large chunk of time is spend going into technical detail on how the Grey works. I really enjoyed the technical discussions; Richardson has done her home work and I found a lot of the information around the faking of ghost phenomena to be very interesting. This is a warning to people who don't like this kind of stuff though; if you aren't interested in hearing all the intricate details behind the workings of things then this book might not be for you.

I really loved how Richardson has expanded Harper's working with the Grey. I still enjoy the creativity behind the idea of the Grey and the idea of Harper being able to travel through layers of ghostly time is really interesting and adds a whole additional layer to the story. The story was very engaging, action packed and the writing very readable.

My only complaint with this book was that Harper only had the one case to work on and, at times, her foot work on that case got a bit boring. It would have been nice to have Harper juggling a couple cases, as she did in the first book, to keep things interesting during the inevitable lulls in the one case.

I enjoyed this book and look forward to listening to the next book of the series on audio book. If you like paranormal mystery that pays special attention to detail when explaining the workings behind the paranormal phenomena then I think you will really love this book.(less)

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Oct 14, 2010 Cathy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is about Harper, a PI in Seattle. After a near death experience, she can slip in and out of the "Grey" which is the parallel world that ghosts and other supernatural beasties live in.

The story is about a science experiment gone wrong. A psychology professor has set up a controlled experiment, where a group of people work together to create a ghost. They succeed in ways that prompt the professor to hire Harper to investigate whether someone is sabotaging the project.

The plot was intere...more

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Aug 30, 2010 Melani rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

First I would like to say that I feel justified because there was an author’s note at the back of this one that said the first book in this series was in fact set in 2000, so my whole feeling that the book was a bit anachronistic was spot on. YAYS. The anachronistic feeling is still a bit present in the book, but it’s clear that Richardson was trying to get it up to a modern feel, which means the next book should be better.

As for the book itself. Eh. I don’t know. There are so many things about...more

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Apr 29, 2010 Jan rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I read the first book in this urban fantasy series a few years ago: it did not leave much of an impression. Recently, when someone abandoned books 2-4 in the staff canteen, I decided to give the series another go. (It was that or read Tom Clancy. Save me from that!)

This book, second in the Greywalker series, follows bland private investigator Harper Blaine. Harper is a new "greywalker" - one who can slip into the shadowy world/substance where the vampires, ghosts and ghoulies hide - and she use...more

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Apr 12, 2010 Sheila rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal, suspense

Poltergeist is Kat Richardson’s second Greywalker novel. It’s now sitting on my husband’s bookshelf waiting for him to finish Turn Coat, Jim Butcher’s latest Harry Dresden offering. Once he finishes, I’ll start…

But I was the one to read Poltergeist first, and I really enjoyed it. The two series (Harry Dresden and Greywalker) really do fit well together, with both authors slowly adding to their mysterious worlds, both giving the feel of a protagonist who doesn’t know it all but is wise enough to...more

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Jan 21, 2009 Rob rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A university professor, who does not believe in the supernatural, and his group of students are conducting research on how to use the human mind to imitate the powers of a poltergeist. They invented a poltergeist from scratch, gave her the name Celia and started conducting experiments. But the professor was cheating, he had an assistant in the group who is fixing the result without the knowledge of the other members. Then the results exceeded his expectations. Is somebody setting him up for a sc...more

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Feb 13, 2013 Alisi rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook, dustbuster-challenge-read, series, owned-before-2013, urban-fantasy, good-but-not-spectacular, meh

How to describe this book/ series?

This book was slow in the beginning and it eventually picked up. The "romances" in this book are kind of a non-issue.

In a way, it felt like what romantic ideas that were included were done so with an extremely heavy hand. Why is Will still popping up? He's incredibly boring and it makes me wonder why he's still in this series. Is Carlos taking an interest? And why hasn't anything developed with Quintin? All the relationships felt like they were just thrown in...more

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Nov 04, 2009 Chichipio rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: greywalker, urban-fantasy

Definitely better than the first one. Harper is becoming a lot less whiny and manages not to vomit in the whole book! Seriously, this may seem trivial, but having a book's main character filling every other sentence with a version of "why me? I don't want this. I don't accept it. Make it go away!" or "I tried to control my urge to vomit" is really annoying.

The approach to the case seemed a little goofy at first. She was sure the thing was real, even if she didn't know what the thing was. She was...more

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Feb 23, 2013 Laureen rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 13-02

This book had many of the same issues in it that the first book had. An overabundance of explanations for every little thing as well as the language not really seeming to fit with the writing let alone the character of Harper. But the it goes beyond just that for issues this time around.

New characters showing up and supposedly being best buds with Harper for example. Why didn't we know about them before this if they are so close?

Harper doesn't seem to like women in general and there are many of...more

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Apr 01, 2011 Pam rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Love this series!

This is the second book in the Greywalker series. It has been several months since I had read the first one and was easily sent back into the world of Harper Blaine. The story was rich in mystery, thrills and magic. I love the way the city of Seattle and Pioneer Square are so much a part of the story and the way Ms Richardson brings in the history surrounding the area. Even though I have never visited the area I feel that I have through her books. In this story we find Harper is...more

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Dec 12, 2011 Amanda Waley rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Not normally an author or genre I read, but I borrowed my brother's copy of "Greywalker" one day and was hooked from then on. I recently purchased "Labyrinth" at a local grocery store, and started reading through the book leading up to it starting with "Poltergeist." I was pleasantly surprised to find one of the library's that share a network with mine just recently got all the books in the series where there was one or two before.

I'm normally a big fan of Vampire books, Anne Rice and Stephenie...more

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Sep 16, 2010 Jessica(Spinecracker) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

4.5 stars

Kat Richardson has enthralled me once again. If my parents were right, and you're only as good as the company you keep, then I'd like to think I've come away from Poltergeist feeling smarter than before I entered.

Harper Blaine, private investigator, is hired by a local college professor who's created a study group that tests the limits of the mind's connection to paranormal behavior, particularly in the creation of a ghost. He knows something's gone array when the "ghost" becomes power...more 4.5 stars

Kat Richardson has enthralled me once again. If my parents were right, and you're only as good as the company you keep, then I'd like to think I've come away from Poltergeist feeling smarter than before I entered.

Harper Blaine, private investigator, is hired by a local college professor who's created a study group that tests the limits of the mind's connection to paranormal behavior, particularly in the creation of a ghost. He knows something's gone array when the "ghost" becomes powerful enough to chase the group around the room with a table, and is able to steal items and inflict pain. After witnessing a live session Harper fears this group of misfits has created a full blown entity capable of serious harm, but she's tasked with finding out who's really in control.

Again, the science geek in me loved the underlining theme that the mind is a powerful thing; full of untapped energy and power. The way Richardson describes the being as "a jumble of gleaming threads like a living scribble made by a giant child" and how each person connected with this ball of energy has one of these filaments tethered to them, had me rushing to the internet to discover from what physics magazine I'd heard that from.

There's also something in the way she writes a scene. Richardson's unique views help the reader visualize the heart of a place; what makes something special and separate. No whimpy prose on what shade of green the grass is here.

Minus a cameo or two from The Danzingers, it took a while for any of the other familiar secondary characters to surface (even then it was very limited), stalling my interest slightly. I'm selfish. I found Carlos and Quinton and Edward so interesting that I want them to be in every one of Harper's tales. But alas, I realize this would not a good series make.

Richardson does offer up Phoebe Mason, Jamaican book store owner, in replacement though. Phoebe was a brilliant addition to the story. In my opinion, she helped make the story solemn where it needed to be and acted as comic relief the rest of the time; wether it was from herself or one of her amusing family members. I hope that I get to see Phoebe again soon.

Thankfully Harper hasn't changed a bit. She's still righteous in every way. Even the way she treats a bum on the street is virtuous. Still one of my all-time favorite literary characters. But in general, the story was a touch slower than previously. The case she's working brings with it a slue of compelling new faces but you're not meant to become attached to any of them so the connections are never formed, making Harper somewhat lonely.

Another one of my favorite parts of Poltergeist is Harper's better understanding of, and new interactions with, the "grey". Because she's no longer resisting, Harper can do and see so much more, and she experiments with it's perimeters of space and time. I can't wait to see what else is next for her abilities.

Bottom Line: This paranormal detective hasn't lost an ounce of appeal, and I can't wait for more.
(less)

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Jul 04, 2011 Melliane rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

J'ai toujours un petit problème comme pour le tome 1, c'est les longs passages d'explications, dans ce deuxième tome il y en a un peu trop, et personnellement je n'accroche jamais vraiment à ces moments. C'est vrai qu'ils permettent de bien comprendre ce qu'il se passe et le pourquoi de la chose mais je pense qu'ils auraient pu être beaucoup plus réduits.

Ce qui est dommage je trouve c'est que du coup c'est que ça fait un peu baisser le niveau du livre, parce que le reste le l'histoire est vraime...more

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Jun 04, 2011 Susan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Poltergeist is the second book in Richardson's Greywalker series. In this book, Harper is getting a better handle on her new gift and she is building a stronger relationship with Ben, Mara, Brian, and Albert as Ben and Mara have been helping her. I also enjoyed seeing Quinton back along with Carlos and Cameron. I really enjoy how Richardson keeps these secondary characters in the story and explores Harper's relationships with all of them. Harper takes a case that has her exploring a group of peo...more

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Nov 24, 2012 Moira rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Pro úplnost – v prvním díle naše hlavní hrdinka umřela. Jakožto soukromé očko jednou získala zákazníka, který se rozhodl ji za její práci ubít k smrti. Naštěstí pro příběh hrdinku oživili. A ta se probudila nejen s novou šancí do života, ale také dárečkem, který jí umožňuje vidět Šero, to jest realita mezi naším světem a světem plného nepříjemných nestvůr. Nebudu tu rozpitvávat děj minulého dílu, postačí, když řeknu, že hrdinka je na začátku druhého dílu živá a relativně zdravá, také že její spo...more

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Dec 04, 2011 Talk Supe Blogspot rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

talksupe.blogspot.com

Since the story is from an investigator's POV we get a little education on effective illusion and all those technicalities that you hear being thrown in Ghost Hunters or other ghost tours? Yup Kat Richardson shared that background stuff with us too. And it's tight, all that EMF, telekinesis and the accompanying psycho babble was well researched and not some made up explanation to justify the story.

Harper Blaine is like my other favorite heroine, Mercy Thompson. She's driven...more

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Jul 26, 2011 Kirsten rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I liked this book a lot more than Greywalker. Greywalker wasn't bad, but I don't think it flowed as well as this one since it needed to introduce the characters & environment. One thing that bothers me with a series is when the author re-explains the characters in each book. It's one thing to mention a few things since months or a year may have passed after reading the previous book, but several authors go into too much detail. Poltergeist didn't do that. There are a few mentions, but they'r...more

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Dec 04, 2008 Elizabeth marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Harper Blaine was just an average small-time private investigator until she died - for two minutes. Now she's a Greywalker - walking the thin line between the living world and the paranormal realm. And she's discovering that her new abilities are landing her all sorts of "strange" cases.

In the days leading up to Halloween, Harper's been hired by a university research group that is attempting to create an artificial poltergeist. The head researcher suspects someone is deliberately faking the phe...more

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Sep 06, 2012 J.A. Dalley rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy, detective

I liked this book better than the first one. Harper has started to understand the grey a little bit better, and she can actually use it to help her when interviewing people. I saw some people comment that Harper had gained greater knowledge of the grey between books with no explanation. That is true, but it only seems natural since the books aren't consecutive.

My only problem with this series is still the oddness of the "Grey." I'm still not sure I like what Kat Richardson has created, but it is...more

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Dec 30, 2010 Michael rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Sep 30, 2010 Annikka rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This is the second book in Kat Richardson's Greywalker series, her UF series about the PI Harper Blaine who can walk between life and death in the chaotic region known only as "the Grey".

I admit I was expecting a lot more when I picked this one up. I'd been completely hooked in the first book, drawn from beginning to end by the sheer awesomeness of the story. This one fell a little flat for me.

Harper once again is drawn into the world of the supernatural as she's hired by an arrogant and abrasiv...more This is the second book in Kat Richardson's Greywalker series, her UF series about the PI Harper Blaine who can walk between life and death in the chaotic region known only as "the Grey".

I admit I was expecting a lot more when I picked this one up. I'd been completely hooked in the first book, drawn from beginning to end by the sheer awesomeness of the story. This one fell a little flat for me.

Harper once again is drawn into the world of the supernatural as she's hired by an arrogant and abrasive Dr. Tuckman to find out who's trying to sabotage his experiment. He's created an artificial poltergeist but is having some troubles since the experiment has gone outside the realm of what he expected. His slipshod methods and his desire to push things to the limit have succeeded beyond his wildest dreams: he's managed to attract a creation straight from the Grey and given life by the people who serve as his test subjects.

Some of what happens is real. Some of what happens is counterfeited by the doctor's assistant Mark. So when Mark winds up dead in a very brutal fashion, Harper's suspicion falls on the other members of the poltergeist project. Harper's investigation is hampered by the doctor because he simply refuses to believe that he's released a monster.

Harper again turns to her friends the Danzigers for help, and to the necromancer vampire Carlos. The Danzigers help her with a cheerful heart, while Carlos is less than pleased to help her. It takes her having to check on something and potentially clean up after a mistake Cameron made to get Carlos to help her at all.

Harper eventually pinpoints the individual who's controlling "Celia", the energy being that the fake poltergeist has become. With Carlos' help, she puts his killing spree to an end and destroys Celia once and for all.

This book wasn't as good as the first book. Harper loses her pager and gets a cell phone - and we get to hear about how much she hates that cell phone a lot more often than I felt was strictly necessary. Will also comes back to haunt Harper in the form of random phone calls that may give us insight into Harper's character but are also jarringly inconsistent with the rest of the story.

Ms. Richardson does include some local history in the story, weaving urban legends and actual criminal history into the tapestry of her work. This gives the story the feel of being told by a Seattle native, and that helped keep me going through the slower parts of the story.

All in all, not as well-written as the first book. It took me two days to get through this, and while I'll certainly read it again I'm slightly disappointed in the fact that it wasn't as interesting.(less)

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Poltergeist (Greywalker #2)

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